This week, Robbie and special guest co-host Adam Argyle talk about life after layoffs, the myth of job security at big tech companies, and what it really means to build meaningful things on the web. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:23) - Whiskey: Chicken Cock Rye (02:45) - From FAANG to fired: the illusion of stability in Big Tech (14:49) - How HTML and CSS are replacing JavaScript, one feature at a time (23:13) - Robbie’s role at HashiCorp (26:47) - What is AI actually good at? (53:30) - Ta...
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 201
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Kendall Miller and Rishi Malik about their startup Friday Deployment Spirits, and creating whiskey for developers. They discuss the art of making good whiskey, bourbon vs rye, coding in the age of AI, and much more. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (00:53) - Meet Rishi and Kendall (03:01) - Whiskey rating and review: Friday Deployment Generative A Rye (21:27) - Hot take: Is HTML a programming language? (25:56) - Hot Take: Bourbon or Rye? (27:13) - Is deployi...
Jun 26, 2025•59 min•Ep. 200
This week, Robbie talks with Typecraft about the chaotic joys of fatherhood, the realities of raising twins, and various dad-related hot takes. They also discuss their tech carries and conference talks, including Typecraft's Vim nerdery and Robbie’s sarcastic ode to underappreciated HTML features. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:05) - Beer selections (03:11) - Newborns and parenting (07:34) - Robbie's transition to HashiCorp (12:11) - Home ownership and the volatile housing market (15:19) -...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 199
This week, Robbie and Chuck review Barrell Craft Spirits' Cranky Kong, and talk about the AI boom, how senior devs are (or aren’t) using it, and what the future of software jobs might look like. They also discuss the rise of "celebrity developers", job market shifts, real estate economics, and parenting twins. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:20) - Whiskey rating & review: Barrell Craft Spirits Private Release "Cranky Kong" Rye Whiskey (07:28) - The Taco Bell Cantina Challenge (10:51) - ...
Jun 12, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 198
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk about the unintended chaos of “move fast and break things” in both software and startups. From Riverside glitches to Tesla’s overengineered wipers, they explore how updates can derail otherwise stable experiences. They unpack the economics of getting laid off, the pressure to build a personal brand in tech, and the strange fate of dev tools. Plus, Robbie shares his latest app ideas. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:27) - Whiskey rating and review: Old Grand-D...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 197
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Marc Backes about Vue vs. React, work-life balance, and the realities of messy codebases. They also sip an Evan Williams Single Barrel, debate inbox zero, and discuss Marc’s adventures in coffee roasting and pilot training. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:45) - Whiskey review and rating: Evan Williams Single Barrel (09:03) - Hot Take: Inferred types vs explicit types (10:04) - Hot Take: Tailwind vs vanilla CSS (10:59) - Hot Take: Git Rebase vs Git Merge...
May 29, 2025•53 min•Ep. 196
This week, live from React Miami, Chuck, and special guest co-host Aaron Francis, talk with Bree Hall about React styling strategies, Tailwind CSS, and whether you should learn fundamentals before frameworks (spoiler: it depends). They explore the evolution of Next.js, the importance of developer momentum, and how to break into tech in today’s landscape. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:11) - Rum rating and review: Roble Viejo Extra Anejo 8yrs (07:25) - Hot Take: Tailwind vs vanilla CSS (12:...
May 22, 2025•55 min•Ep. 195
This week, Chuck and special guest co-host Aaron Francis talk with Guillermo Rauch live from React Miami. From early days at Zeit to founding Vercel and launching Next.js, Guillermo shares stories of scaling infrastructure, creating developer-centric products, and navigating startup challenges. They dive into how AI is transforming the web, why thoughtful product expansion matters, and the frameworks guiding Vercel’s future. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:54) - Rum review and rating: Fleur...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 194
This week, Chuck and special guest co-host Aaron Francis talk with Henri Helvetica live from React Miami. They explore the evolving challenges of web performance, why genuine research skills still matter in an AI-driven world, and how developers can stay curious and resilient in a fast-moving industry. Henri shares insights from his React Miami talk, his passion for performance advocacy, and why literacy—both digital and physical—matters more than ever. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (00:54) -...
May 08, 2025•57 min•Ep. 193
This week, Chuck talks with Adam Rackis live from React Miami. Along with special guest-host Aaron Francis, they dig into React Server Components, the quirks of modern JavaScript frameworks, and why TanStack might be the future. Sipping an Appleton Estate Rum, they swap hot takes, get candid about developer trends, tech philosophies, and share some unexpected guilty pleasures. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:37) - Rum tasting and review: Appleton Estate (11:27) - Hot Take: Why Adam is cooli...
May 01, 2025•45 min•Ep. 192
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with David Cramer about MCP—microservices for language models—and why it might be the future of AI tooling. They dig into the state of AI agents, developer efficiency, and why Codegen isn’t killing jobs anytime soon. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:47) - Whiskey review and rating (17:12) - Hot Take: Syntax.fm vs Whiskey Web and Whatnot? (18:06) - Hot Take: Rails vs Laravel (20:27) - Hot Take: Taco Bell vs Del Taco (22:36) - What exactly is "MCP"? (29:55) - C...
Apr 24, 2025•56 min•Ep. 191
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk about American whiskey, buttered PB&Js, and the quirks of AI coding assistants. They swap TV recommendations, debate developer priorities like security and rewrites, and more. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:43) - Whiskey review and rating: Union Horse Distilling Co Rolling Standard Four Grain Whiskey (13:59) - Hot Take: butter on a PB&J? (18:12) - Do we care about security in our applications? (23:23) - Challenges with AI tools (27:44) - The evoluti...
Apr 17, 2025•54 min•Ep. 190
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Ben Holmes—Astro core team alum and now at Warp—about the rapid evolution of developer tools, the promise and quirks of AI-powered coding, and why he’s betting big on terminal UX. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:09) - Warp and dev tools (04:20) - Whiskey intro and rating: Heaven Hill Grain To Glass Kentucky Straight Rye (15:47) - Hot Take: inferred types vs explicit types (17:11) - What Cursor AI gets right (and wrong) (23:12) - Pros and cons of Windsur...
Apr 10, 2025•55 min•Ep. 189
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Clint Spotleson of Sagamore Spirit about the craft behind their unique Manhattan Finish Rye, the history of Maryland-style whiskey, and why great whiskey is meant to be shared. Clint shares stories from his journey through the spirits industry, his passion for whiskey, and what makes Sagamore stand out in a crowded market. In this episode: (00:00) – Intro (02:07) – Whiskey intro and rating: Sagamore Manhattan Finish Rye Whiskey (15:53) – The history and prod...
Apr 03, 2025•59 min•Ep. 188
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk about career moves and tech transitions. They discuss Robbie’s new role at HashiCorp and Chuck’s dive into cybersecurity. They also debate legacy tech quirks, open-source updates, and the ever-evolving world of AI. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:21) - Whiskey rating and review: Cyrus Noble Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey (10:26) - Robbie's job transition (12:29) - Tech nostalgia: old OSs and PC games (15:21) - Chuck's new job (18:48) - Starpod and what's coming...
Mar 27, 2025•58 min•Ep. 187
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Aaron Francis about developer education, Laravel vs. Rails, and the evolution of full-stack development. They explore the trade-offs of opinionated frameworks, the practicality of PHP, and why simplicity often wins. Plus, Aaron shares his hot takes on modern web dev trends, and the joys of working from a home-office-that’s-not-home. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:19) - Meet Aaron Francis (03:28) - Whiskey intro and rating: Green River Distilling Co. Fu...
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 186
This week, Robbie and Chuck cover a wide range of topics, including AI and its impact on web development. They discuss DeepSeek, Tailwind’s latest updates, and whether Stack Overflow is still relevant. Plus, a detour into skiing, college sports, and Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:12) - Whiskey intro and rating: Wigle Pennsylvania Rye (11:41) - Data sharing and AI (14:34) - AI tools and programming (24:48) - Is Stack Overflow still relevant? (26:56) - What's th...
Mar 13, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 185
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Travis Wagner about his career move from Universal Music to Crunchyroll and the nuances of backend development. They discuss a wide range of hot takes, including whether jQuery is still relevant in 2025. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:05) - Meet Travis Wagner (02:41) - Whiskey intro and rating: Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Rye Whiskey (15:04) - Implicit vs Explicit types (16:58) - Tailwind vs Vanilla CSS (19:22) - Is YAML good or bad? (20:24) - Tho...
Mar 06, 2025•58 min•Ep. 184
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Dax Raad about his evolving career from software engineer to open-source advocate and content creator. They dive into his work on SST, explore the bizarre economics of tech conferences, and get into Dax’s next big move—manufacturing drone parts in the U.S. for the military. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:57) - Whiskey intro and rating: Glenmorangie "A Tale of Tokyo" Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (12:12) - Rails vs Laravel (13:49) - New York vs Mia...
Feb 27, 2025•56 min•Ep. 183
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Josh Cirre about his journey from JavaScript to PHP, working with the Laravel team, and creating content for developers. They also discuss the value of opinionated frameworks, whether React was a mistake, fast food whatnot, and a surprising hot take on Taco Bell’s quality. Plus, Josh shares insights on content creation, the power of consistency, and why the best-performing videos aren’t always the most polished. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:30) - Whi...
Feb 20, 2025•54 min•Ep. 182
This week, Chuck and Robbie talk about the neverending evolution of web dev tools and frameworks. Over a Hatozaki Japanese whiskey, they dive into ORMs, the pros and cons of Prisma, Drizzle, and AstroDB, and how modern dev tools shape the ecosystem. Plus, a detour into home automation security, the real cost of DoorDash, and why Gen Z might just be bringing malls back. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:13) - Whiskey tasting and review: Hatozaki Japanese Whiskey (07:42) - ORMs and Prisma (11:0...
Feb 13, 2025•55 min•Ep. 181
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Ken Wheeler and Chris Power about everything from React and fantasy football to bizarre Airbnb experiences. They debate React’s evolution, lament the quirks of hooks, and revisit the infamous React t-shirt incident. Plus, Ken shares his DIY McRib recipe—because why not? In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (00:47) - Beverage intros (03:25) - Internet names (09:29) - React components and hooks debate (12:35) - C++? (13:36) - What is MANAMANA? (14:14) - The curren...
Feb 06, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 180
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Dan Blumberg about his journey from radio producer to product manager and podcaster. They explore the art of building great software, podcasting essentials, and the changing landscape of podcast platforms. Plus, Dan shares his kayaking adventures and insights on balancing authenticity and growth. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:26) - Whiskey review and rating: Woodinville Straight Bourbon (08:23) - Apple Podcasts vs Spotify (10:20) - Spotify video vs Yo...
Jan 30, 2025•51 min•Ep. 179
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Adam Argyle about the quirks of CSS and JavaScript tooling, and modern web development. They discuss why JavaScript often takes center stage over CSS, the funding disparities between them, and what this means for developers. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:32) - Whiskey review: Standard Spirit Wormwood Rye (07:54) - Social media and Blue Sky (09:39) - Is cereal soup? (11:15) - The Hot Dog and sandwich debate (17:55) - JavaScript library guilty pleasures...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 178
This week, Robbie and Chuck dive into the delicate balance between authenticity and adaptation, both in tech and everyday life. They unpack the challenges of staying true to their passions—like whiskey and web development—while navigating the pressures of broadening their appeal and monetizing their craft. They also reflect on podcasting, personal branding, industry trends, social media shifts, and the complexities of dealing with polarizing figures in tech. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:...
Jan 16, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 177
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk about Christmas traditions, from sweaters and trees to classic holiday movies and music. They dive into various light-hearted hot takes, holiday preferences, gift-giving etiquette, and more. Along the way, they review a Cream of Kentucky bourbon, discuss JavaScript and API challenges, and share Robbie’s big announcement—twins on the way! In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:49) - Whiskey intro and rating: Cream of Kentucky (07:59) - Bing Crosby vs Frank Sinatra (...
Jan 09, 2025•59 min•Ep. 176
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Angie Jones, Head of Developer Relations at TBD, about verifiable credentials, decentralized identity, and the potential of Web 5. They discuss practical applications like mobile driver’s licenses, privacy preservation, as well as the challenges of adopting cutting-edge tech. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:42) - Whiskey intro and rating (08:38) - Mobile driver’s licenses (16:51) - Identity verification tech (22:50) - Privacy concerns in tech (31:06) - ...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 175
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Kelly Vaughn, Director of Engineering at Spot AI and a “recovering entrepreneur.” They discuss career evolution, the challenges of hiring and job-seeking, career politics, and Kelly’s unique perspective on leadership. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:39) - Wine tasting + review (10:15) - Career politics in getting promoted (17:28) - Conference talk + All Things Open (18:58) - Gluten sensitivity in Europe (21:07) - Pizza, casseroles, and comfort food (26:...
Dec 26, 2024•41 min•Ep. 174
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Changelog’s Adam Stacoviak and Jerod Santo about content creation and its role in web development careers. They discuss the nuances of reputation-building, the pitfalls of interview culture, and how developers can navigate the ever-changing landscape of tech. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (01:43) - Wine tasting + rating (11:31) - Do web developers need to be content creators? (13:35) - Does open source really help your career? (15:35) - How to build a goo...
Dec 19, 2024•57 min•Ep. 173
This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Carlo Piana about the intricacies of open-source licensing, challenges in enforcing it, sustainability, and the impact of AI on both the tech and legal industries. In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (02:37) - Wine tasting (08:15) - Open source licensing (13:20) - Challenges in open source sustainability (19:47) - Monetization and community contributions (21:12) - Choosing the right license (23:32) - Understanding open source AI (29:02) - The impact of AI on le...
Dec 05, 2024•40 min•Ep. 171
