Search results matching tags 'User Groups' and 'Developer Community'

Presenting at Hampton Roads SQL Server and SharePoint Users Group Tomorrow!

andyleonard — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:58:14 GMT

I am honored to present Designing an SSIS Framework to Hampton Roads SQL Server and SharePoint Users Group tomorrow, 20 Jul 2011! You can register here.

Details:

Infotec
100 Constitution Dr
Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 at 6:30 PM (ET)

If you read this blog and will be there, introduce yourself! I’m the fat guy with a fu.

:{>

Unsung Heroes

andyleonard — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:00:00 GMT

Introduction

I was honored earlier this week to present at Steel City SQL - the SQL Server Users Group in Birmingham Alabama. I've also had the opportunity to work alongside Tracy Hamlin (blog | @tracyhhamlin) this week. It's given me a fresh perspective on the amount of work it takes to build and sustain a user group, and reminded me of the sacrifices of UG leaders. In my opinion they're all...

Unsung Heroes.

From the outside looking in, leading a User Group looks easy. How hard is it to show up, eat pizza, drink soda, and introduce a speaker? If only that was all there was to the gig...

User group leaders - like Tracy, John Baldwin, Robert Cain (blog | @arcanecode), Ashley Singletary, and Morgan Smith (listed as officers of Steel City SQL here) - do so much more than meets the eye. Before each meeting, they:

Locate and reserve a venue;
Lock in a sponsor;
Find a speaker;
Create website content announcing the meeting;
Send email to members of the mailing list;
Create a schedule;
Assemble volunteers to help with food, sodas, and the cleanup afterwards;
Coordinate this activity through a couple dozen emails and phone calls;
Attend;
Facilitate;
Lead;
... and coordinate the remainder of their lives around the meeting!

They make it look easy because they are professionals and they care, but they are taking time away from already-hectic schedules at work, home, church, and other social activities. I know of no User Group leader who receives compensation for their work. They do it for love, and it shows.

Not The Only Ones...

User Group leaders aren't the only community volunteers who sacrifice for the benefit of others; leaders and organizers of virtual events, blogging events, SQL Saturdays, Code Camps, and other events also give back. It makes our community stronger and increases our intellectual wealth. Thank you too!

Conclusion

Tracy tells me the meeting this week was the largest ever for Steel City SQL. Thanks to all who showed up! I sincerely appreciate the leadership of User Groups around the world. Thank you for your tireless efforts month in and month out to support our community and profession.

Yall rock!

:{>

Presenting at Southern Maryland .Net User Group 11 Jan 2010

andyleonard — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:00:00 GMT

I'm honored to present Database Design for Developers to the Southern Maryland .Net Users Group! I'll be there Monday evening, 11 Jan 2010, and the meeting starts at 6:30. If you read this blog and attend, be sure to introduce yourself!

:{> Andy

Year in Review: My Series on Building Developer Communities

andyleonard — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The series of posts that generated the most email for me was the series entitled On Developer Communities. I've included links to the posts, in order, here:

May everyone have a Happy New Year!

:{> Andy

Presenting at Southern Maryland .Net User Group 14 Dec 2009

andyleonard — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:00:00 GMT

I'm honored to present Database Design for Developers to the Southern Maryland .Net Users Group! I'll be there Monday evening, 14 Dec 2009, and the meeting starts at 6:30. If you read this blog and attend, be sure to introduce yourself!

:{> Andy

Speaking in Reston VA Monday 22 Jun!

andyleonard — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:48:00 GMT

I just learned I am presenting to NoVaSQL (Northern Virginia SQL Server User Group) Monday! Woo hoo!

I'm looking forward to it - I always have a good time at NoVaSQL. I am honored and excited to present Database Development and Application Lifecycle Management - based on my articles An Example of Test-Driven Development and An Example of Test-Driven Development, Part 2 at SQLServerCentral.com).

The meeting starts at 7:00 PM Monday, 22 Jun 2009 and is held at 1900 Gallows Rd Vienna, VA 22182.

If you're in the area and read this blog, stop by and say Hi!

:{> Andy

Presenting at New England SQL Server User Group!

andyleonard — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:35:00 GMT

I am getting psyched about presenting to the New England SQL Server User Group in a couple weeks! On 12 Feb I'll be talking about Incremental Loads, Change Data Capture, and SSIS 2008.

The bonus is I get to hang out with my friend Adam Machanic!

If you read this blog and will be in the area, stop by and say Hi.

:{> Andy

On Developer Communities: Meeting Idea - Fix the Broken Code!

andyleonard — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:01:00 GMT

Robin Edwards is the leader of the Roanoke Valley .Net User Group. They did something really cool for their last meeting (July 2008). As Robin describes it:

Some of the members of RV.NUG tossed around a way to get more involvement during the meeting AND deal with the low summer attendance by coming up with something fun and easy. We were expecting a low turn-out and hoping a few people would be involved.... everyone got involved and it was an easy meeting to prepare, so I thought I would share. We added bugs to a starter kit and then had teams use the Unit testing in Visual Studio 2008 to find them.

See Robin's blog for the more details.

This is a fantastic idea! It's easily copied for .Net User Groups and can be adapted for SQL Server User Groups as well. Imagine taking the AdventureWorks database and creating performance issues or inserting bugs into the T-SQL for stored procedures. Attendees could then form teams and troubleshoot the issues for 30 minutes, then each team could report on their approach. What a great way to share knowledge and expertise!

:{> Andy

I Have a New Job

andyleonard — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:49:00 GMT

No one panic - I'm still a Solid Quality Mentor. :)

I am honored to accept the responsibilities of PASS Regional Mentor for the US Southeast! What does this mean? Well, I get to work with SQL Server User Groups and PASS chapters from Texas to North Carolina.

If you're interested in starting a SQL Server Users Group - regardless of where you are - let me know! If you're in thte Southeastern US I can help. If not, I can put you in contact with my counterpart in your region of the country / world.

:{> Andy

Dear Google...

andyleonard — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:11:00 GMT

Dear Google,

I am not a spammer. I'm a guy trying to inform 500 people in the Richmond .Net and SQL Server Developer Communities about upcoming meetings and events of interest to them. To protect their privacy and my sanity, I keep their email addresses in a Google Email Group and BCC that group each time I send them an email.

The new email sending limits seem to be working fine when used against me, but my spam folder still receives more email than my inbox - and that's saying something: I receive a bit of email.

Is there a way to create a "white list" of some sort so I can contact the developer community without losing the privilege of sending email for 24 hours at a time?

Sincerely,
Andy