Ruby
Rooftop Ruby podcast
Summarized using AI
Rooftop Ruby podcast
by Collin Donnell, Joel Drapper, Roman Turner, and Catherine Ricafort McCrearyThe Rooftop Ruby podcast, hosted by Collin Donnell and Joel, captures the essence of their first live show at RubyConf 2023 in San Diego. The podcast emphasizes the community spirit of the Ruby programming language and the collaboration between arts and technology. The hosts delve into various topics, sharing anecdotes from their experiences, including a humorous roller coaster adventure. They also engage with guests, including Roman and Katherine Rick, discussing their respective journeys in tech and how their artistic backgrounds intersect with programming. The conversation highlights important themes such as:
- Community Engagement: The hosts emphasize the importance of the Ruby community, sharing personal experiences that foster connections among attendees.
- Transitioning from Arts to Tech: Katherine, a co-founder of Artists Who Code, shares insights on her journey from Broadway to tech, illustrating how the passion for the arts remains vital when pursuing careers in technology.
- Support Systems for Creatives: Artists Who Code serves as a support network for creatives entering tech, addressing the challenges they face in landing jobs and maintaining their artistic identity.
- Synergy between Arts and Technology: The discussion focuses on how both fields can benefit from each other, with examples of how coding patterns mirror artistic rhythms and how tech can enhance the arts.
- Future Collaborations: The podcast encourages ongoing dialogue about integrating artistic principles into tech and vice versa, promoting cross-discipline collaborations.
Throughout the podcast, the hosts advocate for balancing financial stability with artistic pursuits, emphasizing that stress in the tech field can differ from that in the arts, shifting to problem-solving instead of mere survival. The conversation concludes with an invitation for listeners to join a celebratory event later that evening, highlighting the supportive atmosphere cultivated during RubyConf 2023. Overall, this podcast serves as a vibrant example of the Ruby community, the merger of technical and artistic disciplines, and the encouraging message of collaboration and mutual support in both industries.
00:00:18.000
Hello everyone, can you hear me okay? So welcome to Rooftop Ruby. This is...
00:00:26.800
Thank you! This is Rooftop Ruby, a podcast about Ruby, or in other words, Joel's propaganda for his open source project. This is our first ever live show coming to you from RubyConf San Diego. If you're joining us from home via the podcast, welcome and thanks for listening.
00:00:38.680
Alright, so I'm Colin, and this is Joel. If you're not already friends with us, you should be. The first thing I wanted to cover is something Joel and I discussed. We weren't sure if we should mention it or not, but I think it is the elephant in the room. So I just wanted to bring it up so we can stop thinking about it.
00:00:52.239
I was edged out by Patrick Dempsey this year for People’s Sexiest Man Alive. So yeah, we're not going to let this stand obviously. There's always next year, but obviously, you know, congratulations to Patrick, I guess.
00:01:00.960
Hey Joel, how's it going?
00:01:13.680
It's going great! How are you?
00:01:19.640
Pretty good! I saw a picture of the roller coaster from our trip. How was your first day?
00:01:38.680
Hold on, we can't skip past the roller coaster without discussing it! Do you want to tell them about it?
00:01:55.759
Okay, so here's what happened. Joel and I met up on Sunday; it's the first time we've ever met. Our friend Tim joined us as we went down to Mission Bay, and I spotted a roller coaster. I was like, we need to do that for the content. It's going to give us something to talk about, and it'll be great.
00:02:19.879
We walked almost five miles to a pier, and what was funny about this, Joel, was there was a sign that said 'No jumping.' So I joked to Joel, saying, 'Hey Joel, no jumping!' and as soon as I did, he was like, 'I want to!'
00:02:31.800
He started going up as if to jump, and I said, 'Joel, you’re wearing all your clothes!' It doesn't matter; the last time I jumped off something, I broke my ankle. So then we walked back to the roller coaster, where this horrifying wooden roller coaster from 1924 was situated.
00:02:49.080
We waited in line and got on it, and things were very chill, and we were all cool about it, right Joel?
00:03:04.799
So Colin had the idea to film this and create content, but he won’t let me show the video on the screen. I would describe the sound I made on the roller coaster as a scream you'd expect if someone was stabbing you. It was remarkable!
00:03:18.239
And Joel recorded it, so come and find me if you want to see that because it's amazing! Of course, yesterday we got a chance to hang out with all our friends on Community Day.
00:03:36.000
How was your Community Day?
00:03:54.760
It was great! I spent some time trying to figure out how to share memory between multiple Ruby processes with Aaron Patterson, but we ultimately decided against it.
00:04:07.040
Joel was walking around all day thinking about how to create shared memory, convinced there had to be a way. Aaron was the right person to ask, and he did have some interesting insights.
00:04:25.440
Ultimately, the complexity we would introduce was not worth it. We've met a lot of great people and hung out with friends, including Roman, who looks just like Mattye Madison, an online chef I like.
00:04:52.199
One thing we never get to do is invite our listeners onto the show, so let's bring Roman up for a moment.
00:05:13.120
Roman, how did you get here? How's your conference been? Is this your first one?
00:05:42.400
It's been great! Oddly enough, this isn't my first tech conference, but it is my second Ruby conference. I was at the first one in Denver in 2021, and I've gotten addicted to the conference community.
00:06:01.960
As remote workers, it's our only chance to get face time with the community and to show appreciation for those creating the tools we use daily.
00:06:31.640
Once I got involved, I missed performing. I had this proclivity for stalking the conference community. It's exciting to meet your internet friends in person.
00:06:51.280
Our friend Marco Roth was there last night, and I mentioned how people can feel different when you meet them in person.
00:07:03.760
Marco made a valid point about that, highlighting that it’s hard to disagree with.
00:07:12.480
Roman, we have Katherine Rick from Artists Who Code joining us. Thank you for coming! We only saw you sing this morning, which was amazing.
00:07:34.040
I'm generally intimidated by singers who are better than me, but I definitely want to know more about how you founded Artists Who Code.
00:07:52.760
Yes, I co-founded Artists Who Code with my husband Scott, who co-wrote the piece we performed this morning. Also, a shout-out to Juan Rickord, another team member.
00:08:12.760
We are all developers. I performed on Broadway for ten years, and my last show was SpongeBob SquarePants, where I played a computer. Interestingly, my husband is now a software engineer and also a professional musician.
00:08:31.840
Our brother Juan is also a product manager and pop artist. We appreciate both the arts and tech worlds, and it’s exciting to bring both together for a live audience.
00:08:57.240
So when you transitioned from Broadway to tech, how did that process evolve?
00:09:18.600
It’s funny because I started off as a computer science major in college but later switched to industrial engineering. When I graduated, I couldn’t find a job, and I found my way into musical theater.
00:09:47.920
Happily, I achieved many Broadway dreams, but the reality was that professional arts often don’t pay well, even when you make it big.
00:10:06.760
So I became interested in software engineering, which had always intrigued me. My dad is an engineer, and with a lot of friends working in tech, I learned about coding boot camps.
00:10:24.000
I started working at a startup during a period of unemployment, and this experience piqued my interest in coding. I attended a boot camp that included Ruby on Rails and various technologies.
00:10:47.760
It's fascinating to hear how the competitive nature of Broadway is similar to the tech industry, especially when trying to land that first job.
00:11:02.960
Similarly, many dedicated individuals in the Ruby community often sacrifice for open source, working passionately without much compensation. That same dedication exists in the performing arts.
00:11:21.440
During Matz's keynote today, when he talked about the passion in the Ruby community, I felt a connection to my own experience in the arts.
00:11:37.480
Tell us more about Artists Who Code. How can people get involved, and what do you do?
00:11:57.960
Artists Who Code was born during a tough period in my life post-boot camp. I wanted to provide support and build a community for creatives transitioning into tech, ensuring they wouldn't feel alone in their journey.
00:12:33.240
The toughest time often comes after boot camp when individuals are trying to land that first job. Therefore, we wanted to create a structured and welcoming support system.
00:13:00.680
Artists Who Code started in the pandemic when I began my job at Stitch Fix and saw my artist friends struggling after the industry shut down.
00:13:20.320
We focused on helping people in the arts while encouraging them to pursue tech and creative offers a more sustainable lifestyle without losing their identity as artists.
00:13:41.440
We didn’t want to give the impression they had to abandon their art. Instead, we aim to celebrate that part of their lives while providing them with new opportunities.
00:14:01.960
I feel this transformation has really changed lives. Getting a first tech job was monumental for me, and I discovered that I could pursue a fulfilling career while also supporting my artistic endeavors.
00:14:17.760
It’s exciting how combining arts and tech opens up new possibilities that benefit both fields. I often see similarities, such as the math involved in both programming and tap dancing. They share a rhythm.
00:14:37.000
In tap dancing, there are common foundational rhythms and movements, much like coding patterns. It’s fascinating how both forms create beauty from structure.
00:15:06.640
It’s great to see how your artistic background informs your approach to programming, much like how actors must quickly assimilate lots of information before auditions.
00:15:25.760
The ability to prioritize key elements becomes crucial, akin to managing code bases where one must identify critical features and focus accordingly.
00:15:43.840
Stress levels in performing arts shifted when I transitioned to tech. While I encounter pressure, it's now more about problem-solving than mere survival.
00:16:04.960
I encourage artists to reevaluate their motivations for pursuing art professionally, opening up the idea that one doesn’t need to remain a starving artist to create compelling work.
00:16:22.960
The blend of having financial stability while remaining creative fosters an environment for better art. Stress exists, but it’s far different when your needs are met.
00:16:40.840
It’s about harnessing that comfort to fuel creativity rather than using anxiety to seek survival.
00:17:02.920
Meeting others with diverse perspectives enriches our environment and enhances problem-solving, leading to better artistic and technical collaboration.
00:17:18.960
Incorporating lessons from my artistic background into tech projects has greatly transformed my approach and outlook. Cross-pollination ultimately creates innovative experiences.
00:17:36.960
There are numerous ideas where we could leverage tech to enhance the artist's experience in Broadway, from ticket pricing to marketing strategies.
00:17:58.760
Conversely, incorporating artistic principles could enrich teamwork and collaboration in tech, showcasing the value of both fields coming together.
00:18:16.840
We're hoping to elevate Broadway through this combination and enhance community engagement, ensuring that everyone's voice is heard.
00:18:37.400
To bring our musical aspect into the tech world, it was all about planning and channeling what we love about both arenas while structuring it articulately.
00:19:00.720
We had an opening number this morning, and the process was both spontaneous and collaborative. From discussions with colleagues to using AI for script refinement, it truly came together.
00:19:21.080
Coordinating our performances brought a spark of energy to the conference and highlighted the connection between arts and technology.
00:19:41.120
It even left me pondering how both fields might influence and elevate each other, becoming a larger conversation about integration and creative processes.
00:20:03.320
We’ve built a community where both sides can learn and share experiences openly, ensuring we're all growing together.
00:20:25.040
Thank you for joining us today! I'm looking forward to more discussions around how we can continue this journey of collaboration between arts and technology.
00:20:45.440
And as a reminder, we have our Rooftop Ruby party tonight from 6 to 9 PM. Join us as we celebrate!
00:21:01.520
We've got fantastic sponsors like Flagrant, Sidekick, Echo, Bind, and Honeybadger supporting us. We're excited to see you all tonight!
00:21:20.880
Thank you for coming, everyone! We hope to do more events like this in the future.
00:21:41.440
It's been wonderful connecting in person, and I hope to see you all again soon!
Explore all talks recorded at RubyConf 2023
+34