Claim Ownership
Software Defined Interviews
Software Defined InterviewsSubscribed: 91Played: 839
Subscribe
© 2025 Software Defined Talk
Description
Deep discussions about technology, enterprise IT, and the like
112 Episodes
Reverse
In this episode, Whitney and Coté chat with Mary Thengvall, exploring the development and significance of Developer Relations (devrel) over the years. They discuss the transition from tech "evangelism" to the modern devrel roles, the challenges and successes in community building, the importance of internal support for devrel teams, and the impact of AI on content creation. Mary also shares insights from her book, The Business Value of Developer Relations (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40167835-the-business-value-of-developer-relations), and her experience with the devrel Collective community.
You can also watch the video version of this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJpguFkwYDc) if you're into that kind of thing.
Links:
* The Business Value of Developer Relations (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40167835-the-business-value-of-developer-relations).
* https://www.marythengvall.com/
* https://www.linkedin.com/in/marythengvall/
* https://www.persea-consulting.com/book
* https://www.communitypulse.io/ Special Guest: Mary Thengvall.
In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with James Eastham about developing social skills through reading, the importance of deep work in productivity, and the mental challenges of ultrarunning. They also discuss strategies for reducing screen time in an age of Internet addiction, how thumbnails in YouTube videos influence viewer engagement, and the evolving landscape of short-form video content.
Watch the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AivOuK_xC50), if you prefer that kind of thing.
Mentioned in the show:
Manager versus Maker (https://paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html).
Deborha Tannan books: Talking 9 to 5 (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/330609.Talking_from_9_to_5) and You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/147222.You_Just_Don_t_Understand).
More on James:
Website - https://jameseastham.co.uk/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-eastham/
Bsky - https://bsky.app/profile/jameseastham.co.uk
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCutBMcgLfbSfRL-MB5Bskxg Special Guest: James Eastham.
Chris, of course, had his System generate a title and summary for this episode, so we're using that AI-driven fun this week.
In this lively and open conversation, Chris Dancy — the self-proclaimed "Most Connected person in the World" — joins hosts Cote and Whitney to discuss digital minimalism, hyper-organization, life augmentation, and cyborg spirituality. The episode is a blend of humor, tech wisdom, and raw human truth. From cord-hoarding and emotional databases to AI for cold case solving and life automation, Chris opens up his digital soul with passion and presence.
The trio wanders delightfully through stories of Google Glass, Apple Vision Pro, Palmolive soap metaphors, and Grandpa Cyborg’s widget garage for municipalities. With sincerity and sparkle, Chris makes the case that life should be intentional, measurable, and ultimately — more loving.
Find all your Chris Dancy delights at his website (https://www.chrisdancy.com/). Special Guest: Chris Dancy.
In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with AmyJune Hineline. They delve into Amy's diverse career, transitioning from a hospice nurse to a mechanical engineer and eventually working in tech and open source. They discuss the meticulous process of creating certification exams at the Linux Foundation, balancing altruistic and professional motivations in open source, and peering into the human aspects of her hospice work. They together AmyJune's experiences working in open source projects and working in hospice care. Also, strategies for keeping cool in the summer.
You can also watch this episode in YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lid8VUDsdyc), if you prefer that kind of thing.
AmyJune in Drupal-land (https://drupal.org/u/volkswagenchick).
Her LinkedIn homepage (https://www.linkedin.com/in/volkswagenchick/). Special Guest: AmyJune Hineline.
In this episode, Whitney and Coté discuss with Betty Junod, CMO of Heroku, the evolution of growing up without the internet to the present day's AI advancements and its implications for future generations. They explore how AI is changing critical thinking and curiosity, and how it affects children and business use cases. They also delve into workplace dynamics, such as transitioning between large tech companies and startups, leveraging frameworks to drive business goals, and the evolving role of marketers. Additionally, they talk about the nuances of using industry analysts in marketing strategies and the increasing prevalence of AI-generated content.
Check out Betty's homepage on the world wide web (https://www.bettyjunod.com).
And her in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettyjunod/).
You can also watch the video version of this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vmsp5BE2n8o) if you're into that kind of thing.
Header art from Ruben de Rijcke (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_XT#/media/Bestand:IBM_PC_XT_color.jpg), CC BY 3.0. Special Guest: Betty Junod.
In this episode, Whitney and Coté discuss Whitney's newfound enthusiasm for AI after a recent stint with the tool Cursor. The conversation covers how AI tools can aid in coding, building engineering journals, and even drafting compelling conference talk abstracts. They highlight the difference between tasks and prompts in AI, personalizing AI interactions, and maximizing efficiency with various MCP servers. Along the way, they delve into practical use cases for AI in professional and personal contexts, exploring its potential and limitations. (This description was generated by AI...of course!)
Check out the video recording of this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y78F8fWDmlI&list=PLk19Plf_pEnTslbGydgrXnhlCIrXnTnOf&index=1), if you prefer that kind of thing.
Here is how ChatGPT draws Whitney (https://cote.io/uploads/2025/chatgpt-draws-whitney.png), and here is how it draws Coté (https://cote.io/uploads/2025/chatgpt-draws-cot.png).
Mentions:
Whitney's MCP Commit story repo (https://github.com/wiggitywhitney/mcp-commit-story).
Whitney's Conference talk proposal AI check (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nHCvc4mqvJP6_aU1KQ53unRXTh_l-meIlmGQirG7yzk/edit?tab=t.0).
In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Taegan Goddard, founder of Political Wire (https://politicalwire.com). They talk about what drives people to go above and beyond in their work, especially journalism like Taegan does. There's some fun conversation about how Taegan runs the business, keeping up his never ending coverage. Having run the site for well over two decades, they also talk about how the back-end stack has evolved over the years. And, some notes on how to make a great cup of coffee.
Check out and subscribe to politicalwire.com (https://politicalwire.com), highly recommended. The blog coverage is great and the weekly, members only podcast is one of Coté's favorites.
You can watch the video version of this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfEdZvHEhjA) if you're into that kind of thing. Special Guest: Taegan Goddard.
After an extensive discussion of 7-Eleven pizza cuisine, in this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Sarah Christoff. They discuss working at startups, the point of startups, working in open source and balancing commercial and community interests, moving to Europe, and more!
Find Sarah in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/schristoff/). Also, Coté referenced a talk by Aneel Lakhani at Monktoberfest 2023 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTCuLyv6SHo&list=PLvsKqlNNP3R-D2HVUHmpyoxd3lI8oJnaC&index=10). Special Guest: Sarah Christoff.
Whitney and Coté talk with Robert Reeves about startups, catering, the Austin's tech scene, and the business of open source over the past 20 years. A sampling: Robert share some stories of early startup adventures and strategic moves, behind the scenes catering rock festivals, and the importance of geography for starting your career in tech. Check out the video version of this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_4WiWPZeyc) if you prefer that kind of thing.
Find Robert in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertreeves/).
Podcast banner art from r/CanadianGraffiti, November, 2015 (https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadianGraffiti/comments/3tbo3e/never_give_up_austin_texas/). Special Guest: Robert Reeves.
Whitney and Coté tour through a couple decades of tech infrastructure history with Melissa Smolensky, whose marketing career spans Rackspace, GitLab, CoreOS, and the CNCF, among other places. They explore the OpenStack/Kubernetes evolution, how "radical transparency" actually functions in corporate settings, and the shifting landscape of tech marketing—from thought leadership to the changing role of industry analysts. Plus, they compare notes on the distinctive flavors of Austin and Portland tech scenes.
Find Melissa in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-smolensky/).
You can also watch the video version of this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V9KMqNhwv8) if you prefer that kind of thing. Special Guest: Melissa Smolensky.
In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Emily Omier, a consultant specializing in open source strategy and product management for businesses. They discuss the initial reactions and learning curve of new tech entrants to open source, the advantages and potential disadvantages of building a business around open-source software, and the ethical considerations in this space. Emily also goes over her experiences running a conference for open source founders and her insights into the challenges of commercializing open-source projects. They also discuss the importance of security, maintaining a balance between open source ideals and business interests, and practical advice for making open-source business models successful.
You can watch the video of this recording as well (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL2wFyzjuPc), if you prefer that kind of thing.
Find out more about and from Emily: her consultancy (https://www.emilyomier.com); her podcast, The Business of Open Source (https://www.emilyomier.com/podcast); LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyomier/); The New Stack writing (https://www.linkedin.com/in/EmilyOmier/); and she has a well traveled, IRL-background (https://www.emilyomier.com/about-2). Special Guest: Emily Omier.
In this video, Coté and Whitney talk about tech education and learning with Mumshad Mannambeth. There's talk about certifications, but also how teaching online works and what it's like when it scales up to millions of people. Plus, Coté tries to figure out how to get access to more napkins.
You can also watch the video of this interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coUgwtFgJRA) form if you prefer that kind of thing.
Check out KodeKloud (https://kodekloud.com) and Mumshad in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmumshad/). Special Guest: Mumshad Mannambeth.
In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Hazel Weakly about the unexpected success of content, the influence of corporate interests in open source, and the importance of emotional vulnerability in the tech industry. Hazel shares her experiences transitioning as a trans woman in tech, how her interactions changed post-transition, and the need for emotional connections and support. They also get into the Kubernetes ecosystem, corporate capture, and the role of legibility in software development.
Find all of Hazel's stuff on her home page on the World Wide Web (https://hazelweakly.me).
Special Guest: Hazel Weakly.
In this episode, Whitney and Coté interview Marino Wijay, Coté finally gets to the bottom of why networking has so many layers. Why do we keep adding new layers and frameworks instead of just fixing the ones we have? They also talk about the challenges of platform engineering, the importance of empathy in tech, the difficulties of integrating multiple layers in tech stacks, the essential role of effective communication and prioritization, and Marino's side project, EmpathyOps.
Find Marino in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwijay/), Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/virtualized6ix.wtf), Twitter (https://x.com/virtualized6ix), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@marinowijay). Special Guest: Marino Wijay.
Join Whitney and Coté as they talk with Richard Seroter from Google about the myth of the 10X developer and his perspective on hiring and managing tech talent. They also talk about the significance of learning and AI in the tech industry, the importance of communication skills, valuable resources for staying updated in tech, and Richard's personal strategies for maintaining a robust reading habit and public profile. Additionally, they explore AI tools, the nuances of career progression, and navigating the complex landscape of tech strategy. Special Guest: Richard Seroter.
In this episode of Software Defined Interviews, Coté and Whitney host Brian Gracely, co-host of the Cloudcast podcast and head of portfolio strategy at Red Hat. They discuss the process of gathering and reporting cloud news, the evolution of PaaS, and the pros and cons of working at small startups versus large companies. Also: career advice, the importance of communicating value within organizations, and how to stay relevant in the ever-changing tech landscape. And still more: Brian shares insights on how to generate engaging content for podcasts and the impact of internal communication on company culture.
Here is the video of this recording (https://youtu.be/3zXWixikdDU) if you prefer that kind of thing.
Here is the leaked Mr. Beast memo (https://kyla.substack.com/p/the-mr-beast-memo-is-a-guide-to-the) Coté mentions. Special Guest: Brian Gracely.
What’s it really like to do all that DevOps-y transformation at companies? That’s what we talk about this week with Sasha Czarkowski…mostly. We also discuss learning how to learning, metrics, staying sane in chaotic systems and change, breaking presentation rules, Louisville, Kentucky, and Coté’s (odd?) dislike of the open spaces format.
You can also watch the video of this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll8TfchOGCs) if you prefer that kind of thing.
Sasha in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sasha-rosenbaum/).
Where she works, Ergonautic (https://www.ergonautic.ly).
Her learning talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLsloNWT5YQ). Special Guest: Sasha Czarkowski.
Katie Greenley shares her experiences managing events and community programs like the CNCF Ambassadors. Coté, Whitney, and Katie also discuss career development, managing a community team, and the delicate art of introducing cereal decanting into the home.
Checdk out Katie in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-greenley/), and the CNCF Ambassadors program (https://www.cncf.io/people/ambassadors/). Special Guest: Katie Greenley.
In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Viktor Farcic, Developer Advocate at Upbound, about platform engineering, the evolution of DevOps, project managing a content creation engine of one, and the virtues of imperfection. Also, the strategic avoidance of asking for directions, or, really, talking with people in general.
Find Viktor in YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/devopstoolkit), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/viktorfarcic/), Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/vfarcic.bsky.social), and his website (https://technologyconversations.com). Special Guest: Viktor Farcic.
As if platform engineering and expat'ing in the UK weren't enough, Whintney and Coté discuss the forgotten technology of business cards wih Abby Bangser.
Check out Abby in LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbybangser/), and Kratix (https://www.kratix.io) the platform engineering project from Syntasso (https://www.syntasso.io). Also, check out the CNCF Platforms White paper (https://tag-app-delivery.cncf.io/whitepapers/platforms/) and Cloud Native Maturity Model (https://maturitymodel.cncf.io).
We had video recording problems during this episode, so this is from the backup recording. Pardon any weirdness, especially Coté making nose noises. Special Guest: Abby Bangser.
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States