Code camps

[Mwanji Ezana]

I started a discussion on the Java Posse mailing list (http://
groups.google.com/group/javaposse/browse_thread/thread/
15ae7f0d79c517c7?hl=en) about organizing coding/workshop sessions
where people would actually write code rather than listen to a
speaker.

These could potentially complement the BeJUG sessions, or be totally
independent.

Would anyone be interested in participating in and/or organizing such
an activity?

Mwanji

[Jochen Szostek]

Hello Mwanji,

I'm a BeJug member and think I'm registered to a Java Posse podcast too.
Sounds like a very good idea. Would be interested in helping organize such events (though I already have a busy schedule, so I can't invest loads of time). Will check out the discussion later on today.

Greets,

Jochen

________________________________________
From: be...@googlegroups.com [be...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Mwanji Ezana [mwa...@gmail.com]
Sent: 12 June 2009 10:36
To: BeJUG
Subject: Code camps

[Peter Van de Voorde]

Hi Mwanji,

welcome to the BeJUG Google Group.

I would be interested in helping to organize such an event.

I've also heard talk about maybe organizing an unconference, maybe
this also a good idea?

Do you know anybody who has experience with organizing code camps and
who we can ask for advice?

To bad you couldn't make it to the OSGI talk, it was a good one.

Best regards,
Peter

[Alex Snaps]

Hey Mwanji,

+1 on anything I can do to get that thing rolling... I think it is a great idea!

Alex

--
Alexander Snaps <alex....@gmail.com>
http://www.jroller.com/page/greenhorn
http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandersnaps

[Moandji Ezana]

On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 10:50 AM, Peter Van de Voorde <peter.va...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Mwanji,

welcome to the BeJUG Google Group.

Thanks! 

Do you know anybody who has experience with organizing code camps and
who we can ask for advice?

Unfortunately not. I've never even organized or participated in this kind of thing on an intra-company level. I do hear about "code dojos" and I'll search for online articles about people's experiences with them.

Moandji

[Stephan]

I've some experience in organizing Unconferences where basically you
need good coffee, some post-it notes and separate rooms...
and most important interesting people!

In addition a nice location so you can do some more social activities
in the afternoon and maybe in the evening do a code camp session
or/and lightning talks. Now where have I seen this pattern
before ?! :)

This should be min. 2 days (weekend?) going to, I guess, 3 days max.

Stephan

On Jun 12, 11:06 am, Moandji Ezana <mwa...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 10:50 AM, Peter Van de Voorde <
>

[Mwanji Ezana]

On Jun 12, 11:23 am, Stephan <s...@bejug.org> wrote:

> This should be min. 2 days (weekend?) going to, I guess, 3 days max.

I hadn't imagined something so big, but that could be cool.

I was thinking more along the lines of something that could happen
every 2-3 weeks, but I don't know how long it would need to be to be
able to code something worthwhile. A whole day, minimum?

Topics might be along the lines of:

Writing a JavaFX desktop client
Creating an app on Google App Engine (maybe with a particular focus on
data design for BigTable)
(fill in with your, much better, ideas)

Maybe some apps could span several topics and even tie into BeJUG
sessions: for example, write a JavaFX client, then a Scala backend for
it at the next code camp.

Mwanji

[antoon...@gmail.com]

Hi Mwanji,

I love the idea this would be really awsome.

Antoon

[Jo Voordeckers]

On Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 1:52 PM, Mwanji Ezana <mwa...@gmail.com> wrote:

On Jun 12, 11:23 am, Stephan <s...@bejug.org> wrote:

> This should be min. 2 days (weekend?) going to, I guess, 3 days max.

I hadn't imagined something so big, but that could be cool.

1 day is just too short for everybody to get to know each other, feel comfortable and actually learn something.

Does anyone know of a place with wifi and a big enough room for +/- 20 people to hang out?

I'm also wondering what budget everyone is prepared to spend on such a weekend/mini-conference?

Topics might be along the lines of:
Writing a JavaFX desktop client

+1
I can assist and/or prepare a JavaFX 1.2 session...
 

Creating an app on Google App Engine (maybe with a particular focus on
data design for BigTable)

+1
Do you have or know someone with GAE experience?

Maybe Alex from Terracotta likes to prepare something related to that? I'd love to have a practical session on TC as well.

Please keep those topics coming and if you know someone to 'drive' it let us know.

Don't get me wrong about the 'driving', it should be focused on sharing knowledge, but I think there has to be someone more familiar with each of the topics. I don't think improvising the whole event will work out, right!?

Any thoughts?

--
- Jo

[Moandji Ezana]

On Tue, Jun 16, 2009 at 9:30 PM, Jo Voordeckers <jo.voor...@gmail.com> wrote:

1 day is just too short for everybody to get to know each other, feel comfortable and actually learn something.

While I agree that it's short, anything with "conference" in the name instinctively feel like a once-a-year thing, to me. Code camps should, I think, be more lightweight and easily repeatable. How many full weekends per year could you dedicate per year to a code camp vs. one day at a time?

One of the things I was originally thinking of was the community-building aspect Doing it frequently, with an increasingly close-knit bunch of people might overcome the "1 day is too short" aspect (which I'm not sure is true - currently, BeJUG sessions are 2 hours, yet I feel like I've learnt something). 

Maybe there could be a few pre-requisites, like "have your environment set up in advance" or "know how to do a Fibonacci sequence in Scala" to avoid that kind of time wasting.

Of course, never having done such a thing, this is pure speculation on my part.

I think there has to be someone more familiar with each of the topics

I agree.

Mwanji 

[Stephan]

I'd love to organize with BeJUG monthly code camps but we should first
find a location (maybe at a company where wifi can be provided).
And some topics / instructors to help us with the examples...

Any company out there that would be willing to host such a code camp??

Stephan

On Jun 16, 10:09 pm, Moandji Ezana <mwa...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Luc Duponcheel]

(private reply)

maybe my company ImagineJ can organize them ?

my wife could take care of logistics

Luc

--
  __~O
 -\ <,
(*)/ (*)

reality goes far beyond imagination

[Stephan]

Hey Luc,

Maybe we can do the first Scala code camp @ ImagineJ :)

Suggestions are welcome!

Stephan