The ReadME Podcast The ReadME Project, GitHub

In this episode of The ReadME Podcast, hosts Neha Batra and Martin Woodward look back on their growth and learnings from the past season, from pronunciation struggles to hosting highs. Next, they share a fun story about the world's first webcam at the University of Cambridge in 1991 and its coffee-related origins. The hosts then dive into the Digital Public Goods Alliance with Ricardo Mirón Torres, who highlights the success of open-source solutions like DHIS 2 in addressing global challenges, including its role in tracking COVID-19 in Sri Lanka.
The conversation then shifts to the Laravel PHP framework with Senior Editor Klint Finley, examining its popularity, ease of use, and the vibrant community surrounding it. Klint turns the interview around on Neha and Martin and asks about their favorite moments from the season to close out the episode.

Programming languages are always in flux, and so is the way we use them. In this episode, we dive into the rise of TypeScript, with The ReadME Project’s Senior Editor Mike Melanson outlining its history and evolution. Hosts Neha Batra and Martin Woodward discuss the pros and cons of static typing, and Jordan Harband from TC39 shares his views on the benefits and limitations of TypeScript. We also hear from Aaron Gustafson on AI’s potential to enhance accessibility and the projects leading the charge. And Kingsley Mkpandiok from the CHAOSS Project responds to an #AskRMP submission with tips on encouraging non-code contributions within open source projects.

The influence of open source extends well beyond code. In this episode, we dive into the less-explored areas of the open source community, spotlighting their profound and wide-ranging impact. With host Neha Batra away for travel, Martin Woodward welcomes Kyler Middleton to discuss navigating the open source community in a highly regulated environment. She highlights the dual challenges of aligning cultural norms and overcoming technical barriers. Also, The ReadME Project’s Klint Finley is back to discuss the underappreciated importance of non-code contributions to open source projects. He emphasizes how roles such as marketers, graphic designers, technical writers, and community managers can be vital for the success of a project. Lastly, we feature a clip from our bonus episode with Kelsey Hightower highlighting the complexity of scaling a project like Kubernetes, which extends beyond technical challenges to include legal, financial, and community-related aspects.

In this bonus episode, we hear from Kubernetes superstar Kelsey Hightower. Diving into crucial elements like empathy in maintainership, succession planning, and the identification of future leaders, hosts Martin Woodward and Neha Batra explore Kelsey’s philosophy on fostering thriving open source communities—and his hopes for the future state of Kubernetes. Dedicated to GitHub’s Maintainer Month, the conversation focuses on the people behind the projects, highlighting their extraordinary effort and celebrating their impact on the community. To close out this special episode, members of The ReadME Podcast community thank maintainers who have had a positive impact on them.

This month, we consider the evolution of openness in open source. The ReadME Project’s Senior Editor, Mike Melanson joins hosts Martin and Neha to discuss expert advice on why “closed to contributions” sometimes makes sense and how that model aligns with open source expectations. Additionally, maintainer, founder, and CEO of Scarf Avi Press highlights the benefit of analytics to maintainers and the open source community, and discusses the metrics that matter most. Also, Jessica Januik, Senior Software Engineer at Google, answers a listener question and shares insight into why humor is paramount when building team chemistry.

This month we’re exploring quantum leaps in technology—then, now, and what devs can do today to prepare for tomorrow. The hosts welcome Klint Finley, Senior Editor of The ReadME Project, to discuss the role that open source played in a recent nuclear fusion breakthrough. Additionally, we speak with Jerome Hardaway, Executive Director of Vets Who Code, who shares practical advice on fortifying your career against unforeseen forces. And for those just getting started, Kedasha Kerr joins us to answer a listener question and provide tips to get going with Git and GitHub.