Podcasts in 2024
by Željko Filipin
History
I have been listening to podcasts since 2006. I have listened to a lot of podcasts over the years. For a few years I was listening almost exclusively to audiobooks, but the pendulum swings both ways. Sometimes I listen to more podcasts, sometimes to more audiobooks.
In addition to listening to podcasts for decades, I recorded a few podcast episodes. I also wrote a few articles about podcasts.
Hardware and software
I remember the first mp3 player I got. For the time, it was amazing. You could download several hours of podcasts on it. It was small enough to fit in a pocket. I could listen to it while walking or running. Unfortunately, I don’t have any record of the hardware or software. I wish I still had it around, for historical purposes.
After a while I got an iPod Shuffle (2nd generation) and it was amazing. It used iTunes to download podcasts and move them to the iPod. It was a great improvement over my old mp3 player.
The phones got better and better. After I got my first smartphone I started listening to podcasts there, as soon as it was possible.
When my iPod broke down I bought a new one (4th generation). It still works. It’s a great way to listen to podcasts (and audiobooks) if you don’t want to carry your phone with you. I use it very occasionally. I mostly listen to podcasts on my phone these days.
I have used several applications on my phone to listen to podcasts, including Audible, Car Cast Pro and Google Podcasts. I’ve been using Pocket Casts since early 2024, since my previous favorite app Google Podcasts is going away.
2024
I’m in the podcast phase at the moment, so let’s record which podcasts have survived the test of time. Podcasts are sorted by how long I listen to them.
I’m experimenting with a few new podcasts, but I didn’t include them in the list until I’m sure I’ll listen to them long term.
Security Now!
Our weekly audio security column & podcast by Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte
Episode 1 was recorded in 2005. I started listening in 2007. I liked it so much that I downloaded old episodes and listened to every episode that I have missed. When I’m in audiobook mode I might not listen to the podcast regularly, but I always catch up.
Deep Questions with Cal Newport
On this show, he answers questions and shares case studies from his readers on all topics relevant to the quest to live and work deeply in an increasingly shallow world.
In 2020 I read Newport’s first book, Deep Work. Since then I have read probably all of his books, some of them more than once. I plan to re-read all his books in the next year or two. Soon after discovering his books I started following his blog. He started a podcast in 2020 but I didn’t discover it until probably 2023. When I started listening to it, I liked it so much that I decided to listen to all episodes, starting with the very first one. It’s a big backlog, so it will take me some time.
WIKIMOVE
With WIKIMOVE we aim to keep information flowing and ensure an easy form of update and involvement for everybody who wishes to know where we stand moving towards Wikimedia 2030. The podcast aims to be a forum for open and frank conversations about topics related to movement strategy.
I’m not sure how I found the podcast. I have been listening to it since episode 1 in 2023.
Between the Brackets: a MediaWiki Podcast
A podcast about the people and ideas behind the MediaWiki software. Interviews with developers and users of MediaWiki, both for Wikimedia sites (Wikipedia, Wikidata, etc.) and the many uses of MediaWiki in companies, organizations, governments and personal uses.
I found it because a few people from work were guests at the podcast. I liked it enough to continue listening to it, at least since 2023.
This is ME
This is an internal Wikimedia Foundation podcast. Since it’s not public I’m not sure what’s ok to share about it. I have been listening to it since episode 1 in 2023. The first five episodes are public.
gd2md-html: xyzzy Fri Aug 09 2024