The MonkCast

In this RedMonk conversation, Matt Klein, Co-founder and CTO of bitdrift, chats with Kate Holterhoff, senior analyst at RedMonk, about mobile observability's challenges. They discuss how hard mobile observability is compared to server-side observability, the impact of privacy controls on data collection, and the cultural divide within organizations between mobile and backend engineers. Matt shares his perspective on OpenTelemetry, emphasizing that while it helps establish a baseline for telemetry, it's "not going to solve your observability woes," particularly as they relate to broader issues of data overload and vendor lock-in. Show notes: https://redmonk.com/blog/2025/06/09/rmc-matt-klein-mobile-observability/

In this RedMonk conversation, Ori Saporta, VP of Engineering & Co-Founder of vFunction, speaks with Kate Holterhoff, senior analyst at RedMonk, about the evolving role of software architects in modern development practices. They discuss Ori's experiences at BlackBerry, the importance of architectural observability, and the disconnect between architectural intent and implementation. Ori emphasizes the need for architects to reclaim their role in ensuring scalable and resilient systems, especially in the face of increasing complexity and the influence of AI in software development. This RedMonk conversation is sponsored by vFunction. Show notes: https://redmonk.com/blog/2025/06/05/rmc-ori-saporta-architect-role-in-crisis/

In this conversation, Justin Reock, Deputy CTO at DX, chats with RedMonk's Kate Holterhoff about Java development and message oriented middleware, focusing on Apache ActiveMQ. They discuss the importance of messaging in distributed systems, Justin's experience writing middleware at EarthLink and OpenLogic, and ActiveMQ's advantages for enterprise. The conversation also highlights the history of several additional Apache projects including Geronimo, HornetQ, ServiceMix, Camel, CXF, and Karaf. The discussion highlights the ongoing need for reliable messaging solutions, especially in the face of emerging technologies like AI. Show notes: https://redmonk.com/blog/2025/05/28/rmc-justin-reock-on-apache-activemq/

In this MonkCast on the Road, Mario Rodriguez, CPO of GitHub, discusses the latest innovations and announcements at Microsoft Build 2025 with Kate Holterhoff, senior analyst at RedMonk. They chat about GitHub's MCP server, GitHub SWE agents, open sourcing VS Code and WSL, and the future of intelligent applications. This RedMonk conversation is sponsored by GitHub. Show notes: https://redmonk.com/blog/2025/05/21/monkcast-on-the-road-microsoft-build-2025-announcements-with-githubs-mario-rodriguez/

In this MonkCast with the Monks, we have mustered the analysts and run amok to discuss recent developments in the open source landscape, focusing on the NATS controversy with the CNCF, the Redis relicense, and the rise of the AGPL. They chat about the implications of licensing changes, the dynamics of community involvement, the sustainability of open source business models, and the contrasting situations of different projects like Linkerd and NATS. The discussion emphasizes the need for nuanced conversations around the value of foundations like the CNCF and challenges faced by smaller open source projects. Show notes: https://redmonk.com/blog/2025/05/19/mwm-amok-state-of-oss/

RedMonk senior analyst Kate Holterhoff took the MonkCast on the road to devopsdays Atlanta 2025. In episode 2 of this 2-part series, Kate interviews Rachel-Lee Nabors, Nathen Harvey, Pratik Parikh & Kimasia Ayers about their devopsdays talks and the roast of John Willis. Other subjects covered include how AI is changing the way developers build; the impact of generative AI on the software development lifecycle, including some of the latest research from DORA; IDPs, DevOps, and Kubernetes; and what's often missing when we talk about “user-centered design” in tech. Show notes: https://redmonk.com/blog/2025/05/12/monkcast-on-the-road-devopsdays-atlanta-2025-e2/

RedMonk co-founder James Governor speaks with Mike Long, CEO of Kosli, about the challenges and evolving practices of software governance and compliance in regulated industries. They explore how sectors like finance, automotive, and healthcare face similar software risks despite differing regulatory language, and discuss efforts to create shared terminology and control patterns. The conversation also covers how modern platforms, including Kosli, help organizations automate compliance, improve delivery metrics, and streamline audits by maintaining detailed, real-time records of software changes. Show notes: https://redmonk.com/videos/a-redmonk-conversation-automated-governance-and-compliance-in-software-delivery-what-to-even-call-this/

RedMonk senior analyst Kate Holterhoff took the MonkCast on the road to devopsdays Atlanta 2025. In episode 1 of this 2-part series, Kate interviews Andrew Clay Shafer, John Willis, and Katie Anderson about their devopsdays talks, their interest in W. Edwards Deming, and the roast of John Willis. Show notes: https://redmonk.com/blog/2025/05/05/monkcast-on-the-road-devopsdays-atlanta-2025-e1/

Todd Gardner, CEO of Request Metrics and TrackJS, discusses "Frontend Observability" with RedMonk senior analyst Kate Holterhoff. In an attempt to answer the question "Is Frontend Observability Hipster RUM?," Kate and Todd delve into the concept of frontend observability by exploring its definition, historical context, and the uphill marketing hurdles involved in educating web developers about observability tools. Their conversation highlights the disconnect between observability terminology and the practical needs of developers (from SREs to frontend engineers), emphasizing the need for a user-centric approach to positioning these products for the market. Show notes: https://redmonk.com/blog/2025/04/22/rmc-frontend-observability-todd-gardner/

In this RedMonk conversation, Coraline Ada Ehmke discusses her new book, We Just Build Hammers: Stories from the Past, Present, and Future of Responsible Tech, with Kate Holterhoff, senior analyst at RedMonk. In addition to outlining the book's argument and major themes, Kate and Coraline also chat about extensible lessons from science fiction including what is means to be a hacker and how the history of science connects to contemporary tech justice movements.