Elixir Mentor

• Kimberly Erni on Flexible Career Paths

  In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I chat with Kimberly Erni, a software developer who has found balance through contract-based work. We explore the often-overlooked topic of burnout in the tech industry, where "grind culture" is normalized but comes with significant personal costs.Kimberly shares her personal journey, including how taking a break from full-time work helped her overcome infertility struggles. We discuss the challenges of working in startups with constantly shifting priorities, unrealistic deadlines, and the pressure to always be "on." Both of us open up about our own experiences with burnout and the importance of creating boundaries, especially in remote work environments.The conversation covers practical advice for developers considering alternative career paths, including how to transition to contract work, the benefits of building products incrementally, and choosing technologies that maximize productivity while minimizing maintenance overhead. Kimberly also discusses her plans to develop a crochet pattern app, which leads to an insightful discussion about building sustainable side businesses.This episode provides valuable perspective for anyone feeling overwhelmed in their tech career or looking to create a more flexible work arrangement that accommodates personal priorities. Whether you're dealing with burnout, considering contract work, or building your own product, Kimberly's story offers both inspiration and practical guidance.Resources Mentioned:- Healthy Gamer video on burnout: https://youtu.be/XW-02QiiHDM?si=d7LeRrHTJjrpPsnPConnect with Kimberly:- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-erni/SUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor: https://elixirmentor.com

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  1:31:35
• Tristan Brice on Radio Resilience

  In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I chat with Tristan Kildaire, a systems programmer who works on low-level projects including his own programming language. We explore LoRa radio technology, Reticulum mesh networking, and how Elixir can revolutionize IoT development.Tristan explains the fundamentals of long-range wireless communication using LoRa, which operates in unlicensed spectrum bands and enables low-power, long-distance data transmission perfect for IoT applications. We discuss Reticulum, a cryptographically-secure mesh networking framework that works across heterogeneous networks from radio to Ethernet, providing resilient communication even in challenging environments.The conversation covers practical applications in smart metering, home automation, and security systems, along with an introduction to the Nerves project for building reliable IoT systems with Elixir. Tristan shares insights on why Erlang's fault-tolerant design makes it ideal for IoT applications, discusses IPv6 advocacy, and explains how Phoenix LiveView enables web development without JavaScript.We conclude with a lighthearted discussion about AI-assisted programming and the concept of "vibe coding," imagining a collaborative Elixir project built entirely through AI assistance. This episode provides valuable insights for anyone interested in radio technology, mesh networking, or IoT development with Elixir.Connect with Tristan:- Website: https://deavmi.assigned.network/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristan-brice-velloza-kildaire/SUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor: https://elixirmentor.com

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  1:49:17
• Andrea Leopardi on Network Programming

  In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I chat with Andrea Leopardi, Elixir core team member and author of "Network Programming in Elixir and Erlang." We dive deep into the fundamentals of network programming and how the BEAM's process model is perfectly suited for building robust networking applications.Andrea breaks down complex concepts like the TCP protocol, the OSI model, and the acceptor pool pattern in clear, understandable terms. We explore how Elixir's message-passing paradigm naturally maps to the world of network communications, making it an excellent choice for building high-performance servers and clients.Our conversation covers the evolution of HTTP protocols from version 1 to 3, the differences between libraries like Mint and GenTCP, and how to approach scalability challenges in network-intensive applications. Andrea shares insights from his experience creating networking libraries and writing technical books that make these advanced topics accessible.Whether you're building web servers, API clients, or custom TCP/UDP applications with Elixir, this episode provides valuable perspective on the underlying networking concepts that will help you write more efficient and reliable code.Resources Mentioned:- Network Programming in Elixir and Erlang: https://pragprog.com/titles/alnpee/network-programming-in-elixir-and-erlang/Connect with Andrea:- Website: https://andrealeopardi.com/SUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor: https://elixirmentor.com

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  1:27:24
• Chris Nelson on AI Dev Workflows

  In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I chat with Chris Nelson, co-founder and principal engineer at Launch Scout, about leveraging AI tools for Elixir development and how these technologies are transforming developer workflows. Chris brings over a decade of Elixir experience to the conversation, sharing valuable insights on how consultancies can integrate AI to dramatically increase productivity.Chris discusses the inflection point where AI tools became truly valuable for production work, highlighting how features like Claude AI and Cursor's agent mode with test-driven capabilities transformed his team's approach to development. We explore the unpredictable nature of large language models, structured approaches to AI-assisted coding, and how Launch Scout measured a 4x productivity increase on a real client project using these tools effectively. The conversation includes practical examples of how experienced developers can guide AI to create robust, production-ready code while maintaining critical thinking skills.Our discussion extends to Web Assembly components and Chris's work on the WASM library, which enables Elixir developers to securely run code written in various languages within their applications. Chris explains how WASM leverages OTP supervision for resilient system design and opens up new possibilities for customizable platforms. We also explore the advantages of Elixir and LiveView for rapid application development, comparing it to microservices approaches and reflecting on the remarkable stability of Elixir applications in production.Whether you're curious about integrating AI into your development workflow or exploring the cutting edge of Elixir's ecosystem, this conversation offers practical insights and real-world experiences from years of professional Elixir development at scale.Resources Mentioned:- Launch Scout:https://launchscout.com/- Cursor:https://cursor.sh/- Claude AI:https://anthropic.com/claude- WASMEx:https://github.com/tessi/wasmex- LiveState:https://hexdocs.pm/live_state/readme.htmlConnect with Chris:- X:https://x.com/superchris- LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-nelson-038875/- Website:https://launchscout.com/- GitHub:https://github.com/superchrisSUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor:https://elixirmentor.com

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  1:32:36
• Daniel Bergholz on Windsurf and Claude for Elixir

  In this episode of the Elixir Mentor Podcast, I chat with returning guest Daniel Bergholz about leveraging AI tools like Windsurf and Claude to dramatically improve Elixir development workflows. Daniel shares his journey from skepticism to becoming a power user, demonstrating how these tools can help developers build faster without compromising quality.Daniel walks us through his practical approach to incorporating AI into both professional development work and side projects. He explains how to effectively use features like rules files, web documentation integration, and memory systems to get the best results when generating Elixir code. The conversation covers important nuances about how different programming languages perform with AI tools, with Daniel noting that while JavaScript/TypeScript might get near-perfect results, Elixir requires more guidance but still provides excellent value.The discussion takes a critical look at the "Vibe coding" trend (generating code without understanding it) and offers a more responsible alternative that we call the "sniper approach" - using AI with precision and knowledge. We explore how AI tools are changing developer roles, potentially transitioning programmers from pure coders to more holistic product engineers who can focus on customer needs while leveraging AI for implementation.Whether you're an Elixir enthusiast curious about productivity tools or a developer interested in responsible AI usage, this episode provides practical insights on balancing automation with craftsmanship. Daniel's experience demonstrates that AI can be a powerful assistant when used thoughtfully, helping developers produce higher quality work in less time.Resources Mentioned:- Windsurf:https://www.windsurf.io/- Cursor:https://cursor.sh/- Claude:https://claude.ai/Connect with Daniel:- Workflow Blog:https://dev.to/danielbergholz/my-ai-powered-workflow-for-writing-elixir-and-phoenix-with-windsurf-4k8m- Website:https://bergdaniel.com.br/SUPPORT ELIXIR MENTOR- Elixir Mentor:https://elixirmentor.com

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  1:38:05

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