Dead Code

In this episode of "Dead Code," Jared and Harmony, a self-taught programmer with extensive experience in Ruby, explore the benefits of experimenting with unconventional programming languages. They discuss Fennel, a Lisp that compiles to Lua, highlighting its simplicity and versatility for applications like game modding. Jared shares his experience with ReScript, a language in the ML family that compiles to JavaScript, emphasizing its strong type system and seamless integration with React. They also delve into Uiua, a stack-based array language with a unique symbol-rich syntax, which Harmony finds ideal for tackling complex mathematical programming challenges. The episode emphasizes how these esoteric languages can broaden a programmer's perspective and problem-solving approach.Links:Fennel LanguageLua Programming LanguageReScript LanguageOCamlStandard ML DocumentationUiua LanguageAPL Language Conway’s Game of Life Interactive SimulatorAdvent of CodeProject EulerReact.jsFennel VS Code ExtensionReScript VS Code ExtensionUiua VS Code SupportEmacs Fennel ModeEmacs ReScript SupportDead Code Podcast Links:MastodonXJared’s Links:MastodonXEpisode Transcript

In this episode of "Dead Code," host Jared Norman interviews Jim Remsik, a Ruby developer and founder of the consultancy Flagrant. Jim shares his journey from .NET to Ruby on Rails, reflecting on the early days of the Ruby community and the impact of its vibrant, collaborative environment on his career. He discusses the importance of mentorship and nurturing junior developers, stressing the need for more opportunities within the Ruby community to help them grow into senior roles. Jim also talks about his passion for organizing events like Madison + Ruby, which recently returned after a hiatus, highlighting how conferences and meetups play a vital role in building connections and strengthening the community. The conversation underscores the value of stepping up to contribute to programming communities, whether through organizing, speaking, or participating in events.Links:Jim Remsik on LinkedInFlagrant ConsultancyMadison + Ruby ConferenceRuby on RailsRubyConfSolidusTuring SchoolHoneybadgerAppSignalDead Code Podcast Links:MastodonXJared’s Links:MastodonXEpisode Transcript

In this episode of the Dead Code podcast, Jared welcomes RailsConf speakers Joël Quenneville and Stephanie Minn, both from thoughtbot and co-hosts of The Bike Shed podcast. Stephanie discusses her talk on the stages of change model, initially about codebase changes but ultimately focusing on adopting testing practices, highlighting the evolution of her topic and the importance of addressing test pain. Joël introduces Hotwire and Turbo through building an interactive Dungeons & Dragons character sheet in Rails, emphasizing decoupling code and progressively enhancing applications without JavaScript. The conversation delves into managing coupling and cohesion in software development, the benefits of visualizing code structure, and using tests as tools for gathering information and improving code quality, with practical insights and reflections on enhancing the development process.Links:The Bike Shed PodcastthoughtbotRailsConfRubyConf HotwireTurboDead Code on MastodonDead Code on XJared on MastodonJared on XTranscript

In this episode of the Dead Code Podcast, Jared interviews his brother Alistair Norman and colleague Senem Soy about their experiences with conference talks. Alistair recently spoke at RailsConf in Detroit on mentorship and pair programming, choosing the topic for its broad relevance and personal interest. He prepared for the talk by biking 750 kilometers from Toronto to Detroit, which, while mentally relaxing, left him less time to finalize his presentation. Senem, gearing up for her first talk at Madison Ruby, discusses how her passion for paragliding influences her problem-solving in programming, focusing on mental training and stress management. Both highlight the importance of choosing engaging topics and thorough preparation to reduce stress and enhance the delivery of their talks.Links:RailsConfMadison RubyAlistair on StravaSenem on StravaDead Code on MastodonDead Code on XJared on MastodonJared on XTranscript

In this episode of the Dead Code podcast, host Jared Norman interviews Robby Russell, the CEO of Planet Argon and creator of Oh My Zsh, who shares insights from his extensive experience in software development, particularly Ruby on Rails. Robby discusses the challenges of software maintenance and technical debt, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing different types of debt within teams. He advocates for building simpler, more maintainable systems, taking ownership of the codebase, and integrating maintenance work into regular workflows through effective communication and documentation.Links:Robby’s TikTokRobby’s LinkedInRobby’s XOh My ZshPlanet ArgonMaintainable Software PodcastMichael Feathers' book "Working Effectively with Legacy Code"Ward Cunningham and the concept of Technical DebtRailsConfRuby on RailsRefinery CMSSolidus SpreeMartin Fowler's book "Refactoring"John Osterhout's book "A Philosophy of Software Design"Rails World 2024Dead Code on MastodonDead Code on XJared on MastodonJared on XEpisode Transcript

What's going on with the TDD heads these days?Byron Alley: Website, Twitter, MastodonJared Norman: Mastodon, Twitter, ThreadsDead Code: Mastodon, Twitter, ThreadsReferences: The Tweet

A short preview of what you can expect from future episodes of Dead Code. I promise better editing and mic position in the future.Dead Code Socials:MastodonTwitterThreadsJared Norman Socials:MastodonTwitterThreadsReferences:Oddly Influenced, Episode 40