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

If technology serves everybody, then everyone deserves access to a seat at the table. No one better embodies this sentiment than Crystal Preston-Watson. She’s a Senior Digital Accessibility Analyst with Salesforce, and she brings an unrivaled passion for making tech available for anyone to use.On this episode of FAFO, we’re unpacking why her mission is so vital, and the previous career that made Crystal realize the disabled community needs a voice to advocate for them. Crystal goes into why it’s okay to turn personal struggles into triumphs for others, ARIA as a vital resource, and the issues with pushing GenAI tools onto accessibility tools.You’ll also get to hear why Autumn loves Crystal’s presence on the internet, but especially Crystal’s blog (which is a great read if you love serious topics sprinkled with a good laugh).Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:29) Tremolo sponsor read(1:51) Introducing Crystal through the power of numeronym(5:43) Crystal's journey to accessibility and software(10:01) How Crystal’s background in tech led her directly to tech(15:30) Using additional tools to help solve problems(18:31) The power of lifting other people up through your own personal struggles(21:53) The importance of the right to repair and accessibility in the disability community(27:58) Rapid evolutions in accessibility, vulnerability, and security(33:57) Tremolo sponsor read(34:55) Changes Crystal has seen in accessibility(39:04) Why ARIA is important to accessibility(43:17) Can open source provide a voice for accessibility advocates?(45:52) Audio accessibility tools and their many functions(48:22) Who's better for accessibility: Apple or Android?(51:42) GenAI's impact (or lack thereof) on accessibility(57:33) Why Autumn loves Crystal's social media presence(59:50) Where you can find more from Crystal(1:01:04) Crystal's advice for making security more accessibleAbout 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 ReferencedCrystal’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/scopicengineer.bsky.socialCrystal’s website: https://crystalprestonwatson.com/Crystal’s blog: https://a11ysavvy.com/SponsorTremolo: http://fafo.fm/tremoloSponsor the FAFO Podcast!http://fafo.fm/sponsor

Data and security breaches are a dime a dozen nowadays, and despite their frequency, they’re still just as dangerous. That’s where Yasmin Abdi, the CEO of noHack, comes in. Despite her relatively short career, she’s already worked for some of the giants of the tech industry like Google and Snapchat. Along with Justin and Autumn, Yasmin breaks down real-world security challenges and solutions, a firsthand view into managing role-based access, phishing simulations for employee training, and the delicate balance between security and usability.Show Highlights(0:00) Intro(0:32) Tremolo sponsor read(2:04) How Yasmin built noHack(3:15) Breaking down Yasmin's impressive resume(4:17) What sparked Yasmin's interest in security?(7:54) Yasmin's biggest challenge since starting noHack(11:05) How Zero Trust has evolved over the past decade(12:34) Balancing usability and security(15:43) The problems with role-based access and how Yasmin's work addresses it(19:31) Phishing schemes and AI's role in the future of security(23:14) Tremolo sponsor read(24:13) Yasmin's efforts to educate organizations on the dangers of phishing and poor security(29:31) "Security theater" and the lack of serious education(34:20) How to get people to take security seriously(39:37) Yasmin's opinions on third-party scanning vendors(43:17) How Yasmin would have handled the CrowdStrike attack(46:52) Where you can find more from YasminAbout Yasmin AbdiYasmin Abdi is the CEO and Founder of noHack, a cybersecurity company focused on delivering high-impact solutions for public and private (startups, & SMB) clients. Yasmin’s expertise spans enterprise security, secure software development, vulnerability and risk management, threat detection and intelligence, security assurance and education, and privacy best practices. Yasmin has also shared her knowledge at major industry platforms (featured on Forbes, Cisco, Voice of America) and has established herself as a leading voice in the cybersecurity space. Before launching noHack, Yasmin led global security and privacy initiatives at tech giants like Google, Meta, and Snap. With over seven years of experience, she played a pivotal role as a founding member of Meemo, an AI-powered social finance app later acquired by Coinbase for $95M.Links ReferencedYasmin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasminyabdi/Yasmin’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yazabdi/?hl=enSponsorTremolo: http://fafo.fm/tremoloSponsor the FAFO Podcast!http://fafo.fm/sponsor

Brian Grant, CTO and co-founder of ConfigHub and Kubernetes' original lead architect, shares his journey through high-performance computing and cloud-native innovation. He delves into the origins of Kubernetes and its roots in Borg, revealing behind-the-scenes stories and the camaraderie of its creators. Brian discusses the challenges he faced in GPU technology, the significance of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation, and his thoughts on Terraform and GitOps. His insights on the future of infrastructure management and the cyclical nature of tech trends make for a compelling listen.

Kelsey Hightower, a former Google engineer and Kubernetes advocate, shares his journey through 25 years in tech. He discusses the importance of authenticity and trust in the industry, alongside the surprising reasons behind Google’s product cancellations. Kelsey emphasizes the need for curiosity and problem-solving skills in tech, critiques the churn-and-burn culture, and reveals his post-Twitter perspective. With insights into community dynamics and the evolving nature of tech roles, Kelsey inspires listeners to embrace genuine communication and continuous learning.

Fork Around and Find Out is your downtime from uptime. Your break from the pager, and a chance to learn from expert’s successes and failures. We cover state-of-the-art, legacy practices for building, running, and maintaining software and systems. Be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast player, and stay tuned for weekly episodes! Follow the podcast elsewhere online:Website: https://fafo.fmBluesky: @fafo.fm