I like to watch videos in bed before I go to sleep (pause for jokes). Technology talks are my favorite. Everything from WWDC sessions to virtual reality. In the best case I'm up late but I've give my brain something to chew on while I sleep. In the worst case they're better than a glass of warm milk. I want to share a couple of exceptional software programming talks that I've watched recently. They're both from game developers but if you're anything like me, these talks will likely challenge many of your assumptions while enforcing other suspicions about the "right" way to write software.

CppCon 2014: Mike Acton "Data-Oriented Design and C++"

Mike Acton is in charge of game engine development for the prolific console game development company Insomniac. I love the way he comes out swinging and smashing idols. He focuses on understanding the platform and the problem while attacking the notion that hiding the realities of either behind programming abstractions is well, bad. Be sure to stick around for the Q&A at the end.

Ideas about a new programming language for games.

In this, the first in a series (or at least 2) videos, game developer Jonathan Blow discusses his ideas for an ideal language for large scale game development. A lot of good insights here, especially in the second part, from an experienced programmer.