Fusing tech and progress

In this episode of The ReadME Podcast, hosts Neha Batra and Martin Woodward look back on their growth and learnings from the past season, from pronunciation struggles to hosting highs. Next, they share a fun story about the world's first webcam at the University of Cambridge in 1991 and its coffee-related origins. The hosts then dive into the Digital Public Goods Alliance with Ricardo Mirón Torres, who highlights the success of open-source solutions like DHIS 2 in addressing global challenges, including its role in COVID-19 tracking in Sri Lanka.

The conversation then shifts to the Laravel PHP framework with Senior Editor Klint Finley, examining its popularity, ease of use, and the vibrant community surrounding it. Klint turns the interview around on Neha and Martin and asks about their favorite moments from the season to close out the episode.

• 00:00 - Martin and Neha reflect on their experiences and growth throughout the past season of The ReadME Podcast. They announce an end-of-season hiatus but promise new content in the future.
• 01:29 - First Commit: How necessity (and a little laziness) is the mother of invention.
• 03:50 - The Interview: The hosts interview Ricardo Mirón Torres, the technical coordinator and community manager for the Digital Public Goods Alliance, a UN initiative aiming to unlock the potential of open source to create a more equitable world.
• 18:20 - Feature Release: GitHub Senior Editor Klint Finley is back to discuss Laravel and why it has become a "secret weapon" for many developers.
• 29:20 - #askRMP: The tables are turned in this edition of #askRMP, and the hosts take the hot seat to share the lessons they’ve learned this season.

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:

• Is Laravel the happiest developer community on the planet? By Klint Finley
• Realizing potential with AI by Anton Mirhorodchenko
• Accessibility barriers are bugs, not feature requests by Mike Gifford
• Digital Public Goods Alliance

Tell us what you want to hear more about next season! Send us an email to: thereadmeproject@github.com with your ideas and feedback.

And, we hope to see you at GitHub Universe 2023 November 8-9! Subscribe for updates.

Special thanks to Ricardo Mirón Torres for talking with us about the Digital Public Goods Alliance and how more people can get involved. To Mohammed Said for sharing his experience with Laravel, and to Senior Editor Klint Finley for his reporting on the Laravel community—and for turning the mic on our hosts for this episode!

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Programming languages are always in flux, and so is the way we use them. In this episode, we dive into the rise of TypeScript, with The ReadME Project’s Senior Editor Mike Melanson outlining its history and evolution. Hosts Neha Batra and Martin Woodward discuss the pros and cons of static typing, and Jordan Harband from TC39 shares his views on the benefits and limitations of TypeScript. We also hear from Aaron Gustafson on AI’s potential to enhance accessibility and highlights the projects that are leading the charge. And Kingsley Mkpandiok from the CHAOSS Project, responds to an #AskRMP submission with tips on encouraging non-code contributions within open source projects.

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

• 00:00 - The hosts discuss the challenges of establishing web standards in open source communities when new technologies emerge.
• 02:38 - First Commit: The transformation of the world of stock trading from a chaotic, bustling floor to an automated and computer-driven environment. Our hosts highlight the role of open source, particularly Linux, in powering high-speed trading systems and enabling advancements in performance and speed.
• 05:40 - Feature release: The ReadME Project’s Senior Editor, Mike Melanson, discusses the rise of TypeScript and the pros and cons of statically typed languages.
• 18:24 - The interview: Aaron Gustafson joins the hosts to discuss the role of AI in improving accessibility. He highlights initiatives such as Microsoft's AI for Accessibility Grant Program, which invests in research and startups to drive innovation in accessibility.
• 36:10 - AskRMP: Kingsley Mkpandiok answers a listener’s question on encouraging non-code contributions. The key? Communicate that everyone’s skills matter.

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:

• TypeScript and the dawn of gradual types by Mike Melanson
• Advancing inclusion with progressive enhancement by Aaron Gustafson
• From fixing computers on farms to democratizing DevOps by Kyler Middleton
• Turbulent times call for adaptive leadership by Tramale Turner
• Make your first open source contribution in four easy steps by Ruth Ikegah

Special thanks to Jordan Harband for sharing his insights on TypeScript, Aaron Gustafson for outlining the role that AI will play in accelerating accessibility, and Kingsley Mkpandiok for answering a listener question about encouraging non-code contributions.  

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 thereadmeproject@github.com.

The influence of open source extends well beyond code. In this episode, we dive into the less-explored areas of the open source community, spotlighting their profound and wide-ranging impact. With host Neha Batra away for travel, Martin Woodward welcomes Kyler Middleton to discuss navigating the open source community in a highly regulated environment. She highlights the dual challenges of aligning cultural norms and overcoming technical barriers. Also, The ReadME Project’s Klint Finley is back to discuss the underappreciated importance of non-code contributions to open source projects. He emphasizes how roles such as marketers, graphic designers, technical writers, and community managers can be vital for the success of a project. Lastly, we feature a clip from our bonus episode with Kelsey Hightower highlighting the complexity of scaling a project like Kubernetes, which extends beyond technical challenges to include legal, financial, and community-related aspects.

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

• 00:00 - The hosts discuss the far-reaching impacts of open source and outline the symbiotic relationship between non-code contributions and OSS in everyday life. 
• 03:02 - First Commit: How FarmBot is bringing automation to home gardening. Martin highlights how the open source community is putting a high-tech spin on backyard cultivation.
• 05:05 - The Interview: Kyler Middleton joins Martin to discuss everything from securing cloud applications to growing up on a farm.
• 23:45 - #AskRMP: Kelsey Hightower on managing open source projects at scale and the learnings that can be applied to projects of any size.
• 27:42 - Feature Release: The ReadME Project senior editor, Klint Finley, is back to discuss non-code contributions and why developers should prioritize supporting their creation and management.

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:

• Non-code contributions are the secret to open source success by Klint Finley
• Finish your projects by Aaron Francis
• Do your part to secure the open source supply chain by Feross Aboukhadijeh
• From chaos to clarity: Use code visibility to illuminate unfamiliar code by Shanea Leven

Special thanks to Kyler Middleton for sharing her security and community insights, Kelsey Hightower for discussing open source at scale, and Sarah Rainsberger for highlighting the benefits of non-code contributions to open source success. 

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 thereadmeproject@github.com. 

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 thereadmeproject@github.com.

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 thereadmeproject@github.com. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.