Mike McQuaid, maintainer of Homebrew and CTO at Workbrew, discusses the chaos of digital distractions and the allure of social media. He highlights the importance of software maintenance, comparing it to physical upkeep, and shares insights into Homebrew's telemetry efforts while balancing user privacy. The conversation also touches on old-school web development and the evolving landscape of package management on Mac, as well as McQuaid's journey from GitHub to Workbrew, merging open-source principles with commercial software development.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Apple Arcade for Kids
Use Apple Arcade to avoid spammy games and in-app purchases for kids.
Apple Arcade offers a curated selection of games without ads or predatory practices.
insights INSIGHT
Addictive Explore Tabs
Social media's explore tabs exploit our brains' craving for dopamine, making them addictive.
It is difficult to resist the urge to constantly scroll through explore tabs.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Apple Vision Pro Impressions
Despite initial excitement and positive reviews, Mike, Adam, and Jerod decided not to buy the Apple Vision Pro.
Mike's interest was piqued again after Justin Searles' positive review about screen mirroring.
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In 'Will', Will Smith opens up about his life, sharing anecdotes from his early days in West Philadelphia, his rise in the music industry as part of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, and his subsequent success in Hollywood. The book delves into his complex relationship with his father, the impact of his family on his life, and his journey to align outer success with inner happiness and human connection. Written with the help of Mark Manson, the book offers a blend of vulnerability, humor, and life lessons that reflect Will Smith's trademark style and larger-than-life personality.
Ready Player Two
Ernest Cline
In 'Ready Player Two', Ernest Cline continues the story of Wade Watts after he wins the contest set by OASIS founder James Halliday. Wade discovers a revolutionary new technology, the OASIS Neural Interface (ONI), which enhances the virtual reality experience but also poses significant risks. This discovery sets off a new quest involving a mysterious prize and an impossibly powerful and dangerous new rival. The fate of the OASIS and humanity hangs in the balance as Wade and his friends navigate this new challenge. Despite receiving mixed reviews, the book is known for its imaginative and action-packed adventure through the virtual universe, filled with nostalgic pop culture references[1][3][5].
Elon Musk
Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
Ashlee Vance
This book is an authorized biography that delves into the life of Elon Musk, from his tumultuous childhood in South Africa to his rise as a visionary entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. Ashlee Vance captures Musk's journey through his various ventures, including PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. The book examines Musk's unique personality, his insatiable drive, and his ability to thrive through hardship. It also explores the broader context of American innovation and the challenges of global competition, positioning Musk as a contemporary amalgam of legendary inventors and industrialists like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Steve Jobs.
Ready Player One
Trivia-on-Books Staff
In 'Ready Player One', Ernest Cline introduces Wade Watts, an 18-year-old living in a dystopian future where people escape their harsh reality through the OASIS, a vast virtual reality world. The story revolves around Wade's quest to find an Easter egg hidden by the OASIS's creator, James Halliday, which would grant the finder immense wealth and control over the OASIS. Wade, known as Parzival in the OASIS, must compete against other 'gunters' and the corporate-sponsored Sixers to achieve this goal. The novel is filled with 1980s pop culture references, adventure, and social commentary, making it a deeply engaging and nostalgic read.
Mike McQuaid, maintainer of Homebrew, and now CTO at Workbrew joins us to discuss open tabs, social media spam and distractions, TikTok’s addictive nature, Apple Vision Pro and its potential future, the maintenance of software, the swing back to old school web development, the value of telemetry in open source projects, Mike’s ongoing involvement in Homebrew and what they’re working on at Workbrew, Homebrew’s relationship with Apple, the importance of developer experience, and sooo much more.
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