Merge Conflict

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Episodes

527

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Merge Conflict is a weekly discussion with Frank and James on all things development, technology, & more. After years of being friends, Frank and James finally decided to sit down and start a podcast about their lives as mobile developers using C#, Xamarin, and .NET MAUI. Much more than just another mobile development podcast, Merge Conflict, reaches all areas of development including desktop, server, and of course mobile. They also cover fun things happening in the world of technology and gaming and whatever else happens to be on Frank's and James' minds.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 15, 202652 min

519: WWDC Deep Dive: Apple’s New AI for Developers

James and Frank break down WWDC’s developer-focused news—from Apple’s AI push (local models, a new private cloud for foundation models, and a command‑line API) to Xcode’s new agent integrations, the device hub/simulator overhaul, and macOS/UI polish. If you build apps, pay attention: small developers now get subsidized cloud models, Intel Macs are being sunset, and you’ll need to test many form factors and new Swift/AI APIs. Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

June 8, 202646 min

518: Windows is Back! New Microsoft AI Coding Models

Microsoft Build 2026 brought a major shift: homegrown AI models designed for efficiency and real-world developer workflows. From the cost-effective MAI Code 1 Flash to sandboxed code execution and Windows developer tools, discover how Microsoft is making powerful AI accessible without breaking the bank. James shares his hands-on experience proving that you don't need expensive flagship models for most agentic coding tasks. Windows: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dev-tools Microsoft AI: https://microsoft.ai/news/building-a-hillclimbing-machine-launching-seven-new-mai-models/ Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

June 1, 202634 min

517: Plan First, Think Less: Save Tokens, Improve Code

Episode 517 starts with a light chat about AI avatars and new text‑to‑speech deepfakes before diving into LLM “thinking” modes—what baked‑in planning actually does, why it multiplies token costs, and when it helps or hurts. James and Frank give concrete dev advice: try low‑thinking settings, use big models for creative planning then smaller ones to execute, leverage harnesses/system prompts, and beware quantized local models often do better without thinking. Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

May 25, 202642 min

516: Evolving Agent Session Management

James and Frank unpack AI-driven development shifts—agent SDKs, session management, and the rise of agent-first UIs like Google’s anti-gravity and GitHub Copilot—showing how VS Code’s Agents window, worktrees, sub-sessions and tunnels help manage multi-repo cloud and local workflows. They share practical takeaways—why SDKs are essential, when to stay code-first, how subsessions and remote tunnels protect your machine, and what to watch for in sandboxing and integration gaps. Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

May 18, 202644 min

515: Mini-LED, IPS, and the Great Monitor Rabbit Hole

James and Frank share thrift‑store monitor triumphs (and a retro Wii audio nightmare) before diving into a no‑nonsense guide to buying displays: what ports, VESA mounts, and speakers really matter. They demystify HDR, mini‑LED vs OLED, refresh‑rate math (why 40/120Hz divides matter), and modern upscaling—plus the surprising developer headaches of getting HDR to actually work. Practical tips and geeky fun for anyone shopping or building. Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

May 11, 202655 min

514: Running Local LLMs in VS Code

In this episode James and Frank dive into running AI coding models locally versus in the cloud—BYOK/Open Router, VS Code’s chat/agent harness, model runners (Olama, vLLM), and the practicality of 27B models on a 3090 using 4‑bit quantization. They share hands-on takeaways—how recent engineering (MT/MTPLX) boosts inference to usable token rates, when auto model selection makes sense, cost and hardware trade‑offs, and why local models can liberate your workflow while still needing smarter, unified tooling. Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

May 4, 202657 min

513: Agents Over Chat: The Future of Developer Workflows

James and Frank explore the future of developer workflows powered by AI agents, revealing how developers are shifting from coders to testers and product strategists. They dive into new research-planning-implementation cycles, GitHub's usage-based pricing changes, and why developers must think strategically about model choices and token costs. Plus, reflections on Apple's leadership transition and the need for bold hardware innovation. Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

April 27, 202637 min

512: Does Matter Really Matter?

After a quick round of Apple dev updates, James and Frank dive into Matter — why Frank went from skeptic to devotee and why it’s poised to fix IoT chaos. They break down how Matter (an app-layer protocol running over Wi‑Fi/IPv6) and Thread (an open mesh transport) simplify secure onboarding with QR/Bluetooth, enable true interoperability across Apple/Google/Amazon, and make DIY devices easy to build and integrate. Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

April 20, 202649 min

511: Terminals, Remote Sessions, No More Watches!

In episode 511 James and Frank dig into audio gear (why impedance matters and the pros/cons of hardware DSP and headphone high‑power modes), explore GitHub Copilot CLI's new Remote Sessions for mobile access to your local dev environment, and reveal a clever hack: MIDI‑over‑USB turns modern iPhones into reliable wired controllers for embedded hardware and robotics. Tune in for practical tips, safety notes on power/latency, and real‑world developer workflows. Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm

April 13, 202647 min

510: AI Agents: Claws, Copilot, GUI vs CLI Debate

James and Frank dig into the messy world of AI agents—Claudes, Copilots, “claws”—and why now is the wrong time to over-box these tools. They debate GUI vs. CLI futures, explain when AI should be invisible and baked into workflows, and warn about AI-produced “slop” and long-term maintenance. Plus, James’ Light Phone/e-ink experiment adds a practical take on simplicity and real-world tradeoffs. Follow Us Frank: Twitter, Blog, GitHub James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub Merge Conflict: Twitter, Facebook, Website, Chat on Discord Music : Amethyst Seer - Citrine by Adventureface ⭐⭐ Review Us ⭐⭐ Machine transcription available on http://mergeconflict.fm