The Elixir Wizards season 9 theme was Parsing the Particulars. The guests chose a subject to explore and discuss in detail. Hosts Sundi, Owen, and Dan return this season, joined by a new host and SmartLogic Software Developer, Bilal Hankins.
Throughout the season, we acutely analyze different aspects of developing with Elixir, from observability to onboarding. These discussions allow us to recognize areas of opportunity and how to choose the right tools for the job. Dave Lucia, Tyler Young, and Kate Rezentes are just a few of the talented guests who joined us this season.
Season 9, Episode 1: Dave Lucia on Observability at Bitfo
Original Air Date: September 29, 2022
We start the season with Dave Lucia, Chief Technology Officer at Bitfo, a media company offering educational content for cryptocurrency enthusiasts. Dave is an active voice in the Elixir community and has given talks at Code Beam SF, ElixirConf, and RabbitMQ Summit.
In this episode, we talk extensively about observability. Observability is essentially "parsing the particulars" of your application. It's about seeing the big picture and zooming in to explore regressions and issues. We speak about common mistakes teams and engineers make regarding observability and choosing the right tools to correct these issues.
Season 9, Episode 2: Kate Rezentes on GenServers at Simplebet
Original Air Date: October 6, 2022
Kate Rezentes joins the Wizards to parse the particulars of GenServers. Kate, a junior software developer at Simplebet, tells us about instances when a GenServer is appropriate, casts and callbacks, and the testing process. We get an inside look at Kate's working experience at SimpleBet and insight into conferences as networking opportunities.
Season 9, Episode 3: Tyler Young on Geo Mapping at Felt
Original Air Date: October 13, 2022
The Elixir Wizards welcome Tyler Young, senior software developer at Felt, to explore the wonderful world of Geo Mapping. Tyler tells us about the process of turning data into maps, and we expand on the uses of a map far beyond location.
Mapping helps find directions but also highlights patterns, informs scientific research and epidemiology, and more. We discuss GIS (geographic information system mapping), standards and protocols, and specific tools that translate data into an interactive and collaborative map.
Season 9, Episode 4: Mark & David from Thinking Elixir on Ecto Queries
Original Air Date: October 20, 2022
Thinking Elixir Podcast hosts Mark & David took over Elixir Wizards! In this episode, we parse the particulars of Ecto queries, schema migrations, edge cases, and more. David tells us about his new book, Ecto In Production, and other resources for the Ecto-curious.
"Ecto is a whole wide world of information. You think you know a lot, and then you realize you don't. Nope, I'm almost just as dumb as I was five years ago about SQL and Ecto. Nope, it evolves. It gets deep." - Mark Ericksen
Season 9, Episode 5: Jason Stiebs on LiveView at RokkinCat
Original Air Date: October 27, 2022
Jason Stiebs joins the Elixir Wizards to discuss Phoenix LiveView. Jason is a core contributor to Phoenix and details how his opinion of LiveView has shifted. At SmartLogic, we also shifted our view of LV after learning more at ElixirConf 2022. In this informative episode, we discuss the future and features of LiveView, its functionality, and its use over an SPA framework.
Season 9, Episode 6: Ashley Smith & Kenneth Moy from Bowery Farming on Oban
Original Air Date: November 3, 2022
In Episode 6, Ashley and Kenneth from Bowery Farming join us to discuss the Oban job processing library. They explain how Oban benefits their operation and what it's like to see their work come to life. We discuss the backend software stack that helps power smart farms and how they use Elixir to run in-house, automated solutions. Tune in to learn about the future of food and how technology can revolutionize agriculture.
Season 9, Episode 7: Theo Harris on Onboarding into Elixir at Alembic
Original Air Date: November 10, 2022
We welcome Theo Harris to the show to discuss onboarding new members to Elixir. Theo speaks in detail about a project utilizing Phoenix LiveView and what they do at Alembic. We focus on advice for beginners looking to learn Elixir/Phoenix and join an Elixir engineering team, including potential challenges they may face.
Season 9, Episode 8: Harper Atlas on Tailwind From the Perspective of a Designer
Original Air Date: November 17, 2022
In Episode 8, SmartLogic's own Harper Atlas joins us to discuss the Tailwind framework and her experience working with an Elixir engineering team as a UX designer. She tells us about a typical day as a product designer and what goes into a developer handoff.
We also discuss Figma and FigJam (including fun personal ways to enjoy Figma outside work), the pros and cons of Tailwind, and the importance of bridging the gap between developer and designer communications.
Season 9, Episode 9: Jenny Bramble on Testing and Collaboration at Papa
Original Air Date: December 1, 2022
Jenny Bramble joins the Elixir Wizards to discuss her career path and her journey to becoming a software test engineer. Jenny is a prolific speaker and has given 24 talks at conferences and events. She provides us with a breakdown of some of her keynotes, including Seems Good Enough to Me: Working with Testers to De-Risk Elixir Upgrades, a talk she gave at ElixirConf 2022.
She talks extensively about the role of quality engineering and provides some insights into things that tend to get caught by QA during code reviews.
Season 9, Episode 10: Frank Hunleth and Joe Martin on the Particulars of Nerves
Original Air Date: December 8, 2022
In episode 10, Frank Hunleth and Joe Martin join us to parse the particulars of the Nerves framework. We learn how Nerves is currently being utilized to automate farming and energy operations.
Frank and Joe discuss the production, terminology, customization, and functionality of Nerves and how well it can coexist with embedded projects in other languages.
Season 9, Episode 11: Chris Miller on Crafting a Programming Language
Original Air Date: December 15, 2022
In this episode, Chris Miller joins us again to discuss the different approaches to programming. Chris expounds on the natural evolution of languages and methods and how everyone participating contributes to change. We discuss languages from Chinese to Greek to C++.
In this fascinating discussion, we explore the advantages of understanding multiple languages and how this curiosity can continue to inspire innovation.
Season 9, Episode 12: Marcelo Dominguez on Command and Query Responsibility Segregation
Original Air Date: December 22, 2022
In the penultimate episode of season 9, Marcelo Dominguez joins us to discuss command query responsibility segregation (CQRS). Marcelo defines CQRS and how it differs from CRUD. We learn more about applications that can benefit from CQRS and what tools to utilize.
Marcelo is the cofounder of Mimiquate, a specialized team of developers that provide customized solutions for clients using Elixir, Ruby on Rails, and Ember.
Season 9, Episode 13: That's a Wrap: Season 9 Finale with Sundi, Bilal, Owen & Dan!
Original Air Date: December 29, 2022
Elixir Wizards Season 9 is coming to an end! In the season finale, hosts Sundi, Bilal, Owen, and Dan reflect on the guests and highlights that made this season unforgettable.
We thank you for joining us as we parsed the particulars and can't wait to reconnect next season for even more insightful conversations!
