Vegas Vibes — Sin City Ruby 2024 Recap with Drew Bragg
04/04/24 • 33 min
In this episode of 'Ruby for All', host Andrew is joined by guest Drew Bragg to talk about the ins and outs of the Sin City Ruby conference. Drew provides a comprehensive breakdown of the event, highlighting the mix of technical and lifestyle talks presented, the benefits of regional conferences for building community and networking, and the unique atmosphere that smaller, regional conferences offer. Additionally, the episode covers the importance of Ruby and Rails in current technology, personal experiences with speaking and organizing community events, and thoughts on the future of regional programming conferences. The conversation concludes with Drew emphasizing the value of these gatherings in strengthening the Ruby community and encouraging participation in future events. Hit download now to hear more!
[00:00:29] Drew introduces himself and tells us what he does, and Andrew explains why he didn’t attend the conference and what he did instead.
[00:02:45] Drew talks about his game show-style talk he gave, which is interactive and challenges attendees’ knowledge of esoteric Ruby syntax.
[00:05:31] Andrew brings up seeing Jason’s talk and the attendee makeup at Sin City Ruby, noting many new faces and speculating on the impact of regional conferences bringing in local attendees who might not travel to larger conferences.
[00:07:51] Andrew asks about the speakers’ dinner, which Drew describes as a communal eating experience.
[00:11:42] Drew explains the first day began with a forced socialization event which Drew found more pleasant in a smaller conference setting.
[00:12:44] Andrew inquires about the style of talks at Sin City Ruby, wondering if there was a particular focus. Drew describes the conference as having a mix of topics with some technical, business-related, and lifestyle-oriented tasks related to Ruby and Rails.
[00:14:01] Drew mentions enjoying Stéfanni Brasil’s talk, Jason’s live coding dressed as Elvis was very entertaining and hilarious, and Obie Fernandez’s closing keynote offering a different perspective on AI’s impact on the industry.
[00:15:40] Regarding lack of recordings at the conference, Drew sees benefits form a speaker’s perspective, and acknowledges that recordings can be valuable for review and as a portfolio asset.
[00:18:41] Drew prefers speaking at smaller conferences for the close-knit atmosphere and better audience interaction but acknowledges that larger conferences have their own advantages.
[00:21:12] Andrew asks what went well with this conference, and Drew explains he appreciates the laid-back nature and mentioned the relaxed atmosphere set by organizer Jason Swett made the event feel more like a meetup.
[00:24:23] Drew shares that he didn’t find any aspect of the conference that didn’t go well and praises the simplicity of regional conferences like Sin City Ruby. He emphasizes the convenience of Vegas as a conference location.
[00:25:40] Discussing Vegas itself, both Andrew and Drew enjoyed visiting Hoover Dam and the overall experience of connecting with people with shared interests in Ruby. They also touch on having fun people-watching and the vibrant environment of “Old Vegas.”
[00:27:55] Drew’s takeaway from the conference is the reaffirmation of Ruby and Rails’ potential and expresses enthusiasm for the talks he attended, singling out Tom Rossi’s as particularly energetic and engaging.
[00:31:01] Drew promotes the idea of attending or organizing local conferences for their intimate nature and the connections they foster. He gives a shout-out to several upcoming Ruby conferences.
[00:32:05] Find out where you can follow Drew and his podcast online.
Panelist:
Andrew Mason
Guest:
Drew Bragg
Sponsors:
Links:
Code and the Coders who Code it Podcast
Sin City Ruby 2024
- (00:29) - Sin City Ruby: Drew’s Introduction
- (02:45) - Game Show Talk: Testing Ruby Knowledge
- (05:31) - New Faces at Sin City Ruby
- (07:51) - Speakers' Dinner: A Communal Experience
- (11:42) - Forced Socialization: Networking Made Easy
- (12:44) - Talk Styles: Te...
In this episode of 'Ruby for All', host Andrew is joined by guest Drew Bragg to talk about the ins and outs of the Sin City Ruby conference. Drew provides a comprehensive breakdown of the event, highlighting the mix of technical and lifestyle talks presented, the benefits of regional conferences for building community and networking, and the unique atmosphere that smaller, regional conferences offer. Additionally, the episode covers the importance of Ruby and Rails in current technology, personal experiences with speaking and organizing community events, and thoughts on the future of regional programming conferences. The conversation concludes with Drew emphasizing the value of these gatherings in strengthening the Ruby community and encouraging participation in future events. Hit download now to hear more!
[00:00:29] Drew introduces himself and tells us what he does, and Andrew explains why he didn’t attend the conference and what he did instead.
[00:02:45] Drew talks about his game show-style talk he gave, which is interactive and challenges attendees’ knowledge of esoteric Ruby syntax.
[00:05:31] Andrew brings up seeing Jason’s talk and the attendee makeup at Sin City Ruby, noting many new faces and speculating on the impact of regional conferences bringing in local attendees who might not travel to larger conferences.
[00:07:51] Andrew asks about the speakers’ dinner, which Drew describes as a communal eating experience.
[00:11:42] Drew explains the first day began with a forced socialization event which Drew found more pleasant in a smaller conference setting.
[00:12:44] Andrew inquires about the style of talks at Sin City Ruby, wondering if there was a particular focus. Drew describes the conference as having a mix of topics with some technical, business-related, and lifestyle-oriented tasks related to Ruby and Rails.
[00:14:01] Drew mentions enjoying Stéfanni Brasil’s talk, Jason’s live coding dressed as Elvis was very entertaining and hilarious, and Obie Fernandez’s closing keynote offering a different perspective on AI’s impact on the industry.
[00:15:40] Regarding lack of recordings at the conference, Drew sees benefits form a speaker’s perspective, and acknowledges that recordings can be valuable for review and as a portfolio asset.
[00:18:41] Drew prefers speaking at smaller conferences for the close-knit atmosphere and better audience interaction but acknowledges that larger conferences have their own advantages.
[00:21:12] Andrew asks what went well with this conference, and Drew explains he appreciates the laid-back nature and mentioned the relaxed atmosphere set by organizer Jason Swett made the event feel more like a meetup.
[00:24:23] Drew shares that he didn’t find any aspect of the conference that didn’t go well and praises the simplicity of regional conferences like Sin City Ruby. He emphasizes the convenience of Vegas as a conference location.
[00:25:40] Discussing Vegas itself, both Andrew and Drew enjoyed visiting Hoover Dam and the overall experience of connecting with people with shared interests in Ruby. They also touch on having fun people-watching and the vibrant environment of “Old Vegas.”
[00:27:55] Drew’s takeaway from the conference is the reaffirmation of Ruby and Rails’ potential and expresses enthusiasm for the talks he attended, singling out Tom Rossi’s as particularly energetic and engaging.
[00:31:01] Drew promotes the idea of attending or organizing local conferences for their intimate nature and the connections they foster. He gives a shout-out to several upcoming Ruby conferences.
[00:32:05] Find out where you can follow Drew and his podcast online.
Panelist:
Andrew Mason
Guest:
Drew Bragg
Sponsors:
Links:
Code and the Coders who Code it Podcast
Sin City Ruby 2024
- (00:29) - Sin City Ruby: Drew’s Introduction
- (02:45) - Game Show Talk: Testing Ruby Knowledge
- (05:31) - New Faces at Sin City Ruby
- (07:51) - Speakers' Dinner: A Communal Experience
- (11:42) - Forced Socialization: Networking Made Easy
- (12:44) - Talk Styles: Te...
Previous Episode
The State of Debugging in Ruby — A Puts-tastic Journey
In this episode of "Ruby for All," hosts Andrew and Julie take us through a journey of debugging, from dealing with weather-induced moods to squashing tricky bugs in their code. They touch on the challenges of debugging without audio guidance, leveraging logs for troubleshooting, and the logical approach to handling errors in Ruby or JavaScript. They dive into the variations of different debugging tools, such as Pry and the Rails Logger, and the complexities of transitioning to new debugging gems. Andrew recounts a perplexing bug only replicable in production and details his process and concluding the issue. As they navigate the intricacies of problem-solving, they contemplate the worth of fixing minor bugs versus prioritizing major ones, drawing on real-life examples from their experiences. Andrew wraps up with a reminder of the importance of teamwork in debugging, while they both acknowledge the reality that sometimes, a bug might just remain unfixed. Join them as they share insights and laughter, reminding us of the human element in the world of code.
[00:00:54] Andrew describes the bug issue he had and the difficulties of debugging it without audio in the screen recording, and Julie shares her own debugging challenges on her new team.
[00:02:00] Let’s talk about debugging, as Andrew explains different types of bugs and shares his process for understanding and reproducing bugs. Julie emphasizes the importance of understanding the product and the expected behavior to replicate and debug issues.
[00:03:31] Andrew describes his approach to getting unstuck during debugging, which includes revisiting the problem statement and using logs to trace the issue.
[00:05:14] Andrew asks Julie if she can replicate her bug in production and suggests using logs for troubleshooting. Julie talks about her approach to errors, which differs as she doesn’t typically see the red Rails error page in her work. They discuss how to deal with JavaScript errors and the importance of reading error messages.
[00:08:57] Julie inquires why some developers may overlook details in error messages, and Andrew suggest that assumptions and a form of panic might play roles and discusses when he’s more likely to Google error messages, especially regarding dependencies.
[00:13:22] Andrew explains why he prefers using the ‘Rails Logger’ over ‘puts’ for debugging. He also mentions using Overmind and tmux for viewing Rails logs.
[00:14:39] Julie draws a parallel between ‘puts’ debugging and JavaScript’s console.log debugging. Andrew confirms they are similar, and he shares his transition from using Pry to the official debug gem and the difficulty of changing old habits.
[00:16:30] Andrew clarifies that binding.irb now uses the debug gem by default in Ruby 3, he discusses the usefulness of Pry’s context-switching feature, and he outlines additional steps for effective debugging.
[00:19:52] There’s a conversation on using git for tracking code changes and git-bisect for isolating commits that caused issues, and questioning assumptions, reading documentation, and getting a second opinion or sleeping on the problem.
[00:23:17] Andrew discusses the mindset required for effective debugging: patience, persistence, and the willingness to step away and return to a problem. Julie describes a very specific bug affecting a small number of users questioning with her manager whether it’s worth the effort to fix it.
[00:25:43] Back to Andrew’s story about a bug that he couldn’t replicate in development, but could in production, and he details his process and realization that it was a display issue in the front-end.
[00:31:09] Julie relates to Andrew’s difficulty in replication bugs in development and suspects filtering differences in production. Andrew suggests troubleshooting methods for errors related to data discrepancies.
[00:33:11] Andrew shares a tip about using data to back up arguments when trying to convince others during decision-making, and Julie recounts realizing the low impact of the bug she’s working on and it it’s worth the effort.
Panelists:
Andrew Mason
Julie J.
Sponsors:
Links:
- (00:54) - Debugging Dilemmas: Screen Recordings ...
Next Episode
Coding Campfires — Unplugged Adventures at Rails Camp West with Bobbilee Hartman
On this episode of "Ruby for All," hosts Andrew and Julie catch up with Julie returning after a bout of strep throat, and then share their excitement about having guest Bobbilee Hartman, the founder of Rails Camp West USA, joining them. Bobbilee discusses the origins of Rails Camp, its unique unplugged experience, and the variety of activities attendees can engage in, from coding retreats to outdoor adventures like hiking zip-lining, and kayaking. She also shares the logistics of organizing such an event, the sense of community it fosters among tech professionals, and how it differentiates from traditional conferences by offering a more personalized, inclusive, and memorable experience. The episode also touches on the challenges and joys of planning such an event, future locations, and the benefits of sponsoring, Press download to hear more!
[00:00:39] Bobbilee explains her history with tech community events and Rails community, mentioning her shift to developer relations, the start of Rails Camp, and her personal interests.
[00:01:27] Andrew expresses his long-standing interest in Rail camp since college, and Bobbilee details the Rails Camp US experience.
[00:08:01] Bobbilee talks about the evolution of Rails Camp, its sponsorship, and the organization, including the scholarship program, location changes, food arrangements, and personal outreach for ticket sales and promoting the event.
[00:13:19] Andrew inquires about the unique benefits of Rails Camp’s style of conference. Bobbilee discusses the small size of Rails Camp, how it caters to different communication styles, and facilitates community through organic interactions rather than traditional networking.
[00:15:35] Addressing Julie’s concerns about attending unfamiliar events, Bobbilee emphasizes that most attendees come alone, and the event’s structure in small groups makes it welcoming for newcomers. She mentions various options for lodging and activities, accommodating different comfort levels and financial situations.
[00:17:56] Bobbilee explains the intense planning involved in Rails Camp, finding new venues each year, working with new partners, and sourcing local items for goodie bags.
[00:19:55] Bobbilee shares her personal rewards from organizing Rails Camp, such as staying connected with the tech community, helping sponsors, and maintaining relationships as life becomes busier.
[00:22:17] Andrew talks about his own experiences with big conferences and appreciates the small group activities and inclusiveness at Rails Camp. Bobbilee explains how meals and activities are organized to ensure inclusivity and engagement, and she details her vigilance in ensuring all participants feel included.
[00:24:20] We learn that Rails Camp is being held in Cascade, Idaho this year. The venue is a top-rated summer camp with numerous activities, located on a private lake, and Bobbilee expresses a desire to include whitewater rafting as an activity and is seeking a sponsor if anyone is interested.
[00:27:13] Julie is curious about the venue selection process, and Bobbilee explains that she uses a combination of her saved lists, summer camp directories, and Google Maps to ensure venues are in suitable locations.
[00:31:46] Bobbilee leaves listeners with the idea that Rails Camp is a simple, all-inclusive experience for those seeking an alternative to big conferences, emphasizing easy logistics and a variety of activities available.
[00:33:26] The conversation wraps up with Bobbilee discussing sponsorship opportunities with various benefits attached to different levels of support.
Panelists:
Andrew Mason
Julie J.
Guest:
Bobbilee Hartman
Sponsors:
Links:
Rails Camp West
Rails Camp West Registration
- (00:00) - Bobbilee's Tech Community Journey
- (01:27) - Rails Camp US Experience Overview
- (08:01) - Evolution and Organization of Rails Camp
- (13:19) - Unique Benefits of Rails Camp
- (15:35) - Making Rails Camp Welco...
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