May
6
2011

Startup Weekend Chandler

I wanted to let you know about an upcoming event called Startup Weekend Chandler. Startup Weekend is a non-profit, community-building event that brings together entrepreneurs of all backgrounds including software developers, marketers, designers, and other enthusiasts to start companies in just 54 hours. The participants that attend have 60 seconds to make a pitch (optional), the pitches are whittled down to the top ideas, and then teams form around the ideas to come out with several developed companies or projects. Finally, the weekend culminates with demonstrations in front of an audience of judges and potential investors.


This is Chandler’s first Startup Weekend, but the event occurs all over the world throughout the year and they have been very successful. The event will be held the weekend of June 24th and more info is at http://chandler.startupweekend.org

Jan
18
2011

Annoucing Desert Code Camp 2011.1

I am pleased to announce the date for Desert Code Camp 2011.1, aka April 2011 code camp. It will take place Saturday, April, 2nd, 2010.

The event will still take place at the wonderful Chandler - Gilbert Community College - Pecos Campus.
Speaker Dinner
We will have a speaker dinner also at this Desert Code Camp. The speaker dinner will take place on Friday night, pending a sponsor. More information will be provided when we get closer.
After Party
We will have an after party in Downtown Chandler after the Code Camp (pending a sponsor). Downtown Chandler is approximately 3 miles away from Chandler – Gilbert Community College.
Breakfast
Breakfast will be provided at Desert Code Camp (pending a sponsor).
Lunch
Lunch will be provided at Desert Code Camp (pending a sponsor).
If you want to help or sponsor, shoot me an email at jguadagno @ sevdnug.org.

Web Site Updates

  • We made several security improvements to the site.
  • We added a new badge widget to the site. Now you can showcase the classed you are attending or the ones that you are speaking at. Check it out at http://apr2011.desertcodecamp.com/badge.aspx
  • Cleaned up the user interface. Most pages are very consistant and there is entensive use of jQuery and jQuery themes.
  • Published RSS, Atom and iCal feeds.
    You can customize the iCal feed with your sessions by adding ?LoginId=loginId to the end of the url.
  • The sessions listing is cleaner with an accordian look.
  • You can tweet or Like any page.
  • You can now, add Facebook comments to any session
  • Users can add there Twitter Profile, Speaker Rate Id, facebook Id, Slide Share Id, and website to their profile.
  • Speakers can add a url to the source code, video links, slide url, and slide share url for the site.
  • Added a new feedback module powered by UserVoice. You can add feedback for the site directly from the site or at http://desertcodecamp.uservoice.com

Get Social

Start submitting your sessions today at http://apr2011.desertcodecamp.com

If you are looking to help sponsor, please check out the sponsorship document.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Sep
17
2010

Desert Code Camp 2010.2 Sessions so far

Here is the list of sessions that have been submitted and approved as of September 17th, 2010.  It even includes 3 sessions for our Gangplank Jr. track for kids.

Take a look, if you want to present, just add a session, sign in, go to the sessions’ detail page and choose, “I can teach this”.

http://nov2010.desertcodecamp.com

Track Session Abstract
.NET Development Code First Entity Framework Development The objective of this session is to introduce the code-first framework for Microsoft's Entity Framework technology. I'll introduce the code first framework, and demonstrate how to build applications that access databases using the code first approach. I'll demonstrate using the code-first library in an enterprise, web, and desktop application.
.NET Development Extensible Applications The objective of this presentation is to demonstrate how to create extensible applications using the Microsoft .NET Framework. During this presentation, we will explore using the Managed Extensibility Framework, Managed Add-in Framework, Workflow Foundation, and Dynamic Language Runtime to allow after-market customizations and extensions to your applications.
.NET Development .NET 4 Parallel Programming in C# parallel programming in .NET 4.0
.NET Development Introducing Workflow Services in WF 4.0 There are many benefits to model-driven design, including transparency of design for multiple audiences and the simplification of low-level patterns which assist in realizing application designs that are simple to implement and understand. Come learn how simple it is to build workflow services with Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) 4.0.
.NET Development Back-2-Basics: Exception & Event Instrumentation in .NET This session will instruct any level of programmer on how to easily use tracing that is built into .NET to log and analyze Exceptions and events that occur during application runtime. This is invaluable to fix bugs that only happen while the application is running. .NET TraceListeners will be discussed in detail along with how to write your own custom TraceListeners. I will also discuss and provide code for my centralized exception/ event logging system that allows applications at customer sites or on multiple servers to log to central database. Developers or technical support personal can then view these entries via an ASP.NET web site.
.NET Development Back-2-Basics: .NET Coding Standards For The Real World This session will guide any level of programmer to greater productivity by providing the information needed to write consistent, maintainable code. Learn about project setup, assembly layout, code style, defensive programming and much, much more. We will even go over some real in production code and see what the programmer did wrong in "What's Wrong With this Code?". Code tips are included to help you write better, error free applications. Lots of code examples in C# and VB.NET.
AJAX / Javascript AJAX with jQuery In this session, you'll learn various techniques for adding AJAX to your site using jQuery. There will be a very brief introduction to jQuery for anyone who hasn't used it before.
AJAX / Javascript Javascript Bootcamp Stop writing bad JavaScript Now! Learn to avoid mistakes which lead to performance and scalability problems with your web applications. Why is the global namespace a problem? What is a closure? Can js implement OO patterns? All this and more...
Architecture Enterprise Architecture and TOGAF The purpose of this session is to show how EA helps to business objectives.
Business Intelligence Practical applicability of PowerPivot The goal of this session is to show how PowerPivot can be used to combine data sources, visualize data, and create KPIs in the least amount of code.
Cloud Azure Security Practices This presentation will walk through many of the common questions people have regarding security and the Azure cloud. Topics covered will specifically include compliance, database security, data sensitivity, and the options you have to mitigate and compensate for them. Emerging & applicable best practices in cloud computing will be outlined.
Composite Application Servers Building Composite Application Services with Windows Server AppFabric Windows Server AppFabric extends the core capabilities of IIS by providing many of the cloud benefits on-premise including elastic scale and robust hosting capabilities. Come learn how Windows AppFabric can benefit your approach to building and supporting composite application services via enhanced lifetime management, tracking, persistence of long-running workflow services and caching for performance optimization.
Continuous Integration with Hudson Continuous Integration with Hudson Use Hudson to help provide your team with continuous feedback on the state of your project. This session will teach you how to install Hudson and common techniques for using Hudson to keep you informed.
Databases (SQL/RDBMS, Document, Object) NoSQL Databases NoSQL Databases
Entity Framework 4.0 MVC and Entity Framework The introduction of MVC to the ASP.NET stack opened up a new paradigm for building web sites and web applications and, this new way of thinking leads to new ways to interact with your data. Microsoft has been promoting the Entity Framework, which many people feel is too abstract, esoteric, too much overkill, or just too darn difficult to learn. In this presentation, James will dispel all the myths and tabloid rumors you may have heard about EF and take you on a gentle dive into the following: • A brief history of EF • How EF becomes the mediator between developers and DBAs • How to build an EF Model • Wiring up the Model to your MVC app • The supporting role of repositories • Using LINQ to EF to get to your data • How to win friends and influence people by embracing EF
Game Development Mobile Game Development 101 Developing simple games for the iPhone and Android to get you started.
Gangplank Jr Game Development with Scratch Develop an old school game like Galaga using Scratch.
Gangplank Jr Android Phone Development Expanding on the building block style programming of Scratch use Google App Inventor to build and deploy an Android Application.
Gangplank Jr Lego Mindstorms Create a battle bot using the Lego Mindstorms Kit and Development Environment.
HTML5 Introduction to HTML5 - tag you're it A Flash Card Like run through of the tags. (pun intended) The do's, the dont's, the will's the wont's.. the can's and the can't quite yets. We'll take a brisk walk through this exciting progression into the next version of the Hypertext Markup Language. Come see what the fuss is all about, what you need to know now, and what you will want to keep your eye on for the future.
Introduction to Android Development Android Game Development with AndEngine Using AndEngine: http://www.andengine.org/ to develop a simple game for the Android platform
Introduction to Android Development RESTful Android Android Development with RESTful API's
Introduction to Scala Introduction to Scala Scala is a general purpose programming language designed to express common programming patterns in a concise, elegant, and type-safe way. It smoothly integrates features of object-oriented and functional languages, enabling Java and other programmers to be more productive.
Mobile Creating a Windows Phone 7 App in Silverlight Creating a Windows Phone 7 App in Silverlight. Will discuss gotchas and workarounds.
MS Dynamics CRM CRM 2011 and OData Utilizing Silverlight to extend CRM 2011 using OData and REST dataservices
Outside the Box What is NoSQL? What is NoSQL? What are some of the NOSQL tools? What are the benefits? Real world examples.
Ruby Rails 101 In less than an hour, we'll build a simple Twitter clone complete with user accounts and tweets. We'll cover models (which store your objects in a database), controllers (which retrieve and present model objects), and views (which render HTML to the browser).
Ruby Ruby-Processing Graphics Playground Ruby-Processing is a Ruby wrapper around Processing, a simple language that lets you create images and animations. We'll demonstrate some of Processing's basic features like drawing, manipulating image files, and interacting with the mouse. If the network cooperates, we'll even run a server that will let attendees collaborate on an image!
Ruby Full Text Searching in Rails Learn how to install, configure, deploy and manage the Sphinx search engine and the ThinkingSphinx gem to bring simple, yet robust, full text searching to your Ruby on Rails application.
Security Source code review strategies Once you start reviewing source code for security issues, it because all to easy to get lost in the weeds. This presentation will outline many of the common practices used, and when to use them, to be successful.
Security Web Security - Beyond Lists Understanding what can happen-- i.e vulnerability lists-- is a great start in your journey. But what is more important is how you apply successful strategies-- both in code AND in process-- that prevent people from stealing your lunch money. This presentation will cover philosophies, principles, and strategies used to secure web applications beyond simplistic vulnerability lists. It will focus on things you could (and should) be doing right now and provide some direction on where you might consider going in the future.
SharePoint SharePoint 2010 as a Development Platform The goal of this session is to introduce attendees to the development of full-featured custom web applications using SharePoint 2010.
Silverlight MVVM using Caliburn.Micro Creating a Silverlight application using the MVVM pattern and Caliburn.Micro.
Software Development Project Management In Small Shops Describes how to scale down project management to small shops that don't have a dedicated project manager. In small shops, every member of the team must be a project manager. In this session, we'll talk about what works and what doesn't. Tips and tricks for having pleased clients and happy developers! (This could make a good panel, if some other developers from small shops want to share their experiences.)
Software Development Using Regular Expressions Introduction to regular expressions? Using some basic Regex. Advanced Regex.
Software Development The Developer's Guide To Scrum A hands on exploration of Scrum, the project management framework, focusing on the responsibilities and goals of the developer.
Software Development Lightswitch, what is it? Discussion of Lightswitch, where to get it, how to install it, what it can do
Telecom Tropo's Phone Web Service API You will learn how to integrate Voice and SMS phone functionality into your existing web applications using Tropo.com's RESTful Web API.
WCF Restful services with WCF Creating restful services via WCF and the WCF toolkit
WCF WCF 4.0: Simplifying the Developer Experience Windows Communication Foundation is the primary framework for building distributed applications and services. The major focus of WCF 4.0 was simplifying the learning curve and increasing adoption of this core communication technology in the Microsoft .Net stack. This session will explore new features and capabilities of WCF 4.0.
WPF Get Declarative with WPF and Silverlight WPF and Silverlight applications are built using a mixture of XAML and code. In this presentation, we'll look at techniques for reducing code by moving user interface logic into the XAML layer. We'll look at attached behaviors, events, triggers, and using the Expression Blend SDK to extend the declarative power of XAML in WPF applications.

Aug
16
2010

Announcing Desert Code Camp 2010.2

I am pleased to announce the date for Desert Code Camp 2010.2, aka Nov2010 code camp.  It will take place Saturday, November, 13th, 2010.

 

There are a few changes for this camp.

New Web Site

The web site have been changed to accommodate history in the Desert Code Camps. This means that each Code Camp will have it’s own url, so you can see what sessions have taken place in the past.

This Desert Code Camp’s, 2010.2, url is http://nov2010.desertcodecamp.com and is ready to accept sessions.

May 2010 Desert Code Camp, 2010.1 Desert Code Camp, is http://may2010.desertcodecamp.com. I am in the process of adding in the Desert Code Camps from 2009. You can go to http://desertcodecamp.com to get the list of Code Camps that the site has.

New Location

Chandler-Gilbert Community College, will be hosting the event on their Pecos Campus.

  • This facility is right off of the Loop 202 (SanTan Freeway) and Gilbert Road at the intersection of Gilbert Rd and Pecos Rd, in Chandler, AZ.
  • The facility provides plenty of free parking
  • There is free wifi with no requirements or software installed on your pc.
  • There is a student center for socializing and networking.
  • Modern facilities. In fact, Desert Code Camp will most likely take place in their brand new Ironwood Hall (IRN).
  • Larger room sizes.  We will be able to hold several 120+ sessions.

Speaker Dinner

I am going to try and have a speaker dinner also at this Desert Code Camp.  The speaker dinner will take place on Friday night, pending a sponsor. More information will be provided when we get closer. If you want to sponsor the speaker dinner for about 40 people, send me an email at jguadagno @ sevdnug.org.

After Party

We are working with the City of Chandler, and local businesses downtown to have several after parties going on in Downtown Chandler after the Code Camp.  Downtown Chandler is approximately 3 miles away from Chandler – Gilbert Community College.

If you want to help, shoot me an email at jguadagno @ sevdnug.org.

Social Media

This Desert Code Camp we want you to use all of the Social Media avenues you can. We have the following:

Hope to see you there!
Joseph Guadagno
Camp Director

Jul
6
2010

Code Camp redone

So my family and I have been going camping a lot for the past two years and this got me thinking… Why not have a Code Camp with actual camping?  We can still learn, have fun and enjoy beautiful Arizona at the same time.

If your interested, help me with the planning.  Complete the survey at: http://bit.ly/bUnZvl

Apr
1
2010

I Love Chandler…

No not Chandler Bing from Friends, although maybe Monica :) … it’s living in Chandler, Arizona.

In the past, I have tried to keep this blog mostly technical but something happened this morning that made me realize I love living in Chandler, Arizona. I forgot to close my garage door last night and during the City of Chandler Police Departments nightly patrol, the officer closed the door for me and left me a nice little note/reminder. Way to go!

A bit of history… My wife and I spend quite some time researching different cities and parts of the country when deciding where would be the best location (in our opinion) to raise our family. After all the research and talking to some friends and almost family out here we decided to move to Chandler, Arizona. So about 5 years ago in June of 2005 we moved from Long Island, NY and left all our family and friends to move to Chandler, Arizona.

So why do I love living in Chandler, Arizona. There are many reasons. The City of Chandler is proactively looking to grow the City in ways that most cities do not attempt.  The City of Chandler is hosting Laid Off Camp Phoenix on April 3rd, 2010.  They attempted to host Desert Code Camp on May 15th, 2010 (just not enough time to plan) and they are hosting Arizona Give Camp on May 21st-May 23rd, 2010.

The City of Chandler does so much for its citizens, Day of Fun and Fitness, Family Easter celebrations, Chandler Jazz festival,  and more. The City of Chandler has won countless awards also.

Mar
29
2010

Announcing Desert Code Camp 2010.1

It’s time for the 7th iteration of Desert Code Camp (my second one as director).  Desert Code Camp will be held on May 15th at DeVry again.

DeVry University
2149 W Dunlap Ave (Map)
Phoenix, Arizona 85021

The Desert Code Camp website has a new design and logo thanks to Gabriel Utasi and a few new features.

Sign-up to give a talk today.

Follow Desert Code Camp on Twitter @DesertCodeCamp

Feb
11
2010

SEVDNUG: February Social Mixer

Join us for our 2nd social mixer of the year at Brunswick Zone in Gilbert for two hours of bowling and socializing taking place on Monday 2/22 at 6:00 PM.

We got a few lanes, a few shoes, some appetizers and some drinks sponsored by Comsys*.

Registration will be limited!

Register at: http://sevdnug0210.eventbrite.com

* The sponsor will cover a certain amount of the cost.  You might be required to purchase some of your own food and drink.

 

Feb
11
2010

Two Free Developer Events in Phoenix

MSDN Events: Take Your Applications Sky High with Cloud Computing and the Windows Azure Platform

February 23rd

Join your local MSDN Events team as we take a deep dive into cloud computing and the Windows Azure Platform. We’ll start with a developer-focused overview of this new platform and the cloud computing services that can be used either together or independently to build highly scalable applications. As the day unfolds, we’ll explore data storage, SQL Azure, and the basics of deployment with Windows Azure. Register today for these free.

Register at: http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032438178&Culture=en-US

MSDN Events Presents: From Zero to XAML in 4 Hours

March 23rd

Learning XAML for use in Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) or Silverlight can be a little daunting. This seminar will introduce the basic concepts of XAML and show you how to get started quickly and easily. You wil be given an overview of XAML tools such as VS.NET 2010 and Expression Blend. If you are new to Silverlight and WPF you need to attend this seminar to see how to move to these powerful new platforms. The focus on this seminar is using XAML to build business applications.

Register at: http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032439056&Culture=en-US

These are free events.  I would register while there is still room!

Dec
4
2009

Call for speakers for 2010

The Southeast Valley .NET User Group is looking for some speakers for 2010. The meetings are held monthly typically on the fourth Thursday of the month, although we can move the meeting to make it easier for speakers.  The meetings are held in Chandler, AZ about 20 miles south of downtown Phoenix, AZ. 

This year we had Tim Rayburn and Alan Stevens speak at the user group.  Add your name to the list, contact me at jguadagno @ sevdnug.org

Here are some of the topics that the community is looking for…

  • ASP.NET
  • Entity Framework
  • LINQ
  • Managed Extensibility Framework (MEF)
  • Windows Communication Framework
  • Windows Presentation Framework
  • I hope to hear from you!

    About the author

    Joseph Guadagno Name: Joseph Guadagno
    Occupation: Programmer, President of INETA North America, President of SEVDNUG, Microsoft Visual C# MVP
    Location: Chandler, AZ

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