With Alain Mauri: to be a Great Developer, Learn Sport Instead of Computer Science

With Alain Mauri: to be a Great Developer, Learn Sport Instead of Computer Science

Author: Noah Gibbs September 22, 2020 Duration: 50:26

Alain and I talk about the old days; about jumping into a first job in PHP because Commodore 64 coding was probably close enough; about how, to be really great on a development team you can skip most of the university education, but learning sport should probably be mandatory.

For show notes, links, comments and transcripts see https://justtheusefulbits.com/alain-mauri-to-be-a-great-developer-learn-sport-instead-of-computer-science


Noah Gibbs hosts Computer Science: Just the Useful Bits, a podcast that cuts through the academic clutter to focus on practical theory. This isn't about abstract proofs or textbook memorization; it's about which concepts actually matter when you're building software. Each episode takes a specific idea-whether it's a classic algorithm, a method of analysis, or a foundational data structure-and puts it under a pragmatic lens. The central question is always about application: where is this genuinely useful in a modern development context, and where is it perhaps an intellectual exercise that rarely pays off? You'll hear informed opinions grounded in professional experience, dissecting the real-world value of computer science principles. The discussion goes beyond simple utility to explore the "why" and "where," helping you build a more effective and relevant mental toolkit. For developers who want their knowledge to translate directly into better code and clearer problem-solving, this podcast provides a focused, no-nonsense resource. It’s for anyone who has ever wondered if the theory they learned is still applicable or if they're missing something crucial that others find indispensable. Tune in for a straightforward conversation that separates the essential bits from the merely interesting, all aimed at making you a more capable and confident programmer.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 26

Computer Science: Just the Useful Bits
Podcast Episodes
With John Pavan: Coming to Programming from Nuclear Physics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:28
I met John Pavan early in his career, after he'd just made the transition from nuclear physics to full-time computer programming. We caught up on how C++ is doing and how he's doing in it. We also talked about what he lo…
With Chris Seaton: On Ph.Ds and Software Apprenticeships [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:39
Chris Seaton, founder of TruffleRuby, talks with me about getting a computer science Ph.D, how learning compilers is necessarily like an old-style apprenticeship, and a near-the-metal view of complex algorithms for compu…
With Jared White: the Trip from PHP to Ruby and Beyond [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:02
Jared and I talk about his journey through all sorts of programming platforms, from the Commodore 128, through PHP to Ruby and onward. He talks about Object Oriented programming, Rails service objects and why he doesn't…
With Chris Oliver: The Black Magic of Video Game Timing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:07:08
In this episode, Chris and I talk about the black magic of video game timing, why you should build your own package manager, why you should write what you love, why Chrome using All The Memory is a good thing and what yo…
With Drew Carpenter: Static or Dynamic Languages? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:06
In this episode, Drew and I talk about job interviews, static and dynamic languages and a little of everything career-related. For show notes, links, comments and transcripts see https://justtheusefulbits.com/jtub/drew-c…