Why Performance Actually Matters

7 snips

Aug 2, 2025

Casey Muratori, a software engineer and performance expert, dives into the evolution of performance standards in tech. He shares nostalgic tales of dial-up internet contrasting with today’s sluggish experiences, emphasizing how our expectations have changed. The discussion highlights inefficiencies in modern software practices and critiques over-dependence on AI. Casey calls for a focus on quality coding to keep pace with hardware advancements, urging developers to prioritize user experience through care and craftsmanship.

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INSIGHT

Falling Performance Standards

Performance standards have drastically declined over the past 20 years despite vastly improved hardware.
Modern "reasonable" performance is now seen as nearly unattainable compared to the past.

ANECDOTE

Hiding Dial-Up Modem Noise

Trash Dev recalled smothering his computer with a blanket at night to hide the loud dial-up modem sounds from his parents.
This story shows the nostalgic struggles with early internet connectivity and its noise.

INSIGHT

Artificial Software Complexity

Software has become artificially complex due to stacked layers, slowing performance despite powerful CPUs.
Removing unnecessary abstractions and optimizing essential ones can yield blazingly fast and efficient software.

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📌 Chapters:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:55 - The downward trend of performance expectations
00:07:10 - The internet isn't to blame for slow speeds anymore
00:11:27 - Dial up
00:12:50 - School day routines and the reason behind modem sounds
00:18:00 - Trash was a Catfish
00:20:25 - Primes School Habits and his Moms prophetic Internet dream
00:23:58 - Teej's highschool experience
00:27:24 - Back on topic (its performance btw) WHO/WHAT is to blame
00:39:38 - Speed = Sales and WHERE is the problem
00:43:46 - Netflix BTW and WHEN performance is important
00:48:35 - Too performant and waste
00:53:14 - 'Hardware will catch up'
01:01:13 - GPU vs CPU
01:06:00 - Wrap up and closing thoughts
Links:
- Casey's Performance Course: https://computerenhance.com
Featuring:
Prime: https://x.com/ThePrimeagen
Teej: https://x.com/teej_dv
Casey Muratori: https://x.com/cmuratori
Trash Dev: https://x.com/trashh_dev
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In this episode of The Standup, we tackle one of the most frustrating aspects of modern computing: why everything feels so sluggish despite having incredibly powerful hardware. Casey Muratori joins us to share his perspective on performance culture and how we've collectively lowered our standards over the past two decades.
From nostalgic stories about dial-up internet and modem sounds to serious discussions about software architecture, this conversation covers the technical, cultural, and business factors that have led to today's performance problems. We explore real-world examples from Netflix, discuss the impact of layered abstractions, and examine how corporate development pressures contribute to the problem.
Key topics include:
- How performance standards have declined while hardware has improved exponentially
- The role of abstractions and frameworks in creating performance bottlenecks
- Real Netflix case studies showing the complex relationship between performance and user behavior
- Why the "hardware will catch up" mentality is fundamentally flawed
- The difference between GPU and CPU performance paradigms
- How AI might make performance problems even worse
- Potential solutions through better substrate design
Whether you're a developer frustrated with slow tools, a user wondering why your powerful computer still feels sluggish, or someone interested in the intersection of technology and culture, this discussion offers valuable insights into one of computing's most persistent challenges.