In this episode of Dead Code, Jared interviews Dave Gauer, creator of the Ziglings project—a whimsical, hands-on tutorial for learning the Zig programming language. Dave shares how Ziglings began as a personal learning tool and grew into a widely loved resource, especially among younger developers. He emphasizes the value of learning in public, blending humor, accessibility, and bite-sized challenges to make complex systems programming concepts less intimidating. The conversation also explores Dave’s deep interest in the Forth language, the appeal of small, self-contained “microworlds” for learning, and his broader philosophy on sharing work, embracing whimsy, and building things that make programming joyful and approachable.Links:ZiglingsZigRustlingsForth ColorForthAlpine LinuxLynx browserWhy’s (Poignant) Guide to RubyLearning PerlThe Little SchemerMindstorms by Seymour Papert Steal Like an Artist by Austin KleonRatfactor.com – Dave Gauer’s personal website and blog.Forth in Space (section on Ratfactor) – Dave’s notes on how Forth has been used in radiation-hardened chips and space tech.Dead Code Podcast Links:MastodonXJared’s Links:MastodonXtwitch.tv/jardonamronJared’s Newsletter & WebsiteEpisode Transcript Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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