Study group - programming and more!

conorcan2

Is anybody interested in forming a study group/partnership etc. around topics related to software development? Maybe online communication, complemented by the occasional coffee/offline meeting?

Sample topics:

- Java, .NET, PHP, Iphone development, HTML, Javascript/Ajax and more...

Some options:

- Choose a topic/sub-topic you are knowledgeable about, something you want to learn more about and then trade knowledge/tutoring with somebody else.
- Work through material together as beginners
- Set exercises/mini-challenges for each other
- Answer each others questions
- Meet up to discuss, teach etc.

This would be more formal than informal, because it would have a learning objective.

NeverSayDie

There was a thread from a while back where some folks were setting up a dev group of some sort, don't know if it ever went anywhere, but some of them may be interested in working with you. Thread's here;
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055316076

For .NET specifically, there's an ALT.NET group in Dublin that meet up regular (or used to at least, last I heard), they may be of interest. They tend not to be beginner focused (it's more a best practises/knowledge exchange kinda thing I think), but that might be of use.
http://dublinalt.net/

SomeUnusedName

Hi there:

Dublin alt.net meetings are indeed every month (next one is January the 19th as far as i know) there is also a Google technologies user group ( the most active Java user group I m aware of at least).
You should check out Ruby and Python Ireland too

Most groups are pretty open about the topics they discuss. Dont be shy and go to their sites and interact... community is what you make of it.

conorcan2

Thanks people for your help.

I was thinking less of a community, social chit-chat situation and more of a focussed exchange - "you tutor me in Java for an hour, I'll tutor you in SQL" type deal.

It would be more professional than social, and although the two wouldn't have to be mutually exclusive I personally don't enjoy socializing around programming topics!

fasty

I don't really get who this would be of benefit to apart from, say, students or junior level programmers or indeed how useful it would be compared to looking things up online or asking a few questions here or on Stackoverflow.

I think trying to enforce some kind of quid pro quo grind scenario is missing the point a little. Getting together in an informal way and chatting about tech and letting things evolve always makes more sense to me.

Liam Byrne

Also, no potential location mentioned ?

conorcan2

fasty wrote: »

I don't really get who this would be of benefit to apart from, say, students or junior level programmers..

Yes, it might be useful to them and that in itself is a reason the idea should be explored, but it's certainly not for everybody. Also, it might be useful to people who are currently unemployed, and are looking to upgrade or learn new skills.

fasty wrote: »

how useful it would be compared to looking things up online or asking a few questions here or on Stackoverflow.

Teaching can help focus you on a specific topic and give you an extra impetus to become familiar with a topic than you'd otherwise be motivated to if you were learning it on your own.

Learning from a person can open you up to different aspects of a language or problem that you mightn't ordinarily encounter. Having said that, I don't think it's a matter of one versus the other. You can still meet somebody in a coffee shop and then look up StackOverflow if you like.

Meeting a person face to face is more personalized, if you are inquisitive then you can explore a topic in a short space of time and demand attention...doing that on a forum and you're at risk of trolling.

fasty wrote: »

I think trying to enforce some kind of quid pro quo grind scenario is missing the point a little. Getting together in an informal way and chatting about tech and letting things evolve always makes more sense to me.

I agree with you, that getting together and chatting with people in an informal way may be more suitable for some people. I'm not trying to accommodate all people though. I personally prefer to learn in a focussed environment, for an hour in a coffee shop, and then move on.

Malice

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Also, no potential location mentioned ?

That was the first question that came to mind for me too .
As for the other thread, I've no idea why that didn't take off. The poster who was in the process of creating the site to use is still active on Boards. Perhaps they might clarify things?

conorcan2

The reason I didn't mention location was because I was sounding the idea out. I'm in Dublin, but I'm not against online code mentoring!

Books I own and am willing to teach/work with:

- Pro Drupal Development (2nd edition)
- Build a Drupal Module (for Drupal 6)
- PHP cookbook
- Flash with Drupal
- JQuery in Action
- Pro HTML and CSS design patterns
- MySQL (big book).

Even though I'm willing to teach from those books, I'd also like to learn, bounce ideas off, anybody who is studying PHP, MySQL, Javascript, CSS, JQuery, Drupal, Amazon Web Services.

At the moment I'm a solo developer, looking to brush up on my skills. I'd also like to teach, for the reason that it forces you to clarify your own understanding of a topic.

Malice

conorcan2 wrote: »

The reason I didn't mention location was because I was sounding the idea out. I'm in Dublin, but I'm not against online code mentoring!

That's fair enough.

Webmonkey

Malice_ wrote: »

That was the first question that came to mind for me too .
As for the other thread, I've no idea why that didn't take off. The poster who was in the process of creating the site to use is still active on Boards. Perhaps they might clarify things?

It's a pity alright. Maybe we should get a few together some evening and have a brain storm of what could happen this.

Anyways back on the OP's topic...