Time, Hard Problems, other Hard Problems, Gleam
summary
Argues that Gleam on the BEAM is a practical tool for time consistency across services, replacing fragile configuration-heavy stacks with small, explicit processes that handle clocks, retries and upgrade sequencing. Shows a consulting case where moving logic into Gleam services cuts orchestration and reduces rollout complexity, keeps availability during major upgrades, and simplifies handling volatile requirements. Uses concrete BEAM primitives and Gleam modules rather than abstract patterns, and demonstrates working services that run in production with fewer incidents and simpler operational tooling.
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chapters (9)
- 0:00Introduction
- 0:51Time synchronization problem
- 3:19Distributed time struggles
- 8:01Second hard problem
- 10:48Technology trade-offs
- 15:04Power systems architecture
- 18:08Model separation design
- 21:57Control aspects
- 23:39Final thoughts & Q&A
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