14: Mike Roberts, Sheep and Cheese

In this episode, Mike Roberts, co-founder of Symphonia, joins me to talk about Sheep and Cheese, a private mailing list he created for friends and colleagues in the software industry. As this community grew over many years, Mike noticed a tension between his own values and what he observed on the mailing list, ultimately leading to his decision to shut it down.

Mike and I talk about the history of this small group and how it mirrored broader shifts in the culture of the technology industry. The decision to end it was not taken lightly, but it was driven by a sense of moral responsibility to help the industry, in whatever tiny way we can, become a more respectful, welcoming, and collegial space for everyone.

More details and links are in the show notes at nomanifestos.com/episodes/14

The theme music is Mandelbrot Set from the album Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow by Jonathan Coulton, used under a Creative Commons BY-NC 3.0 License, edited and shortened.