# Navigating the Challenges of Development and Growth
Written on
Chapter 1: The Weekly Update
Greetings, everyone! I’m Sébastien Dubois, your host (feel free to connect with me on Twitter). You’re receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to DeveloPassion. I appreciate your support as we dive into the 117th edition!
I hope your week has been fulfilling!
This week, I’ve continued my journey with Knowii. Regrettably, my progress hasn’t been as swift as I had hoped. I’ve been grappling with the notorious "It works on my machine" issue, which can be incredibly frustrating. Deploying code to production only to find it doesn’t perform as expected is a common problem that many developers face—costing businesses billions annually. My recent challenges stemmed from the deployment of Next.js applications to Vercel. The intricacies of front-end development can be quite daunting, with unexpected nuances at every turn. For instance, I encountered issues such as missing libraries and files in production due to not being marked as “required” by the tracing module, production routing failures, and unnecessary libraries that led serverless functions to exceed the 50MB limit. These problems seem endless, and they appear one after another.
In addition to work, I’ve enjoyed quality time with my children and attended a lively carnival last weekend. It was a blast!
If you find value in this newsletter, I invite you to become a subscriber. Joining our community allows you to connect with others who share your interests while supporting my content creation efforts. Alternatively, you can purchase one of my products on Gumroad or treat me to a cup of coffee!
Now, let’s dive into this week’s lab updates!
The Lab Focus
Currently, my primary focus is on Knowii. I’m allowing my existing products to maintain their momentum while I prepare for what’s next.
I’m excited to share that I’ve finally recorded and published a new video on YouTube. While I’m not entirely satisfied with it, I’m glad to have it out in the world. There will be more chances for me to learn and enhance my skills.
New Articles and Insights
There are no new articles to highlight this week.
Quotes of the Week
- "Never judge people by their past. People learn. People change. People move on."
- "When teachers stop learning, so do students." — Jim Knight
How inspiring is that?
Chapter 2: Exploring New Tools and Techniques
The Latest in Developer Tools: ChatGPT
Get ready for Tech Skills Day 2023! Join us on Thursday, April 20, to connect with a vibrant tech community and discover new opportunities.
Thinking and Learning
Reverse Outlining with Language Models
Starting with a chaotic first draft can be overwhelming. However, using language models can help structure your thoughts more clearly.
Retroactive Journaling
I wish I could improve my journaling skills. I cherish documenting my experiences and emotions.
Protecting Our Memory: The Role of Education
Recent research indicates that factors like education, income, and job type can significantly impact cognitive health in individuals in their mid-50s.
Man and Machine: Utilizing GPT for Knowledge Management
In this article, I share my experience using GPT embeddings to create an intelligent search tool for my second brain note-taking system.
Note-taking Strategies for 2023
Reflecting on my note-taking approach since 2016, I explore how my methods have evolved.
Indie Hacking and Bootstrapping
Balancing Parenthood and Entrepreneurship
Launching a startup while raising children is a significant challenge, requiring a blend of skills and dedication.
Transitioning to Usage-Based Pricing
Appsmith assists developers in creating internal applications, emphasizing the shift to usage-based pricing models.
Embracing Difficult Challenges
As I began my entrepreneurial journey in my early 20s, I had to learn how to manage uncertainty effectively.
Sharing Your Work
We must look beyond textbooks and share our unique journeys with the world.
Chapter 3: Tech Updates
ECMAScript 2023: Enhancements for JavaScript
The upcoming ECMAScript 2023 will introduce new methods for searching and manipulating arrays, allowing the use of symbols.
Understanding Software Project Challenges
I’ve grown increasingly curious about why software projects often encounter difficulties.
Utilizing the React Context API
State management is crucial in React applications. The Context API offers a streamlined approach to handle state.
SVG Inlining for Dark Mode
I explore how I’m using my blog to discuss practical applications of SVG in dark mode.
The Value of Generalists
Generalists are rare gems in the tech industry, capable of navigating diverse challenges.
Chapter 4: AI Insights
The Nature of GPT-4
In this series, I’ll delve into the capabilities of AI systems and their evolving nature.
GPT-4 as a Cognitive Assistant
In the coming years, I foresee GPT-4 and its successors acting as cognitive collaborators.
Open-Source Innovations: Auto-GPT
Discover the latest developments in the open-source community with Auto-GPT.
John Carmack’s Vision for AGI
Tech visionary John Carmack is on a quest to tackle one of the most ambitious challenges in technology.
Vicuna: An Impressive Open-Source Chatbot
This evaluation highlights Vicuna's quality in comparison to GPT-4.
Understanding GPT’s Functionality
If you’re curious about how OpenAI's ChatGPT operates, this article provides straightforward explanations.
About Sébastien
I’m Sébastien Dubois, an author, founder, and CTO. I create content around software development, personal knowledge management, and productivity. If you’ve enjoyed my work, consider subscribing, exploring my Obsidian Starter Kit, or checking out my publications. You can also follow me on Twitter. If you’d like to engage in discussions, feel free to join the Personal Knowledge Management or Software Crafters communities.