Episode 0 - We are back!

Show Notes

Welcome back to The Cynical Developer! Season 2 is here.

In this introductory episode, James talks about what's been happening since Season 1 ended and gives a preview of the topics we'll be covering in the new season.

Stay tuned for new episodes covering software development, AI, architecture, and more!

Transcription

Welcome back to the cynical developer podcast, where we take a brutally honest look at the world of software development. Before we get into new episodes, new topics, and all the usual cynicism,

I wanted to do a quick reset. This is episode zero for season two, just to explain where this podcast's been and what's changing. Like a lot of people, the global pandemic hit harder than I expected. Not in a dramatic headline grabbing way, just slowly. The mental load crept up. Motivation dropped. Everything felt heavier than it should have. And when that happens, side projects are usually the first thing to go. This podcast was one of them. Not because I didn't care, but because I didn't have the headspace to do it properly. So I stopped.

So why am I bringing the show back now? The honest answer is, things feel more stable again. Not perfect, not magically fixed, but clearer. And over the few years or so, I found myself wanting to talk about software again. Not trends, not hype, but the reality of building things right now. I've still been doing my thing day to day, and bringing the expertise, dry humor, and amazing wit to my clients while I've been off the air. But I feel it's time for a reboot, especially with how fast everything's changing. AI, cloud, team dynamics, expectations.

It really felt like the right time to start talking again. What's changed in this season? I hear you ask. Season two is going to look a bit different. Episodes will be shorter, at least to start with. More focused, more direct. Instead of longer form audio content, I want to break things down into a problem, what's actually causing it, and what seems to work in practice. Topics that matter now for developers, tech leads, and managers who are just trying to make things work. The tone stays the same. Still honest, still pragmatic, still a bit cynical.

No hype, no performative optimism, no pretending everything's fine when it isn't. Just conversations about why software feels harder than it should, what helps, and what we should probably stop doing. I'm not promising a perfect release schedule. I'm not promising big announcements. I am promising consistency where it counts. Clear thinking, real experience, and no pretending I've got everything figured out. We'll take it one episode at a time, but I'm looking to release one episode every week. So this is season two. Shorter episodes, relevant topics, and a bit more of just what's on my mind.

If you stuck around while this podcast was quiet, thanks. If you're new, welcome. Let's get back to it. Episode one drops next Monday. Be sure to be listening.

Alright.

That's it for this episode. Remember to like, share, subscribe, or whatever your platform of choice tells you to do. I'll be back next time with more honest conversations about software and the things we all pretend are fine. Just do two things. Try not to make future you hate you and never ship on a Friday.