Favourite Podcasts

A month or so ago, I tweeted my favourite audio podcasts, and realised that it was worth a blog post. I mostly listen to podcasts on the way to and from work in the car. Some of them I've listened to for quite a while, and some I've only recently discovered but wish I had come across sooner! Hopefully this post will help others discover these great podcasts! Please comment with your favourite podcasts too if I've missed any good ones out!

.NET Rocks

This podcast has been around a very long time and primarily focuses on (if you hadn't guessed from the name!) .NET and Microsoft technologies - although, this certainly isn't always the case, as they cover most modern development technologies and news, not just Microsoft technology. They even have a regular Geek Out show which moves away from software development, and covers various topics, ranging from Nuclear Weapons to Space Exploration.

It's hosted by Carl Franklin and Richard Campbell. Initially started by Carl, and joined by Richard from episode 100. Richard especially, never ceases to amaze me to how much he knows about pretty much EVERYTHING! The man is a walking encyclopaedia!

If you're a .NET developer, then definitely make this one priority listening.

Hansel Minutes

This one is by the famous Scott Hanselman. He works for Microsoft and also is heavily involved in the community with his podcast, blog, and also a lot of public speaking at conferences. I don't really need to go into much detail here, as if you've not heard of him, you've probably been hiding under a rock somewhere for most of your career!

Coding Blocks

This is a recently new discovery for me (and to be fair, a recently new podcast). I'm working through the backlog now. What really jumped out to me with this podcast is how close they get to the metal with the discussions. They focus primarily on .NET, and they don't just discuss new and upcoming technologies - but also try to explain the code itself whilst discussing best practices and principles. From dependency injection, to TDD, to design patterns. The first episode I listed to was them explaining .NET delegates. I already understand how they work - but they're certainly not something that I'd like to try and explain over an audio recording! They also always end the episode with a developer tip each.

MS Dev Show

Another recent discovery - this show has a very similar feel to the .NET Rocks podcast. As the name suggests, this show also focuses on Microsoft technologies. Hosted by Jason Young and Carl Schweitzer.

Security Now

I must confess that I've not listened to Security Now for quite a while. This is nothing to do with the podcast itself, and I must get back into it. I used to be an avid listener, and started going through from the very first episode. This podcast is actually what got me into podcasts in the first place - so is definitely worth a big mention! I've learnt a hell of a lot about Security from Steve Gibson's ability to explain how complex topics (eg. cryptography) work and make it simple to understand.