Tag: Technology

051: Code First: Girls with Amali de Alwis and Lizzie Cullen Davison

In this special episode of Octal FM we’re joined by two guests to talk about alternative approaches to getting into the technology industry and software development. Specifically, we discuss what the organisation Code First: Girls is doing to increase the number of women in tech.

  • Code First: Girls is a not for profit social enterprise. Since 2013 they’ve delivered £4.2 million worth of free education to young women across the UK. Their purpose is to increase the number of women in tech.
  • Amali de Alwis is CEO of Code First: Girls. You can find her on Twitter at @amali_d.
  • Lizzie Cullen Davison is a full-stack developer at Pixie Labs and a volunteer Code First: Girls instructor. You can find her on Twitter at @emc_dav.

FYI Jalada also works at Pixie Labs.
Intro/outro music: JACKS – Runaway Fashion

049: Patronise me

In this episode we discuss how (typically niche) video content creators are adapting to the thirst for consuming their (high quality) content, but have traditionally found it harder to earn money to do it. How is this affecting the consumer, the creator, and the platform?

Further reading:

Intro/outro music: JACKS – Runaway Fashion

046: Hello, computer

This episode takes more of a ‘resource’ form, as we share some tips & tricks for getting started building a PC for gaming. We cut through some of the aspects that we think are unimportant, and share some shortcuts for saving time and money.

There’s a lot of resources out there on the Internet, but we like:

  • Scan – for buying components (and pre-builds) in the UK
  • Toms Hardware – for reviews
  • bit-tech.net – for reviews, especially peripherals and modifications
  • Hexus – for their partnership with Scan (easy to find reviews)
  • Anandtech – for their deep-dives into new product ranges
  • The Wirecutter – for their ‘just buy this one’ approach to components and peripherals. Look under ‘Electronics’.

045: Generally available AI

In this episode of Octal FM we dive in to the state of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. We’ll explain what it is, what it isn’t, and why it seems to be such a big thing right now.

There’s lots of reading material out there if you want to learn more.

Some intro articles

Opinion pieces

Intro/outro music: JACKS – Runaway Fashion

033: MMOs in Disguise

In this episode we discuss the emerging trend of adding massively multiplayer features to games that otherwise might be single player. Is this something we want to see more? Or is it just a way of extracting more ‘value’ from gamers?

Intro & outro music: JACKS – Runaway Fashion

030: An act of God


In this episode we’re joined by our friend Tom, aka @x5315. Tom co-created Twitterfall with Jalada back in 2009.

To follow up from Episode 25 where Jalada talked about building Twitterfall, Tom is here to tell us the story from his point of view, and what he’s up to now.

The whiteboard of features in Tom’s university dorm room:

Intro/outro music: JACKS – Runaway Fashion

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