DOP 314: Building Your Speaking Career From Meetups to Main Stage

#315: In this episode, the discussion centers around the critical importance of design over mere code writing in software development. The hosts reflect on their experience with coding tools like Cursor and Claude Code, noting their pros, cons, and the efficiency brought by AI in handling coding chores. They highlight the paradigm shift in developer tasks from writing code to managing and designing projects, comparing it to the role of an author in world-building. The conversation also touches on the potential future of startups leveraging AI to minimize costs, the iterative nature of design, and practical tips for integrating AI into development workflows effectively.   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/

#314: Geoffrey Huck joins Darin and Viktor to discuss the ins and outs of building a speaking career, starting from small meetups and leading up to major conferences. He shares his personal experiences, tips on overcoming fear of public speaking, and the importance of community engagement in the developer industry. Geoffrey emphasizes the need to keep slides minimal and engaging, and highlights the benefits of starting with small presentations to gradually build confidence. He also explores techniques for initiating conversations, handling stage fright, and continuously improving speaking skills. Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, this episode provides actionable advice for anyone looking to enhance their public speaking abilities.   Geoffrey's contact information: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffrey-huck/   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/

#313: In this episode, Darin shares his recent experiences using AI tools Cursor and Claude Code to improve and refactor Jenkins plugins. After receiving a recommendation to try out Cursor for code improvements, he tests it alongside Claude Code, comparing their functionalities and effectiveness. He describes his process and observations, noting that both tools helped identify performance improvements in the code. While Cursor provided quick initial feedback, Claude Code offered a slightly better quality of suggestions but required nudging to get accurate results. Darin also mentions the practicality of integrating these tools with his existing setups and the importance of having issues documented for better management. Moreover, he discusses the benefits of AI-assisted PR descriptions and emphasizes the need for caution when using such tools for proprietary code without corporate approval. Overall, he concludes that transitioning to these advanced AI tools can significantly improve productivity in open-source projects.   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/

#312: In this episode, the discussion focuses on the complexities and strategic considerations of migrating from VMWare to platforms like KubeVirt and OpenStack. Kevin Jackson, Director of Product Management at Trilio, joins the discussion to share insights on the challenges, benefits, and operational implications of such migrations. Topics include the intricacies of managing virtualization and cloud environments, the potential pitfalls and cost implications, and the importance of understanding existing applications before making a switch. Kevin highlights the significance of thorough research, involving partners, and the concept of lift and shift during migrations. The session also touches on the evolving role of Kubernetes in managing both applications and infrastructure, and the potential for KubeVirt to serve as a transitional technology.   Kevin's contact information: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linuxkev/   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/

#311: In this episode, Viktor and Darin delve into the transformative impact of AI on project development. Viktor discusses how AI tools like Claude Code and Taskmaster have significantly reduced the time required for project development, bringing it down from a month to just a few days. They explore the components of AI-driven development, such as LLMs, agents, and MCP servers, and the roles they play. Viktor shares his personal experiences with AI, including the use of Taskmaster for generating comprehensive PRDs, and how tools like memory MCPs have enhanced productivity. They also touch on the practicality and affordability of AI tools, and the transition from traditional programming to AI-assisted development. The discussion provides insights into the future of AI in everyday coding tasks and project management.   Claude Code https://www.anthropic.com/claude-code   Cursor https://cursor.com/   Taskmaster https://www.task-master.dev/   Memory MCP https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/tree/main/src/memory   OpenRouter https://openrouter.ai/   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/

#310: In this episode, Darin and Viktor sit down with Tim Beattie, co-founder and CEO of Stellafai, to chat about the myths and realities of DevOps and Agile in today's workplaces. They dive into how DevOps and Agile should be seen more as philosophies rather than just titles on a business card. Tim shares his take on why roles like DevOps Engineer can actually create more silos and how the real goal should be about breaking down those barriers. They also talk about the crucial role of leadership in fostering a safe environment where teams can speak up and innovate. With references to aerospace and software industries, they show how adaptive practices are super important for staying relevant.   Tim's contact information: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tdbeattie/ X: https://x.com/timbeattie   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/

#309: In this episode, Darin and Viktor discuss their personal experiences and insights related to the rapid advancements in AI technology, particularly focused on AI agents like GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and Claude Code. They examine the paradigm shift in development practices due to these technologies, providing a critical evaluation of their effectiveness and efficiency. The conversation delves into the role of agents, how they operate alongside large language models (LLMs), and the intricacies of context management. They also reflect on the challenges and benefits of restarting projects when they veer off course, emphasizing the impact of AI in such scenarios. Additionally, they address the hurdles and considerations for integrating and managing multiple AI tools and agents in a development environment. This episode sets the stage for future discussions on how developers can adapt to and leverage these evolving AI tools effectively.   Gartner Predicts Over 40% of Agentic AI Projects Will Be Canceled by End of 2027 https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-06-25-gartner-predicts-over-40-percent-of-agentic-ai-projects-will-be-canceled-by-end-of-2027   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/

#308: In this episode, hosts Darin and Viktor are joined by guest Ricardo Castro to delve into the complexities and misconceptions surrounding Continuous Integration (CI) and Continuous Deployment (CD). The discussion begins with Ricardo's insights from a previous talk on the overestimation of automated systems in CI/CD and transitions into a broader conversation about the true essence of CI/CD practices. Key points include the critical distinctions between CI and CD, the importance of small batch deployments, the role of automation in scaling these processes, and the vital connection between CI/CD and business needs. The episode also touches on the contributions to open source projects and the need for balancing automation with risk management, ultimately questioning whether CI/CD can ever be truly solved.   Ricardo's contact information: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mccricardo/ X: https://x.com/mccricardo   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/

#307: In this episode, Darin and Viktor discuss a blog post from Fairwinds about Kubernetes in 2025. Key topics include the ongoing rise in Kubernetes and Docker adoption, the future of container use, Kubernetes use cases, developer sentiment towards Kubernetes, and predictions on container management, multi-cloud strategies, and the role of AI in DevOps. They also touch on the importance of resource optimization over purely cost optimization and the expected consolidation of Kubernetes clusters for better efficiency. The discussion offers a perspective on the Fairwinds predictions, with a particular focus on the practical aspects of Kubernetes deployment and management.    Kubernetes in 2025: Are You Ready For These Top 5 Trends & Predictions? https://www.fairwinds.com/blog/kubernetes-2025-top-5-trends-predictions   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/

#306: In this episode of DevOps Paradox, we delve into the role of GraphQL in modern APIs with guest Sophia Willows from Rye. They discuss the pros and cons of using GraphQL versus REST and gRPC, highlighting the efficiencies and complexities each brings to API development, especially in developer tools. They tackle common misconceptions and usage pitfalls of GraphQL, offering valuable insights into its optimal application. Sophia explains the rationale behind Rye’s choice of GraphQL for public-facing APIs while opting for REST and gRPC for internal microservices, reflecting on the trade-offs between performance and flexibility. The episode also touches on the evolution of API standards and speculations on potential future innovations.   Sophia's contact information: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-willows/   YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/devopsparadox   Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://www.devopsparadox.com/review-podcast/   Slack: https://www.devopsparadox.com/slack/   Connect with us at: https://www.devopsparadox.com/contact/