In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Danny Thompson, Director of Technology at This Dot Labs, sits down with Vincent Mayers, a seasoned tech conference organizer with over 15 years of experience. They discuss the intricacies of running successful conferences, including the challenges of selecting event locations, building community engagement, and creating memorable experiences for attendees. Vincent also shares insights into the evolution of tech conferences, from the importance of shorter talks to the value of the "hallway track" for networking. Tune in for an inside look at how these events shape the tech ecosystem and tips for organizing your own conferences!

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

01:45 - Vincent Mayers' Background

03:50 - Choosing Conference Locations

06:10 - Building Community and Spreading the Word

08:40 - Sponsorship and Funding Challenges

11:00 - Securing Speakers for Tech Conferences

14:20 - Improving the Conference Experience

16:30 - Badge Design and the Attendee Experience

18:50 - Engaging Attendees Beyond Talks

21:00 - The Role of Tech Conferences in the Java Ecosystem

23:12 - Attendees Still Using Older Java Versions

26:00 - Balancing Cutting-Edge Tech with Fundamentals

28:15 - Evolving Attention Spans in Tech Conferences

30:00 - The Importance of the Hallway Track

33:19 - Closing Remarks

Follow Vincent Mayers on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/vincentmayers

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentmayers/
Github: https://github.com/vincentmayers

Sponsored by This Dot.

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Rob Ocel, Danny Thompson, and Adam Rackis talk with Michael Liendo, Senior Developer Advocate at AWS, about building practical AI applications and tackling challenges like scalability, multimodal functionality, and cloud infrastructure choices. Michael shares insights on tools like AWS Amplify and DynamoDB, discusses strategies for managing cloud costs, and explores the evolving role of prompt engineering. Michael previews his upcoming talks at AWS re:Invent on AI and scalable B2B SaaS applications.

Danny Thompson, Director of Technology at This Dot Labs, talks with Tanner Linsley, Creator of TanStack, about his latest project, TanStack Start. They discuss the challenges of existing frameworks like Next.js and Remix, the development of TanStack Router, and the future of React Server Components. Tanner also explains how caching strategies and fine-grained invalidation can transform the user experience.

Chapters

1. Introduction & Tanner’s Background (00:00)

2. Going Full-Time on TanStack (01:00)

3. The Birth of TanStack Router (02:21)

4. Why Build Another Framework? (04:00)

5. React Server Components: Potential & Limitations (07:05)

6. Fine-Grained Cache Invalidation & UX (09:02)

7. Parallel Data Fetching in Routing (13:39)

8. TanStack Start: Alpha & Future Plans (16:41)

9. Where to Learn More About TanStack (18:48)

Find Tanner Linsley on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/tannerlinsley

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tannerlinsley/

Github: https://github.com/tannerlinsley

TanStack: https://tanstack.com/

Tracy Lee and Rob Ocel chat with Jason Torres about the challenges of breaking into tech, especially for self-taught and underrepresented developers. Jason shares his journey from a 15-year career in the film industry to pursuing software development, discussing the emotional and financial hurdles involved. They also discuss the importance of networking, finding a niche rather than mastering everything, and the impact of the tech downturn on junior developers.

In this episode of the Leadership Exchange, John Crichton, Chief Technology Officer at Lightning Step Technologies, shares insights on balancing privacy and compliance requirements while fostering innovation in the electronic medical records (EMR) space. The discussion explores the complexities of healthcare data, the evolving use of AI to improve efficiency and patient care, and the importance of servant leadership in building high-performing teams. John also reflects on his experience transitioning from the financial services industry into healthcare, offering advice on integrating AI and developing team culture in both fields.

Chapters

[00:00 - 00:25] Introduction and Welcome

[00:26 - 01:07] Guest Introduction: John Crichton

[01:08 - 02:21] The Lack of Standardization in EMRs

[02:22 - 02:52] Challenges in Clinical Trials and EMR Data

[02:53 - 04:28] Balancing Innovation and Compliance in Healthcare

[04:29 - 06:51] The Impact of Shifting Compliance and Privacy Concerns

[06:52 - 07:10] The AI and Data Privacy Challenge in Healthcare

[07:11 - 09:43] Integrating AI While Ensuring Data Security

[09:44 - 12:33] Leveraging AI for Developer Productivity and Clinical Efficiency

[12:34 - 15:13] AI in Enhancing Patient Care: Lightning Intelligent Assistant

[15:14 - 16:41] Ethical Considerations Around AI in Healthcare

[16:42 - 19:00] Comparing Regulatory Challenges: Financial Services vs. Healthcare

[19:01 - 21:22] Healthcare Records and Financial Records: Privacy and Security

[21:23 - 24:00] The Role of AI in Agile Development Processes

[24:01 - 26:21] Leadership Lessons: Mentorship and Servant Leadership

[26:22 - 29:12] Building a High-Performing Team Through Culture and Leadership

[29:13 - End] Closing Remarks and Where to Find John Crighton

Find John Crighton on Social Media

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncrighton/

Lightning Step Technologies: https://lightningstep.com/

Machine Learning and AI expert Shivay Lamba, discusses the evolution of machine learning tools, and his work on MLOps and deploying large language models (LLMs). The conversation covers the accessibility of AI, the power of JavaScript in machine learning through tools like TensorFlow.js, and the growing importance of ethical AI practices. Shivay also discusses the transition of web-based AI tools, the importance of transfer learning, and how developers can break into the space of AI and machine learning.

Follow Shivay on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/HowDevelop

Github: https://github.com/shivaylamba

Sponsored by This Dot: thisdot.co

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, Nick Taylor, Senior Software Engineer at OpenSauce discusses the current state of open source, including the challenges around funding, sustainability, and contributor burnout. Nick shares insights into how open source has impacted his career and highlights the growing importance of tools like TypeScript in the open-source ecosystem.

In this episode of the Modern Web Podcast, CSS expert Kevin Powell discusses the evolution of CSS, from the early days of CSS3 to the rapid advancements with Flexbox, Grid, and the latest innovations. Kevin explains how CSS is making strides to integrate features that previously required JavaScript, like scroll-driven animations and popovers, simplifying development and improving performance. He also touches on the importance of understanding the fundamentals of CSS, debugging techniques, and the future of tools like Tailwind and Sass. 

Chapters

0:00 - Introduction and Technical Setup Issues

01:05 - Guest Introduction: Kevin Powell

02:00 - Kevin's Journey into CSS and Content Creation

03:21 - Evolution of CSS: From CSS3 to Modern Features

05:46 - The Role of JavaScript in CSS and New Features

08:08 - Popovers, Anchor Positioning, and Progressive Enhancement in CSS

10:26 - Discussion on SAS, Tailwind, and CSS Tools

12:35 - Challenges with Tailwind and Over-Componentization

14:57 - The Importance of Learning Core CSS Principles

16:56 - The "CSS is Hard" Memes and Overcoming CSS Frustration

19:12 - Formatting Contexts and Advanced CSS Concepts

21:31 - Opportunities for Junior Developers to Master CSS

23:54 - Browser Discrepancies and the Future of Web Standards

26:14 - Refactoring CSS for Performance and Best Practices

27:50 - Favorite CSS Resources and Conferences

28:26 - Imposter Syndrome and Kevin's Speaking Journey

29:55 - Closing Remarks and Where to Find Kevin Powell Online

Follow  Kevin Powell on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/KevinJPowell

Github: https://github.com/kevin-powell

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/kevinpowell

YK Sugi, Senior AI Developer Advocate at Sourcegraph and founder of CS Dojo, shares his journey from coding with MATLAB to working at Google and founding his YouTube channel, and how ChatGPT inspired his shift towards AI-driven applications. Along with our hosts, he discusses AI's impact on coding, particularly in large codebases, and the role of tools like Sourcegraph’s Cody and GitHub Copilot in improving developer workflows. They also explore how AI is evolving in code completion, legacy code, and its broader potential in development.

Chapters

Introduction and Guest Introduction 00:00

YK’s Coding Journey 02:01

AI’s Impact on YK’s Career 07:31

AI in Large Codebases 11:01

Choosing AI Models for Coding 17:01

AI for Code Completion and Development Efficiency 21:01

The Future of AI in Software Development 26:31

AI and Human Creativity 32:01

Closing Remarks and Where to Find YK 36:01

Follow YK on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/ykdojo

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ykdojo/

Github: https://github.com/ykdojo

Rob Ocel, Tracy Lee, Adam Rackis, and Danny Thompson sit down with Kyle Tryon, Senior Developer Advocate at Depot, to talk all things Docker, dev containers, and modern build systems. They break down how Docker simplifies development by solving those "it works on my machine" problems, how cloud-based caching speeds up builds, and why tools like Kubernetes are becoming essential for scaling modern apps. Kyle also shares his journey from fixing laptops in retail to becoming a leading voice in the dev space, plus some great insights into how Docker and Depot are changing the game for developers everywhere.

Chapters

1: Introductions (00:00 – 02:40)

2: What is Docker and Why It Matters (02:41 – 06:30)

3: Docker Files and Containers 101 (06:31 – 11:00)

4: Challenges of Environment Setup & Dev Containers (11:01 – 15:00)

5: The Power of Layer Caching in Docker (15:01 – 20:30)

6: Introduction to Depot and Cloud-Based Builds (20:31 – 25:00)

7: Optimizing Docker Builds with Depot (25:01 – 30:00)

8: Docker in the Modern Web Stack (30:01 – 35:00)

9: The Future of Cloud Builds and CI/CD Pipelines (35:01 – 40:00)

10: Final Thoughts and Where to Find More (40:01 – End)

Follow Kyle Tryon on Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/TechSquidTV

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-tryon/

Github: https://github.com/techsquidtv