The Kernel, with Obsidian

Patchnotes – Episode 8
The Kernel, with Obsidian
In this season finale, Karl Fischer and Calwyn Baldwin, join us to look beyond the headlines and ask the questions everyone's thinking—but not enough people are asking. AI is here. Open source is evolving. Enterprise technology is changing faster than ever. So... what's next?
This isn't another conversation about replacing people with machines or chasing the latest buzzword. It's an honest discussion about the opportunities, risks, and realities of AI—from proprietary models to open source innovation—and what they mean for businesses operating in Africa.
We explore where the hype ends, where the real value begins, and why the organisations that ask better questions today will make better decisions tomorrow. If you've been wondering whether AI is a revolution, an evolution, or just another technology cycle, this episode offers a grounded perspective on where we're heading—and how to get there without losing sight of the people behind the technology.
As we wrap up our first season, one question remains: What does openness in technology mean to you, and how will it shape the future you want to build?
Thank you for joining us on The Kernel. Until next season, stay curious—and never stop getting to the root of it.

Patchnotes – Episode 7
The Kernel, with Obsidian
In this episode, Fred Strauss and Tarun Sing prove that some of the best lessons in IT come from the days when everything's on fire and everyone's learning a lot.
From unexpected outages and cascading failures to the moments where preparation meets pure adrenaline, we explore what really happens when technology doesn't go according to plan. This isn't about pointing fingers or replaying post-mortems. It's an honest conversation about why systems fail, how teams respond under pressure, and why the strongest organisations don't avoid incidents—they learn from them.
We unpack the role of automation, observability, collaboration, and a healthy respect for Murphy's Law in turning chaos into continuous improvement. If you've ever watched a dashboard light up like a Christmas tree, joined a bridge call with your heart in your throat, or confidently announced, "It's fixed!" while secretly hoping it really was... you'll feel right at home in this episode.
Welcome back to The Kernel—where we get to the root of it.

Patchnotes – Episode 6 The Kernel, with Obsidian
In this episode, the Red Hat team, Ian Russell and Chris Mulder join us to explore one of technology's biggest misconceptions: that innovation always starts somewhere else. The reality? Some of Africa's most ingenious solutions have been born out of necessity, resilience, and a willingness to think differently.
This isn't a conversation about what Africa lacks. It's about what Africa has built. We explore how open source is lowering barriers to innovation, helping businesses compete on a global stage, and empowering entrepreneurs, developers, and enterprises to solve uniquely African challenges.
From infrastructure and skills to opportunity and ambition, we ask what it really takes to build technology that works here—and why the rest of the world should be paying attention. If you've ever wondered whether Africa is simply adopting technology or actively shaping its future, this episode might change your perspective.
Welcome back to The Kernel—where we get to the root of it.

Patchnotes – Episode 4
The Kernel, with Obsidian
In this episode, we sit down with Deon Lottering and Obsidian's CTO, Karl Fischer to separate fact from fiction from the edge. Beyond the marketing buzz, what does the cloud actually deliver, who benefits from it, and when is it the wrong answer? This isn't another conversation about "moving everything to the cloud." It's an honest discussion about business needs, hybrid infrastructure, and the realities of running technology in Africa.
We explore why resilience matters, how always-on systems keep critical industries moving, and what organisations should consider before making the leap.
If you've ever wondered whether cloud is really the answer for your business or how to balance performance, resilience, and cost in an unpredictable world—this episode is for you.
 
Welcome back to The Kernel—where we get to the root of it.

Patchnotes – Episode 5
The Kernel, with Obsidian
In this episode, we sit down with Martin Liebenberg, Fred Strauss, and Deon Lottering to share the stories that rarely make the post-incident report. From unexpected outages and impossible deadlines to the small victories that keep businesses running, this is life behind the keyboard.
This isn't a conversation about perfect systems. It's about the people who build them, maintain them, and occasionally have to fix them at two o'clock in the morning while everyone else is asleep. We explore the realities of working in IT, the pressure of keeping critical services online, the importance of resilience, and why the best technology is only as good as the people behind it.
If you've ever muttered "But it was working yesterday," celebrated a deployment that nobody noticed, or learned more from a failure than a success, you'll feel right at home in this episode.
Welcome back to The Kernel—where we get to the root of it.

Patchnotes – Episode 3 The Kernel, with Obsidian In this episode, Angela Ho sits down with Nick Holdstock and Survaren Naidoo to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing modern organisations: silos. Everyone knows they're a problem—but why do they still exist, and what does it actually take to break them down? This isn't a conversation about software features. It's about the cost of disconnected teams, invisible work, and poor communication. We explore why visibility has become essential, how collaboration impacts innovation and profitability, and why so many organisations still struggle to connect people, processes, and technology. Along the way, we unpack how tools like Jira, Confluence, Jira Service Management, and Opsgenie—and the emerging role of AI and Assets—help teams work with greater clarity and confidence. If you've ever wondered why projects stall, why handovers fail, or why everyone seems busy but nothing feels connected... this episode gets to the heart of the problem.
Welcome back to The Kernel—where we get to the root of it.

The Kernel, with Obsidian In this episode, we sit down with Karl Fischer and Bennie Kahler-Venter to unpack how open source rewired the enterprise — from a risky alternative in the 80s to the foundation of modern innovation.
This isn’t a vendor pitch. It’s an honest conversation about experimentation, trust, and why enterprises started building in open sandboxes instead of locked boxes. We explore how open source enables scale, security, and speed, what Red Hat actually means in an enterprise context, and where AI and automation are quietly changing the rules again. If you’ve ever wondered why open source keeps showing up in the most critical systems… or why some leaders still hesitate to embrace it… this episode explains the shift.
Welcome back to The Kernel — let’s get to the root of it.

Patchnotes:
 
Episode 1 The Kernel, with Obsidian In this opening episode, we sit down with Obsidian Systems CEO Muggie van Staden to crack open the state of open source in 2025 — where it’s thriving, where it’s messy, and where it’s pushing the limits of enterprise technology in Africa. This isn’t a polished press release. It’s the real conversation behind the screens: how the open source community has evolved, why the BeeKeeper model still matters, and what it takes to build resilience in a world shaped by volatility and complexity. We talk adoption, culture, infrastructure, and the surprising places where open source shows up when you least expect it. If you’ve ever wondered why open source became the backbone of modern enterprise… or why so many organisations still don’t know how to use it well… this is where the story begins. Welcome to The Kernel — where we get to the root of it.