TL;DR
A blog post uses the painted-turtle lecture anecdote to contrast "warm-blooded" software that needs constant activity with "cold-blooded" projects that can be left idle and still run later. The author describes choosing conservative tooling—vendored dependencies, local builds, rsync deployment—which has kept their site generator working for over a decade.
What happened
In a December 2023 essay the author recounts a 2004 university lecture in which a frozen hatchling painted turtle was revived under an overhead camera. The anecdote becomes an analogy for software longevity: some projects require continuous upkeep to remain functional, while others survive long periods of inactivity. The post coins a distinction between "warm-blooded" projects that depend on constantly changing services and tooling, and "cold-blooded" ones that rely on stable, simple choices. The author offers a concrete example: the static site generator that powers their blog, first committed on Jan. 8, 2012 (commit 68949229ad426c1e8795ee640808db9987ab30ab). That generator is written in Python 2, bundles four external modules in the repository, builds locally, and is deployed via rsync over SSH—an approach the author says has kept the site running without major changes.
Why it matters
- Stability-focused tooling reduces the chance that external changes will break a project during inactivity.
- Vendoring key dependencies preserves a working snapshot even if upstream packages are removed or altered.
- Local, service-free build and deploy processes minimize reliance on third parties that can change or vanish.
- Different maintenance patterns suit different projects: solo or low-activity work benefits from conservative choices.
Key facts
- The post uses a 2004 lecture involving a frozen painted-turtle hatchling as the opening anecdote.
- Author contrasts "warm-blooded" projects (need constant activity) with "cold-blooded" projects (survive dormancy).
- The blog's site generator repository includes an initial commit dated Jan 8, 2012 (commit 68949229ad426c1e8795ee640808db9987ab30ab).
- That generator is implemented in Python 2 and depends on four third-party modules that are committed into the repo.
- Build and testing run locally; deployment is performed with rsync over SSH according to the author.
- The author credits Thorsten Ball for suggestions and links to a Hacker News discussion about the post.
- The essay was published on Dec. 28, 2023.
What to watch next
- Discussion and feedback on Hacker News mentioned in the post (confirmed in the source).
- Whether vendored dependencies will require updates over time (not confirmed in the source).
- Any future changes to the blog's deployment or tooling choices (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Cold-blooded software: A project built with conservative, stable tooling and local build/deploy steps so it can be left idle and still run later.
- Vendoring: Including third-party libraries or modules directly in a project's repository to preserve a known-working version.
- CI (Continuous Integration): Automation that builds and tests code regularly; it can be fragile if it relies on external services that change.
- rsync over SSH: A simple file synchronization and deployment method that copies site files to a remote server over an encrypted channel.
Reader FAQ
What does the author mean by "cold-blooded" software?
Software designed with minimal external dependencies and local, stable build/deploy processes so it can survive long periods of inactivity.
What example does the author provide?
The blog's static site generator first committed on Jan. 8, 2012, written in Python 2, with four vendored modules and deployed via rsync over SSH.
Did the author say the site will definitely keep working indefinitely?
The author says they expect it to keep working for many more years, but long-term certainty is not confirmed in the source.
Are external service failures cited as risks?
Yes—the post notes that reliance on services or rapidly changing dependencies can cause otherwise healthy projects to break during inactivity.
Cold-blooded software December 28, 2023 It’s 2004 and I’m sitting in one of the largest lecture halls at my university. I’m a computer science major but I’m taking a course…
Sources
- Cold-blooded software (2023)
- Cold-blooded software
- Inactivity and the passive slowing effect of cold on resting …
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