In this episode, I sit down with John Willis, an accomplished author and a serial entrepreneur known for his contributions to the DevOps community. The conversation spans a wide range of topics, including John’s professional journey, how systems thinking and complexity have influenced his evolution, and the history of AI.
We discuss the history of DevOps, the importance of theory-based practice and how philosophy is integral to advancing science and technology. Tune in for a deep dive into the intersection of technology and human behavior.
Cybernetic interaction - that is, feedback and error-correction appears to apply to a wide range of human functions. Gregory Bateson once called it, “…the biggest bite out of the apple since Eve.”
Podcast Video
Members of the Cyb3rSyn Community can watch/discuss the podcast episode on the www.cyb3rsynlabs.com portal or the mobile app (iOS and Android). The video is also on YouTube here 👇🏾
Key Insights and My Reflections
Beyond his credentials and a long list of accomplishments, John is a personal inspiration for me when it comes to lifelong learning and epistemic humility. As John put it, we are ‘insatiable learners’ who must remain humble at every turn.
Here are the key insights and my reflections from our conversation, spanning from 1980s mainframes to the future of Quantum Computing.
The Complexity Bar Hasn't Moved
Theory X, Theory Y, and the "Hourglass" of Learning
The Untold History of the DevOps Handbook
Rebels of Reason & Uncertainty