airhacks.fm podcast with adam bien Pure Java Inception
Feb 16, 2025
Christian Humer, a seasoned software engineer and key contributor to GraalVM, shares his journey from graphic design to computer science. He reflects on early programming with DOS text adventures and the transition to Java applications. The discussion dives into GraalVM's dynamic language capabilities, the challenges of implementing partial evaluation in Truffle, and the evolution of JavaScript engines. Humer also highlights the significance of math in programming and explores polyglot programming, emphasizing the interoperability of libraries across languages.
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Early Gaming
- Christian Humer's first computer was a 286, which he primarily used for gaming.
- He played games like Captain Comic and DOS text adventures, even modifying some.
Path to Programming
- Humer transitioned from gaming to programming through a higher school where he learned Z and Java.
- He dropped out due to personal issues, including a computer gaming addiction, and later pursued a graphics design apprenticeship.
Unexpected Career Turn
- Humer's aunt helped him secure a graphics design apprenticeship, which unexpectedly led to a career in informatics.
- After a year of Flash and ActionScript, he transitioned to Java Server Pages (JSPs) as the company shifted technologies.