{"pageProps":{"page":1,"posts":[{"date":"2020-12-21T12:30:00Z","layout":"post","title":"2020: Retrospective and Thanks!","author":["Alex Scotton"],"hero":"/static/images/pages/posts/2020-12-21-2020-retrospective-and-thanks/hero.jpg","tags":["Article","Retrospective","2020"],"excerpt":"Festive Tidings to you, one and all! 2020 has been a tough year for everyone, and one that has tested the very technology on which we rely, and the software we build. Norfolk Developers has weathered the pandemic with the mantra: Physically distant, not socially Our Virtual Socia...","body":"\nFestive Tidings to you, one and all!\n\n2020 has been a tough year for everyone, and one that has tested the very technology on which we rely, and the software we build. Norfolk Developers has weathered the pandemic with the mantra:\n\n> Physically distant, not socially\n\nOur Virtual Social Club has been a bastion for some, and a significant chunk of my life since March. On behalf of the committee and myself I’d like to say a massive thank you to all those who have contributed to the community throughout 2020. The Virtual Social Club will continue throughout December including [a Christmas](https://www.meetup.com/Norfolk-Developers-NorDev/events/pfdncsybcqbhc/) and [New Years Day](https://www.meetup.com/Norfolk-Developers-NorDev/events/pfdncsycccbcb/) special hosted by Dom Davis. All are welcome.\n\nWe’ve also run a huge number of virtual tech events this year on subjects ranging from Testing to Git, Data Science to Policing, and more. We’ve learned a tonne about streaming and virtual events and the remote aspect of the audience means Norfolk Developers has gone truly global with attendees from around the world.\n\nOn top of this we’ve introduced our regular Lean Coffee discussions, and the Wednesday Streams, where our members build something live on YouTube every month. We’ve already seen projects in [Laravel](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc8-tQY65nvVoYQcZhnRXZQSUmfsW-0_S), [Blitz.js](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc8-tQY65nvWAxfHamYQE9fhMabRkhMnL) and [Statamic](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc8-tQY65nvVBgHax3em4ywCzl4HVx5Qp), and **in January we’re continuing with GoLang.**\n\n![#WednesdayStreams with Norfolk Developers](/static/images/pages/posts/2020-12-21-2020-retrospective-and-thanks/wednesday-streams-hero.jpg)\n\nAll this has been backed by our [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/WQwrYrS) server which opened its doors in February as a place for NorDevCon attendees to chat, and for staff to relay messages. When the Lockdown was announced in March we saw messaging increase substantially and we knew it was going to be a valuable resource, but who knew it would be so bustling with conversation over a wide range of topics, both tech and non-tech.\n\nAs for NorDevCon, wow, what an experience! For Shaun and I it was truly a baptism of fire having taken over from Paul in October. Thank you to the Speakers from across the UK and globe, who joined us to share their wisdom, exploits and stories. And thank you to the community for attending and your understanding at the lack of refreshments 😃. And to our sponsors as well ❤️, without whom Norfolk Developers wouldn’t exist!\n\nOf course, it wouldn’t be 2020 without bad news. **In August we made the sad decision to cancel NorDevCon 2021**. Not only was this a blow to the community, but it was a massive blow to our finances. The conference is the sole source of income for Norfolk Developers and it is how we fund events and expenses throughout the year. The future of Norfolk Developers was looking bleak.\n\nThankfully the community stepped up.\n\nThey requested we open a [Patreon page](https://www.patreon.com/NorfolkDev) and their support so far has been staggering! We now have 16 Patrons, without whom NorDev would’ve likely been forced into closure. Our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you.\n\n[The User Story](https://www.theuserstory.com/) also stepped up and became our first Corporate Sponsor. They got our finances out of the red and, along with our Patrons, will help keep the lights on this winter.\n\nWe decided everyone deserves a rest in December (the Zoom fatigue is real!) and our last event of the year was a [relaxed exploration of The Webb Telescope](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ExIJzUQMJY). **It was incredible, well worth a catchup on YouTube if you missed it!** We’re still about though, so head on over to [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/WQwrYrS) if you want a chat, or join Dom on the Social Club!\n\nWho knows what 2021 has to bring, but the NorDev calendar is already filling up. We’ll be back again with a vengeance in January, but until then stay safe, and be physically distant, not socially distant.\n\n### TL;DR: What a year! Thank you! Really, we mean it. I look forward to seeing what you all create in 2021 and seeing you all at our first event next year.","path":"/posts/2020-12-21-2020-retrospective-and-thanks"},{"date":"2018-12-04T20:37:42Z","layout":"post","title":"Emerging talent at the DevelopHER Awards 2018!","author":["paulgrenyer"],"hero":"/static/images/pages/posts/2018-12-04-emerging-talent-at-the-developher-awards-2018/hero.jpg","tags":["Retrospective"],"excerpt":"A couple of weeks ago I was honoured to be asked to judge and present the overall winner of the DevelopHER Awards 2018. There are a number of categories in the awards, including TechStar which I also judged, and the overall winner is chosen from the winners of the other categorie...","body":"\nA couple of weeks ago I was honoured to be asked to judge and present the overall winner of the [DevelopHER Awards](https://developherawards.com/) 2018. There are a number of categories in the awards, including TechStar which I also judged, and the overall winner is chosen from the winners of the other categories.\n\nI believe that the best developers start writing code at an early age and continue throughout their lives and on through their careers. As well as learning all they can, all the time, they give back to community around them and help other people develop as well.\n\n[Federica Freddi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/federicafreddi/), who also won the Emerging Talent award, is clearly passionate about software development and is fully deserving of the DevelopHER award and I couldn’t have been more delighted to be able to present her with it on the night.\n\nFederica told me:\n\n> It is fantastic to see so many women recognised for their contribution to our industry. It is a huge honour for me to be able to represent so many talented people that are making the difference in tech. As an Emerging Talent, I still have a long way ahead and I don’t know what awaits for me in the future, however I am sure I will never forget to stop along the way to give back to people and help the next generations of tech stars to grow too.” I am hoping we’ll see Federica back in Norwich very soon.","path":"/posts/2018-12-04-emerging-talent-at-the-developher-awards-2018"},{"date":"2018-03-15T20:02:13Z","layout":"post","title":"Linux & SQL Server at MigSolv a Review","author":["paulgrenyer"],"hero":"/static/images/pages/posts/2018-03-15-linux-and-sql-server-at-migsolv-a-review/highres_469062363-300x225.jpg","tags":["Retrospective"],"excerpt":" We love the MigSolv data centre out at Bowthorpe in Norwich. This was nor(DEV):’s second visit and they always make us very welcome. Walking into what feels like a massive Blakes 7 set and getting the tour,including the retina scanner and massive server hall, is incredible and s...","body":"\n![](/static/images/pages/posts/2018-03-15-linux-and-sql-server-at-migsolv-a-review/highres_469062363-300x225.jpg)\n\nWe love the [MigSolv](https://www.migsolv.com/) data centre out at Bowthorpe in Norwich. This was nor(DEV):’s second visit and they always make us very welcome. Walking into what feels like a massive Blakes 7 set and getting the tour,including the retina scanner and massive server hall, is incredible and seriously interesting (even though it’s my third time!).\n\nThe intimacy of the board room with the table down the centre and nor(DEV): members arranged each side is great for generating conversation! And when you have a humorous and huge personality like [Mark Pryce-Maher](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markprycemaher/) it encourages the banter and the discussion even more! It’s safe to say this was one of the most interactive nor(DEV): evening presentations for some time.\n\n![](/static/images/pages/posts/2018-03-15-linux-and-sql-server-at-migsolv-a-review/highres_469063833-300x225.jpg)\n\nMark was there to tell us about how you can run Microsoft SQL Server on Linux (or is that “Lynux”?). Anyone would think Mark had been on the WINE, but no, you really can run SQL Server natively on Linux now. The first question though, has to be “why?”. The answer is simple. Microsoft are going after geeks, Oracle users and Linux houses who only run Windows to run SQL server.\n\nThe second question is “how?”. Developers at Microsoft discovered that, despite the vast number of methods available from the Win32 API, there are only a small number of methods which actually talk to the operating system. These are for allocating memory, disc storage, etc. A project called Drawbridge was developed to identify these methods and port them to Linux. SQL Server can then make use of those methods to run on Linux. Simples!\n\nMark did a live demo of installing and connecting to SQL Server. Unfortunately he hadn’t made sufficient sacrifices to the demo gods and things didn’t go precisely to plan. SQL Server can be run on an Ubuntu instance on Microsoft’s Azure from about £1/day (I’m intending to try it on a Digital Ocean droplet which is slightly cheaper). It’s incredibly easy to install. You just add the necessary repositories to Ubuntu’s package manager and tell it to install SQL Server. There’s also a pre-made Docker image (if Docker is your thing) which is even quicker.\n\n![](/static/images/pages/posts/2018-03-15-linux-and-sql-server-at-migsolv-a-review/highres_469064164-226x300.png)\n\nMicrosoft have developed an open source version of the client tools called Microsoft Operations Studio . It is also very easy to install (I did it on my Linux Mint laptop over 4G while Mark was speaking), but for some reason during the demo it just wouldn’t connect to SQL Server. However, Mark talks a great talk and I’m sure with a little bit more playing it would have!\n\nWe enjoyed being at MigSolv and hearing from Mark! MigSolv would like us to go back and we’re keen to do so in the future.\n\n***\n\nThe Next nor(DEV): is on 4th April and features “A.I. and Cognitive Computing with Watson” from Colin Mower of Microsoft and “Keep Secure and Under the Radar” from David Higgins. RSVP here: <https://www.meetup.com/Norfolk-Developers-NorDev/events/242231165/>","path":"/posts/2018-03-15-linux-and-sql-server-at-migsolv-a-review"},{"date":"2016-03-05T14:34:26Z","layout":"post","title":"nor(DEV):con 2016 a HUGE success!","author":["lauren"],"tags":["NorDevCon","Retrospective"],"excerpt":"nor(DEV):con attracted over 400 people this year, the biggest turnout yet! There were international speakers, fully booked workshops and a great atmosphere over the whole weekend. This year's new business track proved popular, especially Ermine Amies' 'Time Bandits' session, with...","body":"\nnor(DEV):con attracted over 400 people this year, the biggest turnout yet! There were international speakers, fully booked workshops and a great atmosphere over the whole weekend.\n\nThis year's new business track proved popular, especially Ermine Amies' 'Time Bandits' session, with delegates taking away practical tips and advice on how to better use their time, and Jon Bradford's 'Silicon Broad: Bridges not Valleys' about the future of tech startups.\n\nThe [EDP covered the conference](http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/hundreds_of_tech_leaders_gather_for_norfolk_developers_annual_summit_1_4434428), which will be held from Thursday 23rd to Saturday 25th February next year, and already has a number of big names lined up!\n\nKeep an eye on the nor(DEV):con website, or follow them on Facebook and twitter to be kept up to date.\n\nLastly, a massive thank you to everyone who supported and attended the conference, it was a HUGE success because of you!","path":"/posts/2016-03-05-nordevcon-2016-a-huge-success"},{"date":"2016-03-05T14:31:58Z","layout":"post","title":"A Question of Space","author":["paulgrenyer"],"tags":["NorDevCon","Retrospective"],"excerpt":"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times - Captain Kirk, Wrath of Khan 1982. From a Norfolk Developers, Naked Element and a personal point of view NorDevCon 2016 was a huge success. We had the largest number of attendees we’ve ever had by a significant margin. The Thur...","body":"\n> It was the best of times, it was the worst of times\n\n**- Captain Kirk, Wrath of Khan 1982.**\n\nFrom a [Norfolk Developers](http://norfolkdevelopers.com), [Naked Element](http://nakedelement.co.uk) and a personal point of view NorDevCon 2016 was a huge success. We had the largest number of attendees we’ve ever had by a significant margin. The Thursday workshops attracted a total of about thirty people, Friday saw over 400 and there were about 250 on Saturday. Surely the best of times.\n\nIn his presentation, “Silicon Broad: Bridges not Valleys” Jon Bradford, former MD of TechStars, said that NorDevCon needed to move to a new, larger venue and be 800 people next year. It’s true that in terms of numbers NorDevCon has come a long way from the 160 people who attended its first incarnation, SyncConf.\n\nOur current venue is almost certainly the only option for the five track conference format we use. However, with 400 people in the main auditorium the sponsors and lunch area gets a little tight. The other four rooms we use have capacities of 120, 100, 40 and 18. When you take an average that’s 80 people in each room. Immediately it’s obvious that an even distribution of people wouldn’t work. Of course, people don’t usually distribute themselves evenly. It’s difficult to know which sessions are going to be the most popular, so knowing where to put which speakers is difficult and ultimately, we get it wrong sometimes.\n\nWhile it’s fantastic that the conference is so popular, there are times when delegates can’t get to see the speakers they want because a room is full and almost every time there’s another room with only a handful of people in it. The worst of times.\n\nSo what to do about it? There are a number of options.\n\nI’ve already identified that another venue isn’t really an option.\n\nWe could ask people to specify which sessions they would like to attend in advance and place the speakers accordingly. This would take quite a bit more organisation and is difficult as the programme is often changing right up until the day.\n\nWe could restrict the number of people on any one day to about 350, that would go some way towards relieving the overcrowding.\n\nWe’ve spent a long time scaling vertically (increasing the number of people on one day). We could consider scaling horizontally (more days, with less people each day) and perhaps dropping the smallest conference room. The issue with this is people having to spend more time away from work, which, given the eco system of small companies in Norfolk, isn’t likely to be popular.\n\nThis is usually where I would present the ideal solution, drawn from a consideration of all the options. However, this is one of those problems which requires a lot more thought and discussion with experienced individuals. The discussions and head scratching continue.","path":"/posts/2016-03-05-a-question-of-space"},{"date":"2015-04-28T11:22:27+01:00","layout":"post","title":"Nor(DEV)con: 2015 Survey Results and Winners!","author":["paulgrenyer"],"tags":["NorDevCon","Retrospective"],"excerpt":"As nor(DEV):con continues to grow and attract higher numbers of attendees, we began to consider running the conference over two days. To find out if this was something the tech community would be interested in, we conducted a survey of nor(DEV):con 2015 visitors. We were very ple...","body":"\nAs nor(DEV):con continues to grow and attract higher numbers of attendees, we began to consider running the conference over two days. To find out if this was something the tech community would be interested in, we conducted a survey of nor(DEV):con 2015 visitors.\n\nWe were very pleased to see that two thirds of the 93 respondents would like to see nor(DEV):con happen over two days.\n\nThe majority of those surveyed would prefer Thursday and Friday to any other combination of days, with Friday and Saturday morning coming in second, head and shoulders above the other options.\n\nBased on this feedback and the direction we would like to take the conference, we have decided to run a number of parallel, hands-on workshops on the Thursday and the regular conference on Friday, with a keynote followed by five streams on the Saturday morning.\n\nWe are very pleased to announce that[Michael Feathers](https://twitter.com/mfeathers) is joining us from the US to give the opening keynote on Friday, as well as running a workshop.\n\n[Russel Winder](https://twitter.com/russel_winder), who spoke at the inaugural Nor(DEV):con, will be giving the closing keynote for 2016 and the conference will finish lunchtime on Saturday.\n\nOn Saturday[Richard Astbury](https://twitter.com/richorama) will present the day’s keynote, which will be followed by five tracks, four of which will be lecture style presentations of 45 or 90 minutes. The fifth track will run at the same time and will comprise a 90 minute hands-on workshop.\n\nWorkshop tickets will be sold separately and individually for each workshop. We will offer tickets for Friday and Saturday morning as well as day tickets for those who only want to attend Friday or Saturday. The pre-conference special, the pre-conference dinner and the conference dinner will all be the same as before.\n\nThose who completed our survey also went into a draw to win tickets to nor(DEV):con 2016 and our five winners are:\n\n- Luke Kittridge\n- Paul Cutting\n- Matthew Dunn\n- Tracey Tutt\n- Roberto Bezzi\n\nWe look forward to seeing everyone next year!","path":"/posts/2015-04-28-nordevcon-2015-survey-results-and-winners"}],"total":6,"tagSlug":"Retrospective"},"__N_SSG":true}