Early in the interview Lattner does a great job of selling Swift.
Value types (with copy on write), progressive disclosure, ...
I think Swift is a great language but the lack of cross platform development is holding it back.
Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
51–60 of 151 posts
Re: Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
#52Earlier quoted context omitted.
I feel the same way at OP, amazing guests, but can't he push them a bit? What I'd like is more like what Tyler Cowen does, on non-tech subjects [1]. He gives the impression of having read all their books (and their opponents') not just having skimmed Wikipedia over breakfast. He keeps it moving, and often gets people a little bit off-balance, not aggressively, but enough to make people think afresh and not just repea…
Tyler is an exceptionally good interviewer, in a way you can only get by exceptional preparation. We’re lucky to have him. I haven’t heard a better interviewer since Charlie Rose (who had a team working for him, of course). Does anyone know of similar interviewers in this vein? Long form and exceptionally-prepared?
> I haven’t heard a better interviewer since Charlie Rose
Really? Rose is a serial interrupter. Might as well have Gary Vee interview people if you think Charlie Rose is any good.
Re: Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
#53Every time I run across an episode of this podcast I need to weigh in my interest in a great guest versus having to listen to Lex's monotone voice and meaning-of-life type questions. The disparity is amazing - the list of guests is easily the best out of any podcast that has guests that I've ever come across; and the delivery of the host is just about the worst I've come across too. I guess I'll listen to this one.
Totally agreed. It's so frustrating to me that out of the thousands of brilliant interviewers out there, we got this guy somehow bubbling up to the top. Maybe he brings the conversation down to the masses? His "philosophical" questions are often so bad that they don't even parse for his interviewees!!!
I think it's more that he puts in the work (doing and promoting the podcast) and he manages to get great guests.
Re: Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
#54Lot of people complaining about the interviewer's skill - yes it is different and it can feel like stoned teenager with disorganized thoughts asking questions that form mid sentence :) - but if you give it some space, let it be, it's not bad at all. I actually like the slower pace and very down and dirty style of questioning - as opposed to the fast, high level, polished way that becomes inaccessible some times.
I hope Lex stays this way. The only interview podcast I know of where most of the focus is on the guest. The way he talks, listens and follow up on what the guest says lets me fully engage in the thoughts of the interviewee.
Re: Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
#55Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've never felt that Lex's interviewing was so poor that it was a reason not to listen to one of his interviews. He still gets interesting people to talk about interesting things. Yes, amazing guest list, I do wonder how it took off like that. Edit: in contrast, Rob Reid's After On podcast has somewhat similar guests (not an all-stars list, no AI folks except Stuart Russell & Rodney Brooks), but he's my favourite int…
That can be said the same with Guy Raz. I highly recommend everyone to give How I Built This a listen.
Second that. He's great. His new book is also highly recommended. I listened to it via audible
Re: Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
#56Every time I run across an episode of this podcast I need to weigh in my interest in a great guest versus having to listen to Lex's monotone voice and meaning-of-life type questions. The disparity is amazing - the list of guests is easily the best out of any podcast that has guests that I've ever come across; and the delivery of the host is just about the worst I've come across too. I guess I'll listen to this one.
> The disparity is amazing - the list of guests is easily the best out of any podcast that has guests that I've ever come across; and the delivery of the host is just about the worst I've come across too. If the guests would feel in the same way, then they wouldn’t be talking with Lex. So it's most likely an issue you have. I personally don't mind Lex at all and really like his style, especially his "simple" question…
> If the guests would feel in the same way, then they wouldn’t be talking with Lex.
I am often reminded of this anecdote:
"Von Neumann would carry on a conversation with my 3-year-old son, and the two of them would talk as equals, and I sometimes wondered if he used the same principle when he talked to the rest of us." (Teller)
> how great minds answer these "simple" questions can be quite interesting
Yes for sure. But rather than directly ask the naive question which we simple listeners want to ask, I want a smart interviewer to give us some quick signposts about schools of thought on this and where the interviewee probably comes from given what they've said in the past. Then you can get a deeper answer. Even, perhaps especially, when they disagree with the way in which the interviewer has framed the question.
Re: Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
#57Every time I run across an episode of this podcast I need to weigh in my interest in a great guest versus having to listen to Lex's monotone voice and meaning-of-life type questions. The disparity is amazing - the list of guests is easily the best out of any podcast that has guests that I've ever come across; and the delivery of the host is just about the worst I've come across too. I guess I'll listen to this one.
I just refuse to listen to a three hour podcast. I have a one hour limit, and even then I have my finger on the skip button. I also usually listen at between 1.5x and 2x, never slower than 1.2x because they sound stoned at 1x. I've wondered if they deliberately slow them down a bit. Life is short, and there are many podcasts.
Re: Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
#58Clicked. Saw it was Lex Fridman. Closed.
Re: Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
#59Earlier quoted context omitted.
Lex is a good interviewer, he's thoughtful and goes into depth. I've enjoyed many of his interviews. It's like he's a more stoic version of Joe Rogan. Some of his guests, however, are a very bad choice. In particular I am thinking of Eric Weinstein who has been on TWICE. Weinstein is a master-class bullshtter, who opines on his theory of everything yet has NOTHING to show for it. He also manages to pull in politics,…
On the contrary, Weinsten is a genius, a contrarian and a patriot who is not afraid to call a spade a spade. Thank the deity that there are still people like that and they can reach the rest of us with little mediation by establishment types.
The oppressed outsider wiling to say the truth against all odds is a meme invented by hucksters like Weinstein so they can sell you their supplements/ads/patreon subscription. It has little basis in reality. (it's obviously true since these people usually have bigger platforms than any "establishment types" who criticize them)
Re: Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages [audio]
#60Why are people so negative? I get that it is possible for people to dislike his style or find his voice triggering. What I don’t get is what those people get out of pointing this out. Especially when others have already done this.