Ask HN: Favorite podcasts to code to?

4 points·l33tbro··6 comments

Doesn't have to be IT related.

I prefer longer stuff - This American Life, Google Talks, etc

I used to listen to white noise before finding this podcast. This podcast ebbs and flows in a beautiful way that allows me to zone in on only the thing I'm doing.

I tried a few times to describe it just now, but I feel like all of my descriptions to a bad job. It often has electronic elements, but it isn't exclusively that and it isn't upbeat or fast. It isn't trance or "chill" like, say Groove Salad on SomaFM is. Sometimes there is a quiet mix of Apollo radio chatter mixed in, sometimes it is a woman's voice whispering that she doesn't love you. Altogether the tracks nail that perfect point of being interesting enough to keep you awake, but soft enough that you don't get distracted. It is like white_noise++;

Some episodes/tracks are better than others (I'm sure you'll find your favorites), but I find the overall quality fantastic.

You are able to code while listening to a podcast? That seems incredibly distracting. I'm curious how you manage all that auditory input. Do you just listen to it when you hear some keyword that peaks your interest, or while you're taking coding breaks?

I find anything with words distracting. Even people talking around me distracting. I listen to deep house form soundcloud or trance on spotify. These allow me to fall into focus.

The Talk Show (John Gruber), Star Talk Radio (Neil deGrasse Tyson), Freakonomics Radio (Stephen Dubner), Accidental Tech Podcast (Arment, Liss, Siracusa), Stuff You Should Know (howstuffworks.com).

Thanks. Did not know Freakonomics had a radio show :D

Radiolab (Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich)

Dr. Karl (JJJ) http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/stn/podcast.htm

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