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PODCAST

Runtime Arguments

Jim McQuillan & Wolf

Conversations about technology between two friends who disagree on plenty, and agree on plenty more.

technology

All Episodes

68:14

25: The X Window System and Wayland

Runtime Arguments ·

2026/04/04

If you've been using Linux on the desktop you almost certainly have been using the X Window System. In this episode we dive into what that is, where it came from and what kinds of choices you have. We get into the toolkits like GTK and Qt and talk about desktop environments like Gnome and KDE. Then we get into the future, namely Wayland. If you want to run an X client application on a remote server, you need to have an Xserver running local. If your desktop is MacOS, you can install Xquartz. ...

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68:24

24: Bayes' Rule - The Formula For Learning Everything

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2026/03/21

If you've ever debugged a program, looked for lost socks or tried to figure out why red spots are developing on your skin, then Bayes' rule was almost certainly used to help you on your journey. Even if you don't know anything about it. Humans have evolved to solve problems but along the way, we as a species sometimes fall for traps or fail to consider all the evidence when figuring things out. In this episode, Wolf explains what Bayes' rule is, how we use it and how we could use it better to...

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101:00

23: Containers - What's in the box????

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2026/03/07

Containers have become the standard way for deploying applications on servers and the web and sometimes even on the desktop. In this episode we dive into what containers are, how they work, how to build them and what you can do with them. Whether you are using containers in your development environment, deploying on servers in your data center or as a cloud service, containers save time, handle dependencies, increase security and just make things easier and better in so many ways. We discuss ...

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82:22

22: With Claude, I'm doing the right things better...

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2026/02/21

In episode 8, Wolf talks about using AI to write code; and a bit of the landscape around that. In this episode, he describes what he’s learned on his journey from just coding to using AI as a major tool in his toolbox for addressing friction in every area of (mostly) work and (a bit of) life. Less about the landscape and more about the applications, the reasoning, the big-picture, and having the right expectations. Links: Claude best practices guide - https://code.claude.com/docs/en/best-prac...

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96:03

21: Everything Is A Database Problem

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2026/02/07

Jim brings his vast knowledge of Databases and dives into the history, some theory, some best practices and some choices you can make. Links: Claude best practices guide - https://code.claude.com/docs/en/best-practices Passkeys Server and Client - https://github.com/Runtime-Arguments/passkeys-demo Webassembly History - https://bytecodealliance.org/articles/ten-years-of-webassembly-a-retrospective E.F.Codd - Relational Model of Data for Large Data Banks- https://www.seas.upenn.edu/~zives/03f/c...

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103:06

20: Git protects you

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2026/01/24

Git is an amazing tool for managing your source code. Lots of people use it every day but most people barely scratch the surface of what git can do. In this episode, we dive in and explain lots of features from the simple to the complex. Links: Julia Evans Wizard Zines https://wizardzines.com - The main page https://wizardzines.com/comics/inside-git/ - The git specific 'Zine Hosts: Jim McQuillan can be reached at jam@RuntimeArguments.fm Wolf can be reached at wolf@RuntimeArguments.fm Follow u...

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74:49

19: Data centers - Don't we have enough already?

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2026/01/10

Data centers are sprouting up every where. Do we really need more of them? In this episode, Jim and Wolf talk about what data centers are, how prevalent they are and what it takes to build them. We talk about the sizes and energy uses and all sorts of other things related to data centers. It was a fun episode to research and very eye-opening. Links: https://statista.com https://cloudscene.com/region/datacenters-in-north-america https://venturebeat.com/infrastructure/inference-is-splitting-in-...

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62:21

18: The one where Jim asks Wolf questions

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2025/12/27

This episode is a little different from our normal format. When you listen to podcasts, watch Youtube videos or even sit in a conference room listening to a speaker, they almost always will mention things and assume you know what they are talking about. And lets face it, we don't always know what they are talking about. In this episode, Jim asks Wolf questions. Questions about things you hear in other podcasts (maybe even ours) or other places and you don't really understand what ...

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69:22

17: Does my key fob have more computing power than...

Runtime Arguments ·

2025/12/13

When people talk about the power of their computers, we've heard all kinds of claims: I have more power on my desktop computer than the Apollo had to put a man on the moonThe phone in my pocket has more power than the Apollo space program hadI have more power on my wrist watch than the lunar landerAnd the latest one: I have more power in my key fob than the Apollo capsule hadAre any of these true? In this episode, we break it down and enjoy a bit of computing history along the way. Link...

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94:01

16: Do you have all the right tools in your toolbox?

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2025/11/29

Wolf has lots of great information about the tools you should consider using when developing software projects. Jim chimes in with his own ideas. Takeaways Just a few take-aways this episode and I hope by this point you have already internalized them and this is just a summary. I’ve presented categories: the tools you will absolutely need to get your job done. You will need an editor. You will need language. You will need a source-code control strategy. The first take-away from this episode i...

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63:08

15: POSIXLY_CORRECT - What it means to be POSIX...

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2025/11/15

Listen in as Jim describes what POSIX is, what it means to be "POSIX Compliant" and why you should (or shouldn't) care. Hosts: Jim McQuillan can be reached at jam@RuntimeArguments.fm Wolf can be reached at wolf@RuntimeArguments.fm Follow us on Mastodon: @RuntimeArguments@hachyderm.io If you have feedback for us, please send it to feedback@RuntimeArguments.fm Checkout our webpage at http://RuntimeArguments.fm Theme music: Dawn by nuer self, from the album Digital Sky

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56:08

14: You are NOT Google

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2025/11/01

Wolf surfaces five fundamentals to becoming a better developer (that you probably didn’t even know you didn’t know)! This is a fiery one! Jim asks questions, and also questions Wolf's choices. Takeaways The problem comes first—ask more questionsStart with the simplest thing that could reasonably workMeasure before you optimize (but don’t be stupid)Understand what’s actually an errorTest so you can evolve, and so that you don’t waste time, money, and effortLinks Solution from Marlon for Jim's ...

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71:49

13: Terminals: Talking to the machine

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2025/10/18

Terminals have been around for a long time, probably much longer than you'd ever guess. Join us as we talk about the history of computer terminals and get a bit into how they work and how they've evolved into the amazing applications that we have today. Links https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teleprinterhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletype_Model_33https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_700Julia Evans Wizard Zines links: https://wizardzines.com/https://wizardzines.com/zines/terminal/Hosts: Jim McQ...

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61:42

12: GPUs - Can I, Should I, and How?

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2025/10/04

GPUs obviously do tons of work. You see it every time you play a graphics intensive game. You know how crypto-miners are using them. You’ve heard AI companies using them for model building. You’ve got this hardware in your machine! Can you use it? Should you use it? Where even to start? GPUs can help if your problems, data, systems, languages, and architecture align. GPU-based solutions won’t help everyone … but when they do help, oh boy do they really help. Takeaways Platform recommendation...

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67:41

11: IPv6 - Size really does matter

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2025/09/20

The internet has been around for more than 40 years in some form. It's outgrown its ability to handle all of the hosts but fortunately, there's a solution. IPv6 is mature and wide-spread and not only does it increase the address space to 128-bits (up from 32-bits) it is also more efficient for routing and transferring data across the net and it's better for VOIP and Gaming. In the US, 55% of all internet traffic is over IPv6 and in some other countries it's much higher. You almost certainly a...

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96:17

10: Command-Line Superpowers: Connecting Simple Tools...

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2025/09/06

Most programmers are comfortable in their IDE but still click through file managers and manually handle repetitive tasks outside of it. You might know basic command line navigation, maybe even write the occasional script, but you're missing the real superpower: composition - the art of connecting existing tools to solve complex problems without writing any code. This episode reveals how thinking like a conductor rather than a programmer transforms your relationship with the command line. We'l...

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86:41

9: Looking at Data Types From Both Sides

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2025/08/23

We talk about data types and their importance in software development. Modern dynamic languages hide type information from you but it's still there, under the hood. Statically-typed languages, on the other hand, bring types right out in front of you. What are the fundamental types and why are they important? What about user defined types and aggregate types? Join us as we dive right in and try to explain it all. Takeaways The CPU knows about (let’s call them “atomic”) types and has inst...

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79:12

8: I’ve Been Using AI to Code for a Year. Here’s What...

Runtime Arguments ·

2025/08/09

If you’re expecting AI to write entire programs for you while you sit back and watch, we're going to disappoint you right up front—that’s not what these tools do well, and chasing that fantasy will waste your time. But what if we told you there’s a tool that could help you interpret cryptic error messages, navigate tricky syntax in unfamiliar languages, write the documentation you always skip, and spot those needle-in-the-haystack bugs that eat hours of your day—but only if you understand wha...

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51:31

Episode 7: VPNs - Connecting Safely

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2025/07/26

If you need to connect to remote networks, or if you are outside of your network and would like to connect into it, then almost certainly you need a VPN. In this episode we talk about various ways to connect and list some of the issues that you might run into. Take-aways from the episode: There's a difference between a "VPN" and a "VPN Service"If you are looking for something simple allowing you to talk to a home machine while you are outside the home, Tailscale works REALLY well. It doesn't ...

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62:07

Episode 6: Code Performance - Where does the money go?

Runtime Arguments ·

2025/07/12

Your programs can be better. There are lots of ways to make them better. It all starts with figuring out what matters and measuring it. Measuring it all the time. Measuring it more. This episode is about following that path. Show notes: Take-aways from the episode: Understand what you are optimizing for: (speed,memory,storage,developer, etc…)Measurement is job one, because that’s the only way to know where the money is actually going. You should be measuring. A lot. More th...

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26 results

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