Evan Phoenix, a longtime Rubyist and former principal engineer at HashiCorp, shares his inspiring tech journey. He recounts his unique beginnings, from coding on a TI calculator to becoming GitHub user #7. Evan discusses the creative parallels between software engineering and writing, along with the importance of mentorship in navigating his career. He reflects on his transition to a principal role, the challenges of work-life balance while remote, and the complexities of open-source funding, making it a must-listen for anyone in tech!
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Minesweeper on TI Calculator
Evan coded Minesweeper in BASIC on a TI calculator during a boring biology class.
The project was fulfilling and entertaining, becoming his main activity in class afterwards.
insights INSIGHT
Writing Fiction and Code: Process Parallels
Writing fiction and software share similar processes, involving planning and mapping complex interactions.
The difference lies in the product, but strategy and mental modeling overlap significantly.
insights INSIGHT
Programming as a Trade Skill
Programming is a trade skill best mastered by consistent practice, not just formal education.
Learning happens by trying, experimenting, and immersing yourself in the craft over time.
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From implementing minesweeper on a TI calculator to becoming a prolific open source maintainer, Evan Phoenix has had quite the journey. In this week's episode, Matt & Angelica sit down with Evan to discuss his journey, from his early days writing basic on his TI calculator, to writing an alternative implementation of Ruby, being GitHub user #7, becoming a Principal Engineer at Hashicorp, starting his own company (with his wife!), and so much more. This episode is packed with life lessons and advice helpful for everyone, from the most junior of engineers to the most seasoned VPs.
A few of the chapters of this week's episode are supporter only content, including long conversations about Evan's involvement with Ruby and a deep discussion of his interesting habit of being an early adopter. Get access by signing up at https://fallthrough.fm/subscribe.
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