GOTO - The Brightest Minds in Tech

This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted. https://gotopia.tech [https://gotopia.tech] Read the full transcription of this interview here [https://gotopia.tech/articles/372] Paul Slaughter - Staff Fullstack Engineer at GitLab & Creator of Conventional Comments Adrienne Braganza Tacke - Senior Developer Advocate at Viam Robotics & Author of "Looks Good To Me: Constructive Code Reviews" RESOURCES Paul https://x.com/souldzin [https://x.com/souldzin]https://github.com/souldzin [https://github.com/souldzin]https://gitlab.com/pslaughter [https://gitlab.com/pslaughter]https://gitlab.com/souldzin [https://gitlab.com/souldzin]https://souldzin.com [https://souldzin.com] Adrienne https://bsky.app/profile/abt.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/abt.bsky.social]https://x.com/AdrienneTacke [https://x.com/AdrienneTacke]https://github.com/AdrienneTacke [https://github.com/AdrienneTacke]https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriennetacke [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriennetacke]https://www.instagram.com/adriennetacke [https://www.instagram.com/adriennetacke]https://www.adrienne.io [https://www.adrienne.io]https://blog.adrienne.io [https://blog.adrienne.io] Links https://conventionalcomments.org [https://conventionalcomments.org] DESCRIPTION Can "Conventional Comments" transform code reviews from frustrating experiences into productive collaborations? Paul Slaughter shares his experience developing and practicing "Conventional Comments", a structured approach to improving code review communications through labeled feedback. The conversation explores clear communication patterns with labels (e.g. 'suggestion:', 'issue:' or 'question:'). Paul and Adrienne discuss the importance of empathy in the review process, the balance between politeness and efficiency, and how GitLab's Code Review Weekly Workshops have helped normalize review experiences across their remote teams. The interview highlights that effective code reviews depend not just on technical evaluations but on thoughtful communication that acknowledges developers' emotional investment in their work while fostering a culture of collaborative ownership. RECOMMENDED BOOKS Adrienne Braganza Tacke • "Looks Good to Me": Constructive Code Reviews [https://amzn.to/3E75XrD]Adrienne Braganza Tacke • Coding for Kids [https://amzn.to/3Ukd5Gw]Grace Huang • Code Reviews in Tech [https://amzn.to/4fbwYr8]Martin Fowler • Refactoring [https://amzn.to/3EVcHXQ]Matthew Skelton & Manuel Pais • Team Topologies [http://amzn.to/3sVLyLQ]Dave Thomas & Andy Hunt • The Pragmatic Programmer [https://amzn.to/3azvUy3] Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/gotocon.com] Twitter [https://twitter.com/GOTOcon] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goto_con] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/goto-] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/GOTOConferences] CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join] Looking for a unique learning experience? Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech [https://gotopia.tech] SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL [https://www.youtube.com/user/GotoConferences/?sub_confirmation=1] - new videos posted daily!

This interview was recorded for GOTO Unscripted. https://gotopia.tech [https://gotopia.tech] Read the full transcription of this interview here [https://gotopia.tech/articles/374] Brooklyn Zelenka - Author of Numerous Libraries Including Witchcraft & Founded the Vancouver Functional Programming Meetup Julian Wood - Serverless Developer Advocate at AWS RESOURCES Brooklyn https://bsky.app/profile/expede.wtf [https://bsky.app/profile/expede.wtf]https://octodon.social/@expede@types.pl [https://octodon.social/@expede@types.pl]https://github.com/expede [https://github.com/expede]https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooklynzelenka [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooklynzelenka]https://notes.brooklynzelenka.com [https://notes.brooklynzelenka.com] Julian https://bsky.app/profile/julianwood.com [https://bsky.app/profile/julianwood.com]https://twitter.com/julian_wood [https://twitter.com/julian_wood]http://www.wooditwork.com [http://www.wooditwork.com]https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianrwood [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianrwood] Links https://automerge.org [https://automerge.org]https://discord.com/invite/zKGe4DCfgR [https://discord.com/invite/zKGe4DCfgR]https://www.robinsloan.com/notes/home-cooked-app [https://www.robinsloan.com/notes/home-cooked-app]https://github.com/ipvm-wg [https://github.com/ipvm-wg]https://www.localfirst.fm [https://www.localfirst.fm]https://localfirstweb.dev [https://localfirstweb.dev] DESCRIPTION Distributed systems researcher Brooklyn Zelenka unpacks the paradigm shift of local-first computing, where applications primarily run on users' devices and synchronize seamlessly without central servers. In a conversation with Julian Wood, she explains how this approach reduces latency, enables offline functionality, improves privacy through encryption, and democratizes app development—all while using sophisticated data structures. Perfect for collaborative tools and "cozy web" applications serving smaller communities, local-first software represents a fundamental rethinking of how we've built software for the past 30 years. RECOMMENDED BOOKS Ford, Parsons, Kua & Sadalage • Building Evolutionary Architectures 2nd Edition [https://amzn.to/3lqr5Q8]Ford, Richards, Sadalage & Dehghani • Software Architecture: The Hard Parts [https://amzn.to/3QeMgjR]Mark Richards & Neal Ford • Fundamentals of Software Architecture [https://amzn.to/3wMBhoI]Ford, Parsons & Kua • Building Evolutionary Architectures [https://amzn.to/3l0IOh2]Neal Ford • Functional Thinking [https://amzn.to/3l6ND8M]Michael Feathers • Working Effectively with Legacy Code [https://amzn.to/3ZFQoMU] Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/gotocon.com] Twitter [https://twitter.com/GOTOcon] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goto_con] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/goto-] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/GOTOConferences] CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join] Looking for a unique learning experience? Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech [https://gotopia.tech] SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL [https://www.youtube.com/user/GotoConferences/?sub_confirmation=1] - new videos posted daily!

This interview was recorded for the GOTO Book Club. http://gotopia.tech/bookclub [http://gotopia.tech/bookclub] Read the full transcription of the interview here [https://gotopia.tech/episodes/373] Charles Humble - Freelance Techie, Podcaster, Editor, Author & Consultant Trisha Gee - Lead Developer Evangelist at Gradle, Java Champion & Co-Author of "Getting to Know IntelliJ IDEA" RESOURCES Charles https://bsky.app/profile/charleshumble.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/charleshumble.bsky.social]https://linkedin.com/in/charleshumble [https://linkedin.com/in/charleshumble]https://mastodon.social/@charleshumble [https://mastodon.social/@charleshumble]https://conissaunce.com [https://conissaunce.com] Trisha https://bsky.app/profile/trishagee.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/trishagee.bsky.social]https://twitter.com/trisha_gee [https://twitter.com/trisha_gee]https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishagee [https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishagee]https://trishagee.com [https://trishagee.com]https://github.com/trishagee [https://github.com/trishagee] Links https://www.conissaunce.com/professional-skills-shortcut.html [https://www.conissaunce.com/professional-skills-shortcut.html]https://www.jeanettewinterson.com [https://www.jeanettewinterson.com] DESCRIPTION Trisha Gee interviews Charles Humble on his project "Professional Skills for Software Engineers", a collection of 14 articles organized into four categories: • communication • critical thinking • documentation • networking Charles argues that career success in software engineering oftentimes depends more on non-programming skills than technical ability. Both Charles and Trisha emphasize that these skills are learnable and essential, despite being undervalued in the industry as mere "soft skills". The conversation covers how intentional communication improves product development, the value of networking and public speaking for career advancement, and ways engineers can generate ideas for content creation while taking ownership of their career development. The interview makes a compelling case that developing these professional skills benefits both individual engineers and the industry as a whole. RECOMMENDED BOOKS Charles Humble • Professional Skills for Software Engineers [https://www.conissaunce.com/professional-skills-shortcut]Kevlin Henney & Trisha Gee • 97 Things Every Java Programmer Should Know [https://amzn.to/3kiTwJJ]Anne Currie, Sarah Hsu & Sara Bergman • Building Green Software [https://amzn.to/3IKopW5]Cal Newport • Deep Work [https://amzn.to/3RlicEx]Martin Fowler • UML Distilled [https://amzn.to/3GdBObf]Cathy O'Neil • Weapons of [https://amzn.to/42jYkba] Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/gotocon.com] Twitter [https://twitter.com/GOTOcon] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goto_con] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/goto-] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/GOTOConferences] CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join] Looking for a unique learning experience? Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech [https://gotopia.tech] SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL [https://www.youtube.com/user/GotoConferences/?sub_confirmation=1] - new videos posted daily!

This interview was recorded for the GOTO Book Club. http://gotopia.tech/bookclub [http://gotopia.tech/bookclub] Read the full transcription of the interview here [https://gotopia.tech/episodes/371] Stefan Baumgartner - Author of "TypeScript Cookbook" & "TypeScript in 50 Lessons" Peter Kröner - Host of "Working Draft" Podcast & Freelance Trainer for Frontend Web Tech RESOURCES Stefan https://bsky.app/profile/deadparrot.dev [https://bsky.app/profile/deadparrot.dev]https://mastodon.social/@deadparrot [https://mastodon.social/@deadparrot]https://x.com/ddprrt [https://x.com/ddprrt]https://github.com/ddprrt [https://github.com/ddprrt]https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-baumgartner-bb621564 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-baumgartner-bb621564]https://oida.dev [https://oida.dev] Peter https://bsky.app/profile/sirpepe.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/sirpepe.bsky.social]https://mastodon.social/@sir_pepe [https://mastodon.social/@sir_pepe]https://github.com/SirPepe [https://github.com/SirPepe]https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkroener [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkroener]https://www.peterkroener.de [https://www.peterkroener.de] Links https://typescript-cookbook.com [https://typescript-cookbook.com]https://typescript-book.com [https://typescript-book.com]https://workingdraft.de [https://workingdraft.de] DESCRIPTION Peter Kröner and Stefan Baumgartner explore practical TypeScript implementation strategies in this discussion of Stefan's latest book, "TypeScript Cookbook", a sequel to his previous work "TypeScript in 50 Lessons". From minimal type annotations to knowing when to use advanced features, Stefan shares insights on efficient project setup, alternatives to enums, and the strategic use of classes. The conversation examines the philosophy behind TypeScript's design while emphasizing a pragmatic approach that focuses on understanding what happens behind the scenes to make better coding decisions. Stefan consistently advocates for simplicity and intentionality when working with TypeScript's powerful but sometimes complex type system. RECOMMENDED BOOKS Stefan Baumgartner • TypeScript Cookbook [https://amzn.to/4iefuM7]Stefan Baumgartner • TypeScript in 50 Lessons [https://amzn.to/4lEBanw]Alexandre Portela dos Santos • Deno Web Development [https://amzn.to/3MZBY7g]Fernando Doglio • Introducing Deno [https://amzn.to/3KOFBKy]Dan Vanderkam • Effective TypeScript [https://amzn.to/3DBmCib]Nathan Rozentals • Mastering TypeScript [https://amzn.to/2V4LYUt] Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/gotocon.com] Twitter [https://twitter.com/GOTOcon] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goto_con] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/goto-] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/GOTOConferences] CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join] Looking for a unique learning experience? Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech [https://gotopia.tech] SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL [https://www.youtube.com/user/GotoConferences/?sub_confirmation=1] - new videos posted daily!

This interview was recorded for the GOTO Book Club. http://gotopia.tech/bookclub [http://gotopia.tech/bookclub] Read the full transcription of the interview here [https://gotopia.tech/episodes/369] Barry O'Reilly - Founder at Black Tulip Tech and Author of "Residues" & "The Architect's Paradox" Jacqui Read - Software Architect, Speaker & Author of "Communication Patterns" RESOURCES Barry https://bsky.app/profile/technologytulip.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/technologytulip.bsky.social]https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-o-reilly-b924657 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-o-reilly-b924657]https://www.blacktulip.se [https://www.blacktulip.se] Jacqui https://bsky.app/profile/tekiegirl.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/tekiegirl.bsky.social]https://jacquiread.com [https://jacquiread.com]https://fosstodon.org/@tekiegirl [https://fosstodon.org/@tekiegirl]https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelineread [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelineread]https://github.com/tekiegirl [https://github.com/tekiegirl] DESCRIPTION In this GOTO Book Club interview, Jacqui Read discusses with Barry O'Reilly his books "Residues: Time, Uncertainty, and Change in Software Architecture" and "The Architect's Paradox". He explains how uncertainty defines the architect's role and introduces residuality—a method where architects deliberately stress their conceptual models until they collapse, then optimize the resulting "residues" or leftovers to create more resilient systems. Unlike traditional software engineering approaches, that try to eliminate uncertainty through rigid requirements, residuality embraces random stressors (even far-fetched scenarios like giant lizards) to uncover architectural fault lines. O'Reilly argues that this playful yet mathematically sound approach produces more robust architectures than conventional methods, and his second book explores how inherited philosophical thinking often undermines software architecture's effectiveness in complex business contexts. RECOMMENDED BOOKS Barry O'Reilly • Residues [https://leanpub.com/residuality]Barry O'Reilly • The Architect's Paradox [https://leanpub.com/architectsparadox]Jacqui Read • Communication Patterns [https://amzn.to/3E37lvv]Anne Currie & Jamie Dobson • The Cloud Native Attitude [https://amzn.to/3R0exeT]Gregor Hohpe • The Software Architect Elevator [https://amzn.to/3F6d2ax]Gregor Hohpe • Enterprise Integration Patterns, Vol 2 [https://amzn.to/3TNedQ3] Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/gotocon.com] Twitter [https://twitter.com/GOTOcon] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/goto_con] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/goto-] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/GOTOConferences] CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP BONUS Join this channel to get early access to videos & other perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs_tLP3AiwYKwdUHpltJPuA/join] Looking for a unique learning experience? Attend the next GOTO conference near you! Get your ticket: gotopia.tech [https://gotopia.tech] SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL [https://www.youtube.com/user/GotoConferences/?sub_confirmation=1] - new videos posted daily!