478: The Map Is Not the Territory

Embedded.fm · 30 May 2024 · 55m · Episode 478

What this episode covers

Jan Rychter, founder of PartsBox, explains how a simple desire to track electronic components evolved into a complex software platform for inventory and production control. He discusses the surprising finding that only about 250,000 unique parts are actually used in hobbyist and small-scale commercial builds, despite millions existing. Rychter also critiques the embedded software ecosystem, noting that electrical engineers often write poorly designed software due to a lack of training in software design patterns and abstraction.

Mentioned

Companies
DigiKey
Products
PartsBox
Chips
NE555P
Tools
Zephyr
Also
Clojure, core.async, Kubernetes

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