In this podcast episode I talk with Dave Thomas, co-author of The Pragmatic Programmer and Sin City Ruby 2025 keynote speaker, who discusses his upcoming book Simplicity and how software development has become unnecessarily complex. Dave and I explore how developers can regain control by questioning established practices, trusting their intuition when code feels overly complicated, and experimenting with simpler approaches rather than blindly following industry trends.

• Simplicity
• Sin City Ruby
• The Pragmatic Programmer

In this episode, I talk with Jared Gallinger about what makes good code. We agree that code must first work correctly, but real quality comes from being understandable and maintainable. We discuss how different code requires different quality standards - throwaway scripts can be messy while core systems need careful design. We explore how UI design limits code quality and why creating good software, like art, requires both discipline and comfort with necessary waste. A practical look at a concept developers discuss but rarely define clearly.

• jeradgallinger.ca

In this episode of Code with Jason, host Jason Swett interviews Prarthana Shiva, a senior software engineer at NexHealth, who shares how her team is handling massive database scaling challenges. Prarthana explains their PostgreSQL database's growth to 24 terabytes (with projections to triple within a year) and details their innovative solutions including read replicas, Elasticsearch implementation, Redis caching, external write-ahead logs, and optimized vacuuming processes. The conversation also touches on Jason's own database challenges with his CI platform and concludes with Prarthana's upcoming presentation at Sin City Ruby 2025, where she'll discuss their transition from schema-based to row-based multi-tenancy for better scalability.

• Prarthana Shiva on LinkedIn
• Sin City Ruby

This podcast episode features a lively conversation between Jason Swett and Nick Schwaderer, covering a range of topics from Thanksgiving traditions to Ruby conferences, personal philosophies, and even the idea of starting a long-format, freeform podcast. They discuss their approaches to cooking turkey, the quirks of different Thanksgiving side dishes across the U.S., and the experience of celebrating American holidays abroad. The conversation then shifts to Sin City Ruby and Rails World, with Nick reflecting on how conferences create strong community bonds. They also delve into personal growth, handling adversity, and the importance of resilience in career and life.

The episode explores the challenges of remote work and the opportunities for connection that arise from engaging in community events like the Sin City Ruby conference. Neeraj Singh shares his experiences running a remote consulting agency, highlights unconventional hiring practices, and delves into the benefits of creating clone products, all while emphasizing the value of quality software and a thriving company culture.

• Discussing the emotional toll of remote work 
• Importance of community events for connection 
• Neeraj's Big Binary: A unique, remote-first agency 
• Innovatively maintaining talent on the bench for flexibility 
• The value of creating clones in a saturated market 
• Hiring challenges and unique strategies 
• Retaining talent through strong company culture 
• Quality assurance as a fundamental aspect of software development 
• A holistic view on building competitive and maintainable products

• BigBinary
• Neeto
• Sin City Ruby

In this episode I talk with Ryan Kulp, creator of TRMNL, an e-ink dashboard.

• TRMNL
• ryanckulp.com
• Ryan Kulp on X

In this podcast episode, Steven R. Baker dives into test doubles like mocks and stubs, discussing their essential role in robust code development and challenging traditional testing practices. The conversation covers the nuances of Test-Driven Development (TDD), including writing failing tests first for better code clarity and test coverage, and explores RSpec's influence on TDD. Additionally, Steven examines Ruby's adaptability and the integration of AI in programming, providing listeners with actionable strategies for more maintainable codebases and a balanced view on AI's evolving role in software development.

Join us for a conversation with John Gallagher, founder of Joyful Programming, as he shares insights on making programming enjoyable through Ruby, design, and object-oriented practices. We’ll explore the Unison programming language, designed to simplify distributed computing, and discuss the role of AI tools like ChatGPT in adopting new technologies. The episode includes stories about human forgetfulness and the growth opportunities podcasting offers, along with resources from Joyful Programming

• Joyful Programming
• Software Design Simplified

Jason Swett and Irina Nazarova discuss the revitalization of the Ruby community, focusing on the announcement of Sin City Ruby 2025 in Las Vegas. They highlight the importance of small, intimate gatherings for networking, insights from past events, the resurgence of Ruby meetups in San Francisco, and the role of mentorship in fostering growth.

- Evil Martians
- Martian Events
- Sin City Ruby

This episode explores how Prefab enhances deployment workflows by integrating feature flags with Java microservices and Ruby on Rails, drawing on Jeff's experiences at HubSpot and EasyCater. We discuss strategies for minimizing deployment risks, improving PR reviews, and mentoring junior developers through clear objectives and constructive feedback. Real-world examples and practical advice offer insights into building efficient development systems and fostering growth in engineering teams.

Links:
- Prefab
- Jeff Dwyer on LinkedIn