Closing Keynote

Talks

Closing Keynote

Blake Mizerany

@bmizerany

#personal-development

#motivation

#software-engineering

#game-development

#programming-techniques

#ruby-programming

Closing Keynote

by Blake Mizerany

In the 'Closing Keynote' presented by Blake Mizerany at the LoneStarRuby Conf 2010, the speaker shares a personal journey that illustrates the transformative power of technology and self-teaching.

Introduction to Early Experiences: Mizerany begins by reflecting on his high school experience, particularly an impactful first day of sophomore year that changed his perspective on a former bully. He discusses the personal growth and changes that occur among peers during high school.
Challenges of an Average Student: He identifies himself as an average student, struggling with academics and the pressures placed by teachers to achieve his potential. Despite his challenges, he expresses a long-standing interest in programming, sparked at an early age.
Introduction to Programming: At the age of 12, he became fascinated with video games and sought to understand their creation, leading him to explore programming books. He recalls how he carried a massive game programming book to school, trying to project confidence and knowledge despite his lack of understanding of the material.
Rediscovery of GW-BASIC: Mizerany recounts a pivotal moment when he rediscovered an old book on GW-BASIC, realizing he had the tools he needed all along. This serendipitous find reignited his programming aspirations and highlighted the importance of building upon existing knowledge rather than starting from scratch.
Learning and Growth: Through anecdotal storytelling, Mizerany emphasizes the importance of persistence and curiosity in the learning process. He reflects on the lessons learned from both struggles and successes, demonstrating how these experiences shaped his interest and career in technology.
Conclusion: Mizerany concludes with a call to action for the audience, encouraging them to embrace their journey of learning in technology, regardless of where they start. He underscores that personal growth comes from exploration, failure, and the willingness to teach oneself.

This keynote illustrates a powerful narrative of how personal experiences and encounters with technology can guide one's path in life, encouraging attendees to reflect on their unique journeys and the importance of persistence in personal and professional development.

00:00:09.260 So, in 1997, I had my first day as a sophomore at Valley Park Senior High in Valley Park, Missouri. It was a small school where everyone knew everyone else's business. My senior class had only 75 people, and only 55 of them graduated, which shows just how small it was. In high school, you experience four first days: freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. Each first day stands out in my memory. One of the most memorable aspects each year was how much people changed in just a summer. You could see classmates who had changed their hairstyles, clothes, and even their overall style, physically transforming as they grew taller, gained or lost weight, and so on. No one looked the same as they did the previous year.

00:00:34.559 On the first day of my sophomore year, I noticed something about one of my classmates that completely changed my perspective. He had previously been one of my arch enemies who bullied me throughout middle school. He was constantly bumping into me in the hallway, making my life difficult. I was not one of those super-smart kids; I was just an average student, graduating with a C+ average. I didn't participate in school sports, which likely contributed to my experience of being picked on, but I had potential, as my teachers always said. They told my parents at parent-teacher conferences that I had potential but needed to apply myself. This comment came with a ride home that felt like a lecture, emphasizing I needed to focus on my studies if I wanted to go to college. It felt like a constant pressure on me.

00:01:21.810 Looking back, I realized that I had been teaching myself programming since the age of 12. I wanted to understand how video games were made, so one day my mother took me to a bookstore in the nearest mall. I wandered into the computer section, which became a habit for a long time afterward. I found a book about game programming, intrigued but clueless about what I was getting into. I thought if I just read the book, I could make a game. So, I took this massive game programming book to school, where I would pretend to know what I was doing, convincing classmates and teachers that I created video games in my free time. But in reality, I had no idea what I was looking at.

00:02:08.140 Then, I remembered my childhood experience in fourth grade when my parents bought a 10 megahertz Headstart LX computer that came with CDs and manuals. I spent hours learning how to turn it on and play the games pre-installed on it. I watched my mom use it for word processing, and I was fascinated by the dot matrix printer, which made huge banners for school projects, making me feel cool when I presented them to my class. But back to the game programming book: I finally got frustrated with not being able to write a game. I had stared at the code for too long, and it didn't crystallize for me.

00:02:44.000 One night, I found some old books collecting dust under my computer desk. One was an introduction to GW-BASIC. I couldn't believe I had this book all along; I thought I needed to go buy it! I was overly ambitious, which was the problem. However, I was learning something valuable because this book immediately caught my attention. The first chapter taught me how to use the editor and even told me to type 'PRINT

LoneStarRuby Conf 2010