Podcast · Tech & Science

Two's Complement

by Ben Rady & Matt Godbolt · English · Tech & Science

Ben Rady and Matt Godbolt (creator of Compiler Explorer) talk software engineering, compilers, performance, C++ and developer tooling.

New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 41 min
Latest: 11 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

11 Oct 2026 · 43 min

Lightning Round

Ben gives his house to an AI named after GLaDOS, and Matt makes the compiler build a Z80. A dying USB dock threatens to end it all.

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

11 Sep 2026 · 44 min
Is Programming Still Fun?
Ben asks a question that violates Betteridge's law. Matt rediscovers the joy of coding like a caveman on a plane with no WiFi.
15 Aug 2026 · 38 min
The Tinfoil House
Ben's friend is locked out of their AWS account and Matt's AI has decided he's a hacker. The escape route runs through a cheap computer, a mesh network, and Neal Stephenson.
10 Jul 2026 · 44 min
Never Twice the Same Color
Matt records from the wrong continent and explains how he taught his computer to be a 1950s television. Ben guesses his way to the secret of the colo(u?)r burst and wins today's podcast.
14 Jun 2026 · 32 min
Programming in English
Ben sets out to learn Rust by only reading it, while Matt wonders if you can learn to land a plane from a book. Also: is snark a portmanteau?
25 May 2026 · 44 min
The Rabbit Was Always There
Ben asks what happens when you curl google.com, and Matt peels back HTTP until the rabbit turns out to have been in the hat all along. Then a USB hub stages a dramatic intervention.
11 Apr 2026 · 49 min
Speed of Thought
Ben has stopped talking to Claude directly. Matt hasn't opened his editor in days. They try to work out whether this is fun, programming, or a very expensive slot machine.
9 Mar 2026 · 46 min
Measure Twice, Optimize Once
Ben asks a simple question about performance and Matt talks for 46 minutes. The one true use case for linked lists is revealed, and a part three is threatened.
14 Feb 2026 · 45 min
How Fast Is Fast?
Ben interviews Matt with a deceptively simple question: make my program go fast. 44 minutes later, robot dogs are falling over, Grace Hopper's wire makes an appearance, and Matt still hasn't gotten the job.
10 Jan 2026 · 27 min
Gaming on Linux
Ben wipes his PC over Thanksgiving and installs Ubuntu for gaming. Matt recalls the dark days of himem.sys and IRQ conflicts. The universe was created last Thursday, and someone gets a hangover.
6 Dec 2025 · 24 min
Factorio
Ben's new TCP backpressure explanation: conveyor belts full. Matt zooms out and mistakes his factory for a Pentium 2. Ben plans to switch to Linux gaming; Matt's start bar keeps popping up and he's had it.
13 Nov 2025 · 43 min
Vibe Coding and Robot Teammates
Ben worries replacing juniors with LLMs creates a future hiring crisis - who'll train the robot-wranglers? Matt blames COVID brain fog, then proves it by botching NP-completeness. Capitalism is bad at escaping local minima.
12 Oct 2025 · 43 min
Conference Talks: Some Assembly Required
Matt returns from CppCon with a cold, three talks, and a keynote title Reddit hates. Ben immediately declares Reddit dumb. The hosts discuss C++ reflection, the unforgivable renaming of the Sears Tower, and why conference attendees should stand like Pac-Man.
12 Sep 2025 · 41 min
Running Programs
Matt and Ben discuss running in production; from running processes in screen to battling systemd configuration files. Ben sketches out daemonization rituals while Matt channels Tolkien to explain process hierarchies. Our hosts discover that Ansible playbooks are just bash scripts with better PR, and everyone still Googles journalctl syntax.
10 Aug 2025 · 42 min
Squashing Compilers
Matt uses you as his therapist to vent about three days fighting systemd and boot time. Ben patiently listens while Matt explains why mounting things shouldn't consume 200% CPU. AWS sponsorship news provides a silver lining.
18 Jul 2025 · 33 min
The Benefits of Experience
Matt and Ben explore how experience lets you run across water instead of drowning in options. Ben explains why he doesn't need a life preserver when building software. Matt retrofits good practices into Compiler Explorer while lamenting decisions from 10 years ago.
12 Jun 2025 · 20 min
Is Football Possible Anymore?
Ben recounts his 2007 startup building a database chatbot (before LLMs were cool). Matt tries their methods live with Claude. Ben foolishly uses his phone as a microphone stand.
9 May 2025 · 31 min
C++ and Rust: Different Tools for the Job
Matt and Ben discuss programming language debates sparked by an old talk that went viral. They explore how Matt's C++ safety tips convinced someone to switch to Rust instead. Matt stays up all night trying four different implementations to prove a point, then loses. Ben introduces the concept of "carpet bubbles" in language design. Matt lists all the C++ features that begin with C, while Ben questions whether Chicago makes popes.
10 Apr 2025 · 40 min
Observable Metrics
Matt and Ben explore the intersection of testing, metrics, and observability in performance-critical code. They debate push vs pull metric systems, share war stories from financial trading systems, and ponder what to do when your program can't tell anyone it's in trouble.
16 Mar 2025 · 47 min
Pair Programming with HAL?
Matt and Ben explore the new world of AI-assisted coding: is it like pairing with junior developer? Matt gets the recording working the second time, Ben worries about what happens when your business depends on code you don't understand.
14 Feb 2025 · 59 min
Passing Messages
Ben and Matt wade into the deep waters of messaging systems, get utterly lost in time synchronization rabbit holes, and discover their new podcast tagline: "We make mistakes so you don't have to." Matt celebrates by getting his car stuck where cars shouldn't go.
12 Jan 2025 · 35 min
Getting CRUFTy
Ben unveils his latest acronym-based software discussion framework while Matt patiently waits for the punchline. Our hosts explore alternatives to technical debt, debate the value of naming things, and Matt questions his ability to remember five letters for more than fourteen minutes. Ben has written a blog post going into more detail since the recording.
14 Dec 2024 · 26 min
Are We Remotely Productive?
Matt and Ben unpack the mysteries of remote work and programmer productivity, with a side of two's complement philosophy. Featuring unexpected insights, hallway chat nostalgia, and the radical notion that writing less code might actually be winning.
23 Nov 2024 · 31 min
Are Dirty Hands Right?
Matt and Ben preach the gospel of "dirty hands are right," then spend 30 minutes explaining why that's completely wrong unless you're the right person, with the right skills, at the right time, working on the right thing. Also, don't cook chicken with dirty hands.
26 Oct 2024 · 49 min
Sequence Locks
Matt talks about a work thing, called a sequence lock. Ben suggests some dumb ideas about that work thing. Then our hosts discuss how to starve a reader, anger the Gods of Volatility, and invoke Sylvester Stallone.
11 Sep 2024 · 39 min
The Joy of Programming
Matt and Ben realize they love their jobs, and decide to keep doing them. Flow state, to the point where it makes people uncomfortable, is discussed. Also toilet humor. Ben makes an unintentional Sesame Street reference. Matt recalls his level 70 cleric.
17 Aug 2024 · 41 min
Deploy First Development
Our hosts congratulate themselves on finally having decent microphones. Matt quizzes Ben on his "Deploy First" approach to software development. Ben explains branch-based deployment environments. He assures Matt he's a mortal. Matt promises to be less rubbish.
21 Jul 2024 · 47 min
Programming Under Pressure
Ben and Matt come up with a podcast on the spot, which they do every month but also this month too. Our hosts discuss on-call rotations, fighting (virtual) fires, and working to meet deadlines at the mercy of the world. Ben says the letter 'P' a lot. Matt's brain freezes, but he's OK.
17 Jun 2024 · 40 min
Avoiding Abandonware
Matt and Ben explore the unfortunate death and rebirth pattern of software systems. Ben botches a quote from Bjarne Stroustrup, and then explains why you can't go back in time and kill Hitler. Matt exhibits all the bad things when describing a serialization library.
15 May 2024 · 37 min
Is Optimization Refactoring?
In flagrant violation of Betteridge's Law, Ben and Matt consider the question 'Is Optimization Refactoring?' and conclude that the answer is 'probably'. Ben warns our listener about overspecifying in tests. Matt is horrified by his own assumption that other people's code works.

About Two's Complement

Ben Rady and Matt Godbolt (creator of Compiler Explorer) talk software engineering, compilers, performance, C++ and developer tooling.

Two's Complement is a English tech & science podcast from Ben Rady & Matt Godbolt. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Ben Rady and Matt Godbolt
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Monthly
Typical length: 41 min
Latest episode: 11 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1546393988
Website: twoscomplement.org

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