After reading this, the concept that stuck with me most is “thinking in public.” In my experience as a student and a developer, coding is usually taught as a semi-private, stressful process where you hide your messy pseudo code and only show the final, polished result. The idea of projecting your raw thoughts and errors onto a wall for an audience to see feels like a massive shift. It turns programming from a rigid engineering task into something more like a conversation. I like the way the text describes it as “unthinking” the way we usually work. It makes the computer feel less like a cold tool and more like a creative partner you’re collaborating with in real time.

The most interesting takeaway for me was the critique of “seamless” technology. We’re so used to interfaces being invisible and easy that we forget there is a programmed system actually directing our behavior. By showing the code, live coders are essentially stripping away that illusion. It’s a bit of a reality check. It makes me realize that when we don’t understand the software we use, we’re just passive consumers. This perspective reclaims the idea of being a “user” as someone who actually has autonomy. It’s definitely made me rethink the relationship I have with my own laptop and the software I run on it every day.