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Benjamin Schwerdtner

Clojure Programmer, Contractor, Artisan, Crafter

Dreaming big, I want to build great software and have a real impact.
Short Bio

I am excited about technology and programming. Especially Lisp, Clojure, Emacs and Linux. Many think I am joyful and curious. I like simple, straightforward and playful ideas. This fits with working at a Clojure Repl.

I am committed to building great software, understanding the problem and thinking about the design. I choose Clojure as my weapon because it is an amazingly practical Lisp with a great community and an evolved data-oriented paradigm.

I have spent much of the last 5 years programming all day with a team of philanthropists. I am inspired by Paul Graham, Rich Hickey, Eric Normand, Sherlock Holmes and other thinkers around Lisp and Clojure.

I was born in the lovely German town Esslingen am Neckar, known for its historical city core and a big medieval market. From my dad, a master baker and probably one of the finest gingerbread makers in Germany, I learned to put love into my craft and the value of having the heart in the right place. I studied biology and got to appreciate clear and simple thinking, starting by reading The Selfish Gene. I do not want to go back to the lab after knowing how fast I can make experiments with the computer.

In my free time, I like to think about how the brain, evolution and computers work. I do Inline-skating, juggling, and Rubik's Cube. I like finding little things that I am not good at yet and then dominating them.

I read a lot of science fiction and science, especially about neuroscience, computers and big history.

I express my ideas and document my growth on my blog: faster-than-light-memes

(λ☯)Clojure

Preaching and practicing interactive programming. I don't believe in any set of limitations. Clojure combines the wisdom of the ancient hackers, who discovered Lisp, with real-world tradeoffs and practicalities. The REPL, Emacs and Clojure together with functional, bottom-up, data oriented programming allow me to deliver more robust systems more quickly.

Did I mention I love the Joy of Clojure?

ΨThought

Thoughtfulness. Careful design. Empathy for your users and the next programmer alike. I try to share your vision of your product. I understand that technology is used by humans and built by humans.

I am constantly learning and improving my understanding of what makes a good tool. I believe software that works well is beautiful.

🫀Passion

Genuine interest in science and technology. Real goals for humantity. I give you a discount when I believe your project contributes to human flourishing. I don't accept buggy software and want to rid the world of it. I have FOSS bias because it leads to more useful, focused tools and it it aligns more strongly with my values.

🔍Technologist

Scientist at heart. I challenge my assumptions and go where the evidence leads me. Code is a series of best guesses. Imagination and note-taking are powerful tools of the mind. I am not ashamed of using anything to help me understand a problem. I speak up when I see anything amiss and document limitations with the software I produce.

🪙Track Record

Resume with buzz words