SQL: Normalize until it hurts, denormalize until it works.

Regular code: Pure until it hurts, impure until it works.

People who come from the world of agentic coding have a certain digital smell that is not obvious to them but is obvious to those who abstain. It’s like when a smoker walks into the room, everybody who doesn’t smoke instantly knows it. I’m not telling you not to smoke, but I am telling you not to smoke in my house.