

Build software that lasts! (Changelog Interviews #627)
Feb 5, 2025
Bert Hubert, founder of PowerDNS with over 30 years of experience, shares his insights on building sustainable software. He discusses the development of a parliamentary monitoring system and its impact on accessibility. Bert emphasizes the importance of simplicity in long-term projects, contrasting it with the pitfalls of over-engineering. The conversation also touches on managing software dependencies and the influence of AI in development, advocating for human oversight and adaptability in tech choices.
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First Job Hacking
- Bert Hubert landed his first job after hacking a cable internet provider's insecure servers.
- This led to a job offer and valuable experience scaling the provider's user base significantly.
Testing Redundancy
- Test redundancy by shutting down random servers to ensure actual failover capabilities.
- Don't rely on assumptions; verify redundancy through real-world simulations.
Parliamentary Monitoring System
- Bert Hubert built a parliamentary monitoring system due to a late discovery of an impactful internet law.
- This simple, accessible system gained popularity among politicians, citizens, and even low-vision government workers.