Two's Complement

Discover the quirky side of software development as Matt and Ben dive into their penchant for building custom solutions instead of leveraging open source options. They hilariously recount their own missteps in this creative quest. The conversation flows through the complexities of package management systems and the emotional investment in engineering decisions. Balancing the allure of innovation with practicality, they encourage a thoughtful approach to using existing tools while still embracing the joy of reinventing the wheel.

Ben and Matt dive into the incredible speed of computers, comparing their lightning-fast operations to our more leisurely human cognition. They humorously showcase the challenges of multitasking, both in machines and for us squishy-brained folks. With playful analogies, they tackle the significance of cache performance and the quirks of tech timelines, including the comical delays of data retrieval. The duo also stumbles through the complexities of calculating light travel times, making tech talk both entertaining and relatable!

Matt and Ben dive into the intricacies of the Rust programming language, sharing their hobby projects and experiences. They discuss Rust's challenging features, like its memory management and borrow checker. The complexities of Ethereum and its node software modifications are explored, alongside the dynamics of prediction markets. With a sprinkle of humor, they touch on GPU inefficiencies in video calls and make a fun Weird Al reference while reflecting on their coding journeys.

Doug Gregor, one of the original designers of the Swift programming language, shares his insights on its evolution and design philosophies. He discusses how Swift might serve as a successor to C++, emphasizing improvements in safety and usability. The conversation dives into Swift's unique features like witness tables for generics, value semantics for thread safety, and user-friendly optional types. Gregor also highlights the language's performance advantages and the importance of community involvement in its ongoing development.

Ben and Matt dive into Carbon, a programming language backed by Google, and discuss its aim to succeed C++. They explore the challenges of language evolution, drawing parallels to Python's transitions. The chat highlights the unique features of Carbon, emphasizing memory safety and interoperability with C++. They also share laughs over the quirky naming conventions in software development and the vibrant community culture, inviting listeners to engage in the discussion. Get ready for insights on the future of programming languages!

Discover the quirky journey of building web applications for trading. From adopting a Chrome-only approach to simplifying code through WebSockets, Matt and Ben share their insights. They dive into the challenges of balancing user experience with programming correctness and transform testing with headless browsers. Tune in for experiments comparing custom protocols to JSON, and hear strategies for optimizing performance in real-time trading apps. It's a blend of nostalgia and technical revelations in the world of web development!

Ben and Matt compare container technologies like Docker to virtual machines, and discuss the tradeoffs when deploying applications. Matt explains the scary things that can happen when you share a VM with strangers. A visitor enters through the couch.

Matt and Ben talk, about uh...golf? What? Is this right? Did you check this? Apparently, in this episode, Ben explains how technology and analytical advances in golf have dramatically changed the game. Matt gently prods him on.

Ben and Matt talk about various styles of asynchronous programming, ranging from Node.js, Ruby's EventMachine, C++ coroutines, and the new JVM Project Loom. Schedule yourself a listen, won't you?

Matt and Ben both recall their prior adventures founding companies that sold tools for software developers. What's the best approach to this business? Go play a nice video game instead.