John Mikael Lindbakk // 02/03/2026 12:00
Typing is something many developers take for granted, and many see it as a nuisance rather than a valuable skill. I have opinions.
John Mikael Lindbakk // 12/08/2025 16:00
For about six months now, I've been running my website using Gleam, and I recently launched [surtoget.no](https://surtoget.no) as a side project, also using Gleam. I also had a quick chat with Gleam's creator, [Louis Pilfold](https://lpil.uk/), who expressed that there was a lack of content out there about how it is to run Gleam in production. I'm more than happy to share my thoughts and discuss my experiences with using and maintaining Gleam code.
My path into coding wasn't something I'd exactly planned. When I was about 12, a school program had me spending some time at the local newspaper. After an incident with their camera made it pretty clear that photography wasn't my calling, I ended up in a small room with their web developer and his iMac G3.
It was fascinating to see him creating images, animations, and connections with just lines of text. That definitely sparked my curiosity. My mum was really supportive and even printed out HTML tags for me to study. From that point, my interest just grew – HTML led to CSS, then JavaScript, and soon enough I was exploring things like PHP, Python, and Java.
Since then, I've had a pretty varied career. I've been through the rollercoaster of startup life, spent time focused on building automated test tools, pitched in on healthcare software projects, and worked on core banking systems.
I aim to craft code that is maintainable, adaptable, and a pleasure to read. Working code is the baseline; true quality shines through in its clarity and structure.
Software architecture is a formidable challenge. Neglecting it leads to rigid, legacy-bound systems burdened by technical debt. I dedicate significant thought to designing sustainable solutions that can evolve and adapt.
Automated testing is the cornerstone of creating software that is not just functional but verifiably correct. My experiences on projects with and without robust testing have solidified its indispensable role.
