Hacking the Grepson

Hey, everybody! It's time for the Advent of Code again! AoC is, of course, a yuletide set of logic puzzles usually solved using some kind of programming. Matt and I did it for the first time last year, had a lot of fun, and are doing it again this year.
On this episode we go over our thoughts about how it's going after 4 days of not-too-grueling-yet Christmas elf-themed word problems.
* Advent of Code: https://adventofcode.com
* Eric Wastl Behind the Code: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb8WwKS6ajk
* aoc-cli: https://github.com/scarvalhojr/aoc-cli
* solving AoC using GPT: https://github.com/max-sixty/aoc-gpt
  * discussion on reddit about the ethics of such a thing: https://www.reddit.com/r/adventofcode/comments/zc27zb/2022_day_4_placing_1st_with_gpt3

There's a lot of digital stuff across all the computers and devices that exist in the world. Somehow, you, the user, must find specific things in all that stuff, and content tagging is one way to make it easier. Matt and Mike explain how.

Usually, this podcast goes for more evergreen content, but the shakeup at Twitter over the last few weeks is too juicy to ignore with a new CEO and a daily influx of restructuring and drama. Join Matt and Mike as they try to make sense of it all, while also explaining microblogging and software development leadership.
* It Begins: Elon Musk purchase timeline, courtesy of NPR: https://www.npr.org/2022/10/27/1131378869/twitter-elon-musk-timeline
* Breaking news on "Twitter 2.0": https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/16/elon-musk-demands-twitter-staff-commit-to-long-hours-or-leave.html

When a creative work is, uh, created, the question of who deserves the credit for its, um, creation is not an easy one to answer. Matt and Mike, er, try to do that, though, in this particular episode.

Matt: We should do a podcast episode about Improv, and the concept of "Yes, And".
Mike: No, that sounds bad.
Matt: ...
Mike: I mean, uh...yes! And it should be how it relates to programming!
Matt: Let's do it!

Matt and Mike start a new recurring segment about the similarities between creating music and creating code, starting with their shared usage of libraries.

Intelligence usually refers to the ability for humans to acquire new knowledge and apply it accordingly. Computers can do this, too, so...are they human-like? Maybe! Matt and Mike do the thing about that.

How programmers accomplish the task of finding answers in a database of text may have changed over the past quarter of a century, but it's still a valuable skill. Matt and Mike dig into the ins and outs of using the current method, Google, in today's episode.

There are many things you can do with code, such as make a web browser, photo editor, or even a tax, uh, doer. Lots of people, however, prefer to make games with their code, and Matt and Mike break down this huge and varied use on today's episode.
 
Displaced Gamers, which goes behind the code of old video games: https://www.youtube.com/c/DisplacedGamers
Sample episode on Zelda 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSSUrnIpcds

Spaghetti is a delicious pasta, but it's also a form of coding practice that we all fall prey to at some point. Matt and Mike talk about what it is, how it comes to be, and how to untangle the mess.

Hanselminutes Podcast - https://hanselminutes.com
Tania Rascia - https://tania.dev

Due to circumstances, there's no Matt this week, folks, but fear not! Mike enlists the help of another kind soul to discuss their respective careers in IT, be they programming or otherwise.

Sure, writing code is fun, but have you tried writing about code in your code? What about writing other words about that code outside of that code entirely? It can all help! Matt and Mike explain.

I need to write a short summary of this particular programming podcast episode, but...I just don't want to. Also, I have no ideas. Sigh. Hopefully, Matt and Mike have some advice for me.

Ever wonder how one even gets started in this programming/developing game? Matt and Mike have some answers for you.

Memes! Well, one meme. One little 3x3 meme, based on the tried-and-true Dungeons and Dragons alignment chart, except for code. Matt and Mike treat it with respect, humor, and occasional, mild derision.
Original tweet referencing chart: https://twitter.com/heyjulesfern/status/1516208050360631299?s=20&t=xIj0Q-Uf2E_uhiTBrlf5Cw
Direct link to chart: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQqmk-sUYAAxaKC.jpg

All the applications on your computer started out as source code. Whether that source is open to the public or not is worth a discussion from Matt and Mike on today's episode.

Need to add or change some text for your application? You have a choice: a humble text editor or a proper IDE. How do you choose? Matt and Mike break it down.

Full-blown programs are great, but what of the lowly script? They're often short, dirty, and highly personal to the programmer, but they're also the true workhorses. Matt and Mike go over some of their favorites.

When you interview (or are interviewing) for a job, there's a certain je ne sais quoi about technical types. Matt and Mike explore their experiences and preferences when employment is on the line.