Jake Cooper, Founder of Railway.com, shares insights from building a cloud infrastructure company. He discusses the fascinating challenges of constructing data centers and why they developed their own orchestrator to enhance efficiency. The conversation dives into balancing tech hype with practical applications, the emotional ties entrepreneurs have to their ventures, and the complexities of managing storage in container environments. Additionally, Jake reveals the importance of hiring exceptional talent and strategically navigating cloud and on-prem decisions.

In this lively discussion, Scott Hanselman, a software engineer and podcaster known for his work at Microsoft, explores the importance of curiosity in tech and beyond. He dives into why junior engineers bring fresh perspectives to teams. The conversation touches on the quirks of 'vibe coding' and the intentionality of ‘doom scrolling.’ Scott also addresses the balance between making and buying tech solutions and highlights the significance of creativity alongside life's responsibilities. Don't miss his insights on fostering empathy in the industry!

In this engaging discussion, Steve Pousty, a Principal Developer Advocate at Voxel51, dives into the world of machine learning and databases. He demystifies terms like embeddings, vectors, and LLMs, explaining that they often draw from familiar concepts. The conversation is a colorful ride through vector databases, the complexities of data representation, and the unique challenges of modern dating with a tech twist. Expect insightful analogies, playful banter, and a few laughs as they tackle both technological advancements and personal anecdotes.

Ada Lundhe, a lead engineer at Datavant with expertise in web development, testing, and audio engineering, shares her insights on performance testing frameworks. She discusses the evolution of Hyperscale, emphasizing its connection to business value and the significance of code efficiency. The conversation dives into the benefits of Rust in development, modern Python package managers, and what led to MySpace's decline. Ada connects her tech journey to creativity, balancing technical challenges with broader societal impacts.

Elad Eldor, author of 'Kafka Troubleshooting in Production' and a Data Ops Engineer at Unity, shares his wealth of knowledge about Kafka. He discusses the differences between running Kafka on-prem and in the cloud, unveiling the complexities of cluster management and performance tuning. Elad emphasizes the importance of understanding system bottlenecks and resource optimization to avoid excessive costs. He also touches on the challenges of manual monitoring and the interplay between human expertise and technology in today’s operational landscape.

Sam Rose, a creative programming and procedural art expert, dives into quirky topics ranging from the merits of coffee to the challenges of online writing. The conversation humorously explores unique culinary habits and the fun of turning handwriting into a font. They also tackle the importance of consistency in content creation versus quality. A playful game about tech giants keeps the energy high, while discussions about hacking fast-food apps add an intriguing twist!

Sam Rose, a backend services engineer at Budibase and former SRE at Google, shares his journey in tech and education. He reveals what sets Google SRE apart, the importance of effective documentation, and challenges with Java. Sam discusses how he creates educational animations for his blog, blending art with technology. He reflects on being a parent of neurodiverse children and the innovative ways to teach complex concepts. With a touch of humor, he explores balancing personal life and creativity while emphasizing community engagement in tech.

Dive into the thrilling rise of a new social media platform as it blossoms from a stagnant base to a staggering 30 million users. Hear insights from a software engineer on how they managed explosive growth without breaking the bank. Discover the intricacies of the Personal Data Server and the innovative strategies for incident management during challenging periods. The conversation is packed with anecdotes about tech misadventures, video streaming hurdles, and the playful side of building resilient infrastructure in the digital age.

Lauren Long, co-founder and CTO of Ampersand and former Google developer, shares her experiences bridging Big Tech and startups. She dives into the architectural wonders of Ampersand and discusses the intricacies of backend systems. Lauren provides hot takes on serverless and Kubernetes, exploring the trade-offs and implications for cost-effectiveness. The conversation also touches on the importance of effective API management and customer insights, all delivered with a touch of humor and technical flair.

Fork it! We’ll do it live! Well, sort of...In case you missed it last week, we’re running back our FAFO Livestream with Crystal Preston-Watson from this past Friday. Instead of prying into specifics about Crystal’s career, we’re chatting about recent tech news, the dire state of American tech literacy, and WTF WTA stands for!You can expect shows like these on the last Friday of every month, and we hope to see you there!Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:36) Tremolo sponsor read(1:56) Welcome to FAFO Live!(3:07) Is the AI Bubble bursting(8:17) The vibes at the TikTok security party(19:01) True Crime and Tech Literacy 101(31:12) Tremolo sponsor read(34:01) Crystal plays WTA- What’s the Acronym?(50:06) What you can expect from more FAFO Live Shows(51:39) Where you can get some FAFO swag and find more from the showAbout Crystal Preston-WatsonCrystal is an accessibility engineer and analyst. She believes accessibility is a civic and human right, and she is passionate about building accessible and inclusive applications for everyone.Links Referenced“The AI Bubble is Bursting”: https://matduggan.com/the-ai-bubble-is-bursting/"ex-prosecutor here in Denver": https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/01/dirty-deeds-in-denver-ex-prosecutor-faked-texts-destroyed-devices-to-frame-colleague/Bad licenses repo: https://github.com/ErikMcClure/bad-licensesFAFOFM merch store: http://fafo.fm/storeSponsorTremolo: http://fafo.fm/tremoloSponsor the FAFO Podcast!http://fafo.fm/sponsor