I'm doing okay, I'm using Jerboa, it's pretty good so far. I'm actually mainly posting now to understand how federation works because this isn't my local instance. I still have some questions.

What dictates an instance's access to another? Is there read/write permissions per instance that each server admin controls? Is it correct that the only way to see another non-federated instance is to create another account there, and to switch accounts within your client app to see their content? Can multiple accounts be aggregated so I don't have to do that? Another random question is what happens when an instance defederates then refederates? Is all their post history for that period lost to the other instances?

I see it as a different skillset. You possess skills to cut maintainable code, work through issues (technical and people), and whatever other traits the organisation sees you doing well in, or have the potential to. That is quite different from interviewing, which is often just about impressing people enough to let you in the door. I say this having gone through the same process. If you're that worried, study the code as you're already doing, grind leetcode, or my preference - pick up harder problems and run with them. You'll learn some new stuff, maybe build something cool and feel a bit less like an imposter.

This is exactly why the Reddit blackout would have been so easy to win if people actually held their ground

How did your perspective change?

Definitely do, it's fun. (Usually? Sometimes?)

I've had this happen to me. I'm pretty happy to talk to anyone who approaches me so I made the mistake of saying hello to a girl who said hi to me. Being on Khaosan Road I should have known better. Anyway, she kept following me and asking me to engage in various acts for money, or even for "free". I kept saying no thank you, I'm good, but she kept following. I had to form a brisk jog to get away.

Thank god finally.

I've also just started learning Rust. To stay motivated I've chosen a fairly basic project that helps me with a mundane every day problem that annoys me. I find it's a lot easier to be motivated to work on it because every day, I'm reminded that "oh that thing is so annoying, I need to finish that tool".

I'm surprised my first whimsical drunken post got so high up in upvotes. I am also slightly saddened by it lol. I need to up the effort next time .

While you're here I'd appreciate if you'd try out my circa-2001 XP-themed Winamp skin I made with MSPaint back then: https://skins.webamp.org/skin/65771a207ee6f20e922a0022d0fa5f81/XP_AMP1234.wsz/

I recommend listening to Limp Bizkit albums while wondering how awesome computers are gunna be in the future.

Tbh I have no idea, I stumbled across Lemmy from a random Reddit post. However, getting out of Reddit for a bit and looking around what's here now, it reminds me of the early days, and maybe I'm just old, but I think they were better. Maybe at Reddit's scale + the way the web is now just isn't something that scratches that itch for me. If not Lemmy I hope to find another alternative for that. But in order for this to work, you're right, it does need a certain number of users, we'll have to see how that pans out I guess.

The current internet is shit now. There's too much noise and not enough depth. I like the vibe here so far. This is my first post hello world etc.