About
Hi, I’m César[1], a technologist who’s spent years in the trenches of software development, wearing enough hats to know that the interesting questions aren’t about what’s technically possible, but what we’re trading away to get there.
My background is in software engineering across projects spanning multiple countries, with academic research in computer science and advisory work helping clients spot patterns before they become problems. Along the way I’ve worked on everything from systems architecture to hardware projects, with a recurring focus on cybersecurity, DevSecOps, and AI-assisted product development.
What I Think About
The relationship between human craft and automation. The second-order effects of technology adoption. What we lose when we optimize only for efficiency. How institutional knowledge disappears when we don’t build systems that preserve it.
My Approach
Every tool we adopt changes how we think and work. The interesting questions aren’t about capabilities—they’re about trade-offs. What skills atrophy when we automate? What knowledge disappears when we optimize for speed? What parts of the craft are worth preserving even when they’re inefficient?
I explore these tensions in my writing, not to celebrate or condemn progress, but to examine what we’re actually trading away while everyone else is focused on what we’re gaining.
Personal Operating Principles
- Learn from anyone about anything (humility is a prerequisite for wisdom)
- Favor attitude over credentials
- Produce more than you consume
- Note everything down: napkins, journals, scrapbooks, all fair game
- Be useful to others when you can, and don’t keep score
Currently
Thinking about what it takes to build good software for service businesses. Most professional services share similar workflows regardless of industry, so a lot of the work comes down to not reinventing everything from scratch. I’m especially interested in where AI actually helps and where human judgment and domain knowledge still matter.
Hardware projects and theoretical computer science keep me grounded in fundamentals. I also step away from screens regularly, because distance creates clarity.
For more detail on what I’m working on, check my Now page.
Find me on most networks as @cdvel—always happy to discuss ideas that don’t fit neatly into 280 characters.