James Fricker

Writing a Ring Buffer in Rust

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 15:03:23 +1000

A ring buffer aka circular buffer that holds some kind of data (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_buffer).

The requirements are that the buffer has some fixed size, and we have at least one consumer of events and one producer of events.

🤖 WAL(LE)

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 12:21:28 +1100

BACK with some tech news and tech info.

This week is special! Thanks to Suno.ai, we have an official welcome song for this newsletter. (Recommend playing around, it’s free)

Listen Here

Welcome to the newsletter. 🎉

Content this week

⏭️ Skipping into Easter

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 12:24:28 +1100

Gm friends! It’s been a while 👀

After some social pressure and a spurt of motivation - we are back!

Welcome to the newsletter. 🎉

Skip Lists 🧐
#

The current Bradfield CSI module is ‘Data Structures for Storage and Retrieval’. In this module, we are looking at key/value databases, and the data structures used within them. Broadly, we want to have two main functions, Get and Put.

OLTP v OLAP

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 12:08:09 +1030

Contents
#

What is the difference between an OLTP and an OLAP database?

OLTP
#

OLTP stands for “Online Transation Processing”.

2023 Review - 2024 Resolutions

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 07:19:31 +1030

It’s finally time.

The end of the year is a time to review the past and set a new vision for the future.

Previous Reviews

2022 Review

Mitch, Grandma, Me, Dad and Grandpa at Easter

2023
#

A year of changes and hard work this year! I put lots of effort into my work this year, in which I learnt heaps. I also moved in with my partner, which has been great so far!

Tracing Traceroute: What I learnt about the Internet

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 12:08:09 +1100

The Internet is a fascinating and complex system. This article investigates one part of the internet through the program known as traceroute. After this article, you will know,

What traceroute does
What the IP protocol does
What an autonomous system is
What the BGC protocol does

What is Traceroute
#

Traceroute is a simple program. To start run something like traceroute google.com in your shell.

🏃‍♂️ Jittery!

Sun, 29 Oct 2023 08:40:52 +1100

I hope you are well! This week we dive into Compilers.

Systems Programming and Compilers
#

The mountain of compilation, from Crafting Interpreters.

We start on the bottom left and end on a different node at the bottom of the mountain.

🔙 The Return

Sat, 21 Oct 2023 13:21:50 +1100

After one week’s break, we are back again with another edition!

Let’s dive in.

Systems Programming and Compilers
#

After completing our networking mini-course, we start on Systems Programming and Compilers this Monday.

🔗 The Link Layer

Sat, 07 Oct 2023 17:14:16 +1100

I’ll be honest, it was a slow week this week.

Despite this, I’ve read a few interesting things and shared them below.

I hope you enjoy!

What I Learned This Week
#

Why IPv6 Sucks
#

As the number of devices using the internet grows, society needs to migrate from IPv4 to IPv6. This article on IPv6 makes me chuckle, and I often share it with friends.

🕸️ The Web and The Internet

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 14:54:39 +1100

Week 40 of this year and into Q4, almost time for Mariah Carey to enter the radio waves.

This week, we seek to understand the difference between the Web and the Internet.

What I Learned This Week
#

The Difference Between the Web and the Internet
#

What is the difference between the Web and the Internet?

🚂 The Magic Number: 13

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 15:40:50 +1000

What is up friends and welcome to another edition.

I missed last week because of life, but we are back on the train this week 🚂

Let’s choo-choo right along to what I learned about over the last fortnight.

DNS

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 12:08:09 +1030

The Domain Name System.

Contents
#

What is DNS
#

You type in wikipedia.org into your browser. What happens next?

End Your Dopamine Addiction!

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 14:15:18 +1000

Tweaking the newsletter this week. I’m hoping to keep going until I find a structure that works and feels good to me.

As always, if you have any feedback, let me know!

Now, close your social media and let’s get to it.

3 September, 2023

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 13:15:09 +1000

Hey there, and welcome to James’ Notes.

Module One: ‘Introduction to Computer Systems’ of the Computer Science Intensive is nearly complete.

(Read all posts here)

New posts this week:

Performance
- Loop Unrolling
- Multiple Accumulators
- SIMD
Caching
- Locality
- SRAM/DRAM

Caching

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 11:08:09 +1030

Contents
#

What is a cache, and why do we have them?

Assembly

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 12:08:09 +1030

Programming can be hard. Programming in assembly is very hard.

A compiler will take your code and output the assembly equivalent. It’s usually very good assembly, which is one reason we don’t usually write code using assembly.

Unicode Transformation Format (UTF-8)

Sat, 12 Aug 2023 11:08:09 +1030

So you’ve heard of UTF-8, but what exactly is it?

UTF stands for Unicode Transformation Format. UTF-8 is one way to represent Unicode characters.

Setup
#

Ever wondered how emojis are represented in your computer?

Floating Point Numbers

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 12:08:09 +1030

Today, I learnt about floats. I learnt about what they are, how they work, and why you’d use them.

Performance

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 12:08:09 +1030

Contents
#

Performance
#

How do we increase a program’s performance?

Virtual Machines and Interpreted Language

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 12:08:09 +1030

In order to run code, we sometimes need to compile it. Some are compiled into machine code (C, Go), others are compiled into a bytecode format (Java, Python).

Today, we look into some of these and how code from these languages actually runs on your CPU.

Bradfield: Computer Science Intensive

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 08:35:02 +1000

This year, I’m taking the Bradfield CSI program.

It’s an intensive, and designed to teach you everything you’ll need to know about the fundamentals of computers.

Here, I’ll document my progress, write some short posts and try to teach some things.

Passing the Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect Exam

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 09:03:39 +1030

So today, I passed the Google PCA exam. In this post, I’ll share my study approach and how I found the exam.

You can see my certificate for the exam here.

Table of Contents
#

My Background
#

I finished university with a Maths degree and a Finance degree. I’ve been working as an engineer for over two years, one year using GCP.

2022 Review - 2023 Resolutions

Sat, 24 Dec 2022 07:19:31 +1030

It’s finally time.

The end of the year is a time to review the past and set a new vision for the future.

Bonnie Doon, 2022

2022
#

This year was a fantastic year for me. After moving back to Melbourne from Adelaide for the second time in January and starting my third rotation at work, things started to pick up steam.

What I Learnt from One Year of Podcasting

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 19:18:00 +1030

I released 52 episodes of my podcast, Graduate Theory. This is its story.

The pandemic started in early 2020.

As I spent days and days sitting inside, I had an idea.

What if I started a podcast?

The End

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

This episode is the final episode of the first season of Graduate Theory.

Transcript: The End

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 52

Nan Meka | On Choosing a Startup That's Right for You

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Everyone wants to get into startups.

They’ve become the new hottest thing.

Transcript: Nan Meka | On Choosing a Startup That's Right for You

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 51

Graduate Theory Compilation - Part Two

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

When I first started Graduate Theory, I was excited to learn more about professional life and to meet some fantastic people along the way.

Transcript: Graduate Theory Compilation - Part Two

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 50

Graduate Theory Compilation - Part One

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Hello there!

I hope you’re having a great week so far (and enjoyed the long weekend).

Transcript: Graduate Theory Compilation - Part One

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 49

On Achieving Work-Life Balance

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Work-Life Balance reached a new record of searches in April 2021.

It’s a common thought: how can I achieve work-life balance?

Transcript: On Achieving Work-Life Balance

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 48

Hosting my Hugo Site on GCP with Terraform

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 09:03:39 +1030

This article was written by me. Subscribe to get updates to your inbox

This article appears on my personal website, hosted with GCS and Cloudflare.

Dave Lourdes | On Becoming The Best You Can Be

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

This man is incredible.

Never have I heard so much wisdom packed into a single hour!

Transcript: Dave Lourdes | On Becoming The Best You Can Be

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 47

Mykel Dixon | On Rediscovering Your Creativity

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Hey there, I’ve recently moved the Graduate Theory newsletter from Ghost to Beehiiv. You might notice a few changes in this email.

Transcript: Mykel Dixon | On Rediscovering Your Creativity

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 46

Brendan Humphreys | On Developing Your Engineering Career

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Today’s guest is a leader in his field. He has grown the engineering team at Canva from a startup to one of the best engineering workplaces in Australia.

Transcript: Brendan Humphreys | On Developing Your Engineering Career

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 45

Lisa Leong | On Moments of Truth and Pattern Discovery

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Today’s guest is full of energy and full of wisdom. She’s a great example of following your talents to the fullest extent.

Transcript: Lisa Leong | On Moments of Truth and Pattern Discovery

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 44

Caleb Maru | On African Startups and the Power of Accountability

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Today’s guest is passionate and doing great work in the world. Startups in Africa aren’t something you hear about every day, but today, you will hear exactly why they represent a fantastic opportunity.

Transcript: Caleb Maru | On African Startups and the Power of Accountability

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 43

Passing the HashiCorp Terraform Associate Exam

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 09:03:39 +1030

Table of Contents
#

HashiCorp Terraform Associate
#

Today, I sat and passed the HashiCorp Terraform Associate exam.

On Creating a Lifestyle Career Plan

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Without a clear direction for your life, you will be swept up by people with a plan and end up in places you didn’t intend to go.

Transcript: On Creating a Lifestyle Career Plan

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 42

Richard Pinter - Career Suggestions

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 19:18:00 +1030

Hey Richard,

I’ve put your message and some thoughts below.

Let me know if I can do anything else to help. I’m happy to have a chat via Zoom. Here is my Calendly.

Question
#

Gabriel Guedes | On Tales Of Spontaneity And The Perils Of Optionality

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Working in high-performance cultures like MBB is a tough gig. Today’s guest did it for 10 years, and he’s now on a mission to transform the pet care industry.

Transcript: Gabriel Guedes | On Tales Of Spontaneity And The Perils Of Optionality

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 41

Elaha Gurgani | On Exploring Curiosity and Building Your Tribe

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Today’s guest is a great example of what you can achieve by putting yourself and your creations out into the world.

Transcript: Elaha Gurgani | On Exploring Curiosity and Building Your Tribe

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 40

Elizabeth Knight | On Defining Yourself and Your Mission

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Do you know what you want in life?

Do you know why you want it?

Transcript: Elizabeth Knight | On Defining Yourself and Your Mission

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 39

Juliana Owen | On Building Your Career in the Australian Job Market

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Coming to Australia and learning English is no easy feat.

Today’s guest has done that, and now teaches people worldwide how to land the job of their dreams.

Transcript: Juliana Owen | On Building Your Career in the Australian Job Market

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 38

On The Best Of Graduate Theory

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Welcome to the 37th episode of Graduate Theory.

It’s been a fantastic journey so far. The Graduate Theory archives now hold some seriously cool conversations with high-achievers across Australia.

Transcript: On The Best Of Graduate Theory

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 37

Max Marchione | On Independent Thought And The Value Of Courage

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Today’s guest is incredibly humble and has fantastic insights into important topics.

Transcript: Max Marchione | On Independent Thought And The Value Of Courage

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 36

Cheran Ketheesuran | On The Journey To Banking and Consulting Graduate Roles

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Today’s guest is seriously impressive.

Despite being a university student, he has worked in both private equity and investment banking.

Transcript: Cheran Ketheesuran | On The Journey To Banking and Consulting Graduate Roles

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 35

Robby Wade | On the Importance of Perspective

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

From Banking in Australia to Crypto advisory and now CEO of a startup in Silicon Valley, today’s guest has seen a lot.

Transcript: Robby Wade | On The Importance of Perspective

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 34

Jack Boxer | On Waking Up and Chasing Your Dreams

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

This week’s guest is different to most we’ve had on the show previously.

Transcript: Jack Boxer | On Waking Up and Chasing Your Dreams

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 33

On Why You Shouldn't Follow Your Passion

Mon, 30 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Successful people are all passionate about what they do. Did they start out passionate? Or are they only passionate because they are successful?

Transcript: On Why You Shouldn't Follow Your Passion

Mon, 30 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 32

Gene Rice | On The Journey from Grad to Grown-up

Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Graduate Theory exists to provide graduates with tips and advice to go from uncertain uni students to thriving early career professionals.

Transcript: Gene Rice | On The Journey from Grad to Grown-up

Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 31

Transcript: Yaniv Bernstein | On Engineering The Perfect Work Culture

Mon, 16 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 30

Yaniv Bernstein | On Engineering The Perfect Work Culture

Mon, 16 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

The world of engineering is constantly changing.

This week, we chat to an experienced engineer about what it takes to succeed as an engineer and how to find great companies to work for.

On Negotiating Your Financial Future with Lacey Filipich

Mon, 09 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

It’s time to tackle an important topic.

Finance.

In this week’s episode of Graduate Theory, we uncover how to take the first steps to become financially free.

Transcript: On Negotiating Your Financial Future with Lacey Filipich

Mon, 09 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 29

On the Specialist vs Generalist Dilemma

Mon, 02 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Good morning Graduates!

This week, a special episode of Graduate Theory. This week, hear from Chris Dixon, Bill Gates, Tim Ferriss, Malcolm Gladwell and David Epstein on how to best approach your career.

Transcript: On the Specialist vs Generalist Dilemma

Mon, 02 May 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 28

On Finding and Thriving in Your Dream Graduate Role with Kerry Callenbach

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Good morning Graduates!

This is episode #27 of Graduate Theory. Rarely do we ever see behind the scenes of HR and what it takes to make it through competitive Graduate recruitment processes.

Transcript: On Finding and Thriving in Your Dream Graduate Role with Kerry Callenbach

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 27

On Making a Career in Venture Capital with Abhi Maran

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Good morning Graduates!

Welcome to episode #26 of Graduate Theory. Venture Capital is an interesting place to work, one that you don’t usually expect young guns to be operating. This week, we uncover what it takes to work in VC and how you can set yourself up for success.

Transcript: On Making a Career in Venture Capital with Abhi Maran

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 26

The Quarter Century Review with James Fricker

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Hi all, today marks a special day for Graduate Theory, the 25th episode. It’s been nearly 6 months now of weekly content, many interviews conducted and many lessons learnt.

Today’s episode is a little different to the ordinary. Today, I’ll be going through some of the things that I have learnt through speaking to many different people over the last few months. I’ve spoken to graduates, CEOs, thought leaders, and many more, each episode containing unique lessons. In this episode, I’m going to outline what I’ve learned, and add a bit of my personal touch along the way.

Transcript: The Quarter Century Review with James Fricker

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 25

On Avoiding Career Traps and Burnout with Mel Kettle

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +1000

Read the full transcript

Hello Graduates!

This is episode #24 of Graduate Theory. Burnout is something we hear about but probably haven’t had much experience with. Today’s guest shines a light on what she wishes she knew before burning out in her career.

Transcript: On Avoiding Career Traps and Burnout with Mel Kettle

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +1000

← Back to episode 24

On Building a Remote Career in Web3 with Josh Reyes

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Good morning Graduates!

Welcome to episode #23 of Graduate Theory. Web3 is taking over the world, and today’s guest is right in the thick of it. Listen as we discuss Web3, culture and remote work.

Transcript: On Building a Remote Career in Web3 with Josh Reyes

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 23

On Finding Your Mission with Josh Farr

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Hello Graduates!

This is episode #22 of Graduate Theory. This is a powerful episode, one that I learned so much from, and one that I recommend everyone listens to.

Transcript: On Finding Your Mission with Josh Farr

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 22

On Resume Writing and Authenticity with Nimarta Verma

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Hello Graduates!

This wonderful week it’s episode #21 of Graduate Theory. It’s time to discuss resumes and cover letters.

Transcript: On Resume Writing and Authenticity with Nimarta Verma

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 21

On Time Management and Leadership with Adam Geha

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Hello Graduates!

Welcome to episode #20 of Graduate Theory. This episode is with one of the most impressive guests we’ve interviewed so far.

Transcript: On Time Management and Leadership with Adam Geha

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 20

On Designing a Successful Side Hustle with Penny Talalak

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Hello Graduates!

This week we present #19 of Graduate Theory. On designing and side-hustling.

Transcript: On Designing a Successful Side Hustle with Penny Talalak

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 19

On Asymmetric Risks and the Power of Asking with Warwick Donaldson

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Hello Graduates!

Back again with episode #18 of Graduate Theory, providing you with lessons and tips so that you can have a successful and fulfilling career.

Transcript: On Asymmetric Risks and the Power of Asking with Warwick Donaldson

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 18

On the Importance of Taking Action with Aaron Ngan

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Hello Graduates!

Welcome to episode #17 of Graduate Theory, providing you with lessons and tips so that you can have a successful and fulfilling career.

Transcript: On The Importance of Taking Action with Aaron Ngan

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 17

On Building a Long-Term and Sustainable Career with Michael Gill

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Michael Gill is a titan of the law industry in Australia. Since graduating from university in 1970, he has accomplished so much.

Transcript: On building a long term and sustainable career with Michael Gill

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 16

On Startups, Corporate and the Importance of Personal Branding with Dan Brockwell

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Dan Brockwell is a Computer Science and Marketing graduate from UNSW.

Transcript: On Startups, Corporate and The Importance of Personal Branding with Dan Brockwell

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 15

My Podcasting Tools

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 17:07:06 +1100

Image From Unsplash

Recently, I started my podcast called Graduate Theory. I wanted to create a place to have meaningful conversations about having successful and fulfilling careers.

I won’t go into the podcast too much here, but so far it’s been a great experience.

On Our Connection to Nature and Leadership with Ingrid Messner

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Ingrid Messner is a leadership expert with over twenty-five years’ experience. She was born in Germany and moved with her family to Sydney, in 2004. Passionate about the environment, she overcame extraordinary adversity in re-learning how to walk twice.

Transcript: On Our Connection To Nature and Leadership with Ingrid Messner

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 14

On Moving Interstate, SWE Interviews and Traits of Great Consultants

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

This episode is a compilation of three interviews I did with friends of mine from University.

Transcript: On Moving Interstate, SWE Interviews and Traits of Great Consultants

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 13

On Books and the Importance of Range with Adam Ashton

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Adam Ashton is an account manager by day and a co-host of the What You Will Learn podcast. With 5M+ downloads, the podcast is all about summarising the best lessons from books and interviewing some of the best authors in the world. In 2021 both hosts released their book, “The Shit They Never Taught You”, compiling the lessons the hosts have learnt from their reading.

Transcript: On Books and The Importance of Range with Adam Ashton

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 12

On The Graduate Experience and Careers with Haynes D'Souza

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Haynes is a Finance Manager at Airwallex. He has worked at Goldman Sachs JBWere and PwC, where he worked in Silicon Valley on billion-dollar deals like the Uber IPO and Airbnb transactions.

Transcript: On The Graduate Experience and Careers with Haynes D'Souza

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 11

On Graduate Theory

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

James is the host of Graduate Theory. He studied Maths and Finance at the University of Adelaide, before moving to Melbourne in 2021 to start as a Technology Graduate at ANZ. He is passionate about all things careers and motivating people to squeeze the juice out of life.

Transcript: On Graduate Theory

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 10

On Mentoring and Mental Health

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Aiden studied IT and finished his degree in 2016, previously worked at Apple and PwC and now works as a Technical Trainer at Microsoft. He is passionate about mental health.

Transcript: On Mentoring and Mental Health

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 9

On Purpose-Driven Business and Transdisciplinarity with Co-Founder and CEO, Andrew Akib

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Watch This Episode on YouTube

Andrew is the Co-Founder and CEO of Maslow. Maslow is a voice-enabled rehabilitation assistant for young people living with paralysis. Andrew is a musician and artist at heart and says that is how he learned to be a leader, innovator, and problem solver.

Transcript: On Purpose Driven Business and Transdisciplinarity with Co-founder and CEO, Andrew Akib

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 8

On Purpose and High Performance with Former MD Goldman Sachs, Lidia Ranieri

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Lidia was a Partner at Reunion Capital Partners and previously a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs. She has over 25 years of experience in the finance industry, predominantly in the capital markets. Lidia also holds a Masters of Science in Coaching Psychology from The University of Sydney and is an Associate Member of the University of Sydney Coaching and Mentoring Alumni. She founded On Purpose to help clients identify, align with and act ‘on purpose’ in their pursuit of excellence.

Transcript: On Purpose and High Performance with Former MD Goldman Sachs, Lidia Ranieri

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 7

On Personal Productivity and Growth with Founding Director - Capability Unlimited, Ishan Galapathy

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Listen
#

Apple Podcasts

Transcript: On Personal Productivity and Growth with Founding Director - Capability Unlimited, Ishan Galapathy

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 6

On Listening with Author and Speaker, Oscar Trimboli

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Oscar Trimboli is an author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker. He is passionate about using the gift of listening to bring positive change in homes, workplaces, and cultures around the world.

Transcript: On Listening with Author and Speaker, Oscar Trimboli

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 5

On University and Initiative with Co-Founder of Espresso Displays, Scott McKeon

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Scott McKeon is the co-founder of Espresso Displays. In this episode, he reflects on the university experiences that helped him move from civil engineering into the startup world.

Transcript: On University and Initiative with Co-Founder of Espresso Displays, Scott McKeon

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 4

On Career Progression and Leadership with Former SATAC CEO, Wendy Teasdale-Smith

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Wendy Teasdale-Smith is the former CEO of the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre. Her career has spanned teaching, school leadership, executive roles, board work and public-speaking coaching.

On Patterns and Letting Go with Behavioural Scientist, Darren Fleming

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Darren Fleming is a behavioural scientist and peak-performance strategist who coaches people to communicate, sell and ask better questions.

Transcript: On Career Progression and Leadership with Former SATAC CEO, Wendy Teasdale-Smith

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 2

Transcript: On Patterns and Letting Go with Behavioural Scientist, Darren Fleming

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 3

On Networking with Founder and Author, Joe Wehbe

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

Read the full transcript

Joe Wehbe is the co-founder of Constant Student and the co-author of 18 and Lost, a collection of lessons about navigating the years after high school.

Transcript: On Networking with Founder and Author, Joe Wehbe

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +1100

← Back to episode 1

The Steak and the Spice

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 08:06:40 +1030

Note: In this post I refer to ‘reading’ as the reading of predominantly non-fiction/self-help books

When we sit down to eat a juicy, fresh steak, we rarely eat it without some kind of topping. Be it salt and pepper, or something more extravagant like truffle sauce, the spices we have with steak make it taste significantly better.

Stupid Simple

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 13:20:44 +1000

Welcome to James’s Newsletter by me, James Fricker.

Reading, learning and sharing about all things Technology, Data and Finance

In the meantime, tell your friends!

Beginners Guide to Zero Knowledge Proofs

Sat, 12 Jun 2021 19:18:00 +1030

In today era, secure communication and privacy are more important than ever. Keeping our communication secure is done with this thing called ‘Cryptography’. Basically some smart calculations with prime numbers that mean we can secure and verify things easily, but it’s hard for a bad actor to come and steal the information.

Communication Styles - Radical Transparency

Mon, 17 May 2021 19:18:00 +1030

The following article was written in preparation for a Toastmasters speech. The aim of the speech is below

Moving Interstate

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 11:56:39 +1100

It was the 31st of December 2019. I got my phone out to record another video journal.

As I sat on my balcony, wondering what the past year had meant to me and all the things I had done. I couldn’t help but think about what the future might hold.

What Does a Great Graduate Look Like?

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 19:24:09 +1100

It’s something I always wondered.

I’m a decent student, I’ve done some cool things. I’m applying to these cool jobs.

And I’m hearing nothing back.

Sometimes I’d even get a rejection email the same day that I sent my application.

Knowledge Committee 2021 Graduate Representative Application

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 19:18:00 +1030

By James Fricker. See more about me here.

Why would you like to be a 2021 Graduate Representative? (108 words)
#

I am always looking to learn. From reading books to researching topics in my spare time, I am always looking to learn more about the world around me. This desire and hunger to discover new things has absolutely helped me land a role at ANZ.

Solitude

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 11:56:39 +1100

Contents
#

Rarely do we spend time alone with ourselves.

Wrap up and Reflections

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 16:46:30 +1100

So here we are. The end.

Progress was very slow to non-existent near the end of this challenge. I nearly completed all of the blog posts, but missed the last 12 posts.

Business is no excuse but I was getting ready to move interstate to begin work in Melbourne.

Leaving Gains On The Table

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:08:32 +1030

I was in the gym with a friend recently.

He didn’t know what workout he was going to do when he arrived.

He wasn’t tracking his lifts.

I am no gym expert but it was very obvious that he wasn’t maximising his gains in the gym.

Personality Changes

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:51:29 +1030

I’m moving to Melbourne pretty soon. In 13 days to be exact.

I’ve noticed changes in my personality already.

I once heard this story.

This boy is offered an opportunity to be a monk in a cave with a older man for 10 years. There is no going back once he has left.

Thinking of Ideas

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:51:26 +1030

It’s sometimes hard to think of ideas.

Like you just can’t put something on the page.

But ideas are all around us.

Inspiration is everywhere.

Instead of pushing to be inspired, let the inspiration come to you.

Questions First

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:51:24 +1030

The other night I was chatting with some friends.

We were talking about controversial topics like what’s happening at the moment in America.

There are some topics like this that are very polarising.

When people hear these things being said, they instantly go to one side and prepare to fight against the other.

I'll be happy when

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:51:21 +1030

A problem I often fall into is not being happy right now, and saying that I will be happy when another event happens.

I will be happy when….

The Problem
#

When you say this, you are getting this temporary kick of how it feels to experience that event. You are using that future event to feel good now.

How to Stay Motivated

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 09:21:37 +1030

I was chatting to a friend last night. He was looking at all the content that I’ve produced over the last few weeks.

He asked me, “How do you stay motivated?”

I gave him three reasons.

Show Your Work

Wed, 13 Jan 2021 08:42:20 +1030

I just finished reading the book “Show Your Work” by Austin Kleon.

In this book, Austin outlines how showing your work is beneficial for yourself and your brand.

Many of us only show the finished product, the final result. We don’t tell our audience all the things that we did along the way. All the mistakes and achievements.

The Best Mindset

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 13:41:02 +1030

There’s this thing known as the growth mindset.

It’s the mindset that a person has, they believe that they can improve.

In Carol Dweck’s book “Mindset”, she shows the research that has gone into this mindset and how people who think in this way typically have more interesting and fulfilling lives.

A Clean Room is a Clean Mind

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 13:40:59 +1030

Typically when my room gets messy, it’s during times that I’m either

super busy, or
in a bit of a mental low

Having a messy room seems to be also correlated with having a messy mind. When my room is messy I typically have

Politics

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 13:29:31 +1030

Politics is probably the most divisive it has ever been at the moment. People from both sides of the spectrum cast hate towards the other side, with a complete lack of empathy for another persons circumstances.

The Halo Effect

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 13:29:27 +1030

In 2009, Beyonce released her hit song called ‘Halo’. In the song Beyonce is singing about her love for a person with this magical Halo, about how this Halo is her saving grace.

Halo’s are also associated with Angels and religious figures. A Halo being that little circle on an a head indicated that it that thing is somehow sacred or divine.

Life is a journey, not a destination

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 18:29:30 +1030

So often we look forward to the weekend. Look forward to the day that we will finally have X item.

Is Meat Bad for You?

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 17:24:30 +1030

I’m constantly running in to vegans who claim that meat is horrible for you and that a nice steak is going to send you to an early grave!

Fortunately for us meat-eaters out there, there is actually nothing wrong with some meat, and there’s science to back it up.

The Pursuit Of Happiness

Wed, 06 Jan 2021 10:50:44 +1030

Most people aren’t very happy.

They get mad easily.

They get ‘road rage’. Someone pulling in front of them is enough to ruin their day.

They go to the supermarket and yell at the workers.

They always find something to be annoyed or angry about.

Risk Taking and Success

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:48:55 +1030

I see people doing great things.

They set the bar higher.

Do the impossible.

But is this due to actual skill? or just dumb luck?

Someone could buy a lottery ticket and win $1 Million on their first try. Is that an act of genius?

Why Read Books?

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:48:52 +1030

I read a lot of books last year. 52 to be exact.

Some people might ask, why on earth would you read that many? Surely you can’t use knowledge from all of them? Surely they haven’t helped you do anything?

Lessons from 2020

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:48:50 +1030

This is a short post reviewing the lessons that I learnt during 2020.

wanting things too much will push them away

This happened to me a few times this year.

I wanted things to happen so bad. Too bad.

Who do I have to become to achieve this?

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 10:48:47 +1030

So much of goal setting this new year is about what THING you want to achieve. Rarely do we ask what we must become in order to get those things that we want.

The reality is, that if we were the kind of person that could get what we want, then we would already have it. Changing you habits and fundemental personality traits to attain your goals is the only way to achieve your goals.

New Year - New Me

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 21:09:02 +1030

This year is a big one. 2021.

This year I have structured my goals according to the following plan. If you haven’t done something similar already, I highly recommend it.

Step One
#

Pick 3 goals.

52 Books in a Year

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 13:54:06 +1030

View my 2020 Reading challenge on Goodreads here.

Here are my top 5 books that I read this year (in no particular order):

High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger
Range by David Epstein
The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman
The Dictator’s Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita

A Year of Books
#

This year was an incredible year. For the first time in my life, I managed to get through 52 books in a single year. On average, one book per week.

52 Books in a Year

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 13:54:06 +1030

View my 2020 Reading challenge on Goodreads here.

Here are my top 5 books that I read this year (in no particular order):

High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger
Range by David Epstein
The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman
The Dictator’s Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita

A Year of Books
#

This year was an incredible year. For the first time in my life, I managed to get through 52 books in a single year. On average, one book per week.

3 People at Dinner

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 13:54:02 +1030

At Christmas we played a fun game.

If you could have 3 people over for dinner, who would you choose?

There are plenty of good options here.

I chose:

Steve Jobs. Apple is such an outstanding company and Steve was such an extraordinary man. I think learning from him and hearing his stories would be incredible.

What You Think You Deserve

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 13:54:00 +1030

Lately I’ve been thinking about this concept of getting more than you deserve.

Sometimes we get things that we don’t feel like we deserve, and we ‘self-sabotage’ to return back to our original state.

Automating Homebrew Upgrade with Cron

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 13:53:58 +1030

Today I was investigating how to run cron jobs on my mac laptop. I wanted to automate the upgrade of my homebrew packages.

The process is extremely easy.

First run crontab -e and press enter.

Inside this file you place your bash commands with a little trick.

Too Much Information

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 13:53:54 +1030

There are so many different things to learn, and not enough time.

With all this information around us, there is always something new to learn, something more interesting to master.

It’s difficult to dedicate time to completely finishing something when there is so much out there that hasn’t been started yet.

Alcohol and Learning

Sun, 27 Dec 2020 13:53:14 +1030

Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker is a great book, and contains many gems about sleep and it’s affect on us.

While Walker has come under some criticism for some of the claims in the book, the idea that sleep is incredibly important is something that most people miss.

Gym Principles in Life

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 19:24:37 +1030

Lately I’ve been thinking.

I’m kinda successful in the gym.

I’ve built a fairly decent body.

I get compliments regularly.

My progress in the gym came quite easily. I didn’t feel like I was trying that hard.

Merry Christmas

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:25:06 +1030

Merry Christmas!

Addictive Emotions

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:25:05 +1030

I was watching this video yesterday.

Something was said that really resonated with me.

Say you’re going into a new partnership, maybe a romantic partner or a business partner for example.

Ask them what they think of their previous partners, and what they rate their life out of 10.

Sunrise Alarm Clocks

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:25:03 +1030

You know that feeling.

Your alarm goes off. You feel sluggish as you reach to stop that annoying sound.

It’s another poor start to the day.

The reality is that simple alarm clocks suck at waking you up.

Benefits of Fasting

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:25:00 +1030

Fasting is the process of not eating food.

For example, someone may choose to undertake what is called One Meal A Day (OMAD). This is where a person only eats one large meal per day, and does not consume any calories at any other point in the day.

What is an Operating System?

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:58 +1030

An operating system provides applications access to hardware devices.

I’m taking Introduction to Operating Systems on Udacity at the moment. In the course they state the three purposes of an OS.

Operation Systems fork() Method

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:56 +1030

The process calls the fork() system call, which the OS provides as a way to create a new process. The original process is known as the parent and the new process is known as the child.

The Little Prince

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:53 +1030

The Little Prince, first published in 1943, has sold over 140 million copies worldwide.

The story of the Little Prince.

The Little Prince lives on a planet far from Earth.

On his planet he doesn’t have much, only a single rose.

What is Docker?

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:50 +1030

I’ve been learning about Docker through the course Docker in a Day

Docker allows programmers to create ‘containers’ around different environments.

Consider the following example,

You want to create an environment with Python 3.7 and Nginx.

You have different environments as part of your development like your staging server for example, and all of these use different operating systems.

Trajectories

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:48 +1030

In terms of success and achieving goals. People often get praise for where they currently are.

If you just finished a cool degree, were offered a cool job or a promotion. These are all things that get praise.

The Ride Of A Lifetime - Review

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:45 +1030

The Ride Of A Lifetime

This book was very good.

Robert Iger has been the CEO of Disney for over 15 years, and in this book, he gives his story and the things he learnt along the way.

What makes an Entrepreneur?

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:43 +1030

When is the time not appropriate for students to study?

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:41 +1030

The following was my answer to this question on Quora.

Link to question

This depends on the person.

For me, I prefer to study first thing in the morning. I find that as the day goes on, my ability to focus goes down dramatically. My ‘worst time to study’ would be at night.

Gym Principles in Life

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:37 +1030

Lately I’ve been thinking.

I’m kinda successful in the gym.

I’ve built a fairly decent body.

I get compliments regularly.

My progress in the gym came quite easily. I didn’t feel like I was trying that hard.

That Will Never Work (The Story of Netflix)

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:15 +1030

That Will Never Work

That’s what the founder of Netflix heard when explaining his idea about selling DVD’s as rentals.

Netflix then overcame many obstacles and eventually the mighty Blockbuster. It is now one of the largest and most prestigious companies in the world.

Progression

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 19:24:14 +1030

Today I spoke with a friend. Like me, she is moving interstate for work.

For both of us, this move represents some of the biggest challenges we have faced in our lives so far.

It was interesting to see the progression from our younger years.

The Hero's Journey

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 18:34:34 +1030

The following is a speech I gave at Toastmasters.

Heroes .

Heroes are all around us. Whether they’re in film, movies, books or in real life. Heroes are everywhere.

Simulation

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:34:39 +1030

Are we living in a simulation?

Maybe.

But does it really matter?

What aspects of your life would change if you knew that we were living in a simulation?

Questions like this are ones that are interesting thought experiments, but provide no use for us. There is nothing about our lives that would change if we knew the answer.

Interesting Number Paradox

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:34:36 +1030

The Interesting Number Paradox states that every natural number is interesting.

Every number is interesting! Wow.

This is a mathematical paradox, and can be proved by contradiction.

Consider we have a set of numbers that are all not interesting.

The Hero's Journey

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:34:34 +1030

The following is a speech I gave at Toastmasters.

Heroes .

Heroes are all around us. Whether they’re in film, movies, books or in real life. Heroes are everywhere.

What is TCP

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:34:32 +1030

TCP is a protocol of the internet. It ensures the safe transfer of information between clients and servers.

TCP is a bidirectional process, which means that a connection between A and B can facilitate data transfers from A to B and also B to A.

Basics of BASH

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:34:30 +1030

Read this article if you

Don’t know anything about BASH
Want to learn some basic BASH commands

BASH stands for Bourne-Again SHell, as it was written to replace the Bourne shell.

BASH commands can be directly written into a shell, or can be placed into a .sh script.

Non-Linear Nature of Progress

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:34:28 +1030

It’s like you’re going fishing.

You get all your fishing gear, get in the boat, and find yourself a spot.

You set up, put your rod in the water, and begin to fish.

Is Windows Bad for Programming?

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 18:34:26 +1030

Windows used to be bad for programming, but not anymore.

One of the main drawbacks for Windows is that it doesn’t have a unix shell.

MacOS and Linux, are both unix based operating systems, and they both have a unix shell.

Keep Moving Forward

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:16:06 +1030

I missed a day.

Today I’m writing this on the 4th of December.

This post was suppossed to be out yesterday, on the 3rd.

This is a minor hiccup.

The most important thing in this situation is to continue from where I left off, and not let this derail me.

Continuous Improvement

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:16:04 +1030

Updated 3/12 with completed grades information.

Today, I was given all of my university grades for the past semester.

Of the grades I got back, I have 3 High Distinctions and 1 Distinction.

I am very pleased with my work, and this result means I will finish my degree with a >6 GPA (Distinction Average).

What is a Decision Tree

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:16:02 +1030

The following was my solution to my University Data Science Exam. In this question we were expected to explain our chosen model to someone with a non-statistics university degree.

For this question I chose a decision tree, alternatively known as CART.

There Will NEVER Be Time

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:12:56 +1030

We all have these things. Things that we ‘want’ to do, but we don’t have time so we will do that later.

Things like

starting a blog
starting a youtube channel
learning that new skill
meditating

I have found that one simple truth holds for all of thes kinds of activities.

Take In Every Moment

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:12:52 +1030

Today marks the first day of what may be my last ever trip with my family.

I’ve been very lucky over the years to go on trips with my family to places all over Australia. We’ve been to many places and experienced many good times together.

Completing University

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:12:50 +1030

On completing my university studies

So my time in university is over. Unless I return to do a masters degree, I won’t be back in a university for some time.

I have now completed 5 years at university, graduating with a Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Sciences with a Bachelor of Finance.

The Data Cleaning Process

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:12:48 +1030

The following is my solution a practice exam paper with the following brief

Gold Medal Moments

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 08:21:24 +1030

When elite sportspeople win their events, you can see the emotion in their eyes.

I encourage you to watch the short video below.

This video is an incredible example of someone that has given everything they have to reach their goal.

The Creativity Instinct

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 08:21:24 +1030

The infinite field of creativity.

Three days ago, I set myself a challenge. To create one blog post for every day until the end of January. This would make 10 weeks of blog posting, 70 posts in total.

A New Start | 23 Nov, 2020

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 12:08:09 +1030

So it begins.

I’ve really wanted to step out of my comfort zone recently. In particular, I’ve wanted to start creating content vs just consuming.

I see this challenge as my first step towards making this a habit.

A New Start | 23 Nov, 2020

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 12:08:09 +1030

What is Kubernetes?
Post about the Seth Godin podcast on Tom Bilyeu?
Routines
The power of walking as cardio
nature of innovation
Efficiency vs stability
FIRE
the best mindset
how does afterpay make money?
University GPA (does it matter?)
Japanese housing crash
placebo effect

Data Science: Estimating Model Performance. Cross Validation and the Bootstrap

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 12:03:48 +1030

So you’ve decided on your model for your dataset. How can we now go and see how good that model is?

Maybe we can find the error rate for our training set, or the error from our test set.

Blog Challenge

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 11:54:29 +1030

Quick Links to my favourite posts

This is the homepage for my blog challenge over the summer break. My aim is to have a new blog post every single day (for 10 weeks). The last post will be made on the 31st of January, 2021.

Challenge: CS162 in 1 Week

Sun, 23 Aug 2020 07:19:31 +1030

Ever since I wrote my first program, I’ve been interested in computer systems and computer programming. One thing that I felt was missing from my computer knowledge was that deeper understanding of computers. At university I had only taken subjects relating to Algorithms, Data Structures and Problem Solving, but never things like Computer Architecture, Networking or Operating Systems.

Increase Your Typing Speed

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 09:03:39 +1030

View my video about this topic below.

Navigation
#

Imagine being able to type twice as fast as you can now.

March Newsletter

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 09:03:39 +1030

Navigation
#

Introduction
#

What a month we have had in March. In Adelaide, March is comically called ‘Mad March’ as we have several festivals and car races in our city. This Mad March was ‘Mad’ for much more than that.

My First Data Science Internship

Sat, 22 Feb 2020 09:03:39 +1030

Navigation
#

At the start of this year, I began my first internship as a Data Scientist. I was offered this role by the RAA, one of South Australia’s largest companies.

Sudoku Solver

Sun, 16 Feb 2020 08:43:49 +1030

I created a Sudoku Solver. You can view the app here.

There are a few important aspects of the program I thought it would be useful to talk about. These are the general process of solving a board, as well as the process of creating a board to be solved.

Projects

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 19:18:35 +1030

YouTube | 2019-
#

I post YouTube videos occasionally.

RBA Rate Watch | 2026-
#

See the market-implied forecast and interest rate probabilities for upcoming RBA meetings.

About

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 12:38:09 +1030

I’m James Fricker, a quantitative developer and software engineer based in Sydney.

I work at the intersection of markets, data and systems. I’ve worked across quantitative trading, data engineering, machine learning and software engineering—building everything from real-time trading tools to analytics for cancer genomics.

Creating a Chess AI

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 19:18:00 +1030

View my Chess AI in action here

Chess is one of the most popular games on the planet. Many people have tried to create a chess AI, that can play chess at a high level. The best attempt so far was AlphaZero by Google. The software managed to learn how to play chess in a number of hours, and defeat some of the best computer players such as Stockfish.

Portfolio Rebalancing and Spend Rule Analysis

Sat, 12 Oct 2019 20:04:10 +1030

This page contains a project I worked on as part of a University assignment. The project was for a subject called “Portfolio Theory and Management” and the aim was to provide a fund with a diverse portfolio, earning a target of 5.5% real return per annum. The fund would also like to make real donations of 5% per annum.

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Advanced Systems Questions
#

1. Operating Systems
#

Process vs. Thread Model [Easy]
When and why would you choose a process-based architecture over a thread-based one? Discuss overhead considerations, memory usage, and concurrency trade-offs.

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Containers In Depth
#

Today we learn about containers, what are they, where do they come from, how do they work and why would you want to use them?

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

-–

title: “Why C is Faster than Python”

date: 2023-04-22T07:19:31+10:30

draft: True

Everybody knows: C is faster than Python.

But why is this? How can one language be faster than another? If the instructions tell the computer to do exactly the same thing, how can the run-time be different?

Now

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Last updated: July 2026

I’m currently volunteering with Hartwig Medical Foundation Australia, helping build software for exploring cancer-genomics data.

Outside that, I’m spending my time learning more about distributed systems, machine learning and quantitative markets. I usually do this by building small projects rather than only reading about them.

James Fricker

Writing a Ring Buffer in Rust

🤖 WAL(LE)

⏭️ Skipping into Easter

Skip Lists 🧐 #

OLTP v OLAP

Contents #

OLTP #

2023 Review - 2024 Resolutions

2023 #

Tracing Traceroute: What I learnt about the Internet

What is Traceroute #

🏃‍♂️ Jittery!

Systems Programming and Compilers #

🔙 The Return

Systems Programming and Compilers #

🔗 The Link Layer

What I Learned This Week #

Why IPv6 Sucks #

🕸️ The Web and The Internet

What I Learned This Week #

The Difference Between the Web and the Internet #

🚂 The Magic Number: 13

DNS

Contents #

What is DNS #

End Your Dopamine Addiction!

3 September, 2023

Caching

Contents #

Assembly

Unicode Transformation Format (UTF-8)

Setup #

Floating Point Numbers

Performance

Contents #

Performance #

Virtual Machines and Interpreted Language

Bradfield: Computer Science Intensive

Passing the Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect Exam

Table of Contents #

My Background #

2022 Review - 2023 Resolutions

2022 #

What I Learnt from One Year of Podcasting

The End

Transcript: The End

Nan Meka | On Choosing a Startup That's Right for You

Transcript: Nan Meka | On Choosing a Startup That's Right for You

Graduate Theory Compilation - Part Two

Transcript: Graduate Theory Compilation - Part Two

Graduate Theory Compilation - Part One

Transcript: Graduate Theory Compilation - Part One

On Achieving Work-Life Balance

Transcript: On Achieving Work-Life Balance

Hosting my Hugo Site on GCP with Terraform

Dave Lourdes | On Becoming The Best You Can Be

Transcript: Dave Lourdes | On Becoming The Best You Can Be

Mykel Dixon | On Rediscovering Your Creativity

Transcript: Mykel Dixon | On Rediscovering Your Creativity

Brendan Humphreys | On Developing Your Engineering Career

Transcript: Brendan Humphreys | On Developing Your Engineering Career

Lisa Leong | On Moments of Truth and Pattern Discovery

Transcript: Lisa Leong | On Moments of Truth and Pattern Discovery

Caleb Maru | On African Startups and the Power of Accountability

Transcript: Caleb Maru | On African Startups and the Power of Accountability

Passing the HashiCorp Terraform Associate Exam

Table of Contents #

HashiCorp Terraform Associate #

On Creating a Lifestyle Career Plan

Transcript: On Creating a Lifestyle Career Plan

Richard Pinter - Career Suggestions

Question #

Gabriel Guedes | On Tales Of Spontaneity And The Perils Of Optionality

Transcript: Gabriel Guedes | On Tales Of Spontaneity And The Perils Of Optionality

Elaha Gurgani | On Exploring Curiosity and Building Your Tribe

Transcript: Elaha Gurgani | On Exploring Curiosity and Building Your Tribe

Elizabeth Knight | On Defining Yourself and Your Mission

Transcript: Elizabeth Knight | On Defining Yourself and Your Mission

Juliana Owen | On Building Your Career in the Australian Job Market

Skip Lists 🧐
#

Contents
#

OLTP
#

2023
#

What is Traceroute
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Systems Programming and Compilers
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Systems Programming and Compilers
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What I Learned This Week
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Why IPv6 Sucks
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What I Learned This Week
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The Difference Between the Web and the Internet
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Contents
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What is DNS
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Contents
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Setup
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Contents
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Performance
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Table of Contents
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My Background
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2022
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Table of Contents
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HashiCorp Terraform Associate
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Question
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Listen
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