DEV Community: lixing99999

The Internet Has Plenty to Watch, but Little to Learn

lixing99999 — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:10:56 +0000

Not long ago, I could open YouTube and learn almost anything. Full-length programming courses walked you through a skill from start to finish. Recorded conference talks let you sit in on the best minds in tech, for free.

Today, I open the same platform and scroll for minutes without finding anything worth my time.

What changed?

The shift is hard to miss. Three patterns keep showing up:

Shallow explainers. Someone covers a topic in five minutes, adds nothing new, and moves on. You finish the video knowing the name of a concept but not how to use it.
AI-generated filler. A synthetic voice reads recycled information over stock footage. It sounds polished, but it teaches very little.
"DM me for details." The creator teases the solution, then tells you to message them or buy the full guide. Knowledge that used to be shared openly is now bait for engagement or sales.

Why it happens

It makes sense from the creator's side. Algorithms reward frequent, quick uploads, and AI makes producing content cheap. A two-hour deep dive takes weeks to make and often performs worse than a five-minute video.

But for viewers who actually want to learn, the result is a flood of content with very little substance.

My fix

I stopped relying on free video platforms for serious learning. Instead, I subscribed to magazines and newspaper platforms.

Paying felt strange at first, but the difference was immediate:

Articles are researched, edited, and fact-checked.
They go deeper than a short video can.
They give me the full story instead of a teaser.

I still use YouTube for entertainment, and I know good channels still exist. But when I want to understand something properly, I go where depth is the product, not an afterthought.

The takeaway

The internet hasn't run out of knowledge. It has just become harder to find among the noise. If you feel the same frustration, it may be time to be more selective about where you spend your attention, and maybe your money.

Your turn

This is my move: I stopped searching YouTube for knowledge and started paying for magazines and newspapers.

What's your move?

Do you still find good tutorials and conference talks online?
Which channels or sources still give you real depth?
Or have you changed where you learn, too?

Tell me in the comments. I'd love to hear what works for you.

Dev who runs his own online store — say hi 👋

lixing99999 — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 12:21:05 +0000

Quick intro, because I want to meet more people here.

I'm a web developer based in Malaysia — and unlike most devs, I also run my own online store on [Shopee / your platform]. Building and selling at the same time taught me things no tutorial did: that a slow page loses real sales, that checkout friction is money walking out the door, and that boring reliability beats clever features every time.

These days I build and maintain e-commerce sites for other people, and I'm looking to take on a couple more clients.
But mostly — I just want to connect. So:
Drop a comment with what you're building right now
If you run a store (or build them), let's swap notes
And if you know someone whose site is slow or half-broken, my DMs are open 🙂

Say hi below — I reply to everyone.

NoChoreWars – Turning Household Chores into a Friendly Competition

lixing99999 — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 07:44:59 +0000

Are you tired of arguing over who does more housework? Whether you’re living with a partner, roommates, or even managing house chores with family members, tracking contributions can be frustrating.

That’s why I built NoChoreWars, a simple and fun app designed to prevent fights, boost productivity, and make housework rewarding.

🎮 How It Works

Do your household chores (no skipping! 😆).
Log into NoChoreWars and open the calendar view.
Click on the date and select the chores you’ve completed.
Earn points for every task!
At the end of the month, the person with the most points wins a reward—maybe a free dinner from the other person?
🏡 Why Use NoChoreWars?

✅ No more arguments – Everyone can clearly see who did what.
✅ Stay motivated – Points and progress tracking make chores more satisfying.
✅ Healthy competition – Turn daily tasks into a fun game.
✅ Better household balance – No more unnoticed effort!

🚀 Try It Out!

I’d love for you to give NoChoreWars a try! If you're interested, let me know—I can help set up an account for you! Let’s make chores fun instead of frustrating.

Let me know what you think or if you have any feature suggestions! 💬

https://all-about-lixing.com

Do Not Optimize Code

lixing99999 — Sun, 14 May 2023 15:28:34 +0000

It is important to optimize code only after completing all essential stages of software development. Changing requirements, focusing on functionality, testing, and the risk of over-optimization are some key reasons for this. By doing so, we can ensure the software meets requirements, performs optimally, and is easier to maintain and modify.

If we optimize the code at the first stage of software development, we may end up wasting time and resources on features that may change or be removed later due to changing requirements. Additionally, optimized code can be more difficult to test and debug, making it harder to identify and resolve errors. There is also a risk of over-optimization, which can lead to issues with maintainability, complexity, and performance. Therefore, it is important to complete all essential stages of software development before optimizing the code.

When to Break Function for Clean Code

lixing99999 — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 10:46:00 +0000

Single Responsibility Principle (SRP): A function should only have one responsibility. If a function is doing multiple tasks, it may need to be split into smaller functions.
Don't Repeat Yourself (DRY): If a code block or section is repeated in multiple places throughout the codebase, it should be abstracted into a separate function.
Keep Functions Small: Functions should be small and focused to make them easier to understand, debug, and maintain.
Use Descriptive Function Names: Functions should have descriptive names that accurately reflect their purpose and what they do.
Testability: Functions that are small and focused are easier to test than larger, more complex functions. Breaking a function into smaller parts can make it easier to test and ensure that it works as intended.

Hello World

lixing99999 — Sat, 12 Nov 2022 12:49:56 +0000