
The Changelog: Software Development, Open Source
Python documentary companion pod (Interview)
Aug 27, 2025 · 1 hr 54 min · 109.9 MB
0:00-1:54:19
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Our friends at Cult.Repo launched their epic Python documentary on August 28th, 2025! To celebrate, we sat down with Travis Oliphant –creator of NumPy, SciPy, and more– to get his perspective on how Python took over the software world.
Stick around for the twist ending! We set aside Python and dissect Travis’ big idea to make open source projects financially sustainable through direct investment.
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Sponsors:
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Featuring:
- Travis Oliphant – GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X
- Adam Stacoviak – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X
- Jerod Santo – Website, GitHub, LinkedIn, Mastodon, X
Show Notes:
- Python: The Documentary
- NumPy
- SciPy.org
- Mojo 🔥: Powerful CPU+GPU Programming
- FairOSS
- tea.xyz
- Cult.Repo
Something missing or broken? PRs welcome!
Cult.Repo
cultrepo.comPython documentary
youtube.comJoin the discussion
changelog.zulipchat.comChangelog++
changelog.comDepot
depot.devAuth0
auth0.comFly.io
fly.ioCheck out the speedrun
fly.ioGitHub
github.comLinkedIn
linkedin.comMastodon
mastodon.socialX
x.comWebsite
adamstacoviak.comGitHub
github.comLinkedIn
linkedin.comMastodon
changelog.socialX
x.comWebsite
jerodsanto.netGitHub
github.comLinkedIn
linkedin.comMastodon
changelog.socialX
x.comNumPy
numpy.orgSciPy.org
projects.scipy.orgMojo 🔥: Powerful CPU+GPU Programming
modular.comFairOSS
faiross.orgtea.xyz
tea.xyzPRs welcome!
github.com
- 0:00This week on The Changelog
- 1:05Sponsor: Depot
- 3:17Start the show!
- 4:28Python dramas
- 6:24Python as ecosystem
- 9:00Come for the language...
- 11:46Dongle gate
- 12:52Coming to Python
- 22:35The SciKits emerge
- 25:35Key language features
- 27:53How features get in
- 30:09NumPy's story
- 32:39Why not Ruby?
- 38:01Early adopters
- 41:28Sponsor: Auth0
- 42:56Someone had to do NumPy
- 44:22NumPy's success
- 45:27Based on a true story
- 46:27Python in industry
- 48:29Goldman Sachs messed up
- 50:58The pain of closed source
- 53:00Community demand
- 56:56Google Borg / K8s
- 57:47Corporate constraints
- 1:00:58Open source as resumé
- 1:04:12Thoughts on Mojo
- 1:14:11FairOSS
- 1:22:46Incentives
- 1:24:51Are you doing this?
- 1:25:27Impedance mismatch?
- 1:26:39Imagine it running
- 1:28:32Selling the idea
- 1:32:17Scrutinizing FairOSS
- 1:36:49Clear next steps
- 1:38:31Public benefit corps
- 1:41:57Drumming up interest
- 1:43:29Raising the stakes
- 1:45:43tea.xyz
- 1:46:50Adam shares Adam shares an idea
- 1:48:15Adam shares another idea
- 1:52:23Wrapping up
- 1:52:38Closing thoughts