The [REFACTORED] Podcast

Refactored 074: "Use the Dang Frameworks"

Wherein the guys implement a stack to keep track of all the sidebars.

Show Notes

• Chris is totally geeking out about the images released from the James Webb Space Telescope and then goes on a tangent about proving Einstein right (frame-dragging, gravitational redshift and lensing, gravitational waves, …).
• Frank claims there are people out there ignoring all the benefits frameworks provide, like…
  • Bootstrap (or a hundred other alternatives)
  • Sass
  • TypeScript (also maybe CoffeeScript)
  • Hotwire
• Chris goes on a rant about pour over coffee and how he just wants machines to do all the work. Then goes on a rant about why typing is good for the frontend but not the database.
• Key phrases/themes for this week: NIH and YAGNI.
• The guys fight (a little) about wireframing and prototyping.
• Feedback: Anon says, “I have a department which I am dependent upon that is always dealing with emergencies…” and boy, oh boy, does it sound like Anon is in a pickle. Yikes.
• … and much more!

code coffee feedback physics tooling workflow

Refactored 073: "Discoverability vs Expressiveness"

Wherein the guys nerd fight, but agree on spaces over tabs and vim over emacs.

Show Notes

• Chris likes DistroTube’s video about Vim where he argues (counterintuitively) that Vim is a better UX than a GUI editor.
• Is it worth it to learn the arcane sorceries of a terminal editor? The guys debate. Chris says yea, Frank says nay.
• Vim vs Visual Studio is a great case study to the broader Linux vs Fisher Price OS Winders debate.
• The guys like PowerShell (except the syntax) and Desired State Configuration (DSC) and SCCM Microsoft Endpoint Manger (MEM) are brought up for some reason.
• Some time is spent comparing Excel vs Google Docs vs sc.
  • Sadly, for SOME odd reason, no one thinks of or mentions LibreOffice Calc! /s
• … and much more!

design microsoft-sucks tooling ui-ux workflow

Refactored 072: "Rules of the Road"

Wherein Chris is undercover law enforcement and Frank is a consummate demotivator.

Show Notes

• Frank runs through the “Rules of the Road” (guidelines for fostering heatlhy creative discussion):
  1. Reserve judgement
  2. Raise alternatives, not protests
  3. You are not your ideas
  4. Always converse at a round table
• The guys agree - leaders should speak last.
• Feedback: Dave asks, “What are your suggestions for building a sense of “team” with everyone working remotely?
• The pick of the week is demotivational material by Despair. Some of our favorites:
  • Motivation — If a pretty poster and a cute saying are all it takes to motivate you, you probably have a very easy job. The kind robots will be doing soon.
  • Teamwork — Because none of us is as dumb as all of us.
  • Consulting — If you’re not part of the solution, there’s good money to be made prolonging the problem.
• … and much more!

communication etiquette feedback meetings