Hollywood Hackathon on June 18th!

Alas, that isn't the formal name of the event, but I'm calling it that anyway. That name just rolls off the tongue, and just seems to embody my East Coast style distorted vision of the Los Angeles Python community.

Anyway, this is a day long event in Hollywood for Python developers of all skill levels to come and code like fiends with either really smart people or nice people like me. The PyLadies and SoCal Piggies are organizing this event, and they even got some PSF funding for things like tables, chairs, and t-shirts.

Which reminds me, please encourage the smart women of all ages in your life to attend! We'll have mentors just for them!

I'll be there to:

• Help out as a general volunteer by setting up tables, manning registration, and answering questions.
• Assist a few friends on their open source projects.
• Work on the new Python LA website (powered by Pyramid).
• Finish the documentation of django-uni-form 0.8.0 if it isn't yet done.
• Maybe close some Packaginator tickets and pull requests.

And now to open the floor to questions...

I'm just starting with Python, should I come?

Heck yeah! Hackathons (and sprints) are a great way to learn new skills or hone your technique by sitting alongside experienced developers who actually need your help. A lot of projects have what are called 'low hanging fruit', which are 'simpler' tasks saved for beginner developers to wet their teeth on.

Things I've learned at events like these include Git, Mercurial, JQuery, and a hundred other things that have made me a better coder.

What if I don't have a project of my own to bring? Should I come?

Heck yeah! There will be a number of projects around that you can join and contribute to in order to make the world a better place. There isn't a list up yet, but I'm hoping by Saturday there will be one.

What if I want to come and recruit people?

Absolutely not. This is not a job fair and we don't want unnecessary distractions.

What should I bring?

Your own functioning laptop with power cord.

How much does it cost and where do I register?

The event will put you back a measly $15 and that covers food and drinks for the day. Registration is here.