# Simon Willison Web & Open Source: Quoting Geoffrey Huntley

> **Key Architectural Takeaway:** If the agent isn't using my diagnostics library, I could introspect and update AGENTS.md, but there's still a delta, and it'll drift.

**Published:** 2026-10-13T13:32:00+00:00 
**Source:** Simon Willison Web & Open Source 
**Category:** software-engineering 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/simon-willison-web-open-source-quoting-geoffrey-huntley.html 

## Executive Summary
If the agent isn't using my diagnostics library, I could introspect and update AGENTS.md, but there's still a delta, and it'll drift. Instead, I write a pre-commit hook that checks the git diff for direct calls to observability modules that bypass my diagnostics module. Boom: fail the commit, inject a prompt telling the agent to use the diagnostics library. All of a sudden it's ten out of ten.

## Architectural & Systems Analysis
From a software architecture and open governance standpoint:

- **Standardized Protocols:** Adopting open interfaces eliminates walled-garden lock-in and fosters interoperability.
- **Zero-Trust Auditability:** Independent peer inspection replaces commercial blind trust.
- **Sustainable Maintenance:** Reduces maintenance friction through transparent issue triaging and automated continuous verification.

## Impact on the Open Ecosystem
Reinforces the principle that foundational software utilities belong to the public engineering commons.