Software developers of Boston who enjoy working on their personal projects in a public setting can meet here every other week at the Boston Android Hackfest. It is held at the thoughtbot headquarters on 41 Winter Street in Downtown Crossing where Mike Burns (organizer and host) works. Developers will find 15 to 20 other software developers sitting on their personal computers working side by side on their main projects. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, then Boston Android Hackfest is worth looking into.
Who will be there?
As mentioned before, the type of people who attend this meetup are software developers. Of course, others are welcome to attend, but keep in mind there will be an overtaking amount of computer science affectionados. While in attendance, I noticed everyone there brought their own laptops and their personal agenda. In my opinion, that does not open up opportunity to mingle and socialize, but on the other hand, I was informed by Burns that networking is very prevalent at this event. Even so that two people who had met at a Hackfest event just launched an application two weeks ago!
What was it like?
I seriously suggest bringing your project and your laptop to work on, when attending this event. It is an empty room besides bodies, PCs, and the infectious smell of cheese pizza. If you’re familiar with developing software, but don’t have any projects to work on, Burns has a list of small projects to choose from that others have worked on in previous events. The event was unstructured, but I say this in the best way possible. Nothing was on a schedule which gave it a laid back feel.
Why should you go?
When asked “What should people know before going to an event like this?” Burns answered simply, “Bring a laptop and enthusiasm.” That’s all you need people!
If you are a software developer, I suggest you attend one of these meetups. Whether you want to meet people in your field or meet people who also share a pastime, it will be worth your while. And there’s free pizza. Now what’s holding you back?
More information:
- Host/organizer: Mike Burns of thoughtbot
- Social: Twitter handle @thoughtbot
- Frequency:
Every other weekUpdate: As of Oct 17th Boston Android has ended more info http://bostonandroid.org/ - Venue: thoughtbot in Downtown Crossing