Software Defined Interviews

Software Defined Talk

Deep discussions about technology, enterprise IT, and the like

  1. The business value of developer relations, devrel history, plus more stuff, with Mary Thengvall

    20 AUG

    The business value of developer relations, devrel history, plus more stuff, with Mary Thengvall

    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.

    1h 4m
  2. Communications Skills, Ultrarunning, and Whacky YouTube Thumbnails, with James Eastham

    6 AUG

    Communications Skills, Ultrarunning, and Whacky YouTube Thumbnails, with James Eastham

    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.

    1h 12m
  3. Cords, Cyborgs & Cold Cases: Grandpa Dancy’s Operating System for Life

    24 JUL

    Cords, Cyborgs & Cold Cases: Grandpa Dancy’s Operating System for Life

    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.

    1h 22m
  4. Exam Creation, Open Source, and Hospice Care, with AmyJune Hineline

    9 JUL

    Exam Creation, Open Source, and Hospice Care, with AmyJune Hineline

    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.

    1h 7m
  5. AI & Critical Thinking, Enterprise Marketing, and the Workplace, with Betty Junod

    25 JUN

    AI & Critical Thinking, Enterprise Marketing, and the Workplace, with Betty Junod

    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.

    59 min

  6. 11 JUN

    The brilliant dummy in my pocket, with WhitneyGPT

    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).

    1h 8m
  7. A Passion for Politics, with Taegan Goddard

    29 MAY

    A Passion for Politics, with Taegan Goddard

    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.

    58 min
  8. "I used to eat 7-Eleven pizza," startups, open source, and more, with Sarah Christoff

    14 MAY

    "I used to eat 7-Eleven pizza," startups, open source, and more, with Sarah Christoff

    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.

    1h 2m
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About

Deep discussions about technology, enterprise IT, and the like

Information

  • Creator
    Software Defined Talk
  • Years Active
    2005 - 2025
  • Episodes
    112
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Software Defined Talk
  • Show Website
    Software Defined Interviews

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