Midwest events

I have updated my Midwest events page with new information about upcoming conferences. Some of these events (like Strange Loop) sell out pretty quick, so be sure you sign up early to secure a seat and early-bird pricing (where applicable)!

Fun find of the day

I was rummaging through my closet this evening and I found an old boxed (yes, as in cardboard) copy of “Linux-Mandrake 6.5” that I purchased over a decade ago at a local Wal-Mart. I think I shelled out $39 for this bad boy. Note the highlights:

  • Linux Kernel 2.2.13
  • KDE 1.1.2
  • XFree 3.3.5
  • Special versions of PartitionMagic and BootMagic
  • 3500+ pages of electronic Linux references from Que and Sams (yes, documentation was a selling point)
  • FREE installation technical support

Somewhere around 2001 Mandrake became Mandriva, a company that still produces its own Linux distribution. I remember formatting my hard drive and trying to work through the text-based installation program that came with Mandrake. The most advanced thing I had done with computers up to that point was install Windows 98 and fudge around with autoexec.bat and config.sys when I needed to get my DOS games to work. I was used to drive letters, and these things called “mount points” sounded pretty scary. Needless to say, I got really, really good at installing Linux that year… mostly because I managed to screw everything up within a day of the install and had to start over. Good times. I kept this box to remind me that the relationship between curiosity and swearing is linear. OK, I really kept it because I like to be nostalgic about my roots, and my early exposure to the world of Open Source Software set the tenor and pitch for my entire career as a software developer. Now go watch Revolution OS. Mandrake-Linux 6.5

Jessica (.NET Micro Web Frameworks Part 2)

Here is my talk about Jessica, the .NET micro web framework, given at the April 2011 STL ALT.NET meetup. This is the second in a series of two videos. The slides and code examples can be found here.

Jessica (Micro Web Frameworks Part 2) from STL ALT.NET on Vimeo. EDIT: I received some feedback from Tom Bell, the gentleman who maintains the Jessica project; here is my follow-up video.

Jessica Addendum and Clarification from STL ALT.NET on Vimeo.

Nancy (.NET Micro Web Frameworks Part 1)

Here is my talk about Nancy, the .NET micro web framework, given at the April 2011 STL ALT.NET meetup. This is the first in a series of two videos. The slides and code examples can be found here.

Nancy (Micro Web Frameworks Part 1) from STL ALT.NET on Vimeo. EDIT: I received some fantastic feedback from the Nancy team after I posted this video, so I created a mini-presentation with a few clarifications and corrections to my original presentation.

Nancy Clarification and Corrections from STL ALT.NET on Vimeo.

Fpweb.net sponsors STL ALT.NET

Fpweb.net

Fpweb.net, the company at which Mark Borcherding and I work, has offered to sponsor the STL ALT.NET meetup group by donating funds to cover the cost of running the meetup site. This guarantees that a) the financial burden of keeping the site going is no longer on group members, and b) the group gets continued exposure through the Meetup.com network. Fpweb.net specializes in cutting-edge, customized SharePoint hosting. The company is a front runner in a growing industry, and goes to great lengths to invest in its employees and their passions. I am personally thankful for this sponsorship because it demonstrates that Fpweb is not about hollow claims and empty promises; they are backed by the twin gold standards of integrity and action.