Codemash. What can I say? This is the first community-driven event I have ever attneded, and I have been blown away by the quality of the attendees here. I have had an opportunity to talk with Microsoft influencers (Drew Robbins, Josh Holmes, Jennifer Marsman, you have all been great, and it's been an absolute pleasure to spend some time talking and working with each of you), community leaders (Todd Kaufman [on the board of COJUG], Rob Stevenson [part of the Columbus Ruby Brigade], and many more), as well as thought leaders in people like Neal Ford, Bruce Eckel, and Scott Guthrie.

Events like this inspire me because it's a constant reminder that I need to keep moving forward in my "commitment to a lifetime of education". I've never mentioned this concept in my blog before, but it basically comes down to this: As an individual in the software development field, I have a choice. I can either commit to a lifetime of learning the new "thing", the new technology, the new way of doing things...or I can be left behind, to become extinct. Just like the carpenter that foo-fooed the hammer, those who mock the future of software development are destined to not be a participant.

I hope that Day 2 is nearly as eye-opening as Day 1. I am having an absolutely amazing (and most of all educational) experience. Codemash!

Labels: codemash, commitment to education, drew robbins, java, jeff blankenburg, jennifer marsman, josh holmes, microsoft, rob stevenson, ruby, todd kaufman