Jim Grisanzio

Jim Grisanzio
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  1. 09/18/2025

    Mattias Karlsson: I think it’s Brilliant

    Duke’s Corner Java Podcast: Mattias Karlsson: I think it’s Brilliant Conversation with Mattias Karlsson, Java Champion and prominent developer in the Java community who was also honored with the Java Community Lifetime Achievement recognition at Jfokus in February 2024. “I was shocked and honored — very humbled!” Mattias said about being recognized for his lifetime of achievements in the Java community by Sharat Chander of Oracle’s Java Developer Relations Team. Mattias, a Stockholm-based engineer and long-time leader of the Stockholm Java User Group, shares his journey with Java, from its early days to its current role in today’s modern tech ecosystems. He also talks about the evolution of Jfokus, a leading annual Java conference he organizes, which has grown from a small Java user group into a major gathering of over 2,000 developers from diverse backgrounds around the world. Mattias highlights Java’s enduring appeal, driven by its robust JVM, backward compatibility, and vibrant community. He also reflects on the six-month release cycle, calling it “brilliant” for its balance of stability and innovation, and shares insights on mentoring young developers and using AI to stay updated. When talking about how students learning programming will inevitably encounter Java due to its widespread use in the industry, Mattias said, “Sooner or later they will end up with Java anyway.” Finally, the episode underscores the unique culture of the Java community and Jfokus as a conference for its blending of culture, professionalism, and a welcoming atmosphere. Links: Apple | Bluesky | LinkedIn | Libsyn | WordPress | WordPress | X | X | YouTube Here are some quotes from the conversation: Java Community Lifetime Achievement Recognition Surprise and Emotion of Receiving RecognitionTimestamp: 00:01:35–00:01:45Context: Mattias was unexpectedly honored with the Java Community Lifetime Achievement recognition at Jfokus 2024 in Stockholm, an event he organizes. The recognition came as a surprise during the opening keynote by Georges Saab and Sharat Chander. Mattias shares that the moment was deeply emotional, reflecting his long-standing contributions to the Java community, including his leadership of the Java User Group in Sweden for over 25 years. He notes the audience’s reaction and his own heartfelt response, underscoring the significance of being acknowledged by peers in a community he has dedicated much of his career to fostering.Quote: “I didn’t know about it. I was really touched. People that were in the audience did see, you know, a little bit of tear of joy or whatever. I was really touched about it.” Reason for RecognitionTimestamp: 00:00:48–00:01:02Context: When asked about the Java Community Lifetime Achievement recognition, Mattias attributes it to his extensive involvement in the Java community, particularly his leadership in running the Java User Group in Stockholm for decades. He reflects on his role in organizing community events, including Jfokus, which has become a cornerstone event for Java developers globally. His work has involved consulting, fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and building a vibrant community, which likely contributed to this prestigious acknowledgment. Mattias also mentions his surprise at being recognized, as he was unaware of the criteria or previous recipients, highlighting his humility and focus on community over personal accolades.Quote: “Well, so I think it’s called Java Community Lifetime Achievements. So my guess is, and part of this is because I’ve been involved in the community for a very, very long time, running the Java User Group in Stockholm and so on.” Feeling Honored and HumbledTimestamp: 00:03:23–00:03:28Context: Mattias expresses deep humility upon receiving the Java Community Lifetime Achievement recognition, noting that he was shocked to be placed in the same category as notable figures like Bruno Souza and Venkat Subramaniam. He shares that he reached out to Sharat Chander at Oracle to understand more about the recognition, indicating his surprise and lack of prior knowledge about the honor. This moment underscores his modesty and the unexpected nature of the recognition, which he sees as a testament to his long-term dedication to the Java community through organizing events, speaking at conferences, mentoring developers, working in the field, and consulting with companies.Quote: “So I was shocked and honored, very humbled!” Jfokus and Community Building Evolution of JfokusTimestamp: 00:32:10–00:32:31Context: Mattias recounts the origins of Jfokus, which began as an extension of the Java User Group in Stockholm he has led for 25 years. Initially planned as a modest one-day event in 2007 with an expected 200 attendees, Jfokus exceeded expectations when over 500 people signed up, creating logistical challenges but marking the start of its growth into a major Java conference. Now a three-day event attracting around 2,000 attendees, Jfokus has become a premier platform for Java and FOSS discussions, reflecting Mattias’s vision of scaling community engagement while maintaining a focus on cutting-edge technology and developer collaboration.Quote: “So we were running the Java User Group and then we decided so maybe we should do a one day event and just to see how that works out and then that was back in 2007 and we were expecting 200 people and we had a venue for 200 people-ish and then suddenly we have 500 plus signed up.” Jfokus AnniversaryTimestamp: 00:31:25–00:31:35Context: Mattias highlights the upcoming 20th anniversary of Jfokus, set for February 2026, as a milestone for the conference and the Java community in Stockholm. He notes that the call for speakers has just opened, signaling ongoing preparations for a significant celebration of the event’s history. This anniversary underscores Jfokus’s evolution from a small user group gathering to a globally recognized conference, reflecting Mattias’s long-term commitment to fostering a space where developers can learn, network, and share innovations in Java and related Open Source technologies. Here he ends the podcast conversation with a note on the longevity of Jfokus.Quote: “I mean, we could mention that JFocus is having its 20th anniversary!” Culture of JfokusTimestamp: 00:36:05–00:36:29Context: Mattias emphasizes the unique culture of Jfokus, which he intentionally designs to feel like an extension of a user group, fostering a sense of community and belonging. He aims to create an environment where attendees feel welcome and can openly engage with one another, akin to gathering in a friend’s living room. This approach stems from his experience running the Stockholm Java User Group, where community bonding was central. The feedback he cherishes most—that Jfokus feels like “coming home”—reflects his success in blending a warm, inclusive atmosphere with high-quality technical content, making it a standout event for developers worldwide.Quote: “So the basic idea is that we look at this as an extended user group or like an extended community event. So we really try to mix the community feeling. Everybody should feel really welcome. Everybody should be open and transparent. Talk to each other. It should be a nice mingle. I mean, the best ever feedback I got at some point was like, Mattias, it feels like we’re coming home to you. We are sitting down with you in your living room, just like friends.” Professionalism at JfokusTimestamp: 00:36:31–00:36:56Context: While prioritizing a community-driven atmosphere, Mattias also strives to ensure Jfokus operates with a high level of professionalism. He discusses the importance of making speakers and exhibitors feel supported, with seamless logistics, clear communication, and advanced presentation technology. This balance of warmth and professionalism is evident in the high-end production elements, such as quality lighting and cameras, which Jim Grisanzio notes during the podcast. Mattias’s attention to detail ensures that Jfokus delivers a polished experience, distinguishing it from purely corporate events while maintaining a community ethos.Quote: “I want to run it like super professionally, super slick. I want all the speakers to feel that they are really welcome, get everything they need. Also with exhibiting partners, they should have a flawless session.” Jfokus Attendee MixTimestamp: 00:32:55–00:33:22Context: Mattias describes the diverse audience at Jfokus, which includes a mix of senior and junior developers, as well as professionals from various industries such as banking, contracting, and startups. The conference attracts attendees primarily from Europe but also from places like the United States and Japan, reflecting its global appeal. This diversity underscores Jfokus’s role as a broad technology conference, not limited to a single sector, and highlights Sweden’s strong tech ecosystem, with companies like Spotify and Oracle contributing to a vibrant developer community.Quote: “It’s very mixed. The conference is not like a company thing. It’s a technology conference. We have people coming from the banking industry, from the contractors, from all of the startups in Sweden are coming. We have senior developers, we have juniors, and we have people from all over the world.” Java Technology and Its Appeal Java’s UbiquityTimestamp: 00:24:49–00:24:54Context: Mattias shares his perspective on why Java is a natural destination for developers, given its widespread adoption across industries. He argues that regardless of where programmers start, the prevalence of Java in major corporations ensures they will absolutely encounter it eventually. This view is rooted in his experience working with companies in Sweden and reflects his belief in Java’s enduring relevance in the tech world.Quote: “As long as people start doing programming, sooner or later they will e

    42 min

  2. 09/09/2025

    Venkat Subramaniam: I Teach Because I Learn

    Duke’s Corner Java Podcast: Venkat Subramaniam: I Teach Because I Learn Jim Grisanzio from Oracle Java Developer Relations talks with Venkat Subramaniam who was recognized with the Java Community Lifetime Achievement honors by Oracle’s Sharat Chander at Devoxx UK in May 2024. Venkat is a Java Champion, author, speaker, founder of Agile Developer, co-founder of the dev2next conference, and teacher at the University of Houston. In this conversation, which is part of an ongoing series honoring Java pioneers, Venkat expresses profound humility about his accomplishments and credits industry giants and his passion for learning and sharing technical knowledge. He reflects on leaving his own company years ago to focus on teaching and technology, writing books like Cruising Along with Java, and speaking at over 45 conferences and 30 Java User Groups — every single year! Venkat has one of the most impressive global speaking schedules of anyone in the Java community. Venkat praises Java User Group leaders as “unsung heroes” for their organizational efforts and highlights Java 25’s evolving features like structured concurrency, scoped values, pattern matching, and the instance main method, which helps simplify the learning process for new developers. Venkat also cites Java’s agile six-month release cycle, which helps improve the smooth evolution of Java, increases developer engagement, and makes Java more suitable for today’s rapidly expanding technology markets. Emphasizing teaching as reciprocal learning, Venkat advises students to engage mentors and senior developers to collaborate with juniors to help welcome into the community. He stresses that knowledge grows when shared. His mantra? Teaching fuels learning and he lives that ethic every day as he interacts with thousands of developers around the world. Here are some links on the web where this interview can be found: Links: Apple | Bluesky | Bluesky | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | Libsyn | WordPress | WordPress | X | X | YouTube Also, below are some quotes and the specific context of the quotes from the conversation split into sections. Community Recognition and Humility Unexpected Award ShockTimestamp: 00:01:16Context: During the conversation, Venkat recalls the moment he was awarded the Java Community Lifetime Achievement honors at Devoxx UK in May 2024, an initiative led by Sharat Chander of Oracle’s Java Developer Relations to recognize community contributions. He describes being caught off guard right before a keynote when Shar made the announcement, emphasizing the vital role of community members in the Java ecosystem. Venkat shares his nervousness and surprise, feeling unprepared for such recognition amidst esteemed industry figures.Quote: “I was truly shocked, honestly. If you want me to truly explain the feeling, I was very nervous being there and did not see this coming. I don’t think I consider myself as worthy of being received compared to the giants I mentioned in the industry today.” Humbled by GiantsTimestamp: 00:00:49Context: Early in the interview, Venkat expresses profound gratitude for the award, emphasizing his humility in being recognized alongside prominent Java contributors. He references Newton’s quote to highlight that his achievements build on the foundational work of others, acknowledging the mentors and peers who have shaped his career and strengthened the Java community through their contributions.Quote: “I look up so many giants that are in the field and I’m truly humbled for having been recognized. I want to channel in the words of Newton. He said, I see the farthest because I am standing on the shoulders of the giants. I’m very humbled and thankful for the giants that brought me up to here and I couldn’t be here without it.” Undeserving Yet GratefulTimestamp: 00:02:37Context: After receiving the award, Venkat reflects on feeling unworthy compared to other Java luminaries, many of whom he believes have made more significant contributions. Venkat shares his emotional response to the unexpected honor from Shar. Venkat values diverse community efforts like coding, blogging, and event organization, which underscores his gratitude despite his self-perceived inadequacy.Quote: “I don’t think I was expecting or even feel that I was deserving of it. So I’m very grateful. I don’t think I consider myself as worthy of being recognized compared to the giants I mentioned in the industry today. So I’m very grateful and it was an interesting moment.” Contributions to User Groups and Conferences Unsung Heroes of User GroupsTimestamp: 00:07:44Context: Venkat passionately praises Java User Group (JUG) leaders as the backbone of the Java community, recognizing their tireless, often thankless efforts in organizing monthly meetings for years. He details their work in securing speakers, arranging venues, providing food, cleaning up, and more — all done voluntarily to foster learning and networking and community building. These leaders, often unknown beyond their local communities, embody true service and significantly contribute to Java’s vibrant ecosystem.Quote: “These are to me, the unsung heroes of our field. These are the user group leaders. Most people wouldn’t know their names outside of their local community, but these are the people doing hard work every single day. Imagine the effort it takes to organize a user group meeting month after month after month, having a speaker come over, having the attendees show up, having the food for them available, having the facility to clean up after the meeting is over.” Giving Back Through User GroupsTimestamp: 00:17:47Context: Venkat shares how a scheduling mistake 25 years ago at a Houston Java user group gave him his first speaking opportunity, a pivotal moment that launched his community engagement. Grateful for this serendipitous break, he commits to speaking at around 30 user groups annually, as listed on his website (agiledeveloper.com). He views it as a way to repay the community that elevated his career.Quote: “This is one of the reasons, in all honesty, 25 years later that I speak in approximately 30 or more user groups every single year. If you go to my website, agiledeveloper.com, and you look in the events section, you will see the number of user groups I talk to every single year because that’s, to me, a way to give back to the user groups because that’s what I started.” Conferences and Broad ReachTimestamp: 00:18:25Context: Venkat attributes part of his recognition to his extensive speaking at approximately 45 conferences yearly, reaching diverse audiences from aspiring developers to seasoned experts. His talks cover deep technical details, career advice, and Java innovations — all of which creates creating a broad “surface area” of impact. This prolific engagement, driven by his enthusiasm, likely contributed to his award, connecting him with developers worldwide.Quote: “I speak in roughly about, I don’t even count, but I’m going to say maybe 45 or more conferences a year. So I think that’s part of the reason for the recognition is the amount of… the surface area that I can touch. I can touch the surface area of young developers, aspiring programmers, seasoned professionals, all the way to experts with my interaction in the industry by way of conferences, user groups, university, consulting, writing books.” Everyone Needs a BreakTimestamp: 00:14:00Context: Venkat recalls a defining moment 25 years ago when a calendar error by a Houston Java user group organizer allowed him to speak on a non-teaching night. This led to an invitation to the No Fluff, Just Stuff conference, connecting him with industry giants like Jason Hunter and James Duncan Davidson, marking a turning point in his career through serendipity.Quote: “Everybody needs a break. If you don’t get a break, you could have the potential, but you need that first break, right? It’s like the actors who always tell you, well, I was in acting school and I was interested in acting, but here’s where I got a first break. Well, I got my first break in the Java User Group.” Teaching and Sharing Knowledge Teaching as LearningTimestamp: 00:39:16Context: Near the end of the interview, Venkat articulates his teaching philosophy, emphasizing its reciprocal nature. As a part-time professor for 34 years, he views himself as the “first student” in his classes, learning from student questions and interactions. This approach fuels his growth and reinforces his commitment to sharing practical knowledge with students, helping them navigate their careers.Quote: “I teach because I learn. And I always say I’m the first student in my classes. So collaborate, bring other developers because you end up learning by doing [more] so than being in isolation in solving your problems.” Sharing ExcitementTimestamp: 00:03:16Context: Early in the discussion, Venkat explains his shift in focus from seeking recognition to prioritizing learning and sharing knowledge. He describes how, in his late twenties, he realized that true reward lies in daily learning and helping others grow, a mindset that drives his prolific contributions to the Java community through technical talks, writing books, and teaching students and professional developers.Quote: “If our mind is focused on learning, and then sharing what we learn, then we are not focused on where we get the recognition from. The reward is when I wake up in the morning and feel like I have learned something more than I did the day before. And then I go to bed knowing that maybe I helped somebody else along the way to learn something more than they did.” Venkat’s Company and Solo PathTimestamp: 00:10:06Context: Venkat shares his transformative decision to leave his day job and, after four years, fire himself from his own company. He realized that he was a technologist at heart, not a business person. This shift allowed him to fo

    41 min

  3. 09/01/2025

    Bruno Souza: My Greatest Pride is the Community

    Duke’s Corner Java Podcast: Bruno Souza: My Greatest Pride is the Community Jim Grisanzio from Java Developer Relations talks with Bruno Souza, who is a Java Champion, leader of the SouJava User Group in Brazil, and a member of the JCP Executive Committee. Bruno received the first Java Community Lifetime Achievement recognition in October 2022 at JavaOne in Las Vegas. “I was totally surprised! I was jumping up and down! I was so honored! It’s an honor to be a member of that group.” he said. Bruno Souza is known as the “JavaMan” from Brazil and that nickname started back at Sun when Java was announced and Bruno started evangelizing the technology. Bruno’s message to the community was “Open Standards and Open Source” as he began his community building efforts around Java. He continually brought to Brazil FOSS and Standards experts for community discussions, and he advocated for a standards-based Open Source implementation of Java that would pass the TCK. “Maybe my greatest pride, I think, is the idea of the Java User Groups community,” Bruno says. “We have OpenJDK for development and the JCP for standards, but for me the real Java community is the Java User Groups! These are all volunteers who meet and help others participate and learn.” Bruno in recent years has been talking a lot about building reputation and career by embracing the open-source lifestyle — writing code in Java, contributing to Open Source, and helping build the community itself. Since our work lives in public mailing lists and open-source code repositories, we earn credibility by being visible, contributing, engaging the community, and helping others get involve as well, Bruno says. Bruno advises that career is a long-term project: “The more you work on it, the more you grow, the more results you have. So, the sooner you start the better. This is not a sprint! This takes time.” Getting back to Java itself, Bruno, like most Java developers, prefers the 6-month release cadence over the older system of multi-year development and release cycles. There is a constant flow of technology now which allows for more interactions between the Oracle engineers and engineers in the community. “Everything you see today in Java is possible because of the 6-month release process. I just loved it when the guys did that! I think it’s amazing! The fact that we now have two releases per year changed Java. I think we’re positioning Java to be even stronger in the years to come. I’m very excited about the whole thing,” Bruno says. Throughout this conversation Bruno provides a wonderful history of Java since he’s been involved from the very beginning! “People don’t remember that Java was a community from the very beginning!” Bruno says. “We were able to look at the source code from the very beginning and that allowed us to build the community from the very beginning with lots of other companies joining.” And then the JCP was created to allow Sun and the community to discuss the standardization of Java. And then OpenJDK was a huge step because now Java would be everywhere with Oracle leading and building the community. “Java is more participative today under Oracle than during the Sun times.” “Java + Open Source + Community: That’s what grows our career. That’s what grows Java too!” Here are some links where the Bruno interview can be found in full or in clips: Apple | Bluesky | Bluesky | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | Libsyn | WordPress | WordPress | X | X | YouTube. Here are all the interviews on Duke’s Corner. Here is Bruno’s full interview transcript. Below see more quotes from the interview: Surprise and Honor of the Lifetime Achievement AwardQuote: “I was totally surprised! And it was very cool because, you know, you’ve been to keynotes on big events, and lots of things are scripted, lots of things are rehearsed. And I think with that one, the way they did it, allowed it to be real.”Timestamp: 00:04:16–00:04:34Context: Bruno describes his genuine surprise and excitement upon receiving the first Java Community Lifetime Achievement honors at JavaOne 2022 in Las Vegas, highlighting the authenticity of the moment. Advocating for Open Source and StandardsQuote: “Open Source plus Open Standards. That’s what we need, right? You know, we can’t really just do free software, right? It’s not only open source. This whole idea of having open source software that is not standard basis, then you only have one implementation.”Timestamp: 00:08:01–00:08:13Context: Bruno discusses his early efforts in Brazil to combine open source with open standards, emphasizing the need for a standards-based, open-source implementation of Java to ensure broader applicability and community involvement. Java User Groups as the Real CommunityQuote: “But for me, the real Java community is the Java user groups! Because those are all volunteer-based leaders helping people to meet each other, to actually participate and discuss, and learn.”Timestamp: 00:12:47–00:12:55Context: Bruno underscores the significance of Java User Groups (JUGs) as the heart of the Java community, highlighting their role in fostering volunteer-driven collaboration, learning, and networking among developers locally and around the world. Reputation as a Career CornerstoneQuote: “Reputation is more important than your salary, is more important than your job, is more important than your house, right? Because reputation is going to give you all of that!”Timestamp: 00:15:11–00:15:19Context: In his career session, Bruno emphasizes the critical role of reputation in professional growth, explaining that reputation underpins long-term success and opportunities more than immediate material gains. Remember, reputation is actually a dependency for success. The Power of Java, Open Source, and CommunityQuote: “This merger of those three things — Java, Open Source, and Community — I think that’s what grows our career. That’s what grows Java too!”Timestamp: 00:36:51–00:36:57Context: Bruno summarizes his philosophy that combining expertise in technology like Java, contributions to open source, and active community participation drives both individual career growth and the advancement of Java as a platform. Career as a MarathonQuote: “Career is this long term thing that, the more you do it, the more you grow, the more results you have.”Timestamp: 00:22:10–00:22:18Context: Bruno advises developers to view their careers as a long-term endeavor, not a short term sprint, stressing the importance of consistent effort in building reputation and skills over time, rather than seeking quick wins. Also, he stresses that if you find yourself unemployed, that’s not the time to start networking. You have to always be networking and always be building your career. The Impact of Java’s Six-Month Release CadenceQuote: “Everything you have seen on Java today is possible because of the release cadence. I just love it when the guys did that.”Timestamp: 00:28:31–00:28:40Context: Bruno praises Java’s shift to a six-month release cycle, crediting it for enabling rapid innovation and fostering greater interaction between Oracle engineers and the broader Java development community. Java’s Community RootsQuote: “People don’t remember that it was a community from the beginning. You know, the fact that it was not Open Source, it was not Free Software, it had very complex license, but it allowed us to build that community in the very, very beginning.”Timestamp: 00:30:29–00:30:46Context: Bruno reflects on Java’s early days, noting that despite its initial complex licensing, and not having a standard FOSS approved license of the time, the ability to access source code from the start under the Sun license fostered a strong community foundation that contributed to Java’s success today. Over time, however, Sun released OpenJDK under the GNU General Public License (GPL) in 2006. Oracle’s Role in Java’s EvolutionQuote: “Oracle released more coding to OpenJDK, they built a community, they maintained the whole idea, they maintained Java, they maintained the specifications. Oracle did the best it could have done. I think that Java today is more participative in OpenJDK than it was during Sun’s time.”Timestamp: 00:33:51–00:33:57Context: Bruno discusses Oracle’s stewardship of Java after the acquisition, suggesting that Oracle’s less protective approach compared to Sun allowed for greater community participation, enhancing Java’s development through OpenJDK. Encouraging Broader ParticipationQuote: “If you are the only person that does something and you want more people to come and help you in your user group, in your volunteer work, whatever it is that you’re doing, if you’re the only person that does everything and you want other people to participate, there’s just one way. You have to stop doing something!”Timestamp: 00:34:23–00:34:38Context: Bruno shares a philosophy on community leadership, explaining that stepping back from some responsibilities is essential to encourage others to contribute, thereby strengthening the community. Watch for this in communities. Leaders know how to do this to encourage more participation. JavaOne’s Vibrant ReturnQuote: “JavaOne was awesome! I really enjoyed the talks. I really enjoyed the people that were there and had great conversations. There’s people that came to JavaOne for the first time and they’re like, oh man, it’s such an amazing event. So I’m glad we’re back!”Timestamp: 00:00:31–00:00:43Context: Bruno expresses his enthusiasm for the return of JavaOne 2025, highlighting the event’s energy, the quality of technical talks, and the community engagement. It was a significant moment for Java developers new to the community and also established developers. A Gift for Career GrowthQuote: “I wrote 15 emails, one for each chapter of the book that gives you o

    40 min

  4. 08/22/2025

    Trisha Gee: It’s all about Relationships and People

    Duke’s Corner Java Podcast: Trisha Gee: It’s all about Relationships and People Jim Grisanzio from Java Developer Relations talks with Trisha Gee, an author, a Java Champion, and a Developer Advocate at Gradle. In February 2025 at Jfokus in Stockholm Trisha received the Java Community Lifetime Achievement Award from Sharat Chander from Oracle Java Developer Relations. Trisha has been a Java developer for 25 years, and since 2011 she’s been actively blogging, presenting technical sessions at conferences, and evangelizing Java globally. Recently, Trisha has moved from a traditional developer advocate role to more of a facilitator of developer advocacy internally at her company as well as externally. She works with engineering teams, marketing, teams, and sales teams to ensure the voice of the developer resonates throughout the organization and the community. Trisha is always evolving, she’s constantly growing.In this conversation we talk about the JVM, the six month Java release cycle, writing code, the unique features that make Java special as a technology and as a community, Generative AI, design patterns, understanding requirements, asking questions, problem solving, edge cases, documentation, testing, open source, standards, advice for students, and teaching her 9-year old how to code in Java. Trisha is fascinated with the entire development life cycle of software projects and especially the skills developers need now for working with AI. Here are some links where the interview can be found online: Apple | Bluesky | Bluesky | Libsyn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | WordPress | WordPress | X | X | YouTube. Here’s the full transcript of the conversation. Below are some quotes from the conversation. Sharat Chander’s Community Impact00:03:02 – 00:03:37Context: Trisha discusses receiving the Java Community Lifetime Achievement honors from Sharat Chander at Jfokus 2025, emphasizing his role in fostering a collaborative and inclusive Java community.Quote: “It feels like a very personal thing from him. [Shar’s] such a huge powerhouse in the community. Obviously, he cares about the technology, but he understands that the technology isn’t enough. It is about individuals stepping up but not doing stuff for themselves, doing stuff to enable other people, to empower other people. It’s the community that makes it a great place to be. And Shar is such a huge champion of that. He makes you feel really appreciated for making the efforts to help others and to be involved in the community.” Developer Advocacy Role Evolution00:06:07 – 00:08:36Context: Trisha explains her current role as head of developer advocacy at Gradle, highlighting how she bridges the gap between developers, marketing, and sales to amplify the developer’s voice in the organization and throughout the community.Quote: “I’m doing more strategic thinking for Gradle. It’s one thing for a developer advocate to go off and say, here’s what’s new in Java. It’s another thing for a senior advocate to work with the head of marketing to say, our messaging to developers needs to be more like this or that. This is what the developers care about. But the guys who are paying … they might not know what that means. So this is kind of how you bridge the gap between what the developers care about and what the people with the money care about.” Developers as Problem Solvers00:14:14 – 00:16:19Context: Trisha discusses the misconception that developers primarily write code, emphasizing that their true core skill is problem-solving, especially in the context of Generative AI.Quote: “The naive way of thinking about what developers do is that we generate code, we write code. But it’s not the same thing. … It’s not the writing of the code, the typing of the code that really slows us down. It’s understanding what is the real problem, what are the weird edge cases, how do I get it to fit inside my current application, what design patterns do we have … The job of the developer has always been to say, what do you really want? And how can I give it to you within the constraints of the existing system, organization, and team?” The Art of Asking Questions00:18:04 – 00:18:26Context: Trisha reflects on the importance of questioning as a critical skill for developers, noting how junior developers’ curiosity can drive innovation.Quote: “The best genius I’ve ever worked with ask really good questions. And that’s where, like this idea of, asking questions and not taking anything for granted is not just for senior experienced people. It’s a mindset that we need to come with. … It’s a really good skill.” Java’s Enduring Strengths00:19:35 – 00:23:25Context: Trisha explains why Java remains relevant after 30 years, highlighting its technical strengths and the supportive community that fosters innovation and inclusion.Quote: “There’s a number of things. I think it’s a combination of the technology and the community. Write once, run anywhere is one of the things that kind of helped it get started. The JVM is designed for performance. And then we’ve got the ecosystem of Open Source, but also standards, which stops things going absolutely crazy. It feels like whoever you are, whatever kind of programmer you are, there’s something there for you. And there’s a kind of inclusion in all of that. Like, we’re all here, we’re all here to help each other. And that is a very difficult thing to leave behind and go somewhere else.” Six-Month Release Cycle Benefits00:26:53 – 00:30:18Context: Trisha discusses how Java’s six-month release cycle enables incremental improvements, citing examples like Project Loom and pattern matching.Quote: “Since we moved to two releases a year, we’ve been able to release incremental steps towards improving the language and the JVM without having to do like a big piece of work and then release it in a version of Java. Doing things in a small incremental way allows you to get faster feedback, allows you to iterate and allows you to deliver something better. And I think we can really see that in the two releases a year with Java.” Teaching Java to a Nine-Year-Old00:31:46 – 00:34:09Context: Trisha shares her experience teaching her nine-year-old daughter Java using modern tools like IntelliJ IDEA and resources like Head First Java, highlighting how accessible learning has become.Quote: “I was just teaching my nine-year-old how to code Java, obviously. She gets the IDE straight away. … Things have changed a bit since I learned how to code, but not that much. You can teach the old school way of like, here’s a main method. … And you can teach the basics of the IDE to help lighten the mental load for someone learning it for the first time.” Advice for New Developers00:36:28 – 00:38:15Context: Trisha offers advice to new developers, emphasizing the importance of embracing continuous learning and being comfortable with not knowing everything.Quote: “The overwhelming thing for a lot of these junior devs is that they realize they know very little and they need to learn a lot. … The most important skill to come out with after learning to program is learning how to learn and learning to be comfortable with the fact that you don’t know it all — and you will never know it all.” Final Thoughts on Programming00:38:53 – 00:39:32Context: Trisha summarizes her key takeaways, emphasizing that programming is about community, continuous learning, and embracing discomfort for growth.Quote: “Programming is about writing code into the computer, but that’s not your key skill. Programming is about the community, the people, the network you make. … The more you learn to be uncomfortable and to work within that discomfort and embrace it, I think the sort of the more successful you’ll be.” Java 25’s Incremental Improvements00:26:35 – 00:28:39Context: Trisha comments on Java 25, noting that while she’s not as focused on individual releases as before, the six-month release cycle allows for small, impactful changes that make the language more approachable and improve developer experience.Quote: “I’m not as on top of each individual release as I used to be. … But in some ways, that distance gives me a different lens to answer that question. Since we moved to two releases a year, … each one has at least one thing in it which is kind of cool and new and maybe syntax that we haven’t used before or maybe a performance under the covers.” Learning Through Modern Resources00:35:17 – 00:35:46Context: Trisha discusses how modern resources, like YouTube channels and interactive tools, make learning Java more accessible, especially for those who struggle with traditional reading or non-native English speakers.Quote: “There’s so many more different ways of learning these days. … If reading is a struggle for you … then there’s a whole bunch of YouTube channels and you can learn more visually. You don’t have to just read dry code on a piece of paper. You can see interactively how things are going to work, and I think that’s cool.” Embracing Growth in Learning00:10:36 – 00:13:27Context: Trisha reflects on her own personal growth and passion for continuous learning, explaining how her career evolved from coding to advocacy to engaging with diverse teams, driven by a desire to grow and solve problems.Quote: “I’m always looking to grow. I’m always looking for growth. I am constantly evolving and constantly growing. … It’s really a selfish thing. How can I help developers be happier? Well, I need to be able to speak to the folks who pay our salaries so that they can learn what makes us happy.” JVM’s Performance Advantage00:24:26 – 00:25:26Context: Trisha highlights the JVM’s efficiency for high-performance applications, recounting her experience at a low-latency trading platform where Java’s performance was leveraged without needing specialize

    40 min

  5. 08/08/2025

    Cay Horstmann: Java Still Vibrant After 30 Years

    Duke’s Corner Java Podcast: Cay Horstmann: Java Still Vibrant After 30 Years Jim Grisanzio from Java Developer Relations talks with Cay Horstmann, a professor, author, and Java Champion. In April 2025 in Cologne, Germany at JCON Cay received the Java Community Lifetime Achievement recognition from Sharat Chander on the Oracle Java Developer Relations Team. This conversation covers the evolution of Java, the constant polishing of the library, the upcoming Java 25 release, the six-month release cycle, improvements in the Java language to make the technology more beginner friendly, teaching methodologies, conferences vs unconferences, and also timeless task-driven learning methods for students and developers to keep their skills sharp. Also, Cay has been writing books about Java for decades and years ago he was instrumental in initially getting Java integrated into the curriculum for the computer science AP exam in the United States. “One of the reasons why Java is still so vibrant 30 years in is that there is a constant stream of low-level innovation going on. It’s pretty amazing.” Links on the web for this conversation: Apple | Bluesky | Libsyn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | Flickr | Flickr | Flickr | WordPress | X | X | X | X | YouTube | YouTube | YouTube. All of Duke’s Corner Java Podcasts can be found here. Here are more quotes from the conversation below: Java’s Vibrancy and Evolution Java’s Continuous Low-Level InnovationTimestamp: 00:13:45–00:14:12Context: Cay discusses why Java remains vibrant after 30 years, emphasizing the impact of the Java six-month release cycle and the steady stream of incremental improvements. He contrasts this with how individual features might not seem groundbreaking alone in any given release, but cumulatively they drive significant progress. He also ties this process to the natural competition among programming languages, where Java’s consistent updates help it stay relevant in a fast-evolving field.Quote: “And I think one of the reasons that Java is so vibrant 30 years in is that it’s doing a really good job. I mean, if you think about it, every six months, there’s a new version that has some features that some are interested in for some people, some for others. And there is a constant stream of low-level innovation going on. Very few of these features seem like momentous on their own, but altogether, it is pretty amazing.” Polished Java Library Through Continuous RefinementTimestamp: 00:07:05–00:07:33Context: Cay highlights how Java’s library has been refined over decades, making it more polished and user-friendly compared to other languages. He explains that this comes from ongoing attention to the API, where small complications are identified and simplified over time, and while each change might seem minor in isolation, the repeated process over 20 to 30 years results in a highly refined system that stands out for its logic and ease of use.Quote: “There is the evolution, but there’s also the constant polishing of the library. So the API gets attention. You say, this is just a little bit too complicated. And someone says, yeah, sure. And then some small simplification comes. It never looks [like] much of a deal once, but repeat that over 20, 30 years, and you have really a super polished library. You do not have that with other languages.” Java 25 and Beginner-Friendliness Simplifying Java for BeginnersTimestamp: 00:08:49–00:09:16Context: Cay explains how updates in Java 25 will reduce syntactic complexity for beginners by removing the need for a class in simple programs and improving I/O methods. He notes that while beginners have historically managed with templates, this change makes the language less intimidating from the start, and he appreciates its regularity compared to Python’s mix of top-level code and methods, which allows for a smoother introduction to programming concepts without unnecessary distractions.Quote: “Nevertheless, Java 25 now does make this a lot easier. You now no longer have to have a class for simple programs. You still do need to have a main method, which I think is actually fine because it’s more regular than Python. In Python, you have a slightly confusing mix of top-level code and then methods. And in Java, it’s just methods for simple programs.” Visual Clarity in Java 25 for Educational ContentTimestamp: 00:09:16–00:09:49Context: Reflecting on rewriting his textbook, Cay notes how Java 25’s simplified syntax reduces visual clutter, benefiting students and textbook authors. He describes how textbooks often feature numerous small sample programs, unlike larger developer projects, and removing elements like public static void main makes the code less overwhelming visually, allowing developers to focus on core ideas rather than ceremonial syntax that can distract them while learning.Quote: “At first I thought, you know, big deal, but now I’ve rewritten the first three chapters of Core Java with this and I really, really like it. It just is visually less distracting when you write a textbook. There’s lots and lots of small sample programs… and public static void main, you know, if you even have one in a framework, you would never even have it. But in a textbook, yeah, it’s nice.” Simplified I/O in Java 25Timestamp: 00:10:24–00:10:33Context: Cay discusses how Java 25 introduces simpler I/O methods, making it easier for beginners to learn and use. He says that this eliminates odd constructs like system.out, replacing them with straightforward static methods, which helps beginners master a few key concepts early on and progress smoothly for the first several weeks before transitioning to more advanced object-oriented features. Quote: “To read something now, you no longer need to use system.out, which was always kind of an odd beast. You just say io.printon. It’s a static method.” Teaching and Learning Methodologies Task-Driven Learning for Lifelong SkillsTimestamp: 00:19:42–00:20:10Context: Cay advocates for task-driven learning, where students engage with material through hands-on experimentation, which he believes is more effective than traditional lectures. He stresses that while learning the basics is necessary, the real value comes from applying them in practical ways, which encourages trial and error to build motivation and skills. This approach aligns with how professionals tinker and iterate in real-world work scenarios.Quote: “You really want the learner to engage with the material by trying things out, by kicking the tires, by failing and then succeeding. There are some times when you need some fundamentals, you can’t build without knowing some basics. So I’m not against teaching those as facts. But then you quickly want to motivate students by putting things to work.” Teaching Students to Learn How to LearnTimestamp: 00:18:11–00:18:29Context: Reflecting on his teaching career, Cay emphasizes that teaching students how to learn is more valuable than pushing specific subject matter, which is especially important given the rapid evolution of technology. He shares how he shifted focus from content delivery to guiding students through vast information landscapes, helping them navigate changes like in Android programming where details quickly become obsolete.Quote: “I realized that subject matter really does not matter that much because it changes anyway. What really mattered to me is how students could learn to learn better, and how they could find their own way in that morass of materials out there.” Interactive Learning in Small ClassesTimestamp: 00:18:39–00:18:58Context: Cay describes the shift from large lectures to small, interactive lab sessions where students collaboratively fix outdated code, promotes practical learning. He explains that by using last year’s notes as a starting point, students learn to adapt to shifts in technology, identifying principles for troubleshooting and using tools like AI or Stack Overflow to aid the process.Quote: “I really stopped lecturing. We had, like, a lab session every day where I said, here are the lecture notes from last year, none of this stuff works anymore, let’s fix it together. And in fact, none of this stuff did work anymore because this or that shifted. And so then what we really learned is how can you tease out the underlying principles that help you understand where even to look for the failures?” Challenges of AI Tools in EducationTimestamp: 00:23:46–00:24:07Context: Cay addresses the challenge of students using AI tools like chatbots to complete homework, emphasizing the importance of learning through personal effort. He observes that while younger students seem to intuitively know when to avoid these tools, older ones struggle, and he compares it to self-practice in other skills, noting that exercises are meant for cognitive development, not just output.Quote: “What’s the value in that though, right? It’s not that people want to have another program that prints prime numbers. It’s that those exercises are there to make you think and to make you a better programmer. And so at that point, one needs to learn. And for students, this is hard. One needs to learn not to use the chatbot. I mean, it’s just like if you want to learn Italian or to play the piano, you need to do it yourself.” Contributing to the Java Community Instrumental Role in Java’s AP Curriculum IntegrationTimestamp: 00:04:39–00:05:02Context: Cay remembers his role in helping integrate Java into the U.S. Advanced Placement Computer Science Curriculum when he was advocating for a minimal subset of Java to focus on fundamentals. He mentions being invited to the committee due to his expertise in Java books and teaching, and how they successfully transitioned from C++ while resisting too many additions that could complicate the course unnecessarily.Quote: “And so we actually managed to do that. I

    33 min

  6. 08/05/2025

    Heinz Kabutz: Really Life Changing!

    Duke’s Corner Java Podcast: Heinz Kabutz: Really Life Changing! Jim Grisanzio from Java Developer Relations talks with Heinz Kabutz from the Island of Crete in Greece. Heinz has a PhD in Computer Science, publishes the The JavaSpecialists’ Newsletter, and runs the JCrete Unconference. Heinz is also a Java Champion and a teacher, and he cares deeply about the technology and the community. Recently, Heinz was recognized for his Lifetime Achievement by Sharat Chander from Oracle Java Developer Relations. “I was on cloud nine! I was so honored,” Heinz said. In this conversation Heinz previews some JEPs in the upcoming Java 25 release, he comments on the value of the 6-month Java release cycle, he outlines how he’s contributed code to OpenJDK (and how others can too!), he offers some detailed advice to students getting involved in software development for the first time, and he talks at length about the opportunities for developers who participate at the JCrete Unconference. “I have seen people whose entire careers got revolutionized just by coming to JCrete once. It’s really life changing!” See an outline of quotes below by subject and also listen via the link above. Links where this interview can be found: Apple | Bluesky | Libsyn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | WordPress | WordPress | X | X | X | X | X | YouTube | YouTube | YouTube | YouTube | YouTube. All of Duke’ Corner Java Podcast episodes. Below are more quotes from the interview: Quotes on Learning Solve Real-World Problems to Learn ProgrammingTimestamp: 00:51:18Context: While discussing advice for new students or those transitioning into software development, Heinz emphasizes a practical approach to learning programming. He says that beginners should focus on solving real-world problems relevant to their lives, using Java as the tool, obviously. This method not only makes learning engaging but also helps learners see immediate value in their coding efforts, fostering a deeper understanding of programming concepts through practical application.Quote: “My advice is if you want to learn how to program, it doesn’t matter what language it is. Let’s take Java because that’s a great language to work in. Look for problems that you’ve got that you’re trying to solve in your real life and then solve them using Java.” Build a GitHub PortfolioTimestamp: 00:51:37Context: Heinz advises aspiring developers to create a public GitHub account to showcase their coding projects, even if the initial code is relatively rudimentary. He says that building a portfolio of projects, regardless of their simplicity, demonstrates progress and commitment to potential employers. This approach allows beginners to document their learning journey, gain visibility in the developer community, engage mentors who can help and provide guidance, and build confidence without fear of judgment for early, less polished work.Quote: “And then as you become more adept at coding, go and create yourself a GitHub account and the little projects that you do, put them there. Make them public. And no one’s going to judge you for basic, very, very badly written code when you were starting off.” Project Euler for Algorithmic GrowthTimestamp: 00:54:44Context: Heinz recommends Project Euler (projecteuler.net) as an interesting resource for developing problem-solving and algorithmic skills. He says that the site offers mathematical problems that require coding solutions, encouraging developers to think critically about algorithms rather than relying on brute-force methods. This approach, he says, helps programmers refine their ability to devise efficient solutions, which is a critical skill in software development.Quote: “The other thing that I’ve done a lot of is this nice little website called Project Euler, projecteuler.net, and they’ve got maths problems that you have to solve with code. … You have to think about the algorithms. You’ve got to think about what’s a clever way to solve it.” Programming as Addictive LearningTimestamp: 00:55:30Context: During a recent conversation with an 18-year-old computer science student, Heinz highlights the addictive nature of programming. He describes how solving coding problems can create a powerful sense of achievement, releasing dopamine and endorphins that make programming highly engaging. This insight supports the motivational aspect of learning to code because the thrill of problem-solving can drive continuous learning and persistence in the field.Quote: “I said to him, you need to be careful because programming is very addictive. … It’s very addictive because once you start solving problems, you get this incredible dopamine hit, endorphins being released, like you’re a cocaine high without taking drugs.” Quotes on Java 25 Flexible Constructor Bodies in Java 25Timestamp: 00:45:46Context: Heinz discusses JEP 513, Flexible Constructor Bodies, a feature in Java 25 that enhances constructor flexibility. He explains that this JEP allows developers to validate parameters before calling a superclass constructor, addressing issues like ensuring valid data (e.g., non-negative age for a Person class). This improvement, which progressed through multiple preview stages, simplifies and strengthens constructor logic, making it easier to write robust code.Quote: “There’s this new one now, the JEP 513, Flexible Constructor Bodies. … It does allow us to do checking of values, of parameters, before calling super. … So, for example, if you have a valid range of values, for example, person with age, we don’t want the age to be negative, so we can check the age in the constructor before calling super, which is really great.” Simplified Main Methods for EducationTimestamp: 00:48:30Context: Heinz highlights JEP 512, which introduces compact source files and implicit main methods in Java 25, aimed at reducing confusing boilerplate code for beginners. He says that this feature simplifies the traditionally complex public static void main declaration, making Java more approachable for new learners. By removing unnecessary syntax, it allows educators to focus on teaching core programming concepts, which is a change he observed being adopted in educational materials like the book Core Java.Quote: “One of them is called JEP 512, which has compact source files and instant main methods. … It’s way better, way easier to understand than the old version of working with Java. So from an education perspective, that’s great.” Quotes on OpenJDK Importance of Verifying Bugs Before SubmissionTimestamp: 00:23:01Context: Reflecting on his experience contributing to OpenJDK, Heinz stresses the importance of thoroughly testing and verifying bugs before submitting them. Many times you’ll find out, it’s not a bug! He advises developers to download and build the JDK to confirm the issue, ensuring they don’t waste maintainers’ time with invalid reports. This disciplined approach, drawn from his own journey as an external contributor, enhances the quality and credibility of submissions to the Java bug database.Quote: “I would recommend anybody who wants to log a bug, download the JDK, build it, try out whether your bug actually is a bug before sending it, because you’re just going to waste people’s time.” Contributing Fixes to OpenJDKTimestamp: 00:23:26Context: Heinz shares his evolved approach to contributing to OpenJDK, where he not only identifies bugs but also provides fixes. By submitting a pull request alongside a bug report, he streamlines the review process for maintainers. This method, developed through his experience finding obscure bugs in concurrent classes, demonstrates a proactive and efficient way to contribute to the Java development community.Quote: “Find the bug and then fix it. Then you can submit a pull request together with a bug.” Parallel Multiplication in BigIntegerTimestamp: 00:25:10Context: Heinz describes his contribution of a parallel multiplication algorithm to OpenJDK’s BigInteger class, inspired by a newsletter on parallel Fibonacci calculations. He implemented the Toom Cook 3 algorithm using Java’s fork-join framework, which was accepted and later improved by other developers. This contribution showcases how personal projects can lead to impactful additions to the JDK, enhancing performance for large-scale computations.Quote: “The other thing I added was a parallel multiply to big integer. … I wrote the code where I parallelized the ToomCook3 algorithm using fork join. And it actually got accepted.” Quotes on the 6-Month Java Release Cycle Skepticism Moves to SuccessTimestamp: 00:43:07Context: Heinz remembers his initial skepticism about Oracle’s decision to adopt a six-month release cycle for Java, given the previous multi-year development and release model. He says that Oracle successfully implemented this faster cadence, allowing for more frequent updates and improvements. This shift has made it easier to introduce and refine features over time, which aligns with the dynamic needs of developers as they learn, code, and implement their own systems.Quote: “I was very skeptical when they announced six-month release cadence. … First of all, I didn’t believe that they could do it, but they have. They’ve done a really good job with it.” Flexibility of the Release CycleTimestamp: 00:44:02Context: Heinz praises the flexibility of the six-month release cycle, which allows developers to integrate changes quickly if they miss any given release window. He mentions how his bug fixes for concurrent classes were deferred from Java 25 (an LTS release) to Java 26 to ensure stability, which shows how the rapid cycle provides multiple opportunities to contribute updates when they are ready.Quote: “I absolutely love it because it’s like if you miss the one train, you go next month. … So if you miss the one, you’ll have another chance in six m

    1 hr

  7. 07/18/2025

    Nate Schutta: I Just Love to Learn!

    Duke’s Corner Java Podcast: Nate Schutta: I Just Love to Learn! Here’s my interview with Nate Schutta, an author, a teacher, a software architect, and Java Champion. Nate lives in the United States and teaches computer science to university students. He loves teaching and he loves learning, and he specializes in exploring the big picture of complicated systems in his career as a software architect. The conversation covers the Java community, the value for developers if they contribute to Java User Groups (JUGs), the benefits and some possible drawbacks of AI, and the engineering feat that is the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Nate has a passion for learning and here’s his advice for young developers and engineering students. “The fundamentals can’t be skipped! And they take time to learn! You just have to put in those hours to understand the basics, and then you can graduate to the more complicated stuff.” Nate tripped over Java a bit in school and joined his first Java project right in his first job. Once he heard about this new Java project, he said: “Heck, yeah! I want in on that!” Here’s the full Nate transcript. Here are all the interviews on Duke’s Corner. Here are some links where the Nate interview appears in full or clipped: Apple | Bluesky | Bluesky | Flickr | Flickr | Libsyn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | LinkedIn | WordPress | X | X | X | YouTube | YouTube Quotes from the Interview Here is a nice selection of quotes from the interview with Nate. When you talk to someone as articulate as Nate, it’s hard to select specific quotes to print in text. It’s best to just listen to all of the interview! Anyway, a quick scan across some text is nice too! Each quote includes a timestamp and some context on software architecture, learning, education, contributing to the Java community, Oracle’s role, and the use of AI in development. * On the Role of a Software Architect and Trade-offs * Quote: “Our job on a software project is to see that bigger picture, to understand what those tradeoffs are, to sort of get out of some of the tribalism and evangelism around real specific technologies and be able to answer, well, why is that something we should use? How is that going to make things better for our business, for our developers, et cetera?” * Timestamp: 00:03:00–00:03:16 * Context: Nate explains the essence of software architecture, emphasizing the need to balance trade-offs and maintain a broad perspective on system design to ensure decisions benefit both the business and developers. * On Teaching Soft Skills for Architects * Quote: “A lot of being an architect is people skills and soft skills… I make my grad students read How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.” * Timestamp: 00:06:54–00:07:23 * Context: Nate highlights the critical role of communication and influence in software architecture, incorporating soft skills into his graduate-level curriculum by recommending a classic self-help book to prepare students for real-world human relations. * On the Engineering Mindset and Curiosity * Quote: “The common thread I see through the best engineers that I’ve worked with or that I know, it’s this intense curiosity and it’s this passion to understand what’s going on here. It’s this tinkering mindset.” * Timestamp: 00:11:25–00:11:37 * Context: Nate describes the mindset of great engineers, emphasizing curiosity and a desire to tinker as key drivers of learning, which, for some, can transcend formal education and is essential for mastering complex systems. * On Teaching and the Value of Learning the Hard Way * Quote: “I think you maybe appreciate it more when you’ve had to do it the hard way. Like I teach a cloud class to at the [university] and I make my students do things the hard way first to introduce them to why we now have these easier and simpler abstractions.” * Timestamp: 00:15:27–00:15:42 * Context: Nate explains his teaching approach, where he has students perform tasks manually (e.g., bare metal setups) before introducing tools like Docker, to help them appreciate the value of modern abstractions. * On the Importance of Fundamentals * Quote: “The fundamentals can’t be skipped and they take time. You know, that’s the other part of this. I think people are in such a hurry to get past. It’s like you just have to put in those hours to understand the basics and then you can graduate to the more complicated stuff.” * Timestamp: 00:16:43–00:16:55 * Context: Nate stresses the necessity of mastering foundational concepts before leveraging advanced tools, using photography as an analogy to illustrate that tools alone can’t replace understanding the basics. * On His Love for Learning * Quote: “And I just love to learn stuff. And so for me, that opportunity to just be exposed to brand new things, the web, you know, we’re just starting to play around with that, being able to build an app that you can use on the web and we’re getting a whole new deployment topology and everything is brand new, like, heck yeah!” * Timestamp: 00:21:09–00:21:25 * Context: Nate expresses his passion for learning, describing how his excitement for new technologies, like Java and web development early in his career and how that experience drove his career and continues to motivate him today. You can hear it in his voice, can’t you? 🙂 * On Java’s Evolution and Stewardship * Quote: “I think one of the things I find remarkable about Java… It has managed to evolve along with the types of programs that we’re writing and the demands that we place upon that. And I think that’s remarkable and speaks an awful lot to the stewardship. And I don’t think we give enough credit to the people behind that. It’s an incredibly complicated thing.” * Timestamp: 00:22:35–00:22:57 * Context: Nate praises the stewardship of Java’s evolution, implicitly acknowledging the contributions of Oracle’s engineering team and others, for enabling Java to adapt to modern programming demands without breaking legacy systems. * On the JVM as an Engineering Feat * Quote: “The JVM is amazing. And just the feat of engineering, what that’s enabled over its entire lifespan… the fact that it’s managed to evolve and grow and adapt to new programming styles and new approaches is amazing.” * Timestamp: 00:29:30–00:29:51 * Context: Nate praises the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) as a remarkable engineering achievement, noting its adaptability over decades, which supports a wide range of applications and programming styles. * On Simple Contributions to Open Source * Quote: “One of the simplest things you can do is you find a bug in the docs or in a tutorial and report it. Contribute a pull request for, hey, this isn’t right. It should be this instead… If you’ve ever gone through a tutorial and the steps are wrong or this command got changed and you’re spinning your wheels for two hours, well, you just saved a whole bunch of people a lot of time by fixing the docs.” * Timestamp: 00:35:24–00:35:49 * Context: Nate encourages new developers to contribute to open source projects, even in small ways like fixing documentation. He emphasizes that these contributions are valuable and help others avoid frustration. * On the Collaborative Nature of Software Development * Quote: “Me helping you doesn’t diminish me. It’s not a zero sum game. It’s not like I now have less because I’ve helped you. It’s better for both of us.” * Timestamp: 00:36:24–00:36:31 * Context: Nate emphasizes the collaborative ethic of the Java community, where helping others benefits everyone, which reinforces the value of contributing knowledge and support. * On Personal Passion for Teaching * Quote: “Oh, for sure… When I was probably in high school, I thought, well, I’ll be a teacher of some sort. I just didn’t know what.” * Timestamp: 00:39:42–00:39:53 * Context: Nate reflects on his lifelong passion for teaching, which began in high school and led to his current role teaching graduate courses and engaging with the community. * On Mentorship and Giving Back * Quote: “So many people helped me. So many people reached out a hand and helped me up. So my job is to turn around and help somebody else to and help them understand something or put them in a position to succeed.” * Timestamp: 00:41:56–00:42:16 * Context: Nate reflects on his duty to mentor others, inspired by the support he received, emphasizing the importance of helping the next generation of developers succeed. * On AI as a Learning Tool, Not a Shortcut * Quote: “You still have to have the expertise. You still have to have the fundamentals. People seem to think they can skip over the fundamentals and somehow AI will be the salve over all of that. And where I think we get in trouble is if you just blindly accept whatever the AI says.” * Timestamp: 00:45:04–00:45:24 * Context: Nate discusses the role of AI in learning, cautioning that it should be used to enhance understanding, not to bypass learning core concepts, especially for students. * On Using AI to Support Learning * Quote: “I love it in the sense of, if a student is using this, because actually one of my students did this last spring, he was doing some stuff with Kafka and he couldn’t quite figure out how to get it configured and so he asked you know chat GPT or whatever how do I configure this and like, oh here’s what you do and he’s like that’s awesome.” * Timestamp: 00:52:38–00:52:52 * Context: Nate shares an example of a student using AI (ChatGPT) to learn Kafka configuration, illustrating how AI can save time and aid learning for those with foundational knowledge. * On Encouraging Thoughtful Use of AI in Education * Quote: “I think that’s the worst thing you can do, frankly, as a teacher is to pretend it’s not there and all my students aren’t using it. They are. So figure out how to incorporate it,

    56 min

  8. 06/28/2025

    Francisco Contreras: I Felt Like I Could do Anything!

    Duke’s Corner Podcast with Francisco Contreras, who is a Java developer and a co-organizer at Nicaragua JUG. Francisco has been a Java developer for over 15 years and he runs his own consulting business with customers around the world. He's passionate about Java the technology and also Java the community. "When I learned Java at university I felt like I could do anything with that," he said, talking about how Java enables him to engage developers, write really great software, and also grow a business. But Java goes well beyond just technology. When Francisco had some personal challenges in his life, he was happy that many community members immediately offered to help him. "The sense of community in the Java environment is just awesome!" Interview Archive Get full access to Jim Grisanzio at jimgrisanzio.substack.com/subscribe

    32 min
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    Jim Grisanzio
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    2024 - 2025
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    © Jim Grisanzio
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