Fullstack Hampshire
Hey! Just so you know, this article is over 2 years old. Some of the information in it might be outdated, so take it with a grain of salt. I'm not saying it's not worth a read, but don't take everything in it as gospel. If you're curious about something, it never hurts to double-check with a more up-to-date source!
I recently attended the first 'Fullstack Hampshire'. Described as a "free community run event for anybody interested in solving problems digitally". It was great fun and I saw a ton of familiar faces from industry experts in the area. The whole atmosphere was fun and relaxed, with free pizza and alcohol available to everyone (18+ ). The event was hosted at Etch and organized by Adam Tomat of Rareloop. Before the talks kicked off, the attendees had time to catch up with one another and talk nerd about what they've been up to and the new technologies they have been experimenting with. The first talk was presented by Chris Sherry and was on the subject of how to give a good presentation, the do's, and the don'ts. It was a really informative talk, as I have been recently getting into public speaking and presenting to an audience. It is an easy task behind my camera in my room, but in front of peers that you have a strong relationship with, it can be quite daunting. The presentation definitely gave me some ideas to think about for my next presentations, and I'd like to thank Chris Sherry again for the great talk! The 2nd talk was given by Stuart Robson and was centered around pattern libraries, how they fit in business roles and the importance of using and maintaining one. With a range of different tools discussed, it definitely opens up options for everyone when implementing a pattern library. As pattern libraries have risen in popularity the last year or so, it is important to establish which library will work for your project. Things at Fullstack Hampshire were then wrapped up with a visit to the pub, the dancing man. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the pub visit as I didn't want a hangover for work the next day, I am looking forward to the next Fullstack Hampshire this coming Monday (12/12/16). One final note about the event is that I would like to just say that it is a great concept. A place for all developer job fields to learn something new and apply it to their day in, day out jobs. All are welcome and are encouraged to share their knowledge with the group. If you haven't already signed up, I recommend checking out https://fullstackhampshire.splashthat.com/ for more info.