Greater Than Code

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**Greater Than Code**

For a long time, tech culture has focused too narrowly on technical skills; this has resulted in a tech community that too often puts companies and code over people. Greater Than Code is a podcast that invites the voices of people who are not heard from enough in tech: women, people of color, trans and/or queer folks, to talk about the human side of software development and technology. Greater Than Code is providing a vital platform for these conversations, and developing new ideas of what it means to be a technologist beyond just the code.
Featuring an ongoing panel of racially and gender diverse tech panelists, the majority of podcast guests so far have been women in tech! We’ve covered topics including imposter syndrome, mental illness, sexuality, unconscious bias and social justice. We also have a major focus on skill sets that tech too often devalues, like team-building, hiring, community organizing, mentorship and empathy. Each episode also includes a transcript.
We have an active Slack community that members can join by pledging as little as $1 per month via Patreon. (https://www.patreon.com/greaterthancode)

Latest Episodes:

216: Robot and Human Collaboration with Julie Shah Jan 06, 2021

Show notes

02:21 - Julie’s Superpower: Working Really Hard and Maintaining Focused Attention on Things for a Long Period of Time

04:25 - Robotics and Working in Artificial Intelligence (AI)

What To Expect When You're Expecting Robots: The Future of Human-Robot Collaboration (Julie and Laura Major’s book)

11:10 - Structuring and Optimizing the World for Machines, AI, and Robots

The Turing Test
Labeled Data
Teslas vs Airplanes
Mode Confusion
Ten challenges for making automation a "team player" in joint human-agent activity

26:10 - Understanding Output and Building Calibrated Trust

Mental Models

33:39 - Robots and Humans in Public Spaces

Predictability
Directability
Standardization
Infrastructure
Safety Imperatives
Future of Work Implications
Joint Activity
- The Shannon Model

51:41 - What To Expect When You're Expecting Robots: The Future of Human-Robot Collaboration (Book Discussion)

54:40 - More on Human/Machine Collaboration:

Reflections:

Rein: There may be a sense in which AI or ML systems are categorically different from the sorts of systems we’ve tried to control in the past because you can’t characterize the variety of the system anymore just by observing its inputs and outputs.

Damien: Artificial intelligence is not human intelligence, nor should it be. The goals are making systems and human lives better; not making the computer better.

Julie: Aim for mediocrity!

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

To make a one-time donation so that we can continue to bring you more content and transcripts like this, please do so at paypal.me/devreps. You will also get an invitation to our Slack community this way as well.

Special Guest: Julie Shah.

Sponsored By:

Linode: Whether you're working on a personal project or managing enterprise infrastructure, you deserve simple, affordable, and accessible cloud computing solutions that allow you to take your project to the next level. Simplify your cloud infrastructure with Linode's Linux virtual machines and develop, deploy, and scale your modern applications faster and easier. Get started on Linode today with $100 in free credit for listeners of Greater Than Code. You can find all the details at linode.com/greaterthancode. Linode has 11 global data centers and provides 24/7/365 human support with no tiers or hand-offs regardless of your plan size. In addition to shared and dedicated compute instances, you can use your $100 in credit on S3-compatible object storage, Managed Kubernetes, and more. Visit linode.com/greaterthancode and click on the "Create Free Account" button to get started.

Support Greater Than Code

215: Gathering Data in Machine Learning with Abeba Birhane Dec 30, 2020

Show notes

01:41 - Descartes was wrong: ‘a person is a person through other persons’

13:59 - Predicting How People Behave and Act via Machine Learning is Ethically Flawed

“Measuring” People
Simon’s Ant
Abstraction
- Greater Than Code Episode 038: Category Theory for Normal Humans with Dr. Eugenia Cheng
- Order Out of Chaos by Ilya Prigogine and Isabelle Stengers
Collecting Data
Confirmation Bias

34:21 - Examining Machine Learning Models and Data

Means Testing
Generalized Empathy

“When you get rid of what you don’t want, you do not necessarily get what you do want and you may get something you want a lot less. It is that simple…..anyone that ever watches television knows that!” – Russell L. Ackoff

“Scoring” People Perpetuates Stereotypes
Acurracy Confirms Bias

50:09 - Important Ideosyncracies and Contaminating Factors

Seeing and appreciating the potential to be different in every person in every situation.
The ability to tease apart existing cultural ideas around identity and humanity.
Taking concepts from different but related fields and seeing their connectedness and bringing them together into a whole that is more than the sum of their parts.
Seeing consequences that don’t belong to any one cause.

Reflections:

Mando: Cartesian thinking and worldview is embedded in us.

Avdi: “Contaminating factors.”

“Dive into yourself to find yourself.”

Rein: Jainism has gotten this right for centuries.

The Elephant and the Blindfolded Men Parable
The Theory of Conditioned Predication or Contigency
The Theory of Partial Standpoints

Jessica: Giving the Cartesian program credit for what it’s good for: using science as a way to break things down into parts and studying them deeply; we’ve learned a lot.

Abeba: It’s not all bad. BUT, we forget to put the pieces back together and acknowledge reality.

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

Special Guest: Abeba Birhane.

Sponsored By:

Twilio: Businesses all over the world right now are trying to reinvent how they connect with the world. Whether a business is delivering packages, treating patients, or running a global customer support center, their customers need them to invent new ways to stay connected. Twilio is the platform that Fortune 500 companies and startups alike trust to build seamless communications experiences with phone calls, text messages, video calls, and more. Really, the only limit becomes your developer’s imaginations. It’s time to build. Visit twilio.com to learn more.

Support Greater Than Code

214: The Righteous Mind with Rylan Bowers Dec 23, 2020

Show notes

01:26 - Rylan’s Superpower: Helping People & Giving Back to Community

“The rising tide lifts all boats.”

03:01 - The Righteous Mind / Making and Rationalizing Choices

Jonathan Haidt
Moral Psychology
The Happiness Hypothesis (The Elephant Metaphor)
Social Intuitionism

09:11 - An Example of a Moral Reaction (CW Beastiality)

10:26 - Humans as Individuals vs Humans as Species / Increasing Group-Level Cohesion

19:43 - Bridging the Gap Politically

Thinking Empathatically
“Addressing the Elephant”
CivilPolitics.org: Educating the Public on Evidence-based methods for improving inter-group civility
How One Man Convinced 200 Ku Klux Klan Members To Give Up Their Robes

27:59 - Looking at Morality

The WEIRD Culture (western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic)
5 Main Foundations
- Care vs Harm
- Fairness vs Reciprocity
- Loyalty vs Betrayal
- Authority vs Subversion
- Purity/Sanctity vs Degradation
  - The Omnivore’s Dilemma
- Liberty vs Oppression
  - YourMorals.Org

38:55 - Morality Binds and Blinds / Group Cohesion

48:37 - Moving Forward / Fixing Divisiveness / Welcoming People w/ Different Viewpoints

Reflections:

Damien: The Happiness Hypothesis (The Elephant Metaphor): Reflecting on the elephant.

Rylan: Finding a middle ground.

“The Perfect Way is only difficult for those who pick and choose; Do not like, do not dislike; all will then be clear. Make a hairbreadth difference, and Heaven and Earth are set apart; If you want the truth to stand clear before you, never be for or against. The struggle between 'for' and 'against' is the mind's worst disease.” ― Jianzhi Sengcan

John: The value of conservative viewpoints vs liberal viewpoints.

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

More Resources:

The Ezra Klein Show
inter-group civility (Large potential list of remedies)
Jonathan Haidt: The Coddling of the American Mind
The Political Compass
Jonathan Haidt: The moral roots of liberals and conservatives (TED Talk)

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

Special Guest: Rylan Bowers.

Sponsored By:

Twilio: Businesses all over the world right now are trying to reinvent how they connect with the world. Whether a business is delivering packages, treating patients, or running a global customer support center, their customers need them to invent new ways to stay connected. Twilio is the platform that Fortune 500 companies and startups alike trust to build seamless communications experiences with phone calls, text messages, video calls, and more. Really, the only limit becomes your developer’s imaginations. It’s time to build. Visit twilio.com to learn more.

Support Greater Than Code

213: This Is Me with Cher Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

CONTENT WARNING: Eating Disorders, Substance Abuse & Addiction

01:12 - Cher’s Superpower: Making and Collecting Hot Sauce

Gastroparesis
Hobby vs Coping Mechanism

04:33 - Good Ideas Can Come From Anywhere

Drive to Execute
Becoming a Mentor/Leader
Curiosity and Understanding the Big Picture
Seeking Feedback From Others While Introspecting Feedback From Yourself

12:50 - Bravery, Enduring, and Overcoming; Eradicating Stigmas and Breaking Stereotypes

Impostor Syndrome
Blowing the Top Off Gatekeep-y Assumptions in Tech
Rawness and Integrity
Nader Dabit & Kurt Kemple
“You’re not alone,” “I’m not special,” and “You can get here too.”
Using Your Journey to Empower Yourself and Others
MARLON CRAFT | FUNK FLEX | #Freestyle140

30:12 - Struggle, Opportunity, and Recognizing White Privilege

Activating Empathy
Manifesting Goodness

Reflections:

John: The incredible power we can have as people when we claim our story rather than deny it.

Rein: There is a huge potential for empathy between people with a lot in common, and it’s just about unlocking the potential that already exists.

Cher: Empathy is the glue that holds everything together.

Jerome: The skills transfer of experience.

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

Special Guest: Cher.

Sponsored By:

Twilio: Businesses all over the world right now are trying to reinvent how they connect with the world. Whether a business is delivering packages, treating patients, or running a global customer support center, their customers need them to invent new ways to stay connected. Twilio is the platform that Fortune 500 companies and startups alike trust to build seamless communications experiences with phone calls, text messages, video calls, and more. Really, the only limit becomes your developer’s imaginations. It’s time to build. Visit twilio.com to learn more.

Support Greater Than Code

212: Diversify Tech with Veni Kunche Dec 09, 2020

Show notes

01:17 - Veni’s Superpower: Being Adaptable and Not Giving Up

02:25 - Going From Coder to Entrepreneur

07:00 - Being Protective and Selective of Company Partnerships

Vetting Companies
Glassdoor
Talking to Underrepresented Folx at Companies to Ask for Feedback

14:05 - Changes Veni Has Seen Over Time re: Hiring Around Diversity and Inclusion

15:38 - Things Hiring Managers Should and Should NOT Do When Hiring for Diversity

Look at Metrics
Rethink Job Description Requirements
Revisit Your Interview Process

19:13 - Entry-Level Support

21:50 - Upholding Integrity > Capitalism

25:48 - Revenue Transparency

32:13 - Finding Your Place in Tech and Serving Underrepresented People

Filtering Out Companies
Guidelines
Next Steps
Giving Company Feedback and Direction
Company Culture

51:29 - Being Vocal About Work Conditions; i.e.: “Whistleblowing” / Employee Dissent

Reflections:

John: The critical role that organizations like Diversify Tech have created by placing themselves in a trusted position between job seekers and companies to protect underrepresented minorities.

Rein: All Veni’s work developing rubrics and intuitions about companies that are worth working for/with is extremely important and her sharing this expertise is very valuable.

Veni: To learn more about how comfortable candidates/employees feel about talking about dissent within their organizations.

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

Special Guest: Veni Kunche.

Sponsored By:

Twilio: Businesses all over the world right now are trying to reinvent how they connect with the world. Whether a business is delivering packages, treating patients, or running a global customer support center, their customers need them to invent new ways to stay connected. Twilio is the platform that Fortune 500 companies and startups alike trust to build seamless communications experiences with phone calls, text messages, video calls, and more. Really, the only limit becomes your developer’s imaginations. It’s time to build. Visit twilio.com to learn more.

Support Greater Than Code

211: Becoming Humble and Kind with Brandon Weaver Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

01:16 - Brandon’s Superpower: Recognizing Others’ Superpowers and Spotting Potential Talent

Convincing Others
Recognizing and Talking About Failure(s)

09:23 - Brandon’s Personal Journey & Transformation Towards Humility

Wanting To Be Heard
Placing Identity
Developing Empathy
Speaking Candidly Re: Growth
Talking About Negatives in Your Past

25:40 - The Importance of Community and Community Leaders

34:35 - Being Kind vs Being Nice

Privilege

40:59 - Being Austistic and Being Visible

Tales of the Autistic Developer - The Mentor
Brandon’s illustrated conference talks with cartoon lemurs
“Looks like me”
Calling Out Hubris

52:32 - Tech Is Political

Reflections:

Jamey: When someone gives you feedback it’s because they trust you that you’re going to do something about yourself and do better.

Brandon: Thinking about who is saying something.

John: The power we can embrace by talking about our personal history.

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

Special Guest: Brandon Weaver.

Sponsored By:

Twilio: Businesses all over the world right now are trying to reinvent how they connect with the world. Whether a business is delivering packages, treating patients, or running a global customer support center, their customers need them to invent new ways to stay connected. Twilio is the platform that Fortune 500 companies and startups alike trust to build seamless communications experiences with phone calls, text messages, video calls, and more. Really, the only limit becomes your developer’s imaginations. It’s time to build. Visit twilio.com to learn more.

Support Greater Than Code

210: Getting Sh*t Done with Harini Gokul Nov 25, 2020

Show notes

01:30 - Harini’s Superpower: Getting Sh*t Done

04:19 - Putting Technology to Use For Those Who Need it the Most

Co-Creation and Co-Shaping
Public & Private Partnerships
Breaking Barriers to Entry

14:04 - Crisis Management and Rethinking Blueprints

Life After COVID / Reframing Crisis As Opportunity
Creating Space / Amplifying Others
Leadership Perspective

39:45 - Duality: Humans As Interconnected Systems

Solidarity and Humanity
Facade Breaking
Rationality
Empathetic Leadership

48:16 - What do we do now (to get sh*t done)?

Storytelling
D&I (Diversity & Inclusion)
Futureproofing Education and Skilling

Reflections:

Amy: If we end up back where we were pre-pandemic, shame on us.

Rein: To make changes effectively, we need to go to the people we’re trying to help and figure out from their perspective what they need.

HindSight 28 on Change

Arty: Getting shit done on the huge, grand, level of looking at the crisis we’re currently in and how to move forward to build the future we want as humans.

Harini: The sense of urgency of highlighting the problem and how we need to come together to co-create systemic, sustainable solutions that set in place new fundamentals and new structures for the world that lies ahead.

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

Special Guest: Harini Gokul.

Support Greater Than Code

209: Self-Identity and Parenting in Tech with Mia Mollie De Búrca Nov 18, 2020

Show notes

01:25 - Mia’s Superpower: Adaptability

Applicable Skills to Basic Computer Programming
- Parsing Information
- Research

05:31 - Linguistics and Cultural Anthropology

Linguistic Relativism (Sapir–Whorf Hypothesis)

08:36 - Parenting While Having a Career in Tech

09:42 - Objectivity and Truth in Software Development

11:04 - Tech Parenthood (Cont’d)

Maternity Leave and Returning to Work
- Part-Time Flexibility
- “Keep-in-Touch Days”
Returning to Work as an Individual Experience
Discrimination & Stigma
Multitasking Expectations For All
Geographic Differences
Company Culture

24:21 - Tenure in Tech, Job-Hopping, and Juggling Parenthood

Parenting in View During the New COVID/Remote Work Era

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." – Elizabeth Stone: teacher and author

Psychological Safety and Privilege
Living and Operating in Fear
Code-Switching
Visibility of Parents

44:05 - Self-Identity in the Tech Industry

The Handbook of Return to Work

55:36 - Diversity Hiring

Reflections:

Mia: Psychological safety and privilege.

John: “Just because I’m psychologically safe doesn’t mean everybody else is.”

Laurie: The dichotomy of Mia and Christina’s experiences of being parents in tech.

Christina: It is possible to remain optimistic that Moms in the United States will get better.

Rein: Comfort and guilt in diversity hiring.

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

Special Guest: Mia Mollie De Búrca.

Support Greater Than Code

208: Who Tells Your Story? with Janeen Uzzell Nov 11, 2020

Show notes

01:42 - Janeen’s Superpower: Storytelling

The Importance of Who Tells Your Story
Accountability
Generalizations Are Harmful
Responsibility

07:56 - The Wikimedia Foundation

Trust and Safety Team
Thriving Movement

11:04 - Empowering Communities To Tell Their Stories

Citations
Edit-a-thons

19:53 - Creating a Wikipedia Page

22:07 - Approaching and Engaging Youth

27:10 - Staying Connected As An Organization

Cultivating Great Leadership
Mentorship/Sponsorship

34:56 - Remote Working and Fostering/Maintaining Community

39:11 - Encouraging and Influencing Participation

47:31 - Janeen’s Move From Working at General Electric (GE) to The Wikimedia Foundation

Reflections:

Chanté: Making differences one edit at a time.

Jamey: The importance of mentorship as something that is empowering.

Rein: When a small system interacts with a larger system, it’s hard to change the larger system without being changed yourself.

Jessica: Greater Than Code as an open conversation.

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

Special Guest: Janeen Uzzell.

Support Greater Than Code

207: Investigation and Influence with Chelsea Troy Nov 04, 2020

Show notes

03:36 - Chelsea’s Superpower: Software Detective Work

Grant-funded Organizations
Context Loss
Forensic Software Analysis
Software (Initially) Never Works ‼️

08:27 - Coding in Investigation Mode

Lucifer (TV Series)
Setting Up a Debugging Environment (Includes a Velociraptor Example!)

15:05 - Chelsea’s Techtivism Blog Series: Engineers Considering the Actions and Impact of Their Work Systematically

20:20 - The Power of Influence (See Techtivism 2)

Patronage: buying from or donating to an organization
Patronage Advocacy: convincing others to buy from/donate to an organization
Talent: devoting time and energy to an organization
Talent Advocacy: convincing others to devote their time and energy to an organization

26:57 - Making a Connection Between Values and Your Work as an Engineer

Privilege
The Status Quo
Incumbency

37:08 - Individual vs Collective Action

”A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

Confrontation
Avoidance

Reflections:

Amy: The ways people can be both confrontational and avoidant at the same time.

Damien: How what we do impacts larger systems and how we can move entire societies.

Chelsea: The degree to which our fallibility creates the positions we get to occupy and what that means about the grace that we need to have about the fallibility of other people.

Jessica: Chelsea is awesome!

This episode was brought to you by @therubyrep of DevReps, LLC. To pledge your support and to join our awesome Slack community, visit patreon.com/greaterthancode

Special Guest: Chelsea Troy.

Sponsored By: