Writing
Featured essays
politics
The Republican Party’s Last Burp of Hope
Why I’m optimistic about America—even if Trump gets re-elected
social media
Move away and fix things
I am deleting my Facebook account, but I am not unfriending you. #DeleteFacebook #StopHateForProfit
management
Spotify’s Failed #SquadGoals
“The Spotify model” got a bunch of companies talking like Taylor Swift about startup culture, but four former Spotify employees reveal the truth: its eponymous way of working failed before it scaled.
Featured conference talks
Web Monetization
3 wins Web Monetization needs to succeed in 2021
Future of Micropayments lightning talk
API
JSON API: Your smart default
The JSONAPI.org specification should be your smart default for designing Web APIs.
API
How Fitbit’s API makes the world move
Scaling the Fitbit Web API strategy and engineering practices
Featured interviews
remote work
Balance the Grind interview
A converation about work–life balance as a remote worker at a fully distributed company
side project
Net magazine side project of the month: Tab Tosser
My interview about Tab Tosser in Net magazine issue 321
journal
What is the meaning of life?
My answers to a younger friend who later committed suicide.
And everything else
2020
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2020 Investments technology
I am excited to announce my latest investments: Wifi Dabba and Aptera Motors
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What is LongFi and HNT? technology
LongFi is foundational technology for realizing the potential of smart IoT devices.
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We don’t stop until hate for profit stops activism
The Stop Hate for Profit protest must continue until Facebook takes action to stop the real harm to real people. Here is a template to ask your employer’s executives to remain committed.
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14 reasons why #DeleteFacebook social media
Over the course of August 2020, I shared why I was leaving Facebook on Facebook
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Spotify vs Fitbit: Marty Cagan’s false premise and false cause fallacy comments
Fitbit and Spotify are not polar opposites and sometimes the market does not reward innovative “empowered product teams” equally.
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Reactions to “Spotify’s Failed Squad Goals” comments
Clarifications from me and select comments from you
2019
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The sad state of language translation in Firefox side project
Firefox has made the Web less accessible to people who need to access information in another language, taken an absolutist position, and removed freedom of users to extend their browser.
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Making FitbitOS watchfaces side project
What I learned creating two LGBT+ Pride related smartwatchfaces
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Introducing Tab Tosser side project
Tab Tosser is a Firefox extension that automatically closes tabs you have ignored for too long. I created Tab Tosser to help free myself of digital clutter.
2017
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Why does LinkedIn hate its Web app? UX
LinkedIn's mobile Web app is great, but you wouldn't know that from the first 15 seconds of using it.
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Remembering Mark Fish journal
We all need a personal cheerleader in life. Mark was mine.
2016
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The music that moves me journal
Bye, San Francisco. Hej, Stockholm.
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How I voted in November 2016 activism
My voter guide to the bajillion CA propositions
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Dear NPR: Please stop “cyber” scaring us technology
Word choice matters, especially to digital immigrants.
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Why we march journal
St. Thomas saw pride as the queen of the seven deadly sins. But hating isn’t a sin on that list.
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The Mary Vinoskey Cohick Studio journal
Today, on what would have been my mom's 54th birthday, I had the honor of dedicating the new tv studio at our high school in her honor.
2013
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Healthier, Happier at Fitbit journal
Can APIs help you live healthier? Fitbit hired me to find out.
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Cross-posting to Twitter from App.net UX
Proposed interaction and user interface design for App.net clients cross-posting to Twitter
2008
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Media Along the Path to Atheism journal
Words that helped me break free from intellectual dishonesty
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Fairy Tale Ending journal
I have found greater compassion outside of the pews, greater peace through science, and greater urgency to make my life matter by letting go of god.
2007
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Xmas Prayer journal
Don’t ask me to say the blessing.
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EVVY 26 journal
The honor of winning Best Interactive Project at The 26th Annual EVVY Awards