DEV Community: Griff Polk

Platform Engineering: The Solution to Developer Burnout You Didn’t Know You Needed

Griff Polk — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:35:31 +0000

What is Platform Engineering?
At its heart, Platform Engineering is the practice of building and maintaining internal developer platforms (IDPs). Think of it as creating a "paved road" for your developers. This road handles the tricky parts of deployment, infrastructure, and observability, allowing developers to focus on what they do best: writing code and shipping features.

Instead of developers needing to manually configure Kubernetes, set up monitoring with Prometheus, and manage CI/CD pipelines, a platform team builds a cohesive internal tool that automates these tasks. The developer simply pushes code to a repo, and the platform handles the rest.

The Shift from DevOps to a Self-Service Model
For years, DevOps was the dominant methodology for improving workflows. The goal was to break down the wall between developers and operations. In practice, this often led to developers becoming responsible for a growing list of operational tasks they were never trained for.

Platform Engineering takes the lessons of DevOps and applies them more strategically. It's not about making every developer an ops expert. It’s about a dedicated platform team empowering all developers with:

Faster Development Cycles: Developers can provision new services in minutes, not days.

Reduced Cognitive Load: With one standard platform, developers don't have to remember the unique details of every deployment or monitoring system.

Enhanced Reliability: A centralized platform team can bake best-in-class security, scalability, and observability practices directly into the tools.

The End of "It Works on My Machine"
One of the most persistent frustrations in software development is inconsistency between environments. An IDP built by a platform team solves this by providing a standardized, repeatable environment for everyone.
For example, a platform might offer a command like platform create-service --template=api that provisions a new service with all the necessary infrastructure, CI/CD, and monitoring baked in. This ensures consistency and reliability from the very first line of code.

Getting Started with Platform Engineering
You don't need a massive team to get started. You can begin by treating a small, shared set of automation scripts as your "platform."

Identify a shared pain point: Find a repetitive, manual task that all developers on your team dread. This could be anything from local environment setup to deploying a specific type of service.

Automate the solution: Write a script or create a small internal CLI to solve that one problem.

Treat it like a product: Document your tool, gather feedback from your team, and iterate on it.
This small, iterative approach builds the momentum and buy-in you need to prove the value of a platform.

A Year with the Arc Browser

Griff Polk — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 14:57:41 +0000

A year ago from the day this article is coming out, February 7, I started using the Arc Browser. I was a basic user at that time, having just switched to Safari. Until I actually started using it’s features well.

Let’s be honest: most browsers feel the same. You’ve got your tabs at the top, your bookmarks tucked away somewhere, and a URL bar that doubles as a search box. It’s functional, sure, but it’s also kind of boring. Enter the Arc Browser. It’s not just another Chrome clone or a Firefox spin-off—it’s a browser that actually tries to do things differently. And for anyone who spends way too much time online (so, all of us), it’s worth paying attention to.

What’s the Big Deal?
Arc doesn’t just tweak the formula—it throws it out the window. Instead of the usual horizontal tabs, it uses a vertical sidebar. Instead of letting your tabs pile up into a chaotic mess, it helps you organize them into neat little workspaces. And instead of treating every website like a static page, it lets you customize them to your heart’s content. It’s a browser that feels like it was designed by people who actually use the internet, not just build tools for it.

The Sidebar: Goodbye, Tab Chaos
The first thing you’ll notice about Arc is the sidebar. It’s where all your tabs live, but it’s way more than just a list of open pages. Tabs are split into two sections: "Pinned" and "Today." Pinned tabs are for the sites you use all the time—your email, your calendar, your go-to news site. Today’s tabs are for everything else, and here’s the kicker: they automatically archive at the end of the day. No more staring at a row of 47 tabs you haven’t touched in weeks. It’s like a daily reset button for your brain.

Spaces: Keep Your Work and Play Separate
Arc takes the idea of workspaces and runs with it. You can create different "Spaces" for different parts of your life—one for work, one for side projects, one for mindlessly scrolling Reddit. Each Space has its own set of pinned tabs, so you’re not mixing your work Slack with your weekend recipe hunting. It’s a simple idea, but it makes a huge difference when you’re trying to stay focused (or at least pretend to).

Boosts: Make the Web Yours
Ever wish you could tweak the way a website looks or works? With Arc’s "Boosts," you can. It’s a feature that lets you customize any site using CSS and JavaScript. Want to change the font on your favorite blog? Done. Want to hide that annoying pop-up on a news site? Easy. You don’t need to be a coding wizard to use it, either. It’s like having a set of digital tools to make the web feel a little more personal.

Easels: Your Browser as a Canvas
This is where Arc gets really interesting. Easels are like digital whiteboards inside your browser. You can drag and drop images, text, links, and more to create a visual space for brainstorming, planning, or just collecting ideas. It’s perfect for creatives, planners, or anyone who likes to think visually. And because Easels are shareable, they’re great for collaborating with others. Imagine Pinterest meets Google Docs, but inside your browser.

Minimalist Design That Doesn’t Suck
Arc looks good. Like, really good. It’s clean and simple without feeling sterile. The interface gets out of the way, so you can focus on what you’re doing instead of wrestling with the browser itself. Little touches, like smooth animations and thoughtful typography, make it feel polished without being flashy. It’s the kind of design that makes you wonder why other browsers still look like they’re stuck in 2010.

Built for People Who Actually Do Stuff
Arc isn’t just pretty—it’s practical. It’s packed with features that make life easier, like split-view browsing (so you can look at two tabs at once) and a command bar that lets you search, open tabs, or run commands with just a few keystrokes. It’s clear that the people behind Arc actually use their own product, because it’s full of little details that make you go, “Why didn’t anyone think of this before?”

Privacy? Yeah, They Care About That Too
While Arc is still growing, it takes privacy seriously. It blocks trackers and malware by default, and the team is upfront about how they handle your data. It’s not perfect (no browser is), but it’s refreshing to see a company that’s at least trying to put users first.

Who’s It For?
Arc is for anyone tired of the same old browser experience. It’s for people who juggle a million tabs, who want to keep their work and personal life separate, or who just want a browser that feels like it was made for humans, not robots. It’s not for everyone—if you’re the type who just wants to type in a URL and go, you might find it a bit overwhelming. But if you’re willing to try something new, Arc might just change the way you think about browsing.

The Bottom Line
The Arc Browser isn’t just another option—it’s a statement. It’s a reminder that the tools we use every day don’t have to be boring or frustrating. They can be thoughtful, creative, and even a little fun. Is it perfect? Not yet. But it’s exciting, and in a world where most tech feels stagnant, that’s something worth celebrating. So if you’re ready to break up with your old browser, give Arc a shot. You might just wonder how you ever lived without it.

But…
We have a problem. Three months ago, The Browser Company put out a YouTube video.
They basically said what no Arc users wanted to hear. “We’re stopping updates on Arc.” That’s right. The browser so many people loved so much would just… stop getting updates. Instead, they’d be working on their new browser Dia. And since that day, Arc has gotten slower, slower, slower, and buggier, buggier, buggier. It’s not working well enough now, as software support for newer versions of MacOS doesn’t come. So, with a heavy heart I won’t be recommending Arc. Instead, you might want to check out Zen Browser or SigmaOS. I personally use the latter now. Thanks for reading.

If you enjoyed this new article, I’m going to be posting more often now! You can subscribe to my Substack get articles earlier, more articles, and direct content with me. Thanks!

Beyond Price: How KZ and KBear redefine the audio market for less than $50

Griff Polk — Tue, 21 May 2024 14:25:33 +0000

Before we begin, as you can see, I’m Back! I am back now as The Cheap Audiophile, talking about all things audio. It is great to be back and I’m so glad to be able to continue to share my interests with all of you. Thanks for reading. Now, into the article.

For years, the high-fidelity earphone market has been a realm of established brands commanding premium prices. However, Chinese manufacturers KZ and KBear have emerged as disruptive forces, offering surprisingly high-quality audio at a fraction of the cost. Their success hinges on a strategic combination of design choices, efficient manufacturing practices, and an unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional sound to budget-conscious listeners.

Prioritizing Performance: The Core Advantage

Unlike some high-end brands that prioritize features like wireless connectivity and noise cancellation, KZ and KBear focus on the fundamental component of any earphone: the driver. These tiny speakers are the heart and soul of sound quality. By meticulously engineering their drivers for clear and detailed audio reproduction, they prioritize core functionality over extraneous features. This laser focus translates into exceptional sonic performance at an accessible price point.

Efficiency Reigns Supreme: Economies of Scale and Direct Sales

KZ and KBear leverage the strengths of Chinese manufacturing to their advantage. High production volume allows them to negotiate favorable pricing on materials and components. Additionally, their focus on direct-to-consumer sales through online channels eliminates the need for intermediaries, further reducing the final cost for the end user. This streamlined approach ensures the delivery of high-performance audio in a cost-effective manner.

Lessons for Industry Leaders: Rethinking Value Proposition

The success of KZ and KBear offers valuable lessons for established players in the earphone market. Perhaps a niche exists for stripped-down, high-quality audio experiences at accessible price points. Consumers who prioritize pure sound quality may be willing to forgo features like wireless connectivity or active noise cancellation if the price reflects the trade-off. Rethinking their value proposition to cater to this segment could be a strategic move for major brands.

Beyond Efficiency: Smart Design and Strategic Partnerships

While cost-effectiveness is a major factor, KZ and KBear go beyond simply being cheap. They understand the importance of thoughtful design. KZ, for example, offers a wide range of earphones with different aesthetics, catering to various styles. KBear prioritizes ergonomics, ensuring their earphones are comfortable for extended listening sessions. They have also forged strategic partnerships with audiophiles and reviewers in the online community. By collaborating with these tastemakers, they gain valuable insights into user preferences and receive crucial feedback for product development. This fosters a sense of community and trust among budget-conscious audiophiles.

Innovation on a Budget: Pushing the Boundaries

KZ and KBear are not content with simply offering budget-friendly alternatives. They actively push boundaries within this segment. KZ, for instance, has experimented with multiple driver configurations in their earphones, achieving impressive results. The KZ ASF 10, for example, boasts a whopping 10 drivers per earbud, delivering a level of sonic complexity typically unheard of at this price point. KBear, on the other hand, has focused on innovative designs and comfortable materials to enhance the user experience. They've experimented with bio-cellulose diaphragms and detachable cables, features not often found in similarly priced earphones. This constant pursuit of improvement ensures they remain relevant and exciting for budget-conscious audiophiles.

Democratizing Hi-Fi Audio: A Broader Audience

The most significant impact of KZ and KBear's success might be the democratization of high-fidelity audio. Previously, exceptional sound quality was a luxury reserved for those who could afford premium earphones. Now, thanks to these budget innovators, listeners can experience remarkable levels of sonic detail and clarity without breaking the bank. This opens up the world of hi-fi audio to students, music enthusiasts, and casual listeners who might not have been able to afford it previously.

A Call to Rethink Exclusivity

The major industry players would benefit from re-evaluating their focus on exclusivity. By offering a wider range of price points with varying feature sets, they can cater to a broader audience without compromising the high-end experience for their established clientele. This could involve creating sub-brands or budget-friendly lines that prioritize core sound quality at accessible prices. Major brands could also learn from KZ and KBear's online-focused approach, establishing a more direct connection with consumers and fostering a sense of community.

Beyond Price: A New Definition of Value

The success of KZ and KBear goes beyond just offering cheap earphones. They have redefined the concept of value in the earphone market. Value is no longer solely determined by price tag; it's about delivering exceptional sound quality and user experience at an accessible price point. This focus on core functionalities resonates with a growing segment of budget-conscious consumers who prioritize performance over brand prestige.

A Catalyst for Change: The Ripple Effect

The impact of KZ and KBear extends beyond their own market share. They have inadvertently forced established brands to re-evaluate their pricing strategies and product offerings.

How the Radio Altimeter Works on a Plane

Griff Polk — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 12:47:19 +0000

The radio altimeter, also known as the radar altimeter, is a key tool on planes like the Boeing 747. Its main job is to find out how far the plane is from the ground. This is super important for pilots when they are taking off, landing, or flying low.

How It Works

This tool sends radio waves down to the ground, which then bounce back up to the plane. By timing how long this takes and knowing that light travels super fast, it can figure out how high the plane is. It also looks at the difference in signal frequency to get this right.

Why It’s Used

Radio altimeters are vital for a few reasons:

They help pilots land and take off smoothly and safely by giving them exact height info.
They help planes avoid hitting things like buildings or trees by telling pilots exactly how high they are.
They assist pilots in flying safely to the runway when it's hard to see.
They feed height data to autopilot systems, helping keep the flight steady and under control.

Specs and Facts

On a Boeing 747, a typical radio altimeter has these details:

Works on frequencies between 4.2 GHz and 4.4 GHz
It’s pretty accurate, within a foot (or about 0.3 meters)
It can measure how high the plane is up to 2500 feet (or 760 meters)
It updates up to 10 times a second

This tool is crucial for keeping folks safe in the air by giving pilots accurate height data. It’s getting better all the time, making flights safer and smoother.

Cool bit: If you ever see a video from inside the cockpit during landing and hear “100, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10,” that's the radio altimeter doing its job!

Oh look, there’s more! [Bug Hunter #3]

Griff Polk — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 18:30:55 +0000

For the return of Bug Hunter, TCG Presents…

The hidden products list!
Points to anyone who can figure out the website! (Hint: shopping, and planes)
Bonus points to anyone who can figure out which model of plane this is!

Plane Cards?

Griff Polk — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 18:23:09 +0000

So, I have another project in the books. I am planning to make a Plane Cards game. What in the world even are “Plane Cards”? Well, you know how in games you can unlock cards with enough coins, XP, etc.? Well, my plan is to make an RNG game like that, for airplanes. We will start with airlines, slowly adding models, then a combo of both. I am still learning how to make things like this, so it will start very basic. This is a wheel to spin (https://spinthewheel.app/airlines). Put a screenshot (and prove it was yours please) in the comments with what you landed on, and that card will be saved in a database (link soon). Just add a username to the comment for your name to be saved, and for you to have a log of cards. It will be a long time before this grows, but hopefully it will.

Daily DEV Check #1

Griff Polk — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 13:08:55 +0000

Welcome to Daily DEV Check, the discuss post where you can answer the question and just let out what you need to let out. So, for today’s Daily DEV Check question:

What is your favorite accomplishment as a developer?

I’m On BuyMeACoffee!

Griff Polk — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 13:56:59 +0000

I now officially have a BuyMeACoffee! If anyone wants to read more of my articles, you can do that for only $5 a month. That’s only $60 a year, and you get so many more articles! I was a bit hesitant to charge for things like this, but I aspire to take TCG to so many more places, and partial monetization is my first route. I plan to do a MrBeast format, which is to invest all I can back into TCG. Which, in this case, is all of the earnings from the platform. If you join (or don’t), you can see my goals, which include a camera for a starting Tech YT channel, and also another camera for aviation photography (just trust me, the two are wildly different). Also some other things, but those are not important at this time :). All of the gains go into these and other goals, which are much appreciated. Thanks for understanding that I’m trying to make this a part of my life and make my content better. Link is https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thatcomputerguy or its also on my profile.

One Year On.

Griff Polk — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 19:25:55 +0000

On February 7, 2024, I joined dev.to, and made a profile. Wow. It’s one year later, and I can’t believe how it’s gone. 🎉
I started out with a post called:

What’s your wierdest AI moment?

Griff Polk ・ Feb 24 '23

And all it said was “ Mine was actually pretty cool! What happened to me was using a GPT-2 Model called DistilGPT-2. I typed in two words, “Geometry Dash” (I’m an addict to it lol, GD IS THE BEST GAME I DONT CARE WHAT YOU SAY), and it generated an extremely long Paragraph about it… and I quote… IN THE NEXT POST!!! Lol theres just not enough room in this one”. Tell me that isn’t horrible to read. But, I did stay true to my word and post the follow up.

What makes me cringe today is getting political, after I made a post about the Willow Project. Don’t remind me.

I think it was about that time, mid-March, where I got my first follower:

sonicx180Follow

Fullstack dev | Javascript Enthusiast

I remember how overly excited I was, and couldn’t believe it. Sadly, they aren’t active anymore. :(

My best performing post (not counting a birthday junk post), was a post about

ChatGPT App Comes to iOS

Griff Polk ・ May 19 '23

#chatgpt #ai #news

and I obtained the valuable -1 comments!

So much more has happened and I’m probably going to make a more detailed post when I have the time, but I wanted to announce a bit of a change. I am going to be posting a lot about aviation (but the interesting tech stuff behind it so it is still dev-related). Just wanted to make this post today while it was exactly the 1-year anniversary.

2 Great Newsletter groups for Techies (Newsletters Part 1)

Griff Polk — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 14:18:33 +0000

These are some great newsletters for tech fans that want to know what’s going on in the tech world and the real world as well!
[Note: The Brew Family newsletters are referral links, so they support me, but they are free signup anyway so nothing is different, and of course my newsletter supports me.]
1. The Brew Family
The Brew Family of newsletters are newsletters that can appeal to basically anybody, which is pretty cool. I personally read Morning Brew (their main newsletter), which is daily and has all the news of the previous day but it’s actually entertaining and interesting to read! Sign up (while supporting me) at this link. Next, Tech Brew is a tri-weekly (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) newsletter that covers all of the news about tech in general and interesting tech advances around the world. They describe it this way: “Tech Brew informs business leaders about the latest innovations, automation advances, policy shifts, and more to help them make smart decisions.” Sign up now (while supporting me) for free at this link. Finally, IT Brew, which I can only describe in their words: “From cybersecurity and big data to software development, IT Brew delivers the latest news and analysis of trends shaping the IT industry, like only The Brew can.“ It covers SO much, and is easily one of my favorite newsletters. I love reading it, and I recommend you do too, so sign up while supporting me at this link.
NOTE, ALL OF THESE ARE MY HONEST OPINION, AND I AM NOT GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF THIS EXCEPT FOR A SMALL PACK OF STICKERS :)

2. CNN Family
The CNN family of newsletters is another one of my favorites, even though it’s not quite tech. It gives, in the morning, 5 news stories about the day previous. Business Nightcap highlights what happened in business the day before, as it comes at night. They are literally AMAZING, and I read them every time I get them. They are Brew-tier and some of my favorites. Sign up for those two and other CNN Newsletters at this link.

Also, for another upcoming newsletter that isn’t out yet, check out MY newsletter that is out soon at thatcomputerguy.beehiiv.com/subscribe and expect an issue in a few weeks.

I am planning to continue this into a series soon enough, but for now, happy reading!

Announcing… My NEWSLETTER

Griff Polk — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:29:19 +0000

Announcing the TCG Newsletter!

So, it’s going to have news from my work, but mainly it will be a newsletter highlighting an interesting startup, and explaining how they are innovative, what they are doing, and their plans for the future. Anyway, that’s mainly all (I’m short on time today :P), but if you want to sign up just go to this link: click me! I route you to beehiiv, where the newsletter is hosted. or you can go to https://thatcomputerguy.beehiiv.com/subscribe to join.

Announcing TCG Videos/Podcast

Griff Polk — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 20:03:35 +0000

Hey everyone!

TCG here with some big news. Thanks to our first hire - Carter (check him out and drop a follow at @thatcomputerguy2) we are able to start our ThatComputerGuy Videos series and Podcast! The format will start slow (veeerrrry slow, maybe once a month) but as we acclimate more to RSS and that kind of thing we should be able to speed it up. Also, noticing my earlier post where I said I was slowing down, thanks to this hire (as well as two others that are going through now) we should be able to make posts more frequently! Alright everyone, TCG Out.
Peace.