The GitHub Podcast

In this bonus episode, we hear from Kubernetes superstar Kelsey Hightower. Diving into crucial elements like empathy in maintainership, succession planning, and the identification of future leaders, hosts Martin Woodward and Neha Batra explore Kelsey’s philosophy on fostering thriving open source communities—and his hopes for the future state of Kubernetes. Dedicated to GitHub’s Maintainer Month, the conversation focuses on the people behind the projects, highlighting their extraordinary effort and celebrating their impact on the community. To close out this special episode, members of The ReadME Podcast community thank maintainers who have had a positive impact on them.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

• 00:00 - Introduction: The hosts discuss GitHub May-ntainer Month and introduce Kelsey Hightower!
• 1:07 - The interview: Kelsey talks the hosts through how he got into tech, how maintainers can avoid burnout, the importance of identifying new leaders, what the future holds for Kubernetes and much much more!
• 32:55 - Maintainer shout-out!  ​​Aaron Francis, Cassidy Williams, Frances Coronel, Anthony Sottile, Peter Strömberg, and Brandon Ringe call in to  share their appreciation for fellow maintainers in their lives.

Special thanks to our guest, Kelsey Hightower, and to all of the maintainers who called in to share appreciation for their fellow maintainers. 

Check-out The ReadME Project, for more episodes as well as featured articles, developer stories, helpful guides, and much more! Send your feedback, questions, and ideas to [email protected].

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This month, we consider the evolution of openness in open source. The ReadME Project’s Senior Editor, Mike Melanson joins hosts Martin and Neha to discuss expert advice on why “closed to contributions” sometimes makes sense and how that model aligns with open source expectations. Additionally, maintainer, founder, and CEO of Scarf Avi Press highlights the benefit of analytics to maintainers and the open source community, and discusses the metrics that matter most. Also, Jessica Januik, Senior Software Engineer at Google, answers a listener question and shares insight into why humor is paramount when building team chemistry.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

• 00:00 - The hosts examine what’s new in open source, highlighting new communities like Mastodon and Bluesky.
• 01:37 - First Commit: Open source saves the day! From climate change to nuclear radiation, open source is empowering communities to adapt to catastrophe.
• 05:48 - Feature Release: The ReadME Project’s Mike Melanson welcomes Ben Johnson to share key considerations when deciding how to approach project contributions.
• 20:00 - The Interview: Avi Press, maintainer, founder, and CEO of Scarf, shares his perspective on how the open source community, and maintainers in specific, can benefit from improved community analytics.
• 34:00 - #AskRMP: Jessica Januik highlights why humor is so important when building a team or community.

Looking for more stories and advice from the open source community? To learn more from the authors and experts featured on this episode, check out:

• How ‘open’ should your open source be? by Mike Melanson
• Formatters, linters, and compilers: Oh my! by Josh Goldberg
• Harness the power of generative AI for software development by Anton Mirgorodchenko
• GitHub’s Maintainer Month calendar
• Sustain Podcast Maintainer Month series

Special thanks to Avi Press for detailing community analytics for maintainers, Jessica Januik for sharing insight into building team chemistry, and Ben Johnson for walking us through his decision to limit contributions to Litestream.

Check-out The ReadME Project, for more episodes as well as featured articles, developer stories, helpful guides, and much more! Send your feedback, questions, and ideas to [email protected]. 

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This month we’re exploring quantum leaps in technology—then, now, and what devs can do today to prepare for tomorrow. The hosts welcome Klint Finley, Senior Editor of The ReadME Project, to discuss the role that open source played in a recent nuclear fusion breakthrough. Additionally, we speak with Jerome Hardaway, Executive Director of Vets Who Code, who shares practical advice on fortifying your career against unforeseen forces. And for those just getting started, Kedasha Kerr joins us to answer a listener question and provide tips to get going with Git and GitHub.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

• 00:00 - The hosts discuss technological change and how developers can adjust.
• 01:37 - First Commit: How transatlantic telegraph lines were placed between the U.S. and Britain.
• 05:48 - Feature Release: The ReadME Project’s Klint Finley welcomes J. Luc Peterson of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to discuss the role open source played in a recent fusion breakthrough.
• 20:00 - The Interview: Jerome Hardaway, Executive Director of Vets Who Code, shares the advice he gives his troops on how to fortify your career against shifts in the job market. Check out more from Jerome in his new Guide on GitHub.com/ReadME where he shares practical advice on moving from junior to senior engineering roles.
• 34:00 - #AskRMP: GitHub’s Kedasha Kerr answers a listener question about getting started with GitHub. Her practical advice goes beyond version control and helps users get the most out of the platform.

Looking for more stories and advice from the open source community? To learn more from the authors and experts featured on this episode, check out:

• Open source is fueling the future of nuclear physics by Klint Finley
• Twitch: A game changer for developers by Dr. Johanna Pirker
• Simplifying developer onboarding with a few clicks by Art Chaidarun of Duolingo
• Junior to senior: An action plan for engineering career success by Jerome Hardaway

Special thanks to Kedasha Kerr for sharing her thoughts on getting started with Git and GitHub. Also, thank you to J. Luc Peterson for providing insight on open source’s role in developing nuclear fusion technology.

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

• 00:00 - The hosts hear from Ed Summers, GitHub’s head of accessibility, about the meaning of disability and accessibility and why it's important to involve everyone in building technology. 
• 10:43 - The panel: Annalu Waller, Becky Tyler, and Kirsty McNaught join the hosts to discuss how they started working together, why inclusion in development is so important to producing the best outcomes for everyone, and what AI means for the future of accessibility. 
• 32:55 - Release notes: The ReadME Project Senior Editor Mike Melanson discusses his article diving deeper into how open source is expanding accessibility development.

Looking for more stories and advice from the open source community? To learn more from the authors and experts featured on this episode, check out:

• Featured Article & Video: From gaming with your eyes to coding with AI: New frontiers for accessibility by Mike Melanson
• Video: The ReadME Podcast’s accessibility conversation with Annalu, Becky, and Kirsty
• Kristy McNaught’s GitHub Sponsors page and open source project, EyeMine
• The unique origins of open source in machine learning by Mikio Braun
• Check out Ed Summer’s keynote at axe-con

Special thanks to Annalu Waller, Becky Tyler, and Kirsty McNaught for being a part of this conversation. Also, thank you to Ed Summers for setting the stage, sharing his story, and highlighting why accessible technology benefits everyone. 

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

• 00:00 - The hosts discuss how to impress and win over the heart of a developer in your life. 
• 02:30 - First Commit: How India built the PARAM 8000 supercomputer. 
• 06:07 - The Interview: Peter Strömberg and Brandon Ringe, the co-maintainers of Calva, discuss the benefits of sharing responsibility for open source maintainership. 
• 18:18 - #AskRMP: We learn from Jana Iris about best practices for community building from scratch. 
• 21:15 - Feature Release: The ReadME Project’s Klint Finley shares what we can learn from vintage computing.

Looking for more stories and advice from the open source community? To learn more from the authors and experts featured on this episode, check out:

• Building super fans through genuine human connections by Jana Iris
• Agical, Peter Strömberg’s employer and open source sponsor.
• The modern web’s underrated powerhouse by Klint Finley
• Enterprise code migration with developer happiness in mind by Prince Shekhar Valluri (LinkedIn)
• Move past incident response to reliability by Will Larson

Special thanks to Jana Iris for sharing her thoughts on getting started with OSS community building. Also, thank you to Peter Strömberg and Brandon Ringe, co-maintainers of Calva, for providing their insight on collaborative maintainership and how building together can benefit the community.

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

00:00 - Martin and Neha share how they spent the holiday break and discuss New Year's resolutions. 

02:25 - First Commit: The story of TIME magazine naming the computer “Machine of the Year.”

06:10 - Feature Release: The ReadME Project’s Mike Melanson shares how maximalism in development has crept into places where it doesn’t belong.

18:15 - #AskRMP: Frances Coronel joins the podcast to answer a listener question about how someone getting started in open source can find their first mentor. 

20:20 - The Interview: bashbunni joins the hosts to discuss how she balances a servant leadership mentality with learning in public—all for the benefit of the community of developers around her.

Looking for more stories and advice from the open source community? To learn more from the authors and experts featured on this episode, check out:

• What’s in a name? Moving GitOps beyond buzzword by Mike Melanson
• Middleware for web applications: it’s not just for enterprises by Amit Saha
• Marie Kondo your software stack with open source by Mike Melanson
• Great leaders create more leaders by Frances Coronel
• bashbunni on Twitch
• TIME magazine’s “Machine of the Year”

Special thanks to Frances Coronel for sharing her thoughts on finding mentors in open source, bashbunni for highlighting why giving back is the best way to build community, and Carson Gross for offering their perspective on why minimalism in development helps keep things moving.

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

00:00 - Neha and Martin discuss the return of social norms and the childhood video games they remember best.

03:38 - First Commit: The hosts share the origin story of the NORAD Tracks Santa system.

06:57 - The Interview: Dr. Johanna Pirker provides her perspective on how open source can help the gaming industry move toward a more inclusive future.

21:17 - #AskRMP: Cassidy Williams joins the podcast to answer a listener question about how to makes sense of functional programming. 

23:24 - Feature Story: The ReadME Project’s Klint Finley digs even deeper into how open source game developers are pushing gaming industry innovation and accessibility even further.

Looking for more stories and advice from the open source community? To learn more from the authors and experts featured on this episode, check out:

• (Virtual) reality check by Dr. Johanna Pirker
• What we can learn from vintage computing by Klint Finley
• Privacy engineering: 8 tips to mitigate risks and secure your data by Ayden Férdeline
• How to optimize your code reviews by Safia Abdalla
• Game Lab Graz
• NORAD Tracks Santa system

Special thanks to Cassidy Williams for providing her insight into getting started with functional programming, Dr. Johanna Pirker for speaking with us about the future of gaming and virtual reality, and Harmony Honey for offering their perspective on the open source engines and tools that are making game development more accessible.

Subscribe to The ReadME Project newsletter! Each month the (free!) newsletter highlights new stories, best practices, and opinions developed for The ReadME Project, as well as great listens and reads from around the community.

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

00:00 - The hosts discuss GitHub Universe and highlight some of their favorite sessions.

02:30 - First Commit: Neha and Martin discuss the US presidential election of November 1952, which was the first time that a computer was used to predict winners.

05:55 - Features Story: The ReadME Project Sr. Editor, Klint Finley, joins to discuss his recent story Building the future of the command line.

18:30 - #AskRMP - Friend of the podcast and GitHub Senior Software Engineering Manager, Helen Hou-Sandi, joins to answer this month’s listener submitted question.

22:15 - The Interview: Appsmith Co-Founder and CTO, Arpit Mohan, joins us to discuss the myth of the lone hacker and what it takes to manage an open source business.

Looking for more stories and advice from the open source community? To learn more from the authors and experts featured on this episode, check out:

• Building the future of the command line by Klint Finley
• Marie Kondo your software stack with open source by Mike Melanson
• Look beyond lock-in with open source observability by Michael Hausenblas
• Documenting knowledge: a guide to successful note-taking by Cassidy Williams

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

• 00:00 - Intro: The hosts discuss AI image generators and draw parallels with GitHub’s pair programmer: Copilot. 
• 03:34 - First Commit: Neha and Martin discuss ARPANET’s 1980 crash, the first known network-wide crash. 
• 6:16 - Feature Story: The ReadME Project Sr. Editor Mike Melanson discusses his recent article: Don’t call it a comeback: Why Java is still champ.
• 21:52 - #AskRMP - Xavier René-Corail provides his insights on best practices for securing open source projects. 
• 26:14 - The Interview: GitHub CEO, Thomas Dohmke, discusses how his career as a developer enabled him to understand the challenges that businesses face.

Looking for more stories and advice from the open source community? To learn more from the authors and experts featured on this episode, check out:

• Don’t call it a comeback: Why Java is still champ by Mike Melanson
• Open source gaming by Klint Finley
• Developer Story: (Virtual) reality check by Johanna Pirker
• GitHub Blog: Research: quantifying GitHub Copilot’s impact on developer productivity and happiness
• Attend GitHub Universe—virtually or in person!
• Game Off 2022 

Special thanks to guest experts Christina Lee for her perspective on Java and Kotlin, Xavier René-Corail, for his expertise and answering our #askRMP question this month, and to GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke for sharing his story and passion for developer happiness. 

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here’s what’s in store for this episode:

• 00:00 - Meet our newest co-host, and learn about The ReadME Podcast’s new format.  
• 01:40 - First Commit: Neha and Martin explore “Eternal September.” 
• 03:54 - Features Story: RMP Sr. Editor, Klint Finley, joins to discuss his recent story Functional programming is finally going mainstream.
• 18:17 - #AskRMP - Open Source expert and former RMPod host, Brian Douglas, joins to answer this month’s listener submitted question.
• 21:32 - The Interview: Special guest Aaron Francis shares his advice on publishing your work to build your own luck. 

Looking for more stories and advice from the open source community? To learn more from the authors and experts featured on this episode, check out:

• Functional programming is finally going mainstream by Klint Finley
• Publishing your work increases your luck by Aaron Francis
• Bdougie's new project: OpenSauced
• Functional Programming 101 by Cassidy Williams
• The five-minute feedback fix by Hillel Wayne
• ONWARD: A framework for maintaining maintainers by Frances Coronel

Special thanks to Cassidy Williams for lending her perspective on functional programming, @bdougieYO for his expertise and answering our #askRMP question this month, and to Aaron Francis for sharing his insights on overcoming your fears and publishing your work.

The GitHub Podcast is produced and edited by editaudio.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.