Blog

Most of my blog posts dating back to 2002. Some written here, some written elsewhere and aggregated here.
Podcasting 101 - What you need to get started on Mac

Podcasting 101 - What you need to get started on Mac

26/07/2017
Podcasting is undergoing a renaissance with listeners consuming on-demand shows at unprecedented levels, and creators enjoying surprising levels of success with their work. One thing that sets apart the amateurs from the professionals is good content, but the other is production values. Here are some of the things I’ve learned, along with recommendations on the hardware, software and techniques to get you started podcasting using your Mac.
What affect is tech having on society? An interview with Yael Eisenstat

What affect is tech having on society? An interview with Yael Eisenstat

21/07/2017
Yael Eisenstat has an interesting past. She ‘came out’ as a long term CIA employee in January 2017 after Donald Trump delivered a poorly received speech in front of the C.I.A. Memorial Wall. She didn’t intend to be sensationalist or release state secrets like some previous ex-secret service employees who revealed their identity, rather she had had enough of Trumps stream of insults to her country and hoped that her actions could make a difference. She has advised vice-presidents and major corporate companies and now works at New York University as an adjunct professor. Whilst at the eccentric and eclectic Tech Open Air in Berlin, I spoke with Yael to discuss technology, its impact on society, and we, or tech companies can and should do about it.
Becoming the First Cyborgs With Liviu Babitz

Becoming the First Cyborgs With Liviu Babitz

21/07/2017
While sci-fi predicted sweeping changes in cyborgs, like limb replacement, the truth probably lies in a smaller start, like embedding sensors in our bodies. Liviu Babitz, Founder of Cyborg Nest, agrees, predicting that we will instead look to add new senses or enhance those we already have in small and subtle ways. Liviu began with a small sensor that vibrates when he is facing north, in itself not the most useful sense to possess, but a step in the right direction to show what could be possible.
Startupbootcamp demo day on transport and energy

Startupbootcamp demo day on transport and energy

17/07/2017
Around me are dozens of vintage cars in an old warehouse, tucked into a corner of Berlin’s north west. Those into cars are in heaven, dashing around the vast building, snapping photos of shiny vehicles as old as most attendees. I on the other hand head straight to the coffee and snacks.
A Comparison of Docker GUIs

A Comparison of Docker GUIs

12/07/2017
The Docker API has allowed for a plethora of options for interfacing with Docker, your containers, and images to emerge from CLIs to desktop applications and web-based management tools. I am a fan of graphical user interfaces and thought it was time to survey the current landscape of GUIs for interacting with Docker.
12 must-listen software engineering podcast episodes

12 must-listen software engineering podcast episodes

11/07/2017
I listen to hours of developer-focused podcasts each week covering tech, current affairs, board games, and general geekery. I even started my own podcast, which I have a lot of fun making. Hundreds of developers have written blog posts recommending thousands of different podcast series. There's no shortage of such recommendations for software engineers, so I won't subject you to another one of those lists. Instead, I'll idenfity specific podcast episodes that I think nailed a particular topic and were extremely engaging and fascinating from a developer's or technologist's perspective. For some of them, the interview subject or guest was especially interesting, or a discussion cropped up that was really compelling. For some reason, these episodes were very memorable, and that's why I think each one is worth your time.
Docker Monitoring - 5 Methods for Monitoring Java Applications in Docker

Docker Monitoring - 5 Methods for Monitoring Java Applications in Docker

28/06/2017
Running applications in containers is an increasingly popular way of maintaining large, distributed stacks that change based on demand. The Java VM heritage makes it an ideal language for container-based infrastructures. With many moving parts and components, monitoring Java applications in containers requires planning and choosing the right tools to monitor the aspects that matter to you.
HashiCorp Tools Useful for Continuous Integration

HashiCorp Tools Useful for Continuous Integration

20/06/2017
HashiCorp is a company that feels like it’s always been around. Quietly plugging away just out of the limelight working on awesome products and every now and then releasing something groundbreaking that you wondered how you worked without it. I attended a couple of meetups recently that covered HashiCorp tools and felt the time was ripe I dug into all they have to offer a CI workflow.
CI Workflows and Bots

CI Workflows and Bots

24/05/2017
Chat bots are everywhere. Suddenly our messaging services are inundated with small automated systems inhabiting spaces in the domain of human-to-human communication. We can now have conversations with bots that help us buy products, book travel, make meetings, solve customer service issues, and much more.
Feeling Fabulous With Queer Tech at #UNIT Berlin

Feeling Fabulous With Queer Tech at #UNIT Berlin

19/05/2017
\#UNIT runs regular meetups in Berlin aimed at those working in tech who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LBGTI), but with an overarching message of providing a space for speakers who you might not always see at more mainstream events. I personally don’t identify as any of these, but I always enjoy the diverse messages and fun atmosphere I hear at the meetups, and this was my second time attending the yearly conference.