Basta’s Notes

Basta's Notes is a newsletter that explores a wide array of subjects, including the technology industry, personal development, financial literacy, career advice, coding practices, and the impact of social media. It combines personal anecdotes with professional insights, offering readers a blend of practical guidance and reflective commentary.

Technology Personal Development Financial Literacy Career Advice Coding Practices Social Media Impact Interview Techniques Software Engineering AI and Machine Learning Web Development

The hottest Substack posts of Basta’s Notes

And their main takeaways

My friend, JT

245 implied HN points • 22 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Pets Relationships Mental health Lifestyle Personal Stories
  1. Having a pet can be really meaningful. They can become important parts of our lives and provide comfort through tough times.
  2. Moving pets to new homes can be challenging. It takes preparation and sometimes a little help from professionals to make the experience smoother.
  3. Pets age and it can be hard to accept. While it's sad to think about losing them, it's important to cherish every moment and the joy they bring.

The ghosts that live in my garage

122 implied HN points • 13 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence Self-driving cars Data science Software Development
  1. Machine learning models are good at spotting patterns that humans might miss. This means they can make predictions and organize data in ways that are impressive and often very useful.
  2. However, machine learning can struggle with unclear or messy data. This fuzziness can lead to mistakes, like misidentifying objects or giving unexpected results.
  3. Not every problem needs a machine learning solution, and sometimes simpler methods work better and are more effective. It's important to think carefully about whether machine learning is truly the best tool for the job.

I'm going to run for president

81 implied HN points • 19 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Campaigning Public Policy Consumer Rights Social Issues
  1. Consumer goods packaging is often really hard to open, and people are tired of it. Many everyday items come with frustrating seals and tabs that don't work properly.
  2. The packaging issue seems to come from companies not caring about their customers. Some brands even do a great job, showing that it is possible to make easy-to-open products.
  3. Basta's campaign idea focuses on fixing packaging to make it user-friendly. It taps into a common frustration shared by many people, making it a relatable issue.

No sacred masterpieces

753 HN points • 15 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Software Development Data science Engineering Project management Web Development
  1. Sometimes, valuable projects end abruptly without much recognition or lasting impact.
  2. It's important to focus on creating business value with your work, rather than building impressive but ultimately unnecessary solutions.
  3. Every piece of code you write as an engineer is legacy and may not last forever, so focus on learning from each project's outcome.

All the bullshit I did as a kid (part 1?)

204 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Programming Web Development Operating Systems Software Development Tech industry
  1. The author reflects on the interesting and ambitious projects they worked on as a kid, showcasing a strong interest in technology and programming.
  2. Despite lacking mentorship, the author taught themselves valuable programming skills, such as building their own web browser and writing complex code like a CSS parser.
  3. The journey from tinkering with personal computers to winning a programming contest and earning internship opportunities highlights the author's growth and passion for technology.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Thoughts on layoffs and making points through writing

614 implied HN points • 05 Nov 22
  1. The experience of layoffs can involve a significant emotional and psychological toll on individuals
  2. Leaving a job means severing relationships with coworkers, which can be a strange and bittersweet experience
  3. When voicing dissent in an organization, it's important to tackle the right problem, communicate effectively, and check your facts

Things nobody taught me about money

245 implied HN points • 02 Jun 23
💰 Finance Personal Finance Investing Debt
  1. Financial literacy is crucial, but not prioritized - learn about managing your money.
  2. Understand how to use credit cards wisely: treat them like debit cards and read the terms for benefits.
  3. Be strategic with debt - consider investments to outweigh potential interest costs.

What I have been so busy with

81 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Coding Web Development Design Animation Video Editing
  1. The author built a website with a bold and animated design that may not please everyone, but aimed to excite their target audience of podcasters.
  2. The website underwent significant development, transitioning from a DOM-based approach to using Canvas for animations, like with a globe section featuring looping videos.
  3. Challenges were overcome by techniques such as using Perlin noise for wiggling animations and rendering inline SVG images via React for intricate visual elements.

That time I broke login at Box

204 implied HN points • 19 May 23
🕹 Technology Coding Software Development System Architecture Security
  1. Reusing code can be beneficial, but be cautious of reusing business logic as it can lead to unexpected dependencies.
  2. When rewriting code, consider extending existing functionality rather than reusing entire systems to prevent potential issues.
  3. Make sure to thoroughly understand the business logic behind the code to avoid unintended consequences, especially when dealing with complex systems.

[2022-10-17] Basta's weekly notes

286 implied HN points • 22 Oct 22
  1. Consistently documenting your thoughts and actions can lead to unexpected influence and engagement.
  2. Being truthful, empathetic, and direct in your writing can enhance its impact.
  3. Writing with a clear purpose and genuine message can effectively communicate your ideas.

My event-driven life

122 implied HN points • 08 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Smart Devices Virtual reality
  1. Notifications play a significant role in shaping our daily lives and habits.
  2. Event-driven systems are prevalent in various aspects of technology, such as communication between processes and UI design.
  3. The utility and impact of notifications are crucial, from connecting us with loved ones to potentially influencing our purchasing decisions.

The rough edges of Terraform that I awkwardly stumble over

122 implied HN points • 07 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Infrastructure Automation Resource Management API Integration
  1. Terraform allows writing code to describe infrastructure in production, automating deployment and management across various cloud platforms.
  2. Securing secrets in Terraform state files can be a challenge, requiring manual handling to avoid storing sensitive data.
  3. Terraform's manual and serial nature requires human oversight for changes to avoid unintended consequences, making automation challenging.

🌈 Pride 2023 #1: Miles

81 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture LGBTQ+ Travel Airlines
  1. You can earn and use miles for perks and travel with different airlines.
  2. Each airline offers unique perks for accumulating and redeeming miles.
  3. Future Pride month plans include horoscopes, helmet cover rankings, and drag persona designs.

Why don't big companies move fast?

122 implied HN points • 20 Nov 22
  1. Adjusting to different company sizes means readjusting expectations around balance of speed and quality.
  2. At big companies, managerial overhead and complexity can slow down projects.
  3. Creating a culture of agility, clear ownership, and tackling papercut issues can help companies move quickly.

The humbling and reassuring progression of AI

81 implied HN points • 06 Dec 22
  1. Your job in engineering is secure despite advancements in AI.
  2. AI language models still struggle with accuracy and context, relying heavily on specific prompts provided.
  3. Generative AI in art shows promise but has limitations in areas like image resolution and understanding complex language.

Go fix your bugs

40 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🕹 Technology Coding Security Performance Validation
  1. Always validate the types of values your API accepts to prevent potential security vulnerabilities.
  2. Be cautious with regular expressions to avoid performance issues like ReDoS (Regular Expression Denial of Service).
  3. Check and handle subdomains and domain name validation to prevent unexpected bugs or failures in your application.

The state with the fancy plates

40 implied HN points • 11 Apr 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Typography Design Fonts Visual Arts
  1. License plate typography is more detailed than you might think, impacting visibility and individual character legibility.
  2. Most states use sans-serif typefaces for license plates to enhance legibility, with variations like serifs added for character differentiation.
  3. Virginia stands out by using a unique serif typeface on its license plates, which presents challenges in maintaining character equal width and readability.

What have I been up to lately?

40 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
🪑 Design Electrification Painting Progress
  1. The author is updating followers about recent activities and plans on their newsletter.
  2. The author is renovating their garage and upgrading for electrification to accommodate new electric vehicles.
  3. The author has purchased a new electric motorcycle and is excited to share more about it and post motorcycle content.

Coming soon

0 implied HN points • 22 Oct 22
  1. Matt Basta is starting a newsletter
  2. The newsletter is called Basta's Notes
  3. The newsletter content will be regularly scheduled notes