Refactored

By Chris Tonkinson, Frank KoehlTechnology

Refactored episodes

May 25, 2021024: What We Wish We Knew
Refactored #024: “What We Wish We Knew”
On this episode of Refactored…
The guys used to be super weird about their résumés; they recount their youthful mis-applications of imagination.
Chris makes the case that you should ask more questions; no one will think less of you.
Frank points out that no one is out to get you, so it’s okay to be 87% less paranoid. 13% paranoid is okay though; that’s the offical Refactored Recommended Paranoia Quota™ (the “RRPQ”).
The guys explore some ways in which the brain plays tricks on you, like the actor-observer bias.
Go do the scary thing. Overcome “the flinch.” Make it a habit.
Max out your retirement offerings! (IRA, 401(k), etc.)
Quasimodo Chris recommends paying attention to your office ergonomics; it really compounds over time.
Frank makes a prediction: Loki will be shown to have been D.B. Cooper.
The pick of the week is twofold: the You Are Not So Smart podcast and the Brain Games show.
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
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0 min
May 22, 2021023: Running Interference
Refactored #023: “Running Interference”
On this episode of Refactored…
The guys redesign https://refactored.work/ and it looks friggin hot.
As an American citizen, does Tony Stark have feudal right to reinstitute Primae Noctis?
The guys gush over Haml and Stylus. Chris almost invented a Ruby preprocessor (but didn’t — you’re welcome).
Chris didn’t realize that Sass still supports whitespace-sensitive syntax.
Frank makes the point that you should focus on your MVP because you don’t know what you don’t know while Chris gets repetitive.
Running interference for your team… wise or dangerous? The guys debate several specific risks.
Present Frank makes an observation in agreement with things Past Frank said in Refactored 013: “Silence is Golden”. Will Future Frank disagree? Subscribe to find out (maybe, someday).
The pick of the week is Hugo the static site generator. Again. Yeah, we picked it twice - fight us.
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
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1 hr
May 11, 2021022: Returning to the Office
Refactored #022: “Returning to the Office”
On this episode of Refactored…
Google is going all out on their return to office transition plan. The Times reports, Verge covers, and the guys add much commentary:
sit/stand desks
inflatable walls
lots of cameras
utter tonedeafness
For some people, remote work is a bug, not a feature. The guys debate.
Chris takes a stand vis-a-vis “hybrid” office environments.
Frank drops a bomb — the open plan office is complete Cargo Cultism.
Digital Watercoolers! They’re as awesome as they are impractical for small teams.
There is much opination regarding the The Great Resignation. Come one and all - there’s something to insult everyone!
The guys debate counteroffers. When does it make sense? When is it inappopriate?
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
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1 hr 2 min
May 07, 2021021: The Career Schema Project
Refactored #021: “The Career Schema Project”
On this episode of Refactored…
Everyone knows the only reason to get into computer science is for the chicks.
Chris announces the creation of the Career Schema Project!
The CSP mission is to bring betten access and equity to the search process by developing open standards and technology to reduce the time, cost, and stress of interacting in the job market.
Why do I have to data-enter all my information if I just uploaded my résumé? Blame the ATS if you want - the problem is that résumés are for humans, not machines.
The “bio” specification (still in “oh-dot” development) is a machine-readable résumé/CV.
Chris chides Frank’s redundant diction while Frank mocks Chris’ flub of the word résumé. What jerks.
The pick of the week is Hugo, the static site generator.
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
Direct link to RSS feed
50 min
April 27, 2021020: Three and a Half Resume Boosters
Refactored #020: “Three and a Half Resume Boosters”
On this episode of Refactored…
Frank proffers three résumé boosters in his not-so-humble opinion. Or is it four?
Experience freelancing, or bootstrapping a startup
Open Source involvement - particularly creating & maintaining
Writing articles, blogging, publications, documentation, patents (*gasp*), et cetera
Demonstrated discipline in testing, and in particular TDD
Frank slams Chris for being too litigious. Chris has no good comeback and resorts to a bevy of logical fallacies to defend himself.
Michael Gerber has entered the chat as Chris invokes the The E-Myth: Revisited.
Chris can only remember two of the Three Virtues:
Laziness
Impatience
Hubris
Chris gushes over his new Moonlander, but has a more equivocal review of the AirPods Max.
Frank thinks learning a new language is no big deal, bruh. Chris agrees, but it’s more complicated than that - what about the frameworks, libriares, and idioms?
The pick of the week is the Moonlander Mark I by ZSA Technology Labs.
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
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1 hr 3 min
April 20, 2021019: Hiring That Still Doesn't Suck
Refactored #019: “Hiring That Still Doesn’t Suck”
On this episode of Refactored…
The verdict is in - the job listing is different from your job description.
The guys are far more humble than you. And each other.
Don’t use “ninja,” “rockstar,” “wizard,” et. al. in your job listing. Chris thinks it’s hyperbolic, disrespectful cancer; Frank thinks it’s a cheap, lazy cop-out.
Chris is highly emphatic that a job listing is an advertisement and should be treated as such.
Frank posits you should air some dirty laundry in your job listing. Chris agrees, but doesn’t want to go to Hawaii.
Chris refuses to negotiate, which spurs the guys to agree that most agency recruiters are terrible.
Frank wrote an entire article on why and how you should [Build Your Résumé for Speed]. Same core concepts apply to your job listings.
Frank and Chris agree, you should enumerate offered benefits in the job listing. This is elementary.
Where can you go to find talent? StackOverflow, Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn, Dice, and others. Yes, Dice is still around.
Your term of the day is ATS: Applicant Tracking System. Frank likes and uses Lever.
You should probably be transparent about your Joel Test score in the job listing.
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
Direct link to RSS feed
1 hr 7 min
April 13, 2021018: Hiring That Doesn't Suck
Refactored #018: “Hiring That Doesn’t Suck”
On this episode of Refactored…
Frank and Chris explain their old funnel-shaped hiring process that was reductive… until it wasn’t.
Resume Screen
Automated Code Test
HR Screen
Resume & Documentation Review
Human Call
Nerd Call
The guys elaborate on their “two to say yes; maybe means no” policy.
Frank would rather BS an answer to the question “what is your greatest weakness,” than slit his wrists for Gavin Belson.
Chris really pushes to make technical interviews conversational, rather than straight Q & A.
Frank’s team is now doing pair programming in their interviews… and it sounds hella cool.
The guys have GREAT bars in their marketing collateral.
Chris’ team has added a final panel interview wherein the hiring manager leaves before it’s over - genius or crazy? You decide.
The guys agree - again - that Javascript is awful. Especially on the server.
Frank makes his second promise in as many weeks and Chris objects emphatically.
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
Direct link to RSS feed
1 hr 23 min
April 06, 2021017: Open Source Licenses
Refactored #017: “Open Source Licenses”
On this episode of Refactored…
The guys explore copyright vs copyleft, and it turns out Chris is Duke Silver.
Do you need to be worried about GPL code? In the datacenter, probably not. In your frontend, much worry, very yes.
LGPL is probably fine just about anywhere but AGPL is too disco for Chris… and probably any corporate environment.
Frank asserts it’s (MIT || GTFO) for him. Chris thinks BSD is fine, too.
The guys also discuss Apache, Mozilla, SimPL (which is stupid), WTFPL, Public Domain, SSPL, and Do No Harm.
Chris thinks “RMS” refers to Richard M. Stallman, but Frank thinks it refers to Risk Management Solutions. This probably says a lot about the both of them.
Software Composition Analysis (“SCA”), is useful. Check out Snyk, FOSSA, and Xray among a million others.
The guys make it clear that they are not attorneys, and this content is not legal advice.
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
Direct link to RSS feed
59 min
March 30, 2021016: Sound Quality
Refactored #016: “Sound Quality”
On this episode of Refactored…
The guys discuss the merits of having a decent microphone, particularly for remote work.
Chris argues video backgrounds are terrible.
Frank wonders “what’s the deal” with Zoom Fatigue?
Everyone hates their own voice (at first). The guys recommend recording and listening to yourself anyway.
Don’t try to hide your entire life while you’re on a video call… unless you have bloody walls or naked roommates.
Regarding COVID-19, Frank shares he’s got his first jab and the guys debate whether they’ve jumped their place in line.
A link to Frank’s Tinder profile is promised.
Chris hints, subtly and mysteriously, at a future topic of discussion. (Licenses. It’s software licenses. The possible future topic is software licenses.)
The pick of the week is the Blue Yeti USB Microphone, a great value for the price.
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
Direct link to RSS feed
1 hr 3 min
March 23, 2021015: Play to Your Strengths
Refactored #015: “Play to Your Strengths”
On this episode of Refactored…
Freeeeeedoooom! … it’s too much for some people. Not everyone is an Entrepreneur.
Frank draws a compelling parallel[ogram] between a business team and a soccer team.
Chris wants his team to screw up constantly (read: he gives them a mandate to make new mistakes in good faith).
The guys agree that if you’re in leadership, repetition is part of the job. Be the “Chief Repeating Officer”
Is inspiring indepedence as much work as micromanaging?
The guys agree that the Myers-Briggs test is complete, utter bullcrap. Frank touts the CliftonStrengths assessment.
Frank wants a Ban Hammer like Mark Spagnuolo’s. Chris misremembers it, and falsely asserts it’s made of maple.
Tim Ewald enters the chat as Chris remembers he was supposed to link to the Clojure Con talk, Programming with Hand Tools.
… and much more!
Don’t be shy! Reach out at [email protected].
Visit https://refactored.work/ for the full archive, show notes, and more. Hosted by Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.
Direct link to RSS feed
57 min

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A casual, ongoing conversation between two technology leaders with Chris Tonkinson and Frank Koehl.

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Refactored

Refactored episodes

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