Potluck — New Macs × Podcast Statistics × E-commerce Testing × WordPress × Charging More × Learning Web Dev × More!

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: A holiday Syntax potluck covered practical web dev advice: Apple Silicon readiness for common tools, MacBook Pro vs iMac setup choices, Remix and Sapper/SvelteKit updates, WordPress strategies for freelancing and headless use, e-commerce testing, college course frustrations, and career guidance for returning devs or new freelancers. The episode mixes tech forecasting with pragmatic advice on tooling, pricing, and maintaining confidence as a developer.

Main Topics: Apple Silicon and web development tooling: The hosts evaluate whether new Apple Silicon Macs are viable for web developers and content creators, walking through compatibility for Electron apps, Brew, Chrome, Firefox, VS Code, Screenflow, Node, Docker, and more. The key takeaway is to wait and see, especially because critical tools like Node and Docker are not yet fully ready. MacBook Pro vs iMac / desktop workflow: They discuss whether to use an iMac or MacBook Pro at home and both strongly favor the flexibility of a powerful laptop paired with desktop peripherals, rather than maintaining two machines. They emphasize portability, reduced maintenance overhead, and the ability to work anywhere. Remix, paid frameworks, and open source sustainability: The hosts react positively to Remix as a paid React framework and discuss the broader value of paid tooling in an ecosystem where maintainers often work for free. They contrast this with Next.js and mention the need for sustainable funding models for open source. Sapper to SvelteKit transition and Snowpack: Scott explains that he plans to wait for SvelteKit rather than immediately migrating his Sapper site, since his site is relatively simple. He also praises Snowpack’s fast builds and the architectural split between production bundling and development tooling. WordPress for freelancing, headless CMS, and theming: A large segment addresses whether learning WordPress and PHP is still worthwhile for freelance work. The hosts argue that WordPress remains valuable for small client sites, cheap hosting, plugin ecosystems, and rapid delivery, while also discussing ways to make WordPress invisible in a headless setup and how to build custom themes. Testing e-commerce sites and checkout reliability: They explain how to test online stores using sandbox/test Stripe or Braintree environments, fake credit cards, local dev setups, and occasional real-world checkout verification. The main point is that checkout bugs directly impact revenue, so automated and manual testing both matter. Career advice: school, returning to dev, and freelancing confidence: Multiple questions focus on students frustrated by slow introductory courses, developers returning after a career gap, and newcomers struggling to price work. The advice centers on staying engaged, building side projects, showcasing problem-solving and people skills, and pricing based on client value rather than self-doubt.

Key Arguments: Apple Silicon will likely be a major step forward, but web developers should wait until Node, Docker, and other critical tools are fully supported before upgrading. For creators and developers, the biggest gains from new machines are likely to come from faster exports and better battery life, not from changing workflows. A single powerful MacBook Pro plus external monitors/docks is often better than splitting work across multiple computers. Paid frameworks and premium tooling can be healthy for sustainability, especially when maintainers build widely used infrastructure. WordPress is still a strong choice for freelance/client work because it is cheap, flexible, and supported by a massive plugin ecosystem. Headless WordPress setups should rely on robots.txt/redirects or a blank theme to keep the WordPress frontend from competing with the actual site. E-commerce stores should be tested like mission-critical software because checkout failures directly affect revenue. Students should focus on learning and producing real work, not just passing assignments that feel outdated or slow. Returning developers need to market their soft skills, problem-solving ability, and current technical knowledge, not only their employment history. Freelancers should price based on the business value they provide, not on anxiety or a fear of negotiation.

Data Points: Listener drop during COVID: 10-15% drop - Wes reports podcast listenership fell during the pandemic, especially around April, but later rebounded somewhat. Team license pricing for Remix: $1,000 per dev per year - Discussed as a likely pricing model for Remix, targeted at teams building large applications. FreshBooks trial length: 30-day free trial - Mentioned in the sponsor segment as the offer for Syntax listeners. Century promo length: 2 months for free - The Century sponsor offer via coupon code TASTY TREAT. Node version compatibility: Node 15 - Mentioned as a version expected to work on Apple Silicon, with some LTS backports planned. Snowpack build times: 50 milliseconds - Used to illustrate how fast Snowpack can build by compiling only the changed file. Podcast growth trend: Still below all-time highs from last September - Wes notes listenership is growing overall, but not back to the previous peak. Freelance pricing example: $1,000 website client target - Used in the discussion about how to value freelance work and pitch client value. Low-cost freelance examples: $150 Gatsby site; under $100 Fiverr gigs - Ethan describes underpricing early freelance work and asks how to raise rates.

Pivotal Quotes: "I am firmly on the camp of I love all of their updates. React Router is one of those projects." — Scott: Reflecting on Remix and the developers behind React Router while emphasizing respect for their work. "This site is bringing you in lots of money, and all of a sudden you need to start tracking that money." — Wes: A transition into the FreshBooks sponsorship and discussion of business accounting for site owners. "You just need to find that agency, that dev shop, whatever, those developers who will see through the BS that this industry has in it sometimes and gives you a chance." — Scott: Advice to a long-time developer returning after a gap in employment and needing a new opportunity.

Implications: Listeners should upgrade cautiously around critical tooling, especially Apple Silicon. The episode reinforces that practical delivery, client value, and sustainable tooling matter more than hype, and that freelancers/devs should build confidence through real work and clear positioning.