Hanselminutes with Scott Hanselman

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott sits down with Noel Berry, co-creator of Celeste, to explore his philosophy and process for making games in 2025, without relying on big commercial engines. Noel shares why he prefers building lightweight, custom tools over heavyweight platforms like Unity or Unreal, how modern C#, SDL3, and open‑source libraries empower small teams, and the creative freedom that comes from owning every layer of the stack. From crafting bespoke level editors to ensuring long‑term portability, Noel offers a candid look at the technical choices and personal values shaping his latest projects, including City of None. https://noelberry.ca/posts/making_games_in_2025/

This week Scott welcomes Tyler Bushnell, founder of Polycade, to talk about reimagining the arcade experience for modern homes. Drawing on his family's Atari legacy, Tyler shares how Polycade blends retro charm with sleek design and modern game libraries—all while encouraging face-to-face connection. From Kickstarter roots to Techstars growth, we explore how Polycade became a favorite among creators and why the future of gaming might look more social than ever! https://www.polycade.com

Today with chat with Dr. Morgan Depenbusch, we dive into the mindset shift that can transform your career and relationships at work. Instead of pushing harder to be heard or constantly proving yourself, what if the key is simply leading with value? Dr. Depenbusch and Scott unpack what “value” really looks like in practice—whether it’s helping teammates cut through noise, reframing presentations for executives, or positioning yourself in interviews. You’ll hear why this approach earns trust, reduces stress, and creates more opportunities than self-promotion ever could. https://www.morgandepenbusch.com/

In this episode, Scott sits down with Bria Sullivan, developer and founder of Honey B Games, to unpack the viral success of Focus Friend—the cozy productivity app that dethroned ChatGPT at the top of the App Store. Co-created with Hank Green, Focus Friend gamifies focus with a sock-knitting bean companion, offering users a whimsical yet effective way to reclaim their attention. Bria shares the app’s origin story, the design philosophy behind its ADHD-friendly features, and how iteration and storytelling shaped its meteoric rise. It’s a conversation about building with empathy, designing for delight, and what it means to make tech that gives people their time back. https://www.yourfocusfriend.com/

From wrist‑mounted CD launchers to rope‑driven quadrupeds, Purdue engineering student and YouTuber Aaed Musa turns wild ideas into precision‑crafted reality. On Hanselminutes, he joins Scott Hanselman to share the art, grit, and storytelling behind his most ambitious projects — and why iteration is his superpower. https://www.aaedmusa.com/

Steve Klabnik wasn't a fan of AI. He knows how to code at high and low levels...but then he tried again. Now he's making more, shipping more, coding more, and having more fun. Is this a moral choice or a techincal one or both?

In this episode, Scott Hanselman sits down with Benny Vasquez, Chair of the AlmaLinux OS Foundation, to explore the project's journey since the shift away from CentOS. Benny shares insights into how AlmaLinux stays community-driven, transparent, and enterprise-ready—all while navigating the evolving world of open-source licensing. It's a candid and thoughtful conversation about trust, sustainability, and what it takes to build an OS that listens to its users. https://www.almalinux.orgKey Topics Introduction to Benny Vasquez and AlmaLinuxThe Evolution of CentOS and Birth of AlmaLinuxThe Role of CentOS Stream and Enterprise Linux EcosystemWhy AlmaLinux Stepped In and the Red Hat Source Code ShiftDifferences Between AlmaLinux and Red HatOpen Source Governance and Neutrality in AlmaLinuxSustainability and Longevity of the AlmaLinux ProjectAdopting AlmaLinux for VFX and Desktop UseThe Importance of Hardware Support and AdaptabilityUpcoming Events: AlmaLinux Day Vancouver Main Takeaways Community-Driven Replacement for CentOSOpen and Neutral GovernanceAdaptability and InnovationCommitment to Longevity and SustainabilityEmbracing Enterprise and Desktop Markets Notable Quotes "AlmaLinux emerged to fill a void, ensuring enterprise-grade Linux users didn’t lose their stability and compatibility." – benny Vasquez "The key for us is not just building compatibility with Red Hat but allowing for innovation and hardware support that suits the community’s needs." – benny Vasquez "We have to maintain neutrality in our governance so that no one organization can unduly influence AlmaLinux." – benny Vasquez "Making it independent in a way that it will outlast me and all of the current contributors is the ultimate success for me." – benny Vasquez "Linux is known for not leaving folks behind, and that’s an ethos we adhere to with AlmaLinux." – benny Vasquez Resources Mentioned AlmaLinux.orghttps://almalinux.orgAlmaLinux Day Vancouver (August 9th)https://almalinux.org/blog/SIGGRAPH Conferencehttps://s2023.siggraph.org/Additional Mentions Fedora ProjectWSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)Azure and AWS sponsorshipsThinkPads and Linux Distros for older hardwareThese show notes were automatically generated from the podcast transcript.

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman chats with Brenda Darden Wilkerson, the President and CEO of AnitaB.org, about her journey in technology and advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tech industry. Brenda shares her inspiring story of entering computer science by accident, overcoming societal perceptions, and her impactful work advancing tech education in Chicago Public Schools. Together, Scott and Brenda explore pivotal topics such as access to technology, unconscious bias, the transformative power of exposure, and the role of AI in the modern era. They also discuss the significance of the Grace Hopper Celebration and its global influence on women technologists. Key Topics with Timestamps Brenda’s Journey into Tech Access, Exposure, and Opportunity Breaking Gender Norms in STEM The Role of Luck and Preparedness AI’s Impact on Creativity and Knowledge Diversity in Tech and Creating Curricula The Ripple Effect of Representation Grace Hopper Celebration: Breaking Myths and Building Networks Community and Collaboration Beyond Events Main Takeaways Access and exposure are key catalysts for innovation.Representation dispels myths.Diverse perspectives lead to impactful solutions.AI should complement human creativity, not replace it.Building inclusive systems helps everyone succeed.Notable Quotes “The assumption was that computers were for boys. That creates the myths we have to dispel.” – Brenda Darden Wilkerson “Luck is being prepared plus opportunity. How can we create luck for others?” – Scott Hanselman “If you don’t take time to research reality, you perpetuate the images presented to you.” – Brenda Darden Wilkerson “The highest and best use of tech is at service of people.” – Brenda Darden Wilkerson “More than one thing can be true at the same time.” – Brenda Darden Wilkerson Resources Mentioned AnitaB.orgAnitaB.orgGrace Hopper CelebrationGHC.AnitaB.orgSir Ken Robinson – Do Schools Kill Creativity?November 4-7:December 2-4:Call to Action Interested in advancing diversity in tech or making connections with like-minded individuals? AnitaB.org membership communityThese show notes were automatically generated based on the podcast transcript.

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman talks with Randall Hyde, renowned for his expertise in programming and assembly language. Known as the creator of the Lisa Assembler and the author of The Art of Assembly Language and Write Great Code series, Randall shares his journey from developing in assembler for early computing systems to working on modern nuclear reactor control systems. He discusses the evolution of software development, the value of assembly language in today's programming landscape, teaching methodologies, and the balance between low-level understanding and high-level productivity. Key Topics Randall Hyde's Academic and Professional Background (00:02.72)Assembly Language Beginnings with the Lisa Assembler (00:33.45)The Evolution of Randall's Work from Games to Nuclear Engineering (04:54.99)The Importance of Understanding Low-Level Machine Behavior (06:46.75)How Assembly Language Has Evolved and Its Modern Relevance (16:11.62)HLA (High-Level Assembler) as a Teaching Tool (20:20.46)The Rise of ARM Architectures and Changing Processor Technology (29:24.59)The Need for Efficient Code in the Multi-Core Era (33:31.42)Main Takeaways Low-Level Understanding is FoundationalPractical vs. Academic LearningEvolving Utility of Assembly LanguageShift in Performance GainsAccessible EducationWrite Great CodeResources Mentioned The Art of Assembly LanguageWrite Great Code SeriesThinking Low-Level, Writing High-LevelRANDALLHYDE.COMNoStarch.comFollow along for more insights, tips, and conversations with industry leaders. These show notes summarize key moments in the podcast for easy reference and understanding - these show notes were generated by a custom gpt-4o-nano model trained in previous episodes of Hanselminutes

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman chats with Roderick Rabah, Head of Product at Postman Flows, about the evolution of software development, the intersection of APIs and AI, and finding the "right layer of abstraction" for problem-solving. Drawing on his deep expertise in compiler optimization, distributed systems, and serverless computing, Rabah shares his perspectives on building tools that empower developers to create efficiently and explores the paradigm shift toward visual programming and AI-driven automation. The conversation dives into how Postman is innovating in the software space, how approaches to software engineering are transforming with generative AI, and why embracing new ways of working is critical for staying ahead in this rapidly evolving technological landscape. Key Topics Main Takeaways API + AI Integration:Visual Programming Paradigm Shift:Generative AI Empowerment:Structured APIs Critical for AI:Accessible Deployment:Notable Quotes "Serverless is where you think about servers less." – Scott Hanselman "At what point does communicating your intent to AI become programming again?" – Roderick Rabah "Visual programming resonates with builders because it matches the mental model of decomposing problems." – Roderick Rabah "Technology transforms rapidly. You have to figure out how to wield this immense power." – Roderick Rabah "Don’t throw away your critical thinking just because AI makes building faster." – Roderick Rabah Resources Mentioned Postman Flowspostman.comReplitreplit.comWebAssemblywebassembly.orgBooks on Compiler Theory:Follow along for more insights, tips, and conversations with industry leaders. These show notes summarize key moments in the podcast for easy reference and understanding - these show notes were generated by a custom gpt-4o-nano model trained in previous episodes of Hanselminutes

In this episode, Scott chats with Preeti Somal, Senior Vice President of Engineering at Temporal, to explore how teams at OpenAI, Stripe, Netflix, and beyond are building long-running, crash-proof applications using Temporal's open‑source durable execution engine. Drawing on her leadership roles at HashiCorp, Yahoo!, and VMware, Preeti breaks down the orchestration challenges in today’s AI‑powered agentic architectures, shares how platform engineering, culture, and developer experience interact, and explains the feedback loops that drive platform improvement. She also offers a dive into resilience patterns like retries, state management, and sagas, and shares lessons on scaling engineering organizations through rapid growth.

In this episode Scott talks with Dr. Malc Souter, a computer graphics PhD and former Hollywood special effects engineer, now bringing his rendering expertise to AI at Sky Engine. They dive deep into the surprising power of synthetic data, exploring when fake can outperform real in areas like medical imaging, defense, and self-driving cars. Malc shares lessons from the visual effects trenches, discusses how custom rendering engines are reshaping machine learning pipelines, and unpacks the nuanced tension between privacy and progress in the age of computer vision. https://www.skyengine.ai

When authors want to talk about their book they go on a book tour and often they go to large companies like Microsoft and speak to us in person. I had the opportunity to interview Dave Berry in person and I jumped at it. I grew up reading his humor column syndicated in The Oregonian, and his brand of sarcasm and dry humor matches mine. This episode is that raw recording in association with and with the permission of Microsoft's Outside in Lecture Series program. He was a lovely gentleman and we enjoyed spending time together, so if it seems like we're picking on each other, we are. Dave Barry's Class Clown: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass

What does it really take to succeed in today’s fast-paced, innovation-driven world? In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott Hanselman chats with Earl Valencia—acclaimed tech leader, venture-backed founder, and author of Startup Mindsets: A Blueprint to Thrive in an Innovation-Driven and Globally Connected World. Earl brings real-world insights from Silicon Valley, Southeast Asia, and startup scenes around the globe. He talks about the habits, mindsets, and leadership styles that help founders stand out—not just another success story, but a practical guide for anyone trying to build something meaningful. Whether you’re launching a startup, working in tech, or just curious about how big ideas come to life, this conversation will leave you inspired to think bigger and bolder. https://www.startupmindsets.com/book

In this episode AI and machine learning expert Pamela Fox educates Scott on how to visualize multidimensional vectors, and they talk about the complexities of explaining AI to regular people.

In this episode of the Hanselminutes podcast, Scott talks to Code Rabbit's Howon Lee about how AI can democratize the code review. Believes that code reviews are inherently political, and that AIs can level the playing field so that everyone benefits. Are AI code reviews the Future of Coding? How will Code Rabbit compete with their unique algorithm when there are other options from Open AI and others?\ http://coderabbit.ai

Learn how to supercharge your AI development with our integrated signals loop that connects model choice, knowledge retrieval, fine-tuning, orchestration and memory —anchored by observability and trust. Design, customize, and manage intelligent agents using open standards and protocols such as Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A) to connect with tools and drive collaboration. Gain insights into advanced orchestration, tracing, and monitoring to streamline decision-making, boost efficiency, accelerate time to market, and lower costs. NOTE - This is a bit of a meta-episode, recorded live at Microsoft Build, this is a discussion about how Scott might use AI to help produce his podcast! Azure AI Foundry: The AI app and Agent Factory | BRK155

In this episode of Hanselminutes, Scott sits down with AI/ML & Robotics leader Jasmine Lawrence Campbell to explore the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and robotics. Jasmine shares insights on how AI is shaping the future of robotics, the challenges of integrating AI into robotic systems, and why she believes there's a place for everyone in AI. Whether you're a developer, researcher, or simply curious about the intersection of AI and robotics, this conversation offers fresh perspectives on the technology driving automation forward. https://www.jasminelawrence.com

Vibe Coding has folks talking and "vibing entire applications." But is it valid? Should one use AI agents to create apps that go directly into production, or is it just appropriate for prototyping? Scott talks to James Montemagno who recently vibed a 17,000 line application and only wrote 20 bespoke lines himself. Is this the future of programming or did James get lucky? Scott takes the sceptical view in this spicy episode.

What if you could craft Super Nintendo ROMs using the power of C#? In this episode, Scott Hanselman dives into the world of retro game development with Matthew Shapiro, the creator of DotnetSnes—a tool that enables developers to build SNES games with modern .NET technology. They explore how the project works, the challenges of programming for classic hardware, and what this means for indie game developers and hobbyists alike. Whether you’re a nostalgic gamer or a coding enthusiast, this conversation is packed with insights that bridge the old-school and the cutting-edge. https://github.com/KallDrexx/DotnetSneshttps://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7320970127917649920/