# I am the Watcher. I am your guide through this vast new twtiverse.
#
# Usage:
# https://watcher.sour.is/api/plain/users View list of users and latest twt date.
# https://watcher.sour.is/api/plain/twt View all twts.
# https://watcher.sour.is/api/plain/mentions?uri=:uri View all mentions for uri.
# https://watcher.sour.is/api/plain/conv/:hash View all twts for a conversation subject.
#
# Options:
# uri Filter to show a specific users twts.
# offset Start index for quey.
# limit Count of items to return (going back in time).
#
# twt range = 1 8
# self = https://watcher.sour.is/conv/jlqh6uq
Random thought: developing a software project that's meant to continue existing for awhile (e.g. larger than a hobby project) is like cycling a fish tank.
If you've ever done that, you know it can be a delicate process of slowly introducing chemicals, bacteria, plants, fish, and devices into the water at just the right times to kickstart a "virtuous cycle" wherein the wastes produced by the fish are consumed by the bacteria and plants and recycled into forms that are not dangerous to the fish (and possibly helpful to them). It's very easy to mess this up, and it can take months to cycle a large tank properly. Once cycled, though, it's mostly self-sustaining, though still requires some tweaks now and then. At that point you can introduce more delicate and cooler fish.
If you've ever done that, you know it can be a delicate process of slowly introducing chemicals, bacteria, plants, fish, and devices into the water at just the right times to kickstart a "virtuous cycle" wherein the wastes produced by the fish are consumed by the bacteria and plants and recycled into forms that are not dangerous to the fish (and possibly helpful to them). It's very easy to mess this up, and it can take months to cycle a large tank properly. Once cycled, though, it's mostly self-sustaining, though still requires some tweaks now and then. At that point you can introduce more delicate and cooler fish.
You're basically manually creating a hospitable ecosystem for fish on an accelerated timeline.
I like to think of software development like this, because complex software--or more precisely, the complex purposes/functions the software serves--is a fairly delicate beastie that requires a carefully-constructed development system in which to flourish. It's very easy to screw this up, and software "dies" when you do. It can take many months or even years to cultivate such a system. "Management" is often the enemy of this process, with its artificially-forced deadlines and inattention to the realities of a healthy software process.
If you've ever done that, you know it can be a delicate process of slowly introducing chemicals, bacteria, plants, fish, and devices into the water at just the right times to kickstart a "virtuous cycle" wherein the wastes produced by the fish are consumed by the bacteria and plants and recycled into forms that are not dangerous to the fish (and possibly helpful to them). It's very easy to mess this up, and it can take months to cycle a large tank properly. Once cycled it's mostly self-sustaining, though still requires some tweaks now and then. At that point you can introduce more delicate and cooler fish.
You're basically manually creating a hospitable ecosystem for fish on an accelerated timeline.
I like to think of software development like this, because complex software--or more precisely, the complex purposes/functions the software serves--is a fairly delicate beastie that requires a carefully-constructed development system in which to flourish. It's very easy to screw this up, and software "dies" when you do. It can take many months or even years to cultivate such a system. "Management" is often the enemy of this process, with its artificially-forced deadlines and inattention to the realities of a healthy software process.