use Python, so that other people can read it

But can they install the depencies and actually run it? :-)

If you just want to do what awk can do, then you do not really need other packages.

> If the pieces of state are all well known at build time - and trusted in terms of their content

.. than use library, because you should not rely on the assumption that next developer adding one more piece to this code will magically remember to validate it with json spec.

No magic necessary. Factor your hand-rolling into a function that returns a string (instead of printing as in the example), and write a test that parses it's return with a proper JSON library. Assert that the parsing was successful and that the extracted values are correct. Ideally you'd use a property test.

> entering an email and passcode is materially different from entering a username and password

The only difference is that passcode is one-time use, so it's not stored and even if someone would stole it, it cannot be reused.

For "wifi to work" you will need updates. Though updating all devices at once is a really dumb policy.

ints as user ids are fine, a language with tons of footguns isn't

U.S. Navy Submarine First In World Fitted With Silent Caterpillar Drive https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/04/u-s-navy-submar...

Landmines used to curb deer population in Scotland https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2024/04/landmines_approved_f...

> Look at any wild animal, do they want to be owned, do they want to be put on a leash?

Numerous wild animals can be held as pets, without going through domestication, so apparently they do. If you feed them, they may have no reason to mind the leash, life is hard in the wild.

I think we would need to make a distinction between holding a wild animal in captivity temporarily and owning one as a pet or as an exhibition at the zoo. When people help wild animals that is of course good for them, and it helps preserve wild life. Having them as pets on the other hand is a different matter, and I would be very skeptical even if the animal seems happy because ultimately it would not know or have awareness of what is really going on. That said, it's a complicated issue, so it's not like I'm saying no one should own pets.

Really early days of flying where like "let's add a few feathers and then add some more". Though architectural changes were added too.

> the fact that it was abandoned shows that their society wasn't able to maintain it in the long term

A flood, drought, climate change, war or better jobs elsewhere were common reasons for abandoning locations. We have many abandoned projects today, that doesn't have to say anything about social structures.