# 141: Malevolent and Trying to Trick You

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2016-03-02
- Length: 58m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-03-02-141-malevolent-and-trying-to-trick-you
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/embedded-ep141mp3

## Summary

Julia Evans, a software engineer at Stripe, discusses using Linux system-level tools like `strace`, `perf`, and `top` to debug applications as black boxes. She explains how `strace` reveals system calls to understand program behavior without reading source code, and how `perf top` identifies CPU-intensive functions like garbage collection. Evans also shares her philosophy on debugging, emphasizing the importance of maintaining confidence and understanding that computers are logical machines, even when bugs seem impossible.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-03-02-141-malevolent-and-trying-to-trick-you#t=6) Introduction and Lightning Round
- [7:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-03-02-141-malevolent-and-trying-to-trick-you#t=421) Debugging as a Black Box with strace
- [11:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-03-02-141-malevolent-and-trying-to-trick-you#t=702) Using strace to Reverse Engineer Tools
- [15:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-03-02-141-malevolent-and-trying-to-trick-you#t=924) Performance Analysis with perf and perf top
- [28:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-03-02-141-malevolent-and-trying-to-trick-you#t=1726) Benchmarking Programming Languages
- [34:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-03-02-141-malevolent-and-trying-to-trick-you#t=2085) Learning Tools and Debugging Mindset
- [47:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-03-02-141-malevolent-and-trying-to-trick-you#t=2874) Hacking the Linux Kernel

## Topics

- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- strace (tool)
- perf (tool)
- top (tool)
- perf top (tool)
- Python (other)
- Java (other)
- C (other)
- Ruby (other)
- Go (other)
- NumPy (other)
- MAT Lab (other)
- Chrome (product)
- pkill (tool)
- DTrace (tool)
- Instruments (tool)
- LD_PRELOAD (other)
- PyCon (other)
- Bang Bang Con (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [What's a bug? What's a debugger?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2021-06-22-whats-a-bug-whats-a-debugger) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Linux Profiling with Mohammed Billoo](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-pragmatic-embedded-podcast/2026-04-30-linux-profiling-with-mohammed-billoo) (The Pragmatic Embedded Podcast)
- [from /proc to proc_macro](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2021-05-25-from-proc-to-proc-macro) (Oxide and Friends)
- [A Debugging Odyssey](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-12-19-a-debugging-odyssey) (Oxide and Friends)
- [Paths into Systems Programming](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2022-06-21-paths-into-systems-programming) (Oxide and Friends)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-03-02-141-malevolent-and-trying-to-trick-you. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.