Maintainable

Robby Russell
  • 5.0 (31)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Maintainable

Do you feel like you're hitting a wall with your existing software projects? Are you curious to hear how other people are navigating this? You're not alone. On the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby speaks with seasoned practitioners who have overcome the technical and cultural problems often associated with software development. Our guests will share stories in each episode and outline tangible, real-world approaches to software challenges. In turn, you'll uncover new ways of thinking about how to improve your software project's maintainability.

  1. Heimir Thor Sverrisson: Architecture First, Tech Debt Second

    2D AGO

    Heimir Thor Sverrisson: Architecture First, Tech Debt Second

    Sustainable software starts with sustainable architecture. Heimir Thor Sverrisson joins Robby to discuss why poor architectural decisions make maintenance a losing battle, how technical debt should be managed, and why adding more CPUs won’t always fix your performance problems.

    41 min
  2. Noémi Ványi: Only Fix Problems That Are Actually Problems

    MAR 11

    Noémi Ványi: Only Fix Problems That Are Actually Problems

    Not every messy piece of code needs a refactor. Noémi Ványi joins Robby to discuss how to decide when technical debt is worth paying down, why developer autonomy matters, and how intuition plays a key role in software sustainability.

    42 min
  3. Julia López: Code Tells a Story—Even the White Spaces

    FEB 25

    Julia López: Code Tells a Story—Even the White Spaces

    What can legacy code tell us—beyond just functionality? Julia Lopez shares how even white spaces and variable names reveal a system’s history. She and Robby dive into mentoring, refactoring, and the realities of rewriting Harvest’s billing system.

    51 min
  4. Marty Haught: Rethinking Technical Debt—Is It Really Just Drift?

    FEB 18

    Marty Haught: Rethinking Technical Debt—Is It Really Just Drift?

    Is "technical debt" really the best metaphor for aging software? Marty Haught suggests a better one—drift. He joins Robby to discuss how software naturally diverges from its original intent, the challenge of sustaining open-source projects, and what companies can do to support critical infrastructure like RubyGems.

    53 min
  5. Mike Bowers - From ISAM to JSON—Navigating 40+ Years of Database Evolution

    FEB 11

    Mike Bowers - From ISAM to JSON—Navigating 40+ Years of Database Evolution

    For over 40 years, FairCom has evolved its database technology from ISAM to high-performance JSON APIs. Mike Bowers, Chief Architect at FairCom, joins Robby to discuss the complexities of maintaining a legacy codebase while innovating for the future. What does it take to modernize without breaking everything?

    45 min
  6. Lorna Mitchell: Writing Documentation Engineers Will Actually Read

    JAN 28

    Lorna Mitchell: Writing Documentation Engineers Will Actually Read

    Why is documentation often overlooked but so critical to success? Lorna Mitchell shares practical strategies for writing documentation engineers will actually read and explains how thoughtful API design and open source stewardship create more maintainable software.

    43 min
  7. Carola Lilienthal: Tackling Technical Debt with Patterns and Domain Knowledge

    JAN 21

    Carola Lilienthal: Tackling Technical Debt with Patterns and Domain Knowledge

    What role do architecture, modularity, and domain knowledge play in reducing technical debt? Join Robby as he chats with Carola Lilienthal about designing maintainable software, using cognitive science to simplify systems, and the importance of patterns for sustainable development.

    43 min
  8. Joel Hawksley: The Hidden Costs of Frontend Complexity

    JAN 14

    Joel Hawksley: The Hidden Costs of Frontend Complexity

    Joel Hawksley, Staff Software Engineer at GitHub, joins Robby to discuss the challenges of scaling frontend systems and ensuring accessibility across a massive platform. With over six years of experience at GitHub, Joel reflects on the evolution of their design system, Primer, the importance of changeability in software, and strategies for addressing the complexities of frontend maintenance.

    46 min
See All (207)

5
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

Do you feel like you're hitting a wall with your existing software projects? Are you curious to hear how other people are navigating this? You're not alone. On the Maintainable Software Podcast, Robby speaks with seasoned practitioners who have overcome the technical and cultural problems often associated with software development. Our guests will share stories in each episode and outline tangible, real-world approaches to software challenges. In turn, you'll uncover new ways of thinking about how to improve your software project's maintainability.

Information

  • Creator
    Robby Russell
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    207
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2019-2024 Maintainable Software Podcast
  • Show Website
    Maintainable

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