Is This the End of Tech Conferences? w/ Dax Raad

Is This the End of Tech Conferences? w/ Dax Raad

Author: Skill Issue Studios February 27, 2025 Duration: 57:00

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Dax Raad about his evolving career from software engineer to open-source advocate and content creator. They dive into his work on SST, explore the bizarre economics of tech conferences, and get into Dax’s next big move—manufacturing drone parts in the U.S. for the military.


In this episode:

  • (00:00) - Intro
  • (02:57) - Whiskey intro and rating: Glenmorangie "A Tale of Tokyo" Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  • (12:12) - Rails vs Laravel
  • (13:49) - New York vs Miami
  • (15:54) - Meat vs Veggies
  • (19:55) - What is Dax bad at?
  • (24:05) - The real value of conferences
  • (35:14) - APIs and frameworks
  • (38:06) - React Miami
  • (41:59) - Eero routers
  • (44:27) - What would you do if software development went away?
  • (46:41) - Using ChatGPT to create an NPM library
  • (48:00) - Claude vs ChatGPT
  • (50:56) - What should people be learning for job safety?
  • (53:41) - Plugs


Links

  • Glenmorangie "A Tale of Tokyo" Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky: https://www.glenmorangie.com/en-us/products/a-tale-of-tokyo
  • Tomorrow.fm: https://tomorrow.fm
  • Adam Argyle: https://x.com/argyleink/
  • SST: https://sst.dev/
  • Norlan: https://norlanglass.com/
  • Ken Wheeler: https://x.com/ken_wheeler/
  • Rails: https://rubyonrails.org/
  • Laravel: https://laravel.com/
  • Don't Die: https://dontdie.bryanjohnson.com/
  • Oura: https://ouraring.com/
  • Kent C. Dodds: https://kentcdodds.com/
  • React Miami: https://www.reactmiami.com/
  • EmberConf: https://www.emberconf.com/
  • Orbit.js: https://orbitjs.com/
  • Primeagen: https://x.com/ThePrimeagen
  • Eero: https://www.eero.com/
  • ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/
  • Claude: https://claude.ai/


Connect with Dax

  • Website: https://thdxr.com/
  • X / Twitter: https://x.com/thdxr
  • Podcast: https://tomorrow.fm/
  • Coffee: https://www.terminal.shop/


Connect with Chuck and Robbie

  • Robbie Wagner: https://x.com/RobbieTheWagner
  • Chuck Carpenter: https://x.com/CharlesWthe3rd


Subscribe and stay in touch

  • Website: https://whiskey.fm
  • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whiskey-web-and-whatnot/id1552776603
  • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19jiuHAqzeKnkleQUpZxDf
  • Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1552776603
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhiskeyWebAndWhatnot


Whiskey Web and Whatnot Merch

Enjoying the podcast and want us to make more? Help support us by picking up some of our fresh merch at https://whiskey.fund.


There's a certain alchemy that happens when you combine deep technical expertise with the warmth of a good conversation, and that's exactly what you'll find in Whiskey Web and Whatnot. Hosts Robbie Wagner, Charles William Carpenter III, and Adam Argyle bring decades of collective experience to the table, but they leave the lecture format at the door. Instead, each episode feels like pulling up a chair with colleagues who are just as passionate about the craft of building for the web as they are about the nuanced flavors in a glass of whiskey. The discussion naturally flows between the concrete details of modern development-like navigating JavaScript frameworks, CSS architecture, or the practical realities of agentic AI and new coding tools-and the broader, human aspects of a software engineering career. This podcast from Skill Issue Studios is built on the idea that the tools and the people who use them are equally important. You'll come for insightful, grounded advice on developer productivity and emerging technologies, but you'll stay for the genuine camaraderie and the occasional spirited debate about which whiskey bottle truly earns a spot on the shelf. It’s a refreshing blend of substance and personality, making complex topics accessible and reminding everyone that there's always a story behind the code.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Whiskey Web and Whatnot
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