Each week we make a software-related technical topic intelligible. We aim to help you develop an intuitive understanding of each subject, instead of emphasizing formal definitions. Join us as we learn about the wide world of software. Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Find out more at http://kopec.live

Are you thinking about learning computer programming? In this episode we provide some tips for aspiring programmers. What programming language should you choose? What learning resources should you use? How should you setup your environment? What are some good habits as you learn? What kind of mindset should you have? All of this and more tips for overcoming some early hurdles. Show Notes Episode 11: What is a Programming Language Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Theme “Place on Fire” Copyright 2019 Creo, CC BY 4.0 Find out more at http://kopec.live

When software gets sufficiently complex it needs a database management system to store, structure, and query its records. In this episode we talk about what a database is, the models behind the most common kinds of databases, and some of the different use cases for each. We concentrate on relational databases, but we also discuss some so-called "NoSQL" databases including document-oriented databases, key-value stores, and graph databases. Along the way we learn a little history and about some of the concepts underlying relational databases including SQL and relational algebra. Show Notes Edgar Codd via Wikipedia Larry Ellison via Wikipedia Relational Algebra via Wikipedia Relational Databases via Wikipedia Episode 12: Open Source Software Oracle Database via Wikipedia MySQL via Wikipedia PostgreSQL via Wikipedia SQLite via Wikipedia NoSQL via Wikipedia MongoDB via Wikipedia Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Theme “Place on Fire” Copyright 2019 Creo, CC BY 4.0 Find out more at http://kopec.live

Napster was the first popular peer-to-peer file sharing service. It introduced a generation to MP3 files and digitally swapping music. Created in 1999 by two teenagers, Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker, Napster would go on to upend the music industry and kickstart the online music revolution. But its success would be short lived. The first incarnation of Napster was forced into bankruptcy by legal challenges just a couple of years after its birth. In this episode we discuss Napster's origin, its importance, and the technologies that enabled it to work. Show Notes Napster via Wikipedia Shawn Fanning via Wikipedia Sean Parker via Wikipedia Ali Aydar via Twitter Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Theme “Place on Fire” Copyright 2019 Creo, CC BY 4.0 Find out more at http://kopec.live

We take spreadsheets for granted, but they were actually an incredible innovation that transformed small business. In this episode we talk about the history of spreadsheets and why they are so important. We cover the first popular spreadsheet program, VisiCalc, which was the "killer app" for the Apple II. Then we talk about Lotus 1-2-3 and why it displaced VisiCalc. We finish with Microsoft Excel and areas where spreadsheets are being stretched too thin. Show Notes Episode 16: The Personal Computer Revolution VisiCalc via Wikipedia Episode 22: Why was the IBM PC a Big Deal? Lotus 1-2-3 via Wikipedia Founders at Work by Jessica Livingston via Amazon Episode 21: How have UIs Evolved? Microsoft Excel via Wikipedia Excel: Why using Microsoft's tool caused Covid-19 results to be lost via BBC Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Theme “Place on Fire” Copyright 2019 Creo, CC BY 4.0 Find out more at http://kopec.live

Throughout the three decade history of the Web various browsers have battled for supremacy. In the 1990s it was Netscape Navigator versus Microsoft Internet Explorer. More recently, Google Chrome has dominated Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple's Safari. In this episode we dive into the history of the browser wars. We look at the various periods of web browser development, and identify how one browser's success or failure led to the rise of another. Ultimately we find connections that link every popular browser to every other. Show Notes Episode 6: How does the Web work? Tim Berners-Lee via Wikipedia WorldWideWeb via Wikipedia Mosaic via Wikipedia Marc Andreessen via Wikipedia Netscape Navigator via Wikipedia Spyglass Inc. via Wikipedia Internet Explorer via Wikipedia WebKit via Wikipedia Blink via Wikipedia Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Theme “Place on Fire” Copyright 2019 Creo, CC BY 4.0 Find out more at http://kopec.live

Apple is transitioning the Mac from Intel's X86-64 based microprocessors to its own Apple Silicon built on the ARM64 instruction set. But the Mac has already been through two other similar transitions! In this episode we discuss the transitions and how they affect software. We delve into the 1994 transition from the Motorola 68K line to the Motorola/IBM PowerPC, and the 2006 transition from PowerPC to Intel. Finally, we talk about going from Intel to Apple Silicon. Along the way we discuss mitigation strategies for software developers like universal binaries and emulation. Show Notes Episode 10: What is an Emulator? Motorola 68K via Wikipedia PowerPC via Wikipedia x86 via Wikipedia ARM architecture via Wikipedia Apple Silicon via Wikipedia Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Theme “Place on Fire” Copyright 2019 Creo, CC BY 4.0 Find out more at http://kopec.live

The IBM PC, released in 1981, set the standard for personal computing for decades. In this episode we discuss why it was so influential. We talk about IBM's market position and strategy for the PC, as well as choices the company made in terms of both hardware and software that made a standard possible. We discuss Microsoft's role in creating DOS, CP/M's failure, and how PC compatible clones worked. This episode is a follow-up to episode 16, The Personal Computer Revolution, in which we covered the period of 1975-1980 in personal computer history. Show Notes Episode 16: The Personal Computer Revolution The IBM PC via Wikipedia Intel 8088 via Wikipedia CP/M via Wikipedia DOS via Wikipedia Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Theme “Place on Fire” Copyright 2019 Creo, CC BY 4.0 Find out more at http://kopec.live

Through the history of computing, user interfaces (UIs) have evolved from punch cards to voice interaction. In this episode we track that evolution, discussing each paradigm and the machine that popularized it. We primarily focus on personal computer UIs, covering command-line interfaces (CLIs), graphical user interfaces (GUIs), touch-screen interaction, and voice interfaces. We also imagine the future, including neural interfaces, virtual reality, and augmented reality. This episode is an introductory guide to the interfaces available and a short history, not a comprehensive tour. Show Notes Episode 16: The Personal Computer Revolution The Mother of All Demos via Wikipedia Fingerworks (developer of modern multi-touch) via Wikipedia Neuralink via Wikipedia Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Theme “Place on Fire” Copyright 2019 Creo, CC BY 4.0 Find out more at http://kopec.live

Digital images can be broadly categorized into two kinds: bitmap and vector. In this episode we provide the listener a general understanding of how both bitmap and vector images work. We start with the basics, by explaining pixels, but then we talk about a standard color model, and some specific file formats that most people are familiar with. We finish our discussion by talking about smartphone cameras, image manipulation software, and how images work together to make videos. Note: In this episode we used the term "graphics card" generically. We could have more accurately said Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to include embedded GPUs as exist in most devices. Show Notes Episode 3: What is a Byte? Pixel via Wikipedia RGBA via Wikipedia JPEG via Wikipedia SVG via Wikipedia Follow us on Twitter @KopecExplains. Theme “Place on Fire” Copyright 2019 Creo, CC BY 4.0 Find out more at http://kopec.live