EPISODE · Jun 17, 2025 · 52 MIN
#18 Matthew Justice: Most People Build Software Like Line Cooks, Here’s How to Be a Chef
from Serves You Right · host Andrew Roy
Today’s guest is Matthew Justice : a rare breed of software engineer, educator, and retro game creator who has seen the machine from the inside out.He spent years debugging the Windows kernel at Microsoft, helping fix bugs in one of the most complex and used systems on the planet. He’s the author of "How Computers Really Work", a book that breaks down the myth of tech as magic and shows you the logic and beauty underneath it all, whether you’re a beginner or an engineer deep in the stack.He’s also the creator of Jane Austen’s 8-Bit Adventure, a full-blown NES video game he built from scratch...including the audio engine...using the same techniques developers used in the 1980s. It’s an insane project that’s part tribute, part time machine, and part love letter to curiosity.Expect to learn:Why computers are not magic — and how understanding them is a superpowerWhat most programmers get wrong about how software really worksThe hidden tradeoffs of abstraction, and how going deep can unlock creativityWhat it’s like working at Microsoft with access to the most protected code on EarthThe truth about AI — what’s hype, what’s real, and what’s still unknownWhether you’re just getting into tech or you’ve been building for years, this conversation will change how you think about the tools we use every day — and maybe inspire you to build your own.Links:What a Kernel is.How Computers Really WorkJane Austin’s 8-bit adventureService starts now.I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at my blog, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.Classic Episodes You May Like:-#3:My 1st and Most Powerful Conversation with Shane Alexander-#10:Nat Harry, cocktail expert!-#14: Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketingAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
What this episode covers
Today’s guest is Matthew Justice : a rare breed of software engineer, educator, and retro game creator who has seen the machine from the inside out.He spent years debugging the Windows kernel at Microsoft, helping fix bugs in one of the most complex and used systems on the planet. He’s the author of "How Computers Really Work", a book that breaks down the myth of tech as magic and shows you the logic and beauty underneath it all, whether you’re a beginner or an engineer deep in the stack.He’s also the creator of Jane Austen’s 8-Bit Adventure, a full-blown NES video game he built from scratch...including the audio engine...using the same techniques developers used in the 1980s. It’s an insane project that’s part tribute, part time machine, and part love letter to curiosity.Expect to learn:Why computers are not magic — and how understanding them is a superpowerWhat most programmers get wrong about how software really worksThe hidden tradeoffs of abstraction, and how going deep can unlock creativityWhat it’s like working at Microsoft with access to the most protected code on EarthThe truth about AI — what’s hype, what’s real, and what’s still unknownWhether you’re just getting into tech or you’ve been building for years, this conversation will change how you think about the tools we use every day — and maybe inspire you to build your own.Links:What a Kernel is.How Computers Really WorkJane Austin’s 8-bit adventureService starts now.I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at my blog, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.Classic Episodes You May Like:-#3:My 1st and Most Powerful Conversation with Shane Alexander-#10:Nat Harry, cocktail expert!-#14: Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketingAs always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.Cheers
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#18 Matthew Justice: Most People Build Software Like Line Cooks, Here’s How to Be a Chef
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