The Emacsification of Software
sockpuppet.org
May 13, 2026
8 min read
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66/100
Summary
Markdown has become a fundamental format in software development, particularly with the rise of AI. The use of terminal-based user interface (TUI) tools has negatively impacted the reading experience, leading to frustration among developers.
Key Takeaways
- Markdown has become a prevalent format in software development, but the reading experience in terminal-based tools is often poor and fatiguing.
- Existing Markdown viewers from the App Store frequently lack essential features like text search and proper text copying functionality.
- The author created a custom Markdown viewer, MDV.app, which significantly improved their reading experience by incorporating features like text selection, SQLite indexing, and customizable themes.
- Many modern applications, including Signal, are built on Electron, leading to performance issues like screen flickering due to their reliance on Chromium.
Community Sentiment
Positives
- LLMs are making it increasingly feasible for non-experts to create personal software, bringing us closer to the original vision of home computing.
- The ease of software production with LLMs allows individuals to customize their own solutions, making programming more accessible and reducing reliance on prebuilt software.
- LLMs excel at automating well-defined tasks, potentially transforming the way we develop applications by simplifying the process from design to deployment.
Concerns
- While LLMs facilitate personal software creation, they struggle with maintaining these applications, which could lead to a fragmented software ecosystem.
- There are concerns about the potential for a lack of common file formats if everyone relies on proprietary applications generated by LLMs, complicating collaboration.
- The reliance on LLMs for software development may lead to a throwaway culture, where the quality and longevity of software are compromised.
