Compiler

Latest Episodes:

Context And The True "Cost" Of AI Jun 05, 2025

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Sure, AI has made a splash. And it's on us to level up, learn the ropes, and roll with it. But how do we even do that? And what cool human stuff might we accidentally ditch along the way?

The Compiler team ends the season discussing the importance of context, creativity, and applied knowledge.

AI 101 Feb 13, 2025

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Everyone’s talking about AI. Everyone says it’s the future. To find out where we’re going, we should know how we got here—and exactly what we’re working with.

We hear a short history of AI development before diving into how it’s already changed the ways we learn and code.

Linux, Shadowman, And Open Source Spirit May 16, 2024

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Red Hat Enterprise Linux has been around for a while. For many technologists, be they professional or hobbyist, it jump started their interest in open source. But how did the operating system, and the culture behind it, strike a chord with so many people?

Legacies: The Wrap-up Nov 09, 2023

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Over the course of the series, we’ve learned how tough it is to choose between older systems and newer innovation. Tougher still, is how those systems can make the people maintaining them feel: Frustrated, isolated, and stuck in the past while the world moves on.

As we wrap up our discussion on the topic, we hear from technologists on how they reconcile the old with the new to advance their understanding of their discipline— and maybe further their careers in the process.

Adventures In Automation Jun 08, 2023

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Repetitive tasks can be the worst part of a job. They take time, they take focus, but they don’t typically spark creativity. That is, until you try to automate them.

What kinds of tasks are ripe for automation? Which ones are best left to do yourself? And what does it take to automate away the drudgery?

Datacenters And Sustainability May 25, 2023

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We closely examine different aspects of technology— data storage, AI, software development, and hardware capabilities. But one part of that equation often goes ignored: The energy grid. It’s an unfortunate truth, but the datacenters we depend on to address everyday challenges can themselves be a drain on our global resources. How do technologists reconcile the work they do with the rising environmental impacts? And how do we work together to find a solution?

How Does Data Help Shape Movies? Jun 09, 2022

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Movies are culturally important. They transform language and communication. Motion pictures present fantasy worlds we can get lost in, helping us understand the world differently. Discussing data and movies can make the fantasy seem…a little less fantastic. It can feel sterile, mass produced, and devoid of imagination.
But data is vital, both for those behind the camera and those sitting in theaters (or at home). This episode will cover some ways data science and machine learning can inform filmmaking, from conception to post-production.

How Do We Make Updates Less Annoying? May 26, 2022

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Updates. They take time out of your day and your devices out of commission. That’s about the extent of it for an end user. But for organizations? Updating their systems is a big deal. And forgoing regular updates is a recipe for disaster.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” isn’t a good option for enterprise IT. Your system may keep running but if you haven’t updated in awhile, you may be missing some stability and performance improvements—and probably some security patches too. Regularly updating is a good habit. How do we make it less annoying?

What Do Kids Learn When They Learn About Tech? Mar 03, 2022

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Computer literacy is supposedly coming naturally to younger generations who seem to be born with smartphones in their hands. But there’s a difference between tech familiarity and actually knowing how technology works. And when kids learn about the wide world of IT, what else are they learning?
Kids know tech is everywhere. In this episode of Compiler, we spoke to middle school, high school, and college educators about what it is their students are hoping to learn—and what skills they pick up on the way.

How Are Tech Hubs Changing? Nov 25, 2021

Show notes

Start-ups. Newly affluent neighborhoods. Overpriced coffee shops. Tech hubs evoke a lot of imagery, opinions, and emotions. Traditionally, if someone wanted a career in tech, they had to make the move to one of these cities. The influx of new people and new ideas into a city can cause shifts in discourse, culture, and power. After all, technology can transform people, and it can transform places, too.

But things are starting to change. In this episode of Compiler, we unwrap what has made tech hubs into spaces of collaboration and creativity, and how that energy can alter cities over time. Lastly, we speak to a few of the change-makers who are thinking outside of the physical and social dimensions we’ve come to associate with innovation.

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