Hanselminutes with Scott Hanselman

Dave Barry, a Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist and author known for his witty columns, shares his journey through the ups and downs of writing and promotional tours. He humorously discusses the quirks of technology in relationships and age, the chaos of newspaper syndication, and an amusing encounter on The Tonight Show. Barry also reflects on writing for the Oscars, revealing the burdens of comedic expectations, and indulges in light-hearted tales from his nightlife, emphasizing how humor remains a vital part of life.

Earl Valencia, a tech leader and venture-backed founder, shares insights from his book, 'Startup Mindsets: A Blueprint to Thrive in an Innovation-Driven and Globally Connected World.' He explores what it takes to succeed beyond Silicon Valley's glamor, focusing on the importance of having a personal mission to make a positive impact. The conversation contrasts traditional leadership with the dynamic mindset required for startups, emphasizing resilience and passion. Valencia challenges the definitions of success and encourages founders to align their goals with market needs for lasting achievement.

Ever wonder how AI “sees” high-dimensional data? In this special 1,000th episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman chats with AI expert Pamela Fox about the fascinating world of visualizing complex data. Pamela breaks down how those abstract numbers and vectors can be turned into visuals we can actually understand—basically helping us see how AI thinks. They also talk about the challenge of explaining advanced AI stuff in plain English, and why it matters for devs, data folks, or really anyone curious about what’s going on behind the scenes. If you've ever wanted a peek into the brain of an AI, this is a fun and eye-opening place to start.

What if AI could not only speed up your code reviews—but actually make them fairer? In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman chats with Howon Lee, Senior Software Engineer at CodeRabbit, about how AI is changing the game when it comes to code reviews. They dig into the unspoken dynamics that can pop up in traditional reviews—like how seniority or team politics sometimes matter more than the code itself. Howon shares why AI can be a helpful, unbiased voice that gives everyone clear, consistent feedback, no matter their experience level. They also talk about how tools like CodeRabbit are working to make software development more inclusive and collaborative.http://coderabbit.ai

Learn how to supercharge your AI development with our integrated signals loop that connects model choice, knowledge retrieval, fine-tuning, orchestration and memory —anchored by observability and trust. Design, customize, and manage intelligent agents using open standards and protocols such as Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A) to connect with tools and drive collaboration. Gain insights into advanced orchestration, tracing, and monitoring to streamline decision-making, boost efficiency, accelerate time to market, and lower costs.NOTE - This is a bit of a meta-episode, recorded live at Microsoft Build, this is a discussion about how Scott might use AI to help produce his podcast!Azure AI Foundry: The AI app and Agent Factory | BRK155

Jasmine Lawrence Campbell, an AI/ML and Robotics leader with experience at Microsoft and NVIDIA, dives into the evolving synergy between AI and robotics. She discusses the current limitations of household robots and the critical challenges of navigation and task execution. The conversation highlights the importance of human interaction in enhancing robot learning and adaptability. Jasmine also emphasizes how technology can transform work environments, facilitating collaboration while retaining human connection. A must-listen for tech enthusiasts!

James Montemagno, a mobile app developer and Microsoft employee, dives into the intriguing concept of 'vibe coding.' He shares how he vibed a massive 17,000-line application with just 20 lines of his own code, sparking a debate about AI's role in production versus prototyping. The discussion unfolds around the emotional journey of developers, the balance of trust in technology, and mastering effective communication with AI tools. Is this a glimpse into the future of programming or a lucky fluke for James?

Matthew Shapiro, a staff video architect at Game Changer and creator of DotnetSnes, dives into retro game development, combining C# with beloved SNES hardware. They discuss the complexities of adapting modern programming languages for classic games and the challenges faced by indie developers. The conversation flows through the intricacies of debugging and optimizing code, the role of community contributions, and the exciting potential of FPGAs in gaming. This is a passionate journey that merges nostalgia with cutting-edge technology.

The issue of software support for open-source is a long and storied one. Scott sits down with open-source advocate Hayden Barnes about how paid support and custom builds of older open-source software is a business opportunity for herodevs. Should you upgrade and migrate to the latest build? Or should you get paid never ending support?

Scott sits down with Jen Looper, educator, developer, and author of Computer Science for Kids. Together, they dive into the importance of introducing young minds to coding early and making computer science accessible for all. Jen shares insights from her book, discusses the evolving landscape of tech education, and highlights creative ways to inspire the next generation of innovators. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or just passionate about fostering tech literacy, this episode is packed with wisdom on shaping future coders.Computer Science for Kids