Talks
Lightning Talks
Summarized using AI
Lightning Talks
by Tri Hari, Bilal Budhani, Satya Kalluri, and Niranjan ParanjapeThe video "Lightning Talks" features a series of brief presentations by different speakers during the Garden City Ruby 2014 event. The main theme revolves around the impact of technology and programming on social issues, particularly in the context of challenges faced by underserved communities in India.
Key Points discussed in the video:
- Introduction of Speakers: The event is initiated by Tri Hari, who works at Flipkart, followed by other speakers discussing various tech topics.
- Social Impact of Technology: Tri highlights the disparity between common programming problems and the severe challenges faced by people in rural India, such as lack of food, clean water, and education. He calls for programmers to use their skills for social good.
- Open Source Initiative: The speaker discusses their successful survey project that impacted around 6,000 people, collecting valuable data for better community health and nutrition. He encourages involvement in such initiatives among attendees.
- Sinatra Introduction: A following segment by Kab delves into Sinatra, a web application framework. Kab explains how to extend Sinatra's functionality, detailing the differences between helpers and extensions within the framework.
- Mumbai Developer Community: Avinash discusses the community aspect of tech meetups in Mumbai, promoting engagement and local talent utilization.
- Technology Meetups’ Importance: Satya stresses the value of tech meetups for collaboration and learning, urging participants to act responsibly in RSVPing and engaging in discussions.
- Milap Crowdfunding for Communities: One speaker introduces Milap, a crowdfunding platform aimed at supporting community needs through manageable contributions.
- Open Source Contribution: Sarup shares his experience from Google Summer of Code, pitching a project designed to improve collaboration among designers and seeking feedback for improvement.
- Cultural Adaptation in Tech: Lastly, a speaker reflects on the importance of self-learning in programming, emphasizing humility and effective communication with clients.
Takeaways:
- Programmers can make a significant impact on social issues by leveraging their skills in technology.
- Community engagement through technology meetups can enhance the local developer ecosystem.
- Initiatives like crowdfunding platforms can aid communities in need, allowing individuals to contribute effectively.
- Continuous feedback and collaboration are critical in tech development, particularly in open-source projects.
00:00:24.680
My name is Tri Hari. I work at Flipkart. Hi everyone, I'm Shari and I'm a partner at Nenzo.
00:00:30.679
We are going to talk about the impact of our work. So what do we mean by impact? Let's start with a question.
00:00:37.040
As programmers, what problems do we face? Generally, we may have to quickly fix a bug in production, or a demanding client may come up with a requirement that is very hard to fulfill.
00:00:45.760
Moreover, our code quality might not be up to the mark, and the test suite can be so large, as Chad mentioned yesterday, that it takes a long time to run.
00:00:51.760
These are the common problems we face, but let's consider the issues faced by people in rural India. They confront very different challenges.
00:01:10.759
For instance, while most of us enjoyed a nice lunch today with delicious food, many people out there don't even get a square meal once a day.
00:01:24.800
Many people in India have accepted that they do not have access to clean water for bathing. They manage with the drinking water they have, which is often contaminated.
00:01:41.759
Additionally, a significant portion of the population—over 60%—does not have access to a toilet. This is unfortunately a reality that cannot be overlooked.
00:01:58.880
When it comes to education, it is quite fortunate if someone receives schooling up to the 10th grade.
00:02:03.920
So let me ask you: How many of you have written a line of code that has impacted someone's life, even in a small but meaningful way?
00:02:18.040
Can anyone raise their hands? What about the number of you who genuinely want to help those living in such circumstances? It’s disheartening to see that only a few are interested.
00:02:36.760
But let’s discuss how you can contribute. Some of us from Nenzo and previously C42 have been fortunate enough to work on a survey project.
00:02:51.040
We have impacted the lives of approximately 6,000 people in our initial run of the project. This is an open-source initiative, and we would love for you all to check it out.
00:03:04.799
We worked with five major cities, helping children and pregnant women through nutritional surveys. This was our first run, and later we conducted another survey targeting women in agriculture.
00:03:12.239
We managed to assist about 3,000 families, and I want to highlight that vast amounts of data were collected leading to powerful insights.
00:03:35.040
The inferences drawn from the data illustrate the need for action. Understand that there is a wealth of information that we can utilize.
00:03:46.560
You might wonder why we are presenting this information here and what relevance it has for you. Beyond the technical aspects, the volume of data that is being collected is staggering.
00:04:06.360
Part of our roadmap includes creating a separate closure app to address the Big Data issues. Personally, I have invested a lot of time in improving its UX.
00:04:31.039
These applications need to cater to users at the grassroots level, in areas that lack internet access. In some places, people have only about an hour of internet in a week, leading to data integrity issues.
00:05:02.800
Sadly, our progress has slowed recently as we haven’t had enough time to focus on this project. However, I hope many of you here can spare some time to help.
00:05:10.560
Consider sending us a pull request or any other form of support. We are committed to helping those in need.
00:05:22.199
Rather than focusing solely on optimizing algorithms for performance, let us also invest our skills and efforts into projects that support these individuals.
00:05:35.360
It’s important to remember that we don’t all have to be billionaires to make a difference. Every small contribution counts, whether through writing technical projects or aiding those in need.
00:05:59.560
This is where you can find our projects and start contributing. Thank you.
00:06:05.319
Next up, we have Kab on stage. Time starts now.
00:06:18.919
Hi everyone, today I'll be talking about Sinatra, providing a basic introduction. Many of you might already be familiar with it, but I will also cover how to write an extension for Sinatra.
00:06:52.840
The basic structure of Sinatra consists of a request class extending from the rack response. Extended rack includes additional methods not originally included in rack.
00:07:12.840
There is a common logger that extends from rack's common logger. Essentially, there are three ways to extend Sinatra: through extensions, helpers, and middleware.
00:07:25.080
I will not discuss middleware, as there is ample information available for that topic. However, I found using extensions and helpers somewhat challenging, which is why I have created a small presentation.
00:07:37.440
The primary difference between helpers and extensions lies in their applications. Helpers are used when functionality is required in route blocks, such as for GET or POST methods. Extensions, on the other hand, enhance the functionality of Sinatra itself.
00:08:02.000
For instance, if I need to return a JSON response every time within a GET block, I can define a method, which converts a hash into a JSON string.
00:08:34.479
To implement this, one would write a method in a module called helpers. You define the method, and when included, it enables your application to return a JSON string.
00:08:51.360
To turn this into a gem, you should include it under Sinatra’s namespace. Additionally, 'base.helpers' is similar to adding helpers to your app file, while 'base.set' defines the JSON content type for each request.
00:09:07.760
Moving on to extensions, Sinatra allows you to extend by defining new routes. I would like to demonstrate a small route I created today.
00:09:14.960
In this example, I created a module named Sinatra with an extension providing an additional route. By calling this route, instead of the standard GET or POST, it returns an alternative response.
00:09:40.600
This extension enables us to define more complex routes without compromising the existing Sinatra structure. Essentially, registering a module allows you to define routes that would not typically be available in Sinatra.
00:09:56.120
The difference between extensions and helpers is that extensions modify Sinatra’s existing functionality, while helpers allow the addition of simpler functionalities directly in your app.
00:10:14.760
That concludes my section. Thank you for your attention.
00:10:31.120
Next up is Avinash from Mumbai RB. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce Mumbai RB, which has completed seven meetups so far.
00:10:58.240
We are organizing a big meetup soon, perhaps in June or later. Our regular audience comprises 10 to 20 people who attend our events actively.
00:11:12.040
Our format typically includes one or two talks followed by discussions. During our last session focused on Rails, although we didn't push through any projects, we managed to network and share knowledge.
00:11:32.000
A perception exists that living in Bombay has its downsides, such as high living costs and job scarcity. However, with the growth of startups in the city, we are seeing favorable salary trends.
00:12:14.000
If you are from Bombay or have roots here, I encourage you to return instead of moving to Bangalore or Pune. We need passionate individuals like you to help elevate the tech status of the city.
00:12:35.000
It's important for us to communicate that there is a growing community of developers here who are proficient in Ruby on Rails and other technologies.
00:12:58.480
We are actively working on building our brand and establishing Mumbai RB as a serious player in the tech community.
00:13:13.840
Hi everyone, I'm Satya from Hyderabad. I want to discuss the importance of technology meetups. I've been part of various tech meetups for some time now.
00:13:39.320
I have some insights to share on how we can maximize the value we derive from these gatherings. So, let's differentiate between local and regional technology meetups.
00:13:56.240
Local meetups are informal gatherings where we share knowledge and experiences among peers. They do not need to be grand events like those in hotels and conventions.
00:14:14.960
In contrast, larger technology conferences serve as a platform for networking and connecting with communities and sub-communities.
00:14:35.360
My concern lies with how we can improve these smaller technology meetups, as they frequently fall short in attendance, limiting their effectiveness.
00:14:48.640
So what constitutes a successful technology meetup? It’s a space for tech enthusiasts to collaborate, learn, share knowledge, and solve each other’s doubts.
00:15:00.960
It's essential to establish that these meetups are not meant for job seekers, but rather for techies who share a common interest in technology.
00:15:23.440
If you are looking for job opportunities, a tech meetup is not the right place. Let's keep these sessions productive.
00:15:39.360
Additionally, cultivating a strong identity online is crucial. Many attendees lack presence on platforms like Twitter or Stack Overflow, which hinders networking and communication.
00:15:55.680
Please take RSVPs seriously; when many RSVP and few show up, it discourages others from attending future events. This affects the entire community's dynamics.
00:16:12.760
In terms of participation, you don't always need a massive turnout. Even a meetup of just two people can yield valuable discussions.
00:16:29.560
Actively engaging on platforms like Stack Overflow, whether by asking or answering questions, is an excellent way to contribute and learn.
00:16:43.760
The more you contribute, the more confidence you'll gain in your knowledge and skills, and you might discover new areas of interest.
00:17:01.840
Another way to support the community is to spread the word about your local meetups via social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
00:17:13.760
Together, we can strengthen these technology meetups and foster collaboration among tech enthusiasts. Thank you.
00:17:30.760
Before I start, I want to give a thumbs up to the people who care about social issues in tech. I will discuss Milap, a crowdfunding platform for communities.
00:17:46.320
Milap connects those in need with people who want to help them. Many of us have the desire to do good, but giving financial aid can be tricky.
00:18:09.360
With Milap, individuals can browse various profiles and choose whom to support based on various criteria, thus making informed decisions.
00:18:26.280
The process is straightforward: find a cause, make a loan, and observe the impact. Using Milap, your money is loaned, and eventually, you get repaid.
00:18:39.240
For example, if someone needs ₹10,000 to build a toilet, you could contribute ₹500, and over time, you’ll receive the principal back into your account.
00:18:58.360
This process allows you to repeat your impact with the same contribution in the future by helping multiple individuals.
00:19:15.760
You can find out more about Milap by visiting our website, liking us on social media, or even starting your campaign to support specific causes.
00:19:32.360
If you’re skeptical, we are offering free credits of ₹500 for anyone interested to try Milap without spending their own money.
00:19:52.560
You can use the gift code 'GCRC14' to redeem your credit and start exploring how Milap can work for you.
00:20:20.120
Moving on, I'm Sarup, a 19-year-old college student. Over the summer, I participated in Google Summer of Code with the Fedora project.
00:20:39.440
I developed a GitHub project tailored for designers. My goal today is to pitch the idea and receive feedback from design-oriented startups.
00:20:55.840
The primary challenge designers face is organizing collaboration over mailing lists, which can lead to a cluttered and unorganized feedback process.
00:21:22.560
I aim to create a platform, currently in development, where designers can initiate projects, upload designs, and receive structured feedback from peers.
00:21:41.440
The platform facilitates commenting and allows designers to create 'issue trackers' for actionable feedback. We want it to be a collaborative space for design growth.
00:22:02.960
After making changes to designs, users can post progress updates documenting their design processes.
00:22:20.800
I would like to gather some insights from designers on improving the collaboration methods implemented in my project. This is an open-source initiative, and I welcome students interested in contributing.
00:22:39.440
I appreciate the opportunity to present, and I look forward to your feedback.
00:22:58.520
Thank you. I want to acknowledge the wonderful efforts of those behind this event for emphasizing social issues. As for my contribution, I will briefly share my journey.
00:23:19.680
Having arrived in India as a programmer, I faced challenges adapting to the local culture. I realized a crucial aspect of open source is that it encourages self-taught learning.
00:23:40.000
Working on open-source projects requires individuals to learn independently and read through code without relying solely on documentation, which can often be outdated.
00:23:59.920
The consequences of rush decisions can be detrimental, especially when working with complex projects. It's crucial to take time to understand the problem before proposing solutions.
00:24:19.760
Maintain humility in your programming, focusing on solving small problems rather than attempting to tackle complex challenges.
00:24:41.040
Furthermore, it’s important to remember that clients are not gods. It’s perfectly fine to disagree with them. Be honest about timelines and what’s realistically achievable.
00:25:05.680
It's crucial to maintain predictability in your work for the sake of the entire team. Your progress should always be clearly communicated.
00:25:30.560
Finally, let’s acknowledge the efforts made by the community in promoting open source, even in situations where economic barriers exist.
00:25:57.840
For many newcomers, the challenge is accessing paid resources that could enhance their learning. Your efforts contribute significantly to bridging that gap.
00:26:24.960
It's been inspiring to see how dedicated people are in this community. I appreciate the support and look forward to continuing the conversation. Thank you!
Explore all talks recorded at Garden City Ruby 2014
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