David Bolton
Articles by David Bolton
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Local-First Computing: The Case Against Cloud, Thin Clients and Age Gates
It’s probably hard to believe but when I started my career as a programmer in the early 1980s there were no networks, no hard disks and no laptops. Everything was done on standalone personal comp… -
Becoming a Senior Engineer Isn't Just About Code
What exactly is a senior engineer? Is it someone promoted through length of time, or maybe just someone promoted because they’re very good at their job? You’ll find companies where both are true.… -
Will programmers stop writing code?
I know a few professional developers who don’t use AI but they are becoming a rarity. The 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, reports 84% are planning to use. I’m one and I use AI to refactor c… -
Is it time to move from Windows to Linux?
I’ve been developing Windows apps since Windows 3.1, back in the 90’s when the first program I wrote was an energy tracking screensaver along with a DOS TSR (Terminate Stay Resident) equivalent.… -
From The Mind Of A Programmer
I’ve been programming for a very long time. I wrote my very first program in BASIC - simulating a dice throw - back in 1976 while still at school, and I’m still programming today. That’s almost 5… -
Lessons From a Career in Small Dev Teams
Between 2000 and 2026, I worked as a Software developer for seven years in a software house on a small bank front office trading system Spent six years in a big U.S. bank on their oil Commodity t… -
Run Smarter, Keep Your AI Local
Running an AI locally isn't just a fun experiment — it's a genuinely useful skill for any tech-curious professional. Your data stays on your machine, the model runs on your hardware, and there's… -
How Good Are Your In-Between Skills?
Back in my first job, the only skill I needed was to be able to write programs for desktop computers in BASIC. There were no databases, no internet, no debuggers, no test frameworks and no build… -
Should You Employ Junior Developers or Use AI Instead?
With low-cost or even free AI now available to both employers and employees, it’s no surprise that some companies are asking, “Hey, maybe we don’t need to hire junior programmers. We can save a b… -
Five Ways to be the Best Programmer in Your Company
What does best programmer mean? Is it the highest paid programmer, most technically skilled, most popular or the person most adept at climbing the work ladder? Well, you’d expect the most technic…