Tag Archives: training

Scala training in Ann Arbor next week

If you haven’t already signed up for Scala training with Bill Venners (author of Programming in Scala and ScalaTest) and Dick Wall (Java Posse, Locus Development, Inc.), don’t delay. The first 3 days (May 23-25) will focus on Applied Fundamentals, what you need to effectively use the language for software development. The last 2 days (May 26-27) will focus on more advanced topics. The 2 “sections” are priced separately, with a discount for taking both. Discounts are also available for large groups. You can register at Escalate’s site.

This is a great opportunity for local software developers to get training from experienced trainers who use the language every day. The momentum behind Scala is growing:

  • Scala 2.9 final (stable build) was released last week.
  • Typesafe, a commercial entity was launched and promises to accelerate commercial adoption.
  • The list of companies using Scala is growing, and includes familiar names such as LinkedIn, Twitter, FourSquare, The Guardian, and Siemens.

I’m looking forward to the training class.  Hope you will join us!

A Business Case for New Languages …

Learning new languages has always been a part of our jobs as software developers. We’ve had a pretty long streak with Java and C#, but it’s time to move onward and take advantages of more expressive languages, like Scala.  I’ve written an article for Artima, “A Business Case for New Languages: The Benefits of Scala over Java“, and I hope that business leaders will be encouraged to talk to their staff about how their product development might benefit from moving to Scala.  And, it’s timely.  Bill Venners and Dick Wall, of Escalate Software, will be in town to hold a public training course on Scala the week of May 22.  They will take you from novice to fully comfortable in the language in that 1 week.  I’m looking forward to it!

Cross training in software

Several months ago, the opportunity arose to work on a project in Flex.  Brian Genisio has had a lot of experience with WPF and Silverlight and he expressed interest in the Flex project.   While there are a lot of differences between the Adobe world and the Microsoft world, Brian found similarities as well.  And he learned that there are things about each platform that he appreciates over the other.  By learning Flex, he’s become a better Silverlight developer, and by knowing Silverlight, he had quick and substantial success with Flex.  He’s been blogging about the experience, and it’s quite interesting.

We asked James Ward if he would like to do a Flex Jam in Ann Arbor, as we’ve done in previous years. We were thrilled when he agreed.  If you think that you might want to join James (and Brian) in learning Flex in an interactive coding workshop, you can get more information or register at http://www.srtsolutions.com/flex-training.  It’s not just for Java or Flex developers!  If you’re a Silverlight developer, check out Brian’s blog and see if you think learning Flex would help make you a better developer.

Scala training from Escalate Software coming to Ann Arbor in May

Bill Venners, co-author of Programming in Scala 2nd Edition, and Dick Wall, Scala aficionado and podcaster extraordinare, will be coming to Ann Arbor from May 23-27 to teach their intensive hands-on Scala course.  You can attend the beginner course (3 days) or the advance course (2 days) or both.  You don’t need to be a functional programming guru to attend.  The assumption is that you have had exposure to one or more object-oriented languages.  C# or Java experience might be helpful but is not required.

Bill and Dick have previously taught this class in the Bay Area, but this is the first time that they will offer it outside of that region.   I’m thrilled that they have chosen Ann Arbor for the class!

You can get more information about the workshop on the registration page. The page includes recommendations from previous attendees as well as travel information for the Ann Arbor class.  Registration is now live.  Early bird pricing goes through March 22.

I know that I’m looking forward to the course.  I hope that you will join us!

OpenLevel Java Seminar

This unique approach to Java training will be held January 22-26 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I was first exposed to an Open Spaces conference at Bruce Eckel’s Programming the New Web conference in Crested Butte, CO last March. I was a bit mystified at first. The idea was to go, pick the topics that we wanted to discuss, discuss them, and go home knowing more than when we had arrived. No planned agenda. The seminar description listed things that we MIGHT discuss, but the agenda was to be decided by the participants. The idea is that at traditional conferences, the really useful knowledge is what you learn on coffee breaks, or when just standing around, talking to other attendees, so this is a way to organize an entire conference on what you REALLY want to learn, rather than an agenda set forth ahead of time. I loved it. I learned a ton … way more than I had ever learned at traditional conferences.

I even attended a second conference in Crested Butte, with the same flavor: the Web Frameworks Jam. Bruce said that he really hadn’t intended it to be based on OpenSpaces, but that it was going to be a fairly free-formed workshop where groups would work together toward learning and developing with a web framework of their choice. It turned out great, and the group I worked in had a blast with TurboGears.

So when I asked Bruce to come out to Ann Arbor to do some Java training, it felt a bit odd to ask him to do “traditional” training. Both of us kept going back to how much we learned at the Web Frameworks Jam, and we brainstormed a bit on how to make it more customized to the individual learning styles and different skill sets that people arrive with at a training class. And thus, Bruce started to form the plans for an OpenLevel Java Seminar.

The idea is that people will work on exercises from his book, Thinking in Java, 4th Edition. With the OpenLevel concept, people will be able to choose the exercises that interest them most, in the areas where they need work, or want to focus. One really cool aspect of this is that people can move forward at their own speed, but Bruce will be there as a Java expert, to get them over any stumbling blocks that the group encounters. Another really cool aspect is that this is not limited to beginning Java programmers. Advanced Java programmers can come, and be confident that they will not be bored by repeating the things that they already know about the language. Instead, they can move right on to the more advanced topics that they haven’t had exposure to yet (or haven’t quite been able to figure out on their own).

I’m really excited about this seminar. Not only is this the first training that Bruce has done from his book, Thinking in Java 4th edition, but it’s also the first time that he’s organizing it as an OpenLevel seminar. It’s going to be an amazing learning experience, and I’m thrilled that it’s going to happen in our town.

OpenLevel Java Seminar: January 22-26, 2007

(Registration and more details at http://mindview.net/Seminars/ThinkingInJava)

Announcing Thinking in Java OpenLevel Seminar

SRT Solutions is pleased to announce that Bruce Eckel will be coming to Ann Arbor January 22-26, 2007, to train developers in Java. This seminar will provide training in Java 5 for developers from beginning to advanced. This model will be tailored to the individual learning styles of the participants.

You'll be doing exercises from the 4th edition of Thinking in Java, in groups and within a supportive environment. You will move at the speed that is comfortable for you, learning at your optimal rate. Guidance is available if your group gets stuck.

For more information and to register for Java 5 training, go to http://mindview.net/Seminars/ThinkingInJava

Thinking in Java: An OpenLevel Seminar