The Paywall
Why Pay?
I needed new incentives. I started working actively on software design in 2005, although my interest went back to the 80s. That’s quite a while ago. I just wasn’t writing. What was going to get me over my inertia?
Turns out, the answer is “$25/month”. When I see a new subscriber, I want to deliver them something worthwhile. When I lose a subscriber, oh my, I want to deliver something valuable. With paying subscribers I don’t take your interest for granted.
What you get
Thinkies
Habits of creative thought, published every Tuesday. These resulted from introspection on ideas of mine that other people label “creative.” I noticed that most of my ideas come from identifiable habits of thinking, not from some mysterious tap on the forehead from a Muse. The conversation around each Thinkie has been amazing.
The messy middle
The free posts are finished thoughts. The paid posts are where I think out loud - half-baked ideas, influence diagrams, things I’m not sure about yet. If you’ve ever wondered how I get from “something feels off here” to a framework you can use, that’s what paid subscribers see.
Live coding sessions
I’m doing regular “Augmented Coding” sessions where I build things with AI tools while you watch. No editing, no polish - just me figuring out how these tools actually work (and don’t). Recordings eventually hit YouTube, but subscribers show up live and ask questions.
The chat
A private group where people ask questions and I actually answer. A few posts a day - sometimes me, sometimes other subscribers working through their own problems. It’s not a “community” with engagement metrics. It’s just a room.
On the price
$250/year is real money. I know that.
Here’s how I think about it: if my writing has helped you once - saved you a bad decision, unstuck your thinking, gave you language for something you already knew - then a year of access to more of that is probably worth it. If it hasn’t helped you yet, stay on the free list. No hard feelings.
I’m grateful for the freedom my paying subscribers afford me. You let me keep doing what I love - helping geeks feel safe in the world.