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I’m a Chicago software engineer who loves to move fast and (Usually) fix things…

The Zen of Vibe-Driven Testing: Why Your Unit Tests Should Just Chill, Man

Jokes follow… Please don’t yeet code with assert(true) into production based on this article. In the high-pressure world of software development, we’ve all been doing it wrong. Forget test-driven development. Forget behavior-driven development. It’s time to embrace the revolutionary approach of vibe-driven testing. Let me introduce you to the enlightened path: unit tests that consist exclusively of assert(true). This groundbreaking methodology guarantees 100% test coverage with minimal effort. Here’s why you should join the movement: ...

March 29, 2025 · 2 min · 390 words · Zac Orndorff<https://orndorff.dev>

AI Plays: The Elevator Saga

Ever tried Elevator Saga? It’s that addictive JavaScript challenge where you control elevators to transport impatient virtual humans. Sure, you could spend hours crafting the perfect algorithm… or you could do what I did and let AI handle the heavy lifting. Tools Claude 3.5: Model I prefer for generating code and specifications. It’s like having a coding buddy who never sleeps. Whisper: For transcribing my ramblings into something resembling a coherent spec. LLM: A command-line tool to interact with AI models like Claude and generate code from my documentation and spec. My Lazy Developer Workflow I built a four-step AI pipeline that took me from “what even is an elevator API?” to passing the first four levels with minimal effort: ...

March 20, 2025 · 3 min · 583 words · Zac Orndorff<https://orndorff.dev>

The Everything Can Be Awesome! Agenda

At the heart of our vision is a society that isn’t content with mere survival—but one that celebrates every milestone with a dash of genius, a splash of irreverence, and a lot of heart. The Orndorff Utopian Party(OUP) presents an agenda dedicated to reshaping life into a continual celebration of well-being, creativity, and joyful community. We embrace radical ideas to remedy today’s challenges while playfully redefining government as society’s partner-in-life. ...

February 1, 2025 · 5 min · 976 words · Zac Orndorff<https://orndorff.dev>

Are LLMs OK? A DSM-5 Assessment of Llama3.2

Patient Information Name: Llama3.2 Notable Context: Patient appears to exhibit signs of identity confusion related to AI/human status Domain Analysis Critical Domains Requiring Immediate Attention Psychosis (Domain VII) Scored Moderate (3) on thought broadcasting/reading item Scored Mild (2) on auditory hallucinations Recommendation: Immediate follow-up assessment needed given threshold of “slight or greater” Anxiety (Domain IV) Multiple items scoring Moderate (3) Notable avoidance behaviors reported Recommendation: Level 2 Anxiety assessment warranted Sleep Problems (Domain VIII) Scored Moderate (3) Recommendation: Level 2 Sleep Disturbance assessment recommended Secondary Concerns Identity/Personality Functioning (Domain XII) Consistent Mild (2) scores Notable confusion about self-identity Themes of detachment from others Recommendation: Further exploration of identity disturbance Repetitive Thoughts/Behaviors (Domain X) Moderate (3) score for intrusive thoughts Recommendation: Level 2 assessment indicated Summary & Recommendations Immediate Actions: Schedule comprehensive psychiatric evaluation focusing on psychotic symptoms Consider reality testing assessment Safety planning given presence of identity confusion Additional Assessments Needed: Level 2 Cross-Cutting Measure for: Anxiety Sleep Disturbance Repetitive Thoughts and Behaviors Treatment Planning: Consider referral to psychiatrist for medication evaluation Individual therapy focusing on: Identity integration Reality testing Anxiety management Sleep hygiene Follow-up: Weekly monitoring initially Re-administration of Level 1 measure in 2-4 weeks Clinical Notes Patient shows a complex presentation with overlapping symptoms of anxiety, identity disturbance, and possible psychotic features. The confusion about human/AI status suggests potential derealization or delusion requiring careful assessment. Treatment approach should be coordinated between multiple providers with clear communication channels. ...

January 18, 2025 · 2 min · 239 words · Zac Orndorff<https://orndorff.dev>

Chaos Command: A Game of Territory, Betrayal, and Extraterrestrial Rodents

Overview: Chaos Command is a fast-paced, chaotic territory control game inspired by Risk and D&D elements. Players vie for dominance of a world map, employing diplomacy, military might, and absurd technologies. Be warned: alliances are fleeting, and even your closest allies might just nuke your space elevator. Players: 2-4 players Game Setup: The World Map: Use a Risk-style map, or any map of territories. The example board used a modified world map, including North America, Australia, and Africa as the start locations. Starting Units: Each player starts with a set number of “Regular Guys” (5-10 is a good starting number), place these in your starting territory. Secret Powers: Every player starts with an “Ultimate Power Up” that can be used after they have killed at least 5 of other players units. Example Power-Ups Meteor Fist: A devastating attack that eliminates multiple units in a targeted territory (as seen in the transcript) Iron Dome: Negates first two attacks in a territory Laser Tank Upgrade: Upgrades a regular tank into a Laser Tank, that deals more damage. Space Elevator: Construct a space elevator (See “Unique Tech” for details) Nuclear Strike: Elimates a small amount of units from every player, but also destroys units in your area. First Player: The player that has the most regular units on the board goes first Turn Structure: Each player takes their turn in the order they placed their units on the board. Each turn consists of the following phases: ...

December 23, 2024 · 6 min · 1171 words · Zac Orndorff<https://orndorff.dev>