npm Worms & RubyGems Coups: Trust Issues in Open Source

npm Worms & RubyGems Coups: Trust Issues in Open Source

Author: Skill Issue Studios October 16, 2025 Duration: 1:06:48

This week, Robbie, Chuck, and Adam talk about the worst whiskey they’ve tasted, Tailwind as a “state management library,” and recent security scares in open source. Also — dependency hygiene, developer visa drama, and whether inflated tech salaries are finally being reckoned with.

In this episode:

  • (00:00) - Intro
  • (02:14) - Whiskey rating & review: Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • (13:00) - What's with all the recent web dev security issues?
  • (28:39) - Is Tailwind secretly the worst state management library?
  • (32:45) - Visa chaos: H-1Bs, gold cards, and reverse immigration
  • (40:51) - Are tech salaries being intentionally driven down?
  • (49:45) - Adam’s AI experiment with Claude + Parallelize
  • (54:09) - Why AI should specialize (and stop trying to do everything)
  • (54:44) - Best AI tools right now
  • (01:01:16) - Chuck’s VPN chaos + funny wifi names
  • (01:04:04) - Plugs

Links

Connect with the hosts

Subscribe and stay in touch

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
Podcast Episodes
Exploring Bevvy's Whiskey App World with Nas Tonchev [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:12
We sit down with Nas Tonchev, CTO of Bevvy, a whiskey app for mobile and the web. We discuss features and functionalities of the Bevvy app, which helps users track, discover, and rate whiskeys. We also cover whiskey reco…
Understanding Whiskey with Prime Barrel's Michael Nagdi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:39
Michael shares his transition from the corporate world to the whiskey industry, emphasizing whiskey’s role in building relationships. The discussion covers a range of fascinating topics: the nuances of whiskey blends, th…
Oh My Zsh with Robby Russell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:58
Explore the evolution of web development, Rails, and TypeScript, all while sipping Mortlach Single Malt Whisky. The discussion also covers vintage music formats like vinyl records and cassettes, the Tennessee whiskey sce…
Unlocking the Secrets of AI in Tech with April Yoho [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:45
Join hosts Charles William Carpenter III and Adam Argyle for a riveting episode of 'Whiskey Web and Whatnot' featuring guest April Yoho. Based in the UK and a seasoned developer advocate, April shares her extensive 25+ y…
AI vs Human: The Future of Job Interviews with Taylor Desseyn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:55
Join hosts RobbieTheWagner and Charles William Carpenter VIII on Whiskey Web and Whatnot as they welcome back Taylor Desseyn for another round of whiskey and engaging conversation. Dive into discussions on the relevance…
Flagging Features and Dropping Beats with Ben Rometsch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:28
In this episode of Whiskey Web and Whatnot, hosts RobbieTheWagner and Charles William Carpenter III are joined by Ben Rometsch, CEO and co-founder of Flagsmith. The discussion kicks off with a lighthearted conversation a…

«1...678910