Whiskey Web and Whatnot: Web Development, Neat

Live from Big Sky Dev Con, Robbie is joined by Aaron Francis, Ken Wheeler, and Typecraft to discuss HTML and CSS programming status, React’s future, app security failures, NPM’s weak spots, content creation hooks, survival tech fantasies, and balancing big tech ambitions with family life.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:55) - Whiskey rating and review: Undammed Distilling Co. Shields River - Single (Malt ) -Whiskey
• (03:52) - Is HTML a programming language?
• (05:30) - Is CSS a programming language?
• (06:34) - Will classes make a comeback in React?
• (10:02) - The Tea app fiasco
• (15:10) - When NPM flags critical code as malicious
• (20:36) - Turning technical know-how into content people actually want
• (26:32) - One piece of tech to survive in the Montana wilderness
• (29:37) - Balancing family life, content creation, and work
• (35:06) - The pros and cons of working from home
• (38:49) - Predicting the tech debates of 2030
• (45:59) - One piece of advice you wish you’d been given

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk about whiskey on Mondays, parenting chaos, and Chuck’s hot-water disaster. They dive into open-source dependency drama, including the Stylus package getting flagged as malicious, and the TEA app’s massive data leak. They question the stability of NPM, the illusion of software licensing security, and the ethics of data deletion. They also explore how AI is transforming development workflows—sometimes usefully, sometimes hilariously wrong.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:07) - Whiskey review & rating: Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye Whiskey
• (08:15) - Robbie’s domestic chaos & Chuck’s plumbing nightmare
• (13:55) - The Stylus debacle and the fragility of NPM
• (19:05) - Insurance headaches, contractor woes, and house stress
• (25:16) - Mac Minis, podcast metrics, and behind-the-scenes
• (29:09) - Europe drinks better than we do
• (30:37) - Tea's data breach
• (35:33) - Using AI for real-world dev problems (and plumbing fixes)
• (43:01) - Your data is never really deleted
• (46:23) - Why podcast metrics are kind of a scam
• (47:44) - Big Sky Dev Con live episode
• (49:28) - Chuck’s moving to Italy
• (50:09) - Jedi Survivor, Destiny 2, and gaming on the road
• (55:37) - Plugs

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Tom Barrasso about building modern web apps for $15 flip phones, and the challenges of building for ultra-low-end devices. Tom shares his journey from building a podcast app during the pandemic to working in developer relations at CloudMosa. They dive into digital minimalism, the surprisingly advanced features of today’s flip phones, and what it’s like to work remotely while traveling the globe.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:07) - Meet Tom Barrasso
• (02:54) - Whiskey rating & review: Johnny Walker Black
• (12:07) - Hot Take: Tailwind or vanilla CSS
• (12:26) - Hot Take: Fit rebase or merge?
• (13:13) - Hot Take: VS Code sidebar left or right?
• (13:33) - Hot Take: Were smartphones a mistake?
• (16:04) - Is switching to a flip phone easier today?
• (21:17) - Increasingly expensive fast food
• (22:58) - A brief history of flip phones
• (29:13) - Building for devices the modern web forgot
• (34:17) - How AI fits into developing for feature phones
• (39:28) - Language quirks, accents, and phonetic texting
• (42:34) - Tips for digital nomads and Tom’s global travels
• (50:15) - Workplace politics
• (55:21) - What would Tom do if not in tech?
• (59:04) - Plugs

Links

The Primeagen is known for embracing controversy. He returns to the podcast for a conversation on a range of topics like masculinity, social media, and pornography. He also opens up about his father’s passing and his journey growing up with a single mother.

Michael Paulson aka The Primeagen, Software Engineer at Netflix, is an influential figure in the tech community. He shares his thoughts on React's evolution and the impact it has on web applications and offers a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of Netflix and the problem-solving initiatives he led. He also discusses social media use and explains how he leverages platforms like Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube to express his thoughts while fostering an engaging online community.

In this episode, The Primeagen talks to Robbie and Chuck about his views on frameworks like React, the perils of pornography, and how he is saving Netflix millions of dollars.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Welcome to Whiskey Web and Whatnot
• (01:39) - Introduction to The Primeagen
• (04:21) - A whiskey review - Spirits of French Lick William Dalton Single Barrel Bourbon
• (14:13) - Tech hot takes
• (44:49) - The Primeagen talks about limiting social media use
• (56:38) - What The Primeagen would do if he wasn’t in tech
• (01:02:25) - The Primeagen’s take on pornography
• (01:18:09) - The influence of The Primeagen's father's passing
• (01:21:48) - How The Primeagen saved Netflix millions of dollars

Quotes

In this special International Whiskey Day episode of Whiskey Web and Whatnot, hosts RobbieTheWagner, and Charles William Carpenter III are joined by special guest Rich Harris. 

They share a toast with Lagavulin Offerman Edition whiskey and dive into a discussion covering a range of topics from Rich's journey in software development, his work on the Svelte framework, to his thoughts on cheese, fermented foods, and brewing kombucha. 

The conversation transitions into deeper tech discussions about TypeScript, the evolution of web development tools, the balance between developer experience and user experience, and the upcoming features in Svelte 5. Rich also shares personal anecdotes from his career in journalism and his passion for cooking and skiing. 

The episode concludes with insights into the overabundance of tech conferences and a note on the upcoming Svelte Summit.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Welcome to the International Whiskey Day Special
• (00:48) - Meet Rich Harris: The Man Behind Svelte
• (01:28) - The Great Cheese Debate: To Love or Not to Love
• (02:40) - Brewing Kombucha: A Fermented Adventure
• (03:59) - Whiskey Tasting: The Lagavulin Offerman Edition Experience
• (07:29) - Rating the Whiskey: From Smoky Notes to Leather Hints
• (10:34) - Exploring Smoky Whiskeys and Beyond
• (11:57) - Hot Takes on Tech: TypeScript, Tailwind, and More
• (24:51) - The Evolution of Digital Journalism and Development Tools
• (27:40) - Git Practices and the GraphQL Debate
• (30:29) - The Developer's Dilemma: Tool Selection and User Experience
• (31:17) - The Spicy Segment: A Critical Look at ES Build
• (33:11) - Developer Experience vs. User Experience: A Shift in Priorities
• (34:24) - The Evolution of Svelte: From Speed to Ease of Use
• (40:34) - Introducing Svelte 5: A Ground-Up Rewrite
• (50:03) - Beyond Tech: Dream Jobs and Personal Passions
• (56:54) - The Global Developer Conference Scene
• (59:18) - Final Thoughts and Svelte Promotion

Links

This week, Robbie and special guest co-host Adam Argyle talk about life after layoffs, the myth of job security at big tech companies, and what it really means to build meaningful things on the web.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:23) - Whiskey: Chicken Cock Rye
• (02:45) - From FAANG to fired: the illusion of stability in Big Tech
• (14:49) - How HTML and CSS are replacing JavaScript, one feature at a time
• (23:13) - Robbie’s role at HashiCorp
• (26:47) - What is AI actually good at?
• (53:30) - Taste, tools, and the art of building with (or without) AI
• (57:32) - Waking and baking
• (58:54) - Robbie on raising twins
• (01:03:05) - Why Robbie left Amazon
• (01:04:25) - Where tech is headed: AI, burnout, and the future of creativity
• (01:09:20) - Plugs

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Kendall Miller and Rishi Malik about their startup Friday Deployment Spirits, and creating whiskey for developers. They discuss the art of making good whiskey, bourbon vs rye, coding in the age of AI, and much more.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:53) - Meet Rishi and Kendall
• (03:01) - Whiskey rating and review: Friday Deployment Generative A Rye
• (21:27) - Hot take: Is HTML a programming language?
• (25:56) - Hot Take: Bourbon or Rye?
• (27:13) - Is deploying on a Friday bad?
• (37:57) - Payment systems, Web3, and blockchain
• (45:44) - The art of making whiskey
• (51:39) - MCP security for the AI age
• (55:40) - What happened to Chartreuse?
• (57:26) - Plugs

Links

This week, Robbie talks with Typecraft about the chaotic joys of fatherhood, the realities of raising twins, and various dad-related hot takes. They also discuss their tech carries and conference talks, including Typecraft's Vim nerdery and Robbie’s sarcastic ode to underappreciated HTML features.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:05) - Beer selections
• (03:11) - Newborns and parenting
• (07:34) - Robbie's transition to HashiCorp
• (12:11) - Home ownership and the volatile housing market
• (15:19) - Hot Take: tall socks vs ankle socks
• (16:41) - Hot Take: New Balance vs Nike
• (17:29) - Hot Take: gas vs charcoal grills
• (18:41) - Efficient scheduling as parents
• (20:09) - Education costs
• (23:24) - Hot Take: parking forward vs backward
• (24:13) - Hot Take: baseball vs football
• (25:59) - The real point of golf
• (28:39) - The chaotic joys of parenting
• (33:05) - Big Sky Dev Con and other confs
• (34:55) - Typecraft's Big Sky talk
• (39:26) - Robbie's Big Sky talk
• (42:02) - The state of AI in coding
• (58:46) - Black Mirror and Star Trek
• (01:00:16) - Plugs

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck review Barrell Craft Spirits' Cranky Kong, and talk about the AI boom, how senior devs are (or aren’t) using it, and what the future of software jobs might look like. They also discuss the rise of "celebrity developers", job market shifts, real estate economics, and parenting twins.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:20) - Whiskey rating & review: Barrell Craft Spirits Private Release "Cranky Kong" Rye Whiskey
• (07:28) - The Taco Bell Cantina Challenge
• (10:51) - Claude 4, Windsurf, and the AI arms race
• (13:50) - Will AI kill the joy of coding?
• (16:18) - Monorepos and missing changelogs
• (20:27) - Prompting vs programming
• (21:53) - UBI, real estate, and a broken system
• (27:48) - The evolving world of celebrity developers
• (38:46) - OpenAI’s new device and the future of screens
• (41:49) - Parenting and newborn chaos
• (49:51) - Chuck's move and studio setup
• (53:22) - TV picks and recommendations

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk about the unintended chaos of “move fast and break things” in both software and startups. From Riverside glitches to Tesla’s overengineered wipers, they explore how updates can derail otherwise stable experiences. They unpack the economics of getting laid off, the pressure to build a personal brand in tech, and the strange fate of dev tools. Plus, Robbie shares his latest app ideas.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:27) - Whiskey rating and review: Old Grand-Dad 16 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• (13:27) - When updates break what worked
• (20:21) - Are devs prioritizing personal brands?
• (23:13) - The strange economics of getting laid off
• (28:39) - Is GitLab trash?
• (30:25) - Robbie’s ADHD app and vibe coding plans
• (34:05) - Debt, 401k, and emergency funds
• (35:30) - Prepping for Big Sky Dev Con
• (38:26) - UPS shipping woes
• (44:10) - React Miami and difficulties taking a podcast on the road
• (48:58) - Whiskey + Girl Scout cookies (and other pairings)
• (54:05) - Should open source have a franchise model?
• (55:28) - Work, paternity leave, and the IBM acquisition
• (57:15) - Tesla shopping for a family of five
• (61:08) - Movies and TV

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Marc Backes about Vue vs. React, work-life balance, and the realities of messy codebases. They also sip an Evan Williams Single Barrel, debate inbox zero, and discuss Marc’s adventures in coffee roasting and pilot training.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:45) - Whiskey review and rating: Evan Williams Single Barrel
• (09:03) - Hot Take: Inferred types vs explicit types
• (10:04) - Hot Take: Tailwind vs vanilla CSS
• (10:59) - Hot Take: Git Rebase vs Git Merge
• (11:27) - Nested ternaries?
• (15:58) - Real code vs ideal code
• (21:43) - Why work/life balance matters
• (30:28) - Why Marc chose Vue over React
• (31:19) - Ryan Reynolds speaking at Post/Con
• (32:40) - Render Atlanta and upcoming conferences
• (33:48) - Marc's connection to Mexico
• (34:54) - Discussing different foods
• (37:09) - Marc's inbox zero strategy
• (40:26) - Learning to fly
• (44:06) - Roasting coffee as a hobby
• (46:13) - Personal branding and standing out
• (51:19) - Plugs

Links

This week, live from React Miami, Chuck, and special guest co-host Aaron Francis, talk with Bree Hall about React styling strategies, Tailwind CSS, and whether you should learn fundamentals before frameworks (spoiler: it depends). They explore the evolution of Next.js, the importance of developer momentum, and how to break into tech in today’s landscape.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:11) - Rum rating and review: Roble Viejo Extra Anejo 8yrs
• (07:25) - Hot Take: Tailwind vs vanilla CSS
• (12:54) - Bree's React Miami talk: Styles & SASSy
• (15:16) - Has Tailwind made CSS too easy?
• (17:47) - Hot Take: Why you don't need to learn CSS or PHP before jumping into Tailwind or Laravel
• (23:34) - Bree's journey into tech
• (26:49) - The strengths and weaknesses of React
• (27:29) - Where does React end and Next.js begin?
• (31:24) - Why Astro is great
• (33:04) - Using the tools that work for you
• (36:38) - Life at HubSpot
• (39:45) - Bree's favorite food spots
• (44:48) - Theme parks and tech
• (47:10) - Parenting in the internet age
• (52:06) - If not in tech, what would Bree do instead?
• (53:52) - Plugs

Links

This week, Chuck and special guest co-host Aaron Francis talk with Guillermo Rauch live from React Miami. From early days at Zeit to founding Vercel and launching Next.js, Guillermo shares stories of scaling infrastructure, creating developer-centric products, and navigating startup challenges. They dive into how AI is transforming the web, why thoughtful product expansion matters, and the frameworks guiding Vercel’s future.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:54) - Rum review and rating: Fleur de Caña 18
• (04:31) - Every company is now a tech company
• (11:35) - The early days from Zeit to Vercel
• (19:03) - Vercel's approach to cybersecurity
• (23:53) - How Vercel decides what features and products to pursue
• (29:32) - Wins, misses, and wild ideas
• (45:51) - What drives Guillermo today
• (50:00) - Growing up in Argentina
• (52:05) - Boca or River?
• (54:21) - Guillermo’s surprising Laravel take
• (01:02:32) - If not tech, what would Guillermo do instead?
• (01:06:50) - Plugs

Links

This week, Chuck and special guest co-host Aaron Francis talk with Henri Helvetica live from React Miami. They explore the evolving challenges of web performance, why genuine research skills still matter in an AI-driven world, and how developers can stay curious and resilient in a fast-moving industry. Henri shares insights from his React Miami talk, his passion for performance advocacy, and why literacy—both digital and physical—matters more than ever.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:54) - Meet Henri Helvetica
• (05:36) - Rum review and rating: Rhum Barbancourt 15
• (12:34) - Why the best JS framework is the one you like
• (14:38) - What makes a good rum?
• (19:33) - Have performance and accessibility been left behind?
• (22:32) - Where Henri’s working now—and how he’s pushing for better performance
• (26:47) - Hot Take: Why modern dev learning paths are hurting growth
• (35:43) - Henri’s advice for junior devs who want to master performance
• (39:05) - How to use AI without sabotaging your future learning
• (43:36) - Henri's passion for running and exercise
• (52:19) - Building and growing Henri's dev running community
• (54:27) - If not tech, what would Henri do instead?
• (55:26) - Plugs

Links

This week, Chuck talks with Adam Rackis live from React Miami. Along with special guest-host Aaron Francis, they dig into React Server Components, the quirks of modern JavaScript frameworks, and why TanStack might be the future. Sipping an Appleton Estate Rum, they swap hot takes, get candid about developer trends, tech philosophies, and share some unexpected guilty pleasures.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:37) - Rum tasting and review: Appleton Estate
• (11:27) - Hot Take: Why Adam is cooling off on React Server Components
• (14:56) - What makes TanStack the most exciting tool in frontend?
• (16:52) - Are we still chasing SSR for the right reasons?
• (21:26) - Comparing frameworks: Laravel, Next.js, Redwood & more
• (24:34) - Should you pay for Auth or build it yourself?
• (25:13) - Why does the JS community resist “batteries-included” frameworks?
• (27:54) - A look at Adam’s React Miami talk: From PHP to RSC
• (30:45) - Hot Take: classes vs hooks
• (33:31) - Adam’s military background
• (35:08) - Milestones: Spotify, marriage, and careers
• (36:56) - Has Disney ruined Star Wars?
• (38:17) - Guilty pleasures: Jackass, Fast & Furious, and more
• (43:29) - If not tech, what would Adam do instead?
• (44:05) - Plugs

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with David Cramer about MCP—microservices for language models—and why it might be the future of AI tooling. They dig into the state of AI agents, developer efficiency, and why Codegen isn’t killing jobs anytime soon.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:47) - Whiskey review and rating
• (17:12) - Hot Take: Syntax.fm vs Whiskey Web and Whatnot?
• (18:06) - Hot Take: Rails vs Laravel
• (20:27) - Hot Take: Taco Bell vs Del Taco
• (22:36) - What exactly is "MCP"?
• (29:55) - Can you leverage AI to build SaaS for you?
• (38:21) - React Miami
• (40:27) - Rum and snacks
• (47:12) - Chuck is moving to Italy
• (50:18) - David's Sim racing rig
• (54:33) - Plugs

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk about American whiskey, buttered PB&Js, and the quirks of AI coding assistants. They swap TV recommendations, debate developer priorities like security and rewrites, and more.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:43) - Whiskey review and rating: Union Horse Distilling Co Rolling Standard Four Grain Whiskey
• (13:59) - Hot Take: butter on a PB&J?
• (18:12) - Do we care about security in our applications?
• (23:23) - Challenges with AI tools
• (27:44) - The evolution of developer tools
• (28:09) - AI's role in software development
• (33:39) - Chuck's complications with moving to Italy
• (36:36) - Should we drop Severence?
• (40:25) - Jedi Survivor and gaming
• (47:35) - Game to film adaptations
• (50:57) - Robbie on his new job

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Ben Holmes—Astro core team alum and now at Warp—about the rapid evolution of developer tools, the promise and quirks of AI-powered coding, and why he’s betting big on terminal UX.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:09) - Warp and dev tools
• (04:20) - Whiskey intro and rating: Heaven Hill Grain To Glass Kentucky Straight Rye
• (15:47) - Hot Take: inferred types vs explicit types
• (17:11) - What Cursor AI gets right (and wrong)
• (23:12) - Pros and cons of Windsurf
• (25:02) - Hot Take: git rebase vs git merge
• (27:27) - Vim Motions and The Vim Gym
• (30:45) - Hot Take: sidebar on the left or right in VS Code
• (34:40) - Specialize or generalize?
• (44:01) - Frameworks vs doing your own thing
• (48:21) - The MBA journey
• (52:06) - Ben's connection to Peloton
• (53:12) - Plugs

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Clint Spotleson of Sagamore Spirit about the craft behind their unique Manhattan Finish Rye, the history of Maryland-style whiskey, and why great whiskey is meant to be shared. Clint shares stories from his journey through the spirits industry, his passion for whiskey, and what makes Sagamore stand out in a crowded market.

In this episode:

• (00:00) – Intro
• (02:07) – Whiskey intro and rating: Sagamore Manhattan Finish Rye Whiskey
• (15:53) – The history and production of Sagamore Rye
• (18:49) – Whiskey culture and collecting
• (22:38) – Sagamore’s unique bottling and branding
• (29:35) – Whiskey tasting techniques and anecdotes
• (33:30) – Old school steakhouses
• (34:59) – Sagamore Spirit WWW barrel pick
• (40:08) – Is it a waste to use a good whiskey in a cocktail?
• (42:13) – Sneaker collections and preferences
• (47:52) – Italy and speaking Italian
• (51:25) – All about pizza
• (54:02) – What would Clint do if not in the whiskey business?
• (56:50) – Plugs

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk about career moves and tech transitions. They discuss Robbie’s new role at HashiCorp and Chuck’s dive into cybersecurity. They also debate legacy tech quirks, open-source updates, and the ever-evolving world of AI.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:21) - Whiskey rating and review: Cyrus Noble Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
• (10:26) - Robbie's job transition
• (12:29) - Tech nostalgia: old OSs and PC games
• (15:21) - Chuck's new job
• (18:48) - Starpod and what's coming next
• (22:16) - Updating Shepherd to Svelte 5
• (23:52) - Current AI/toolset of choice
• (32:54) - Aging musicians
• (37:03) - Celebrities on crazy diets
• (38:00) - Fast food preferences and restaurants
• (43:17) - Private equity and service businesses
• (45:08) - What service jobs would Chuck and Robbie enjoy?
• (47:03) - Post-apocalyptic society and UBI
• (51:02) - React Miami
• (55:01) - Plugs

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Aaron Francis about developer education, Laravel vs. Rails, and the evolution of full-stack development. They explore the trade-offs of opinionated frameworks, the practicality of PHP, and why simplicity often wins. Plus, Aaron shares his hot takes on modern web dev trends, and the joys of working from a home-office-that’s-not-home.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:19) - Meet Aaron Francis
• (03:28) - Whiskey intro and rating: Green River Distilling Co. Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• (14:32) - The home office that’s not at home
• (17:44) - Tailwind vs Vanilla CSS
• (18:52) - Git Rebase vs Git Merge
• (21:44) - Let vs Const
• (25:40) - Rails vs Laravel
• (33:23) - Challenges of full stack frameworks
• (48:18) - Aaron’s staycation birthday present
• (50:38) - Two sets of twins
• (56:56) - Family vehicles
• (59:59) - What Aaron would do if not in tech
• (01:01:20) - Plugs

This week, Robbie and Chuck cover a wide range of topics, including AI and its impact on web development. They discuss DeepSeek, Tailwind’s latest updates, and whether Stack Overflow is still relevant. Plus, a detour into skiing, college sports, and Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:12) - Whiskey intro and rating: Wigle Pennsylvania Rye
• (11:41) - Data sharing and AI
• (14:34) - AI tools and programming
• (24:48) - Is Stack Overflow still relevant?
• (26:56) - What's the deal with Tailwind 4?
• (37:49) - Skiing and snowboarding
• (42:42) - What is a January Transfer Window?
• (50:48) - TikTok and social media
• (52:52) - Video games and Switch 2
• (56:57) - Silo season 02

• (59:04) - Condoms, food, and health policies

Links

This week, Robbie and Chuck talk with Travis Wagner about his career move from Universal Music to Crunchyroll and the nuances of backend development. They discuss a wide range of hot takes, including whether jQuery is still relevant in 2025.

In this episode:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:05) - Meet Travis Wagner
• (02:41) - Whiskey intro and rating: Finger Lakes Distilling McKenzie Rye Whiskey
• (15:04) - Implicit vs Explicit types
• (16:58) - Tailwind vs Vanilla CSS
• (19:22) - Is YAML good or bad?
• (20:24) - Thoughts on Python and semicolons
• (25:19) - Git Rebase vs Git Merge
• (28:24) - Does GitHub history help your career?
• (36:34) - Learning assembly
• (39:47) - iTerm vs Ghostty vs Warp
• (41:09) - What's wrong with using jQuery in 2025?
• (48:17) - Astro and trying out other frameworks
• (53:17) - What Travis would do if tech wasn't an option