Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

In this week's episode, recorded at RailsConf 2013, Ben Orenstein is joined by Jeff Casimir and Katrina Owen from Jumpstart Lab and gSchool to discuss performing, speaking, and imposter syndrome, preparing for your talk, and what makes a good talk and how to give one. The also discuss gSchool, the way the program works and they way it's guaranteed, teaching, admitting ignorance, how good practice should be harder than the real thing, and why Jeff didn't like studying Computer Science and why he didn't enjoy programming and how Rails reignited his passion for creating things, and much more. Peepcode gSchool Jumpstart Lab Code Academy galvanize Go Follow @thoughtbot, @r00k, @j3 and @kytrinyx on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

In this episode, recorded at RailsConf 2013, Ben Orenstein is joined by Gregg Pollack and Nathaniel Bibler from EnvyLabs and codeschool.com. Gregg shares what he's learned running his business, when not to be transparent, how to deal with compensation, and how the EnvyLabs compensation structure has changed over the years. Nathan, Gregg, and Ben also discuss Code School, yearly payments to a subscription, making courses effective, effective marketing, the effectiveness of mailing lists, community events, shared ownership, and much more. Code School RailsBridge Barcamp Orlando Ruby5 podcast Follow @thoughtbot, @r00k, @greggpollack and @nbibler on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

In this episode, recorded at RailsConf 2013, Ben Orenstein is joined by Jon Larkowski, closet hippie and developer at CareZone. Ben and Jon discuss being a closet hippie, transitioning from consulting to working on a startup/product team, ping-pong, paying attention to your habits and improving to your life, meditation, firewalling your attention, fostering a startup culture, imposter syndrome, podcasting, coffee, code review, guitar, and much more. e3 live algae CareZone Lift Headspace The Way I Getting Things Done by Jon Larkowski Ruby5 podcast Follow @thoughtbot, @r00k, and @l4rk on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

In this episode, recorded at RailsConf 2013, Ben Orenstein is joined by Ryan Bates of RailsCasts. Ben and Ryan discuss Ryan's transition to working on RailsCasts full time, staying up to date on the latest technology, how his coding style has changed, maintaining his open source, the process of producing RailsCasts, why he doesn't speak at conferences, the latest technology he is excited about, and much more RailsCasts Ruby Weekly Angular.js Follow @thoughtbot, @r00k, and @rbates on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

Ben Orenstein is joined by Joe Kutner, programmer and author of ‘The Healthy Programmer’. Ben and Joe discuss how the demands of a development job lead to unhealthy habits, and ways to address the issues. They discuss specifics like standing desks, walking desks, the pomodoro technique, exercise, vitamin D, and much more. The Healthy Programmer The pomodoro technique Starting Stength The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business Big Ruby 2013 Build a Bigger Brain: How Healthy Living Makes You Smarter Follow @thoughtbot, @r00k, and @codefinger on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

This week we try something a little different. Joe Ferris, Matt Jankowski, Ben Orenstein, and Chad Pytel get together and have a little fun, in what we're calling "Tiny Robots cuddling with other Tiny Robots". We'd love to get your thoughts on this special format, tweet us @thoughtbot or email learn@thoughtbot.com. Follow @thoughtbot, @joeferris, @jankowski, @r00k, and @cpytel on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

In this week's podcast, Ben Orenstein is joined by Chad Fowler, author, speaker, and CTO of 6wunderkinder. Ben and Chad discuss Chad's recent move to Berlin and 6wunderkinder, what a CTO does, getting back to coding, the early Ruby community, who Chad wants to hire, predicting success of new hires, and what makes a truly good developer, favorite interview questions, how Chad's interviewing process has changed over time, how age and experience can change your perspective, how Chad built a great team, and what he might write about in the future. They also discuss Chad's new tattoo, his regrets, meditation, therapy, gaining control over your mind, and much, much more. Wunderlist David A. Black Rich Kilmer Dave Thomas Hilary Mason, Speaking: Entertain, Don’t Teach Befunge Ook! a programming language designed for orangutans LivingSocial Gains Wealth Of Ruby on Rails Expertise With InfoEther Acquisition Ben Scofield Evan Pheonix The Passionate Programmer: Creating a Remarkable Career in Software Development My Job Went to India: 52 Ways to Save Your Job Martin Fowler Clojure Scala Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes who you are (Power Posing) Railsberry Power Posing! Follow @thoughtbot, @r00k, and @chadfowler on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

thoughtbot's Ben Orenstein is joined by Scott Orn, venture capitalist at Lighthouse Capital Partners by day, and co-founder of Ben's Friends by night. Ben and Scott discuss building a community, the future of Ben's Friends, and how running the site helps him be a better VC, teaching people, and getting value out of giving back. They also talk about his work as a venture capitalist at Lighthouse, how the money flows, the freemium software model, why it's good and how it works, picking the winners, and how the market can affect success, and the companies Scott thinks are great investments, and where he thinks the market is going. Ben's Friends Rails Rumble Jonathan Coulton's blog post, 'Payday' Lighthouse Capital Partners Boundless Follow @thoughtbot, @r00k, and @scottorn on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

This week, Ben Orenstein is joined by Peter Moldave, attorney at Gesmer Updegrove to discuss attorney client privilege, what not to do with email, the similarities between lawyers and programmers, how he got into law, his history with technology, and his time as a corporate lawyer at Apple. They also dig into how EULAs work, whether they are binding, whether you should be reading them, and how they can be enforced, software licensing, copyrights and the First-sale doctrine, patent law, software patents, and navigating the patent landscape. They also discuss how to view stock options in your startup job offer, working at startups, how to have a valuable career path, what your employer owns from your side projects or your work for them, how to manage liability in your startup, web site, app on the App Store, and side projects, the best corporate structure and much, much more. First-sale doctrine gSchool Assignment of Inventions Limited Liability Company The default iOS app store license Gesmer Updegrove, LLP Follow @thoughtbot, @r00k, and @petermoldave on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots

This week Ben Orenstein in joined by thoughtbot CEO, Chad Pytel, to discuss thoughbot's books, online and in-person training programs, other educational products, and the launch of thoughtbot's new subscription to everything they teach, Learn Prime. They also discuss some changes to apprentice.io, Five Guys, and much more! Ruby Science Backbone.js on Rails Intermediate Ruby on Rails Intro to Ruby on Rails Learn Prime apprentice.io Follow @thoughtbot, @r00k, and @cpytel on twitter.Support Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots