Good Technical Content

2025-03-27
3 mins

This is all my opinion.

Python

In 2020, I knew nothing about programming. I knew nothing about Python. And I was surrounded by people who learned in 3rd grade. These talks helped me catch up by jump-starting my interest in the language.

• James Powell @ PyData Seattle 2017: So you want to be a Python expert?
  • Yes, I do want to be a Python expert! Tell me more!
  • This was my "Hello World" to Python. It inspired me to deeply learn the language.
• James Powell @ PyData Warwaw 2017: Top to down, left to right
  • Brain teasers to help you understand the fundementals of Python's execution model.
• Raymond Hettinger @ PyCon 2017, Portland OR: Modern Python Dictionaries A confluence of a dozen great ideas
  • Engaging speaker. Interesting Python trivia.

Computer Architecture

My interest in computer systems began when someone handed me a computer with a terminal so I could remotely control a robot through the command line. The robot was cool, of course, but I was more interested in what was happening behind the scenes—how does a simple keypress in the CLI travel through the software layers, kernel, and networking stack to ultimately move a physical object?

A lot of computer architecture videos are surface level. You listen to them but walk away having learned little. These are different.

• Core Dumped: How a Single Bit Inside Your Processor Shields Your Operating System's Integrity
  • Medium dive into how an OS and hardware interact.
  • All the other videos on this channel are insanely good too.
• Intel: Architecture All Access: Modern CPU Architecture 2
  • This video is very Intel-specific and a bit higher-level that I would have liked, but very engaging. I remember watching the "Architecture All Access" series after completing my college comp-arch class and I still learned a lot.
• Sreekanth: Visualizing memory layout of Rust's data types
  • The OCD side of my brain liked it. Helps you understand what a programming language is actually doing.

Physics

• Physics Videos by Eugene Khutoryansky: Einstein's Relativistic Train in a Tunnel Paradox: Special Relativity
  • Mind-bending special relativity brain teasers
• Physics Videos by Eugene Khutoryansky: Einstein's Gravito-Electromagnetism, Gravity of moving mass in General Relativity
  • Uses a cute example to explain why magnetism must exist given there are electric charges and special relativity. From length contraction and electric forces, you can derive \mu_0\epsilon_0 = c^-2.

Random Stuff

• Asianometry: Youtube Channel
  • Asianometry is well known for his semiconductor explainers, but look back at his first videos and you will see why his channel is called "Asianometry". The topics are diverse and the commentary is well-written with tasteful humor thrown in. I estimate he is 4 to 5 years older than I am but he makes cultural references like he is 15 years older.
  • I remember the first video I watched (What Xi Jinping Says About Alleviating Poverty). Upon finishing, I immediately binged a series of his videos and then decided to become a Patreon supporter (which I still am). I encourage you to do so too.
    • That video makes reference to Xi's book "Up and Out of Poverty". I actually read the English translation (no audiobook 😠). Maybe I should write up my thoughts.