Monday 30 March 2009

7th April, LawCampLeeds

The bundle of web based technologies popularly known as "Web 2.0" have created opportunities for all sorts of new businesses. But those businesses have already encountered legal issues that inhibit the development of those technologies and the exploitation of those opportunities.

The purpose of this gathering is to identify, analyse and resolve those issues. Since those issues are still largely inchoate the BarCamp formula is particularly for their analysis and resolution. This will not be a legal seminar but a forum for the technical, business and academic communities.

The venue is ideal for that purpose. Located in one of the UK's most important financial and legal centres outside London and close to two great universities, the NTI is already the meeting place for many of the developers of the new technologies and those who want to invest in them.
Website: http://www.barcamp.org/LawCampLeeds

1st April, Liverpool Linux User Group Meeting

Liverpool Linux User Group are a group of Linux and open source software users that meet on the first Wednesday of the month. If no talk is organised then we will usually organise a "open stage" for people to discuss projects, current news, or just to rant.

Main Talk
At the moment we have a choice of talks to present at this months meeting, but we'll be confirming the details very soon.

Open Stage
Simon Johnson will be doing a quick talk about high level Python.
Andrew Williams will explain one of his latest projects and why Android development is great for newbies.

We will meet up in "The Old Ropewalk" pub before the meeting, then head out to the event around 7:00pm. The Liverpool Social Centre is two doors up from Forbidden Planet and is the right-hand door at the front of "News From Nowhere". Check the window for a handy Liverpool LUG sign, which will indicate we are there and not still at the pub. Press the white doorbell for access (the one marked basement) and someone will come up and open the door for you.

After the talks we will usually stay in the meeting area for a while then head out back to The Old Ropewalk pub.

If you have any difficulties finding the event, please ring a contact number listed on the website.
Website: http://livlug.org.uk/meetings:2009_april
53.4026340000 -2.9773520000

1st April, Exposure Leeds 2

Exposure Leeds is series of monthly events in a user-group format aimed at helping those serious about their photography to improve and develop.

-- The complicated act of getting back to basics --

A few years ago I attended a workshop on creativity. Now, as a person who does problem solving creativity on a daily basis, I was stunned at not only how much I'd forgotten but also how differently other people approached 'being creative'.

Based on this I approached Rick Harrison and Mike Wallis and they have agreed to cover their thoughts and experiences with the 'dark arts' of composition and exposure.

There will be time given over for networking and socialising.

www.exposureleeds.org

1st April, Geekup Sheffield

As you may know, Sheffields very own geekfather, @jagusti, is off touring the world at the moment, but fear not! We're gonna buy a pint of Franziskaner and stand it on the end of the bar for jag, then muddle on as best we can.

Presentations will kick off fat 8pm on the dot. We're hoping people will use the early evening space creatively and do some networking / catch up. There will be a projector and all the usual facilities, so if anyone fancies giving a lighnting talk, you're more than welcom.

First up at 8pm we've got Finbarr Joy, an old hand at agile projects (And singer with Giants Causeway), who's coming to talk to us about project management and contract issues around agile processes. Bring your anti-agile bosses and their questions!

After questions, and a brief pause for glass re-charging, our very own Richard Allsebrook (Twitter) will be up at ~9pm and giving a whirlwind (30 min) tour of Cake/PHP.

Richard will be doing a high-level overview that should be interesting to everyone, and is then going to show a bit of code. If you don't want to sit and look at more php, there will be seats and tables in the breakout area. We really want to try and cultivate that area, so please feel free to peel off into sub-groups and use the space if you don't fancy the code!

Right, thats it. Support your local geek-up! hope to see you there.

Thursday 26 March 2009

24th April, Ubuntu Release Party

Ian Forrester (from BBC Backstage) has
booked us the BBC Manchester Bar on Friday 24th April for the
Ubuntu-UK Manchester release party. The party will start at 7pm and
go on until late (although after 10pm we may have to move to another
pub on Oxford Road).

If you are interested in attending you need to sign up before 9am 24th
April. You can do this by emailing me, adding yourself to the facebook
page [1] or adding yourself to upcoming yahoo page [2].

The address is: New Broadcasting House, Oxford Road, Manchester M60 1SJ.

The nearest train station is Oxford Road, although it's within walking
distance of Piccadilly and Victoria stations.

For car parking, the Cornerhouse is just down the road and their
website [3] has some useful information.

When you arrive just wait in reception where someone will meet you to
take you up to the bar.

Please feel free to pass this on to anyone you think maybe interested.
It's time to show the London lot some competition!

Rock on Ubuntu 9.04!!


[1] http://preview.tinyurl.com/cy6pgq
[2] http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/2173360/?ps=5
[3] http://www.cornerhouse.org/about/?page=22330

Wednesday 25 March 2009

25th March, Bradford LUG Meeting

Bradford LUG Official Meeting
Date: 25th March 2009 - that's tomorrow!

Time: 7pm - 8:30 ish
Place: Mable Booth Room
Bradford Council for Voluntary Services (CVS)
Voluntary Services Centre
19/25 Sunbridge Road,
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD1 2AY
tel. 01274 722772

more info at:
http://www.bradford.lug.org.uk/wiki/


We're focusing on Games this month with a presentation about Gaming
past, present and future. It promises to look at how to persuade you're
hard core gamers that Linux is platform for them.

You may also get a chance to rub shoulders with our very own Linux
Format contributor - get a copy and then match the face to the person!
(are you coming John?)

It will also be Document Freedom Day,
http://www.documentfreedom.org/

so we may raise a glass to that following the meeting - probably in the
Sir Titus Salt (near the Alhambra) from about 9pm.

Wednesday 18 March 2009

19th March Leadership And Management in the Digital Industries

In a fast-moving industry dominated by freelancers and SMEs, what does ‘Leadership And Management’ really mean? Why is it important? Where does Project Management fit it? And how do we get better at it?

This event, held in association with BMedia and the West Yorkshire Lifelong Learning Network (WYLLN), seeks to find out! The event takes place at the WOW Academy in Bradford on Thursday 19th March, 5.30-8.15pm where Dave Pannell from The Design Mechanics and Liz Cable from Reach Further will give their views on this hot topic. Also including free pizza buffet! Contact us on 0845 122 1555 or infoAT ntileeds.co.uk to book your place.

NWDUG 19th March Meeting - *Venue Change*

The NW Drupal User Group will now meet at Revolution, Deansgate Locks from 6.30pm

Monday 16 March 2009

25 March North West England Perl Mongers social meeting

This months North West England Perl Mongers social meeting is in
Liverpool at The Ship & Mitre pub (http://www.shipandmitre.co.uk/).
Cask ales and Perl will be consumed from around 20:00, though some
people might be there slightly earlier. Further details along with
directions can be found on the North West England Perl Mongers web
site (http://northwestengland.pm.org/meetings/003.html).

Remember, North West England Perl Mongers covers the largest
geographical area for any Perl Mongers group in the world! If you
want us to bring the camel and penguin to your area and you can
organise a venue, please do let me know. We're looking to organise
next months technical talks in the Manchester area and would
appreciate any assistance in finding a suitable venue (projector, bar
or close proximity to, room for twenty people?).

The North West England Perl Mongers is a group of open source and Perl
professionals and enthusiasts in Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside and
the Western parts of Greater Manchester. Meeting once a month for
alternating technical and social reasons, we welcome all comers
interested in Perl or not. For more information about nwe.pm, see our
website at http://northwestengland.pm.org/ Feel free to come, have a
drink and tell us why you don't like Perl!

Sunday 15 March 2009

Dragon's Lair II - 26th March at UMIC, Mancheste

Only 2 weeks left to our next Dragon's Lair with 34 seats already sold
with number of Dragons and pitching companies confirmed. Now is the
time to secure your ticket before the last minute mad-rush starts.

Since the beginning of the year, 58,985 companies have been registered
in the UK with the North West reporting the highest number of
registrations (6,096) outside London. Whilst this is slightly lower
than the same period of last year, these facts proves that
entrepreurship is very much live in the North of England. Dragon's
Lair is your chance to rub shoulders with northern tech entrepreneurs
and their friends.

I am also thrilled to welcome Nic Brisbourne of DFJ Esprit which has
$6 billion under management. This is Nic's second visit - a clear sign
of London based VC's desire to engage and support Northern talent. Nic
will be joined by our own Carl Allen (£200m of funding through 3000
investing Non Executive Directors), Scott Fletcher (Angel Investor and
CEO of ANS Group) and Simon Howship (first time Angel Investor and
Senior Executive of Freeserve, and ex-CEO of Callserve Communicaions
and Vyke Communications plc). We are waiting for confirmation from
number of potential Dragons to increase the overall number to six
Dragons.

Are you a tech startup looking for funding? Are you an Angel Investor
or Venture Capitalist looking for investment opportunities? Are you
interested in attending a lively event on up to 8 tech startups
pitching to a panel of Dragons. Whatever your interest is, I am happy
to announce the return of Dragon's Lair to Central Manchester on 26th March 2009 at UMIC after the successful
pilot in December 2008. The event runs from 5:30pm to 9pm followed
by networking at a local bar till early hours.

Number of Opportunities exists



1. Sponsor this prestigious event - sponsorship starts from £500
onwards
2. Be a Dragon (up to 2 slots vacant) - Business Angels and Venture
Capitalists sought
3. Be a pitching company (up to 6 slots vacant)

Pitching companies confirmed include PostDox, an e-invoicing startup
and RecycleLocal, a startup with recycling theme. If you wish to grab
the remaining pitching slots, act now. Crains Manchester Business is
expected to run a story on the pitching companies on 16th March. We
are keen to hear from startups looking for second round of funding, as
well as those who have a strong management team or proven revenue
streams.

27-29 March 2009 Oekonux free software conference

Project Oekonux researches the economical, political and social forms of Free Software and similar forms of production we collectively call peer production. In Project Oekonux, different people with different reasons and different approaches get together to build something new. A lot of participants want to know, whether and if so, how, the peer production can serve as a basis for a new society.

For the 4th Oekonux Conference Project Oekonux cooperates with the P2P Foundation. The Foundation for Peer to Peer Alternatives researches, documents and promotes P2P practices in every domain of social life. It's a global cyber-collective and aims to be a knowledge and internetworking platform for open/free, participatory, and commons-oriented initiatives on a global scale.

http://www.oekonux-conference.org/invitation/invitation.html

31st March OpenCoffee Manchester

OpenCoffee Manchester - a monthly meet-up
for entrepreneurs, investors, inventors, designers, developers,
academics and bloggers.

Taking place on the last Tuesday of each month from 10am - 12pm at
Urbis, OpenCoffee Manchester is an informal forum for collaboration,
networking and good coffee amongst entrepreneurs and start-ups.

The re-launch event is on Tuesday 31st March 2009. Feel free to come
and surf on the free-wireless.

You can RSVP for the event via Facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=67979528896&ref=ts

Thursday 12 March 2009

Saturday 14th March 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sheffield Linux Users Group (ShefLUG)

Sheffield Linux Users Group (ShefLUG)

Meetings are free and open to anyone to attend

Saturday 14th March 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

For the past two years we have held meetings at Starbucks coffee shop
at Western Bank next to the University. We thought that our February
meeting might go down well at the Walkley Cottage. The address is...

Walkley Cottage Inn
46 Bole Hill Rd
Sheffield, S6 5DD
0114 234 4968

http://www.walkleycottage.co.uk/

If you don't have a car then you might like to know that the No: 94
and 95 buses run from High Street and Church Street (across from the
Cathedral) through the city centre to the pub. This is a frequent bus
service every 10 to 15 minutes during the day. Call 01709 515151 for
bus information. Use Google maps if you don't know where the Walkley
Cottage is. Tea and coffee is available. There is a good selection of
beers which are well looked after. Look out for someone sitting next
to an Hewlett-Packard penguin with a laptop in front of him. The
first person who can crack the Wi-Fi system and make it work will
receive a pint of beer.

http://www.sheflug.org.uk/meeting.html

The topic of the meeting will be a general discussion or we can fix
some hardware or software. If you need some help with that we can
most likely point you in the right direction. Cebit and Linux Tag are
probably the next most important public events on the calendar. We
can talk about those if anyone wants to know more. If you want to
know more about anything else come along and ask questions. We seem
to have a growing band of EeePC people who bring them along to
meetings. Also, it's been ten years this month since we started ! A
good time to go out for dinner and have a few drinks. With this in
mind we hope to have a dinner on a Saturday night in May somewhere in
Sheffield. More on this later. But, please do come along and help
us to celebrate at the March meeting.

Friday 27th March 5pm - 9pm Electric Works Opening party

Opening party of
Electric Works on
Friday 27th March 5pm - 9pm

The rumours are true: the all new Electric Works in Sheffield is the
UK's first office with its own custom made Helter Skelter for workers,
and you are invited to be one of the first to slide down it.

The event will include a one-off sky bar with views over the city, a
Wii bowling competition, various installations and an opportunity to
have a tour around the building.

Electric Works is a leading edge workspace providing grow-on space for
digital and creative businesses as well as drop-in and short-stay
facilities for freelancers and sole traders. Places are limited so
please RSVP as soon as possible (see details below)

Please join us for a preview:

Where
electricworks, Sheffield Digital Campus, Sheffield,
two minutes walk from the mainline railway station.

When
5pm-9pm Friday 27 March

See http://www.electric-works.net/contact for map.

RSVP
openingparty@electric-works.net

PS Did we mention you can ride on the helter skelter?!

www.electric-works.net

Monday 9 March 2009

16th March, Project management in your business - An introduction to PRINCE2 and Agile

Project management in your business - An introduction to PRINCE2 and Agile

Monday 16th March 2009, 6.00pm - 8.00pm

nti Leeds, Old Broadcasting House

Are you considering implementing project management methods in your business? Do you want to be able to more rigorously analyse the business case for new projects, and increase your profitability and effectiveness? Are you involved with software development?

Come along to nti, Old Broadcasting House on 16th March at 6pm and find out from our expert trainers the key features of PRINCE2 and Agile methods. The evening takes the form of a panel discussion. Panel members include Marian Watson, the nti’s PRINCE2 trainer, and Mark Stringer from Agile Lab. Marian and Mark will each give an overview of the key features and benefits of PRINCE2 and Agile methods.

Our aim is to provide you with the information to help you consider what will work for you, as well as giving you an understanding of two very different, and complimentary approaches to project management.

PRINCE2 has become the de-facto standard for project management, not just in the UK, but in many countries throughout the world. Each week 2000 people worldwide take the PRINCE2 Practitioner examination

Agile methods are a group of techniques which make it easier to deliver IT and web-based projects in environments of uncertainty and constant change

Caroline Skipsey, Commercial Director at Brahm will take part in the panel, sharing her experiences of using PRINCE2. Caroline has worked on television and film productions both here and in the states. In her current role she oversees the digital project management team at Brahm. The team are responsible for resource planning, budget monitoring and process management across all digital clients

Matt Green is Chief Technology Officer and Company Director at Rockshore, Sheffield. He has over 10 years experience of leadership, technical design, development and consultancy on large scale enterprise applications, networks and communication systems. Rockshore use agile development techniques to build real-time event processing software in the travel and mobile communications sectors. He will take part in the panel, sharing his experiences of Agile

This event is free to attend to companies and individuals based within the Yorkshire region.
To register for this event please click here

Friday 6 March 2009

9th March: WYLUG meeting - Talk on HTML5 by Dave Fisher

This month Dave Fisher is going to be giving a talk on HTML5.


HTML 5 - What's New, Why It Matters, And What You Can Do With It
================================================================
1 New elements and attributes
2 Modified elements and attributes
3 Deprecated elements and attributes
4 Images and multimedia elements
* figure, audio, video and embed
5 Scripting
* Canvas and GUI scripting
* More support for web-apps
* Detailed DOM spec
6 Forms
* New controls
* Scripting support
7 Prescriptive browser behaviour
* Error handling, including invalid content
* Non-XML serialisation
* Rendering consistency


Dave's last talk was superb and I am glad he has agreed to come back so soon to do another.

The meeting officially starts at 7:00pm, but the room will be open for coffee, tea and chat from 6:00pm. Afterwards, we usually go to the Victoria pub, behind the Town Hall, for more geeky chatter.

Location:
Old Broadcasting House
148 Woodhouse Lane
Leeds
LS2 9EN

More location details on the OBH contact page (
http://www.oldbroadcastinghouse.com/contact/
or on Open Street Map
(http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=53.80565lon=-1.5487&zoom=17&layers=B000FTF

Sunday 1 March 2009

19th March NWRUG - Search in your Rails app

Search is an essential part of most web applications and building up
‘like’ clauses in code just doesn’t cut it. This month we have three
talks on three different search daemons so you have the knowledge to
go away and add quality search to your app.

This month we have sponsorship from Brightbox so there will be free
Pizza, Beer and soft drinks after the talks, and maybe some T-Shirts
and stickers too.

Schedule

• 6:30pm :: Welcome & Registration
• 7:00pm :: Talks on Sphinx, Solr & Ferret by Will Jessop, Asa Calow
& John Leach
• 7:45pm :: Pizzas/Beer/Soft-drinks provided by Brightbox
• 8:30pm :: Drinks at the The Paramount
If you want more information email nwrug@willj.net or call Will

Sign Up
If you would like to attend this event please email me at nwrug@willj.net
as I really need to know the numbers so I can order the right amount
of food and drink. You can also sign up on the Upcoming event page
(linked to from the site) if you want, but email me as-well.

Location
This meeting is being held at our regular venue, the MDDA offices on
Portland Street in central Manchester.

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