Nerd Show and Tell: Meet Zach Leatherman

Ready to geek out? In this episode of Podcast Awesome's Nerd Show and Tell, Matt sits down with none other than Zach Leatherman, the tech dynamo and creator behind Eleventy — the static site generator that’s got web devs buzzing. Zach’s tech-world experience is a wild ride of innovation, grit, and love for the open web. With a little help from our team here at Font Awesome, Zach’s pushing to make open-source sustainable and bring back the glory days of personal websites, free from algorithm overlords.

Zach gets real about the rollercoaster ride of building Eleventy and why owning your corner of the internet is more important than ever. Expect some hot takes on the tech industry, social media, and how platforms like Eleventy could just be the ticket to a new wave of web independence. Plus, you’ll get a peek into the collaborative brainpower with our founders Dave and Travis backing Zach’s mission. Hold onto your icons — this one’s packed!

Key Takeaways:

• Eleventy: Zach’s creation was inspired by Jekyll, but it’s packed with unique features — no messy databases or plugins here! Simple, secure, and seriously impressive.
• Sustainable Open Source: Zach’s career shines a light on the need for open-source projects to be sustainable, allowing devs to thrive without burning out.
• Browser Dev Tools Love: Remember Firebug? Zach does. He spills on how these tools have shaped modern web development practices.
• Indie Web Comeback: Forget the social media maze. Zach’s all about owning your digital real estate, championing a return to independent web publishing.
• Font Awesome Collab: It’s a team effort! With the support of our founders and a shared mission, we’re backing Zach and Eleventy for a brighter, algorithm-free web future.

Timestamp Summary 

🚀 0:00 | Zach Leatherman Discusses Eleventy and Open Source Challenges  

💸 1:59 | Navigating the Challenges of Open Source Project Funding  

⚖️ 13:04 | Balancing Open Source Passion with Sustainable Business Models  

🌟 20:15 | The Joy of Building Websites and Creative Storytelling  

🧻 25:26 | Debating the Proper Way to Hang Toilet Paper  

🌌 26:27 | Eleventy's Future and Integration into the Awesome Universe  

Links and Resources:

• Twitter: @fontawesome
• Instagram: @font.awesome
• Eleventy Documentation
• Zach Leatherman on GitHub

Credits:

• Theme music by Ronnie Martin: https://ronniemartin.org/
• Music interstitials by Zach Malm: https://muzach.bandcamp.com/
• Audio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon Productions: https://www.lemonproductions.ca/

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