We have completed our 100th recording!

Well we did it.  We made our 100th recording.  It also had a record breaking attendance of over 100 attendees.

So check it out, our 100th recording on Software Craftsmanship with Robert Martin.

Thanks for everyone's help and support over the last few years.

Zachariah Young

http://virtualaltnet.com

Making the Most of the Reactive Extensions for .NET

Topic

Learn how to use the RX to gain control over events, begin/end async calls to other streaming data sources. Code demo to include streaming OLAP and simple CEP use cases.

Bio

Scott Weinstein has been working with .NET since the 1.0 days and for Lab49 focuses his attentions on WPF, BI, and multi-threaded code solutions. He blogs at http://weblogs.asp.net/sweinstein. Additionally, he helps organize the NY .NET Meetup.

What is VAN?
Virtual ALT.NET (VAN) is the online gathering place of the ALT.NET
community. Through conversations, presentations, pair programming and dojos, we strive to improve, explore, and challenge the way we create software. Using net conferencing technology such as Skype and LiveMeeting, we hold regular meetings, open to anyone, usually taking the form of a presentation or an Open Space Technology-style conversation.

To stay informed about VAN activities, you can subscribe to the
Virtual ALT.NET Google Group and follow the Virtual ALT.NET blog.
Times below are Central Standard Time

Start Time: Wed, April 21, 2010 8:00 PM UTC/GMT -5 hours
End Time: Wed, April 21, 2010 10:00 PM UTC/GMT -5 hours
Attendee URL: http://www.virtualaltnet.com/van
Zach Young
http://www.virtualaltnet.com

Getting Started With nServiceBus

Topic: nServiceBus is mature and powerful open source framework that enables to design robust, scalable, message-based, service-oriented architectures. Latest improvements in the configuration API enables developers to quickly get started and build a working simple system that uses messaging infrastructure. The goal of this session is to give a jump start with the framework, introduce basic concepts such as message handlers, Sagas, Pub/Sub, Generic Host and also create a working demo application that uses publish/subscribe messaging. The content of the session is addressed to developers that are interested in learning how to get started using nServiceBus in order to design and build distributed systems.

Bio: Bernard Kowalski is currently a Software Developer at Microdesk, one of Autodesk's leading partners in providing variety of Geospatial and Computer-Aided Design solutions.

Bernard has experience developing .NET framework-based applications utilizing Windows Forms, Windows Services, ASP.NET MVC, and Web services. In a recent project, Bernard architected and implemented a distributed system based on SOA principles using an open source implementation of an Enterprise Service Bus. Bernard develops software with Agile patterns and practices using Domain Driven Design combined with TDD (Test Driven Development). He is familiar with all of the following APIs: Autodesk Vault/Product Stream API, AutoCAD ActiveX/VBA/.NET API, AutoCAD Mechanical API, Autodesk Inventor API, Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise.

Prior to joining Microdesk, Bernard worked as a researcher and teacher at the University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland where he was awarded with a PhD in Computer Methods in Materials Science. He also participated in research projects where he developed applications for analysis of hot compression test results using advanced optimization techniques. He also developed Finite Element Method-based programs for thermal and stress analysis using C++ and FORTRAN.

Bernard is a member of the Domain Driven Design and ALT.NET user groups in NYC.

Virtual ALT.NET (VAN) is the online gathering place of the ALT.NET
community. Through conversations, presentations, pair programming and
dojos, we strive to improve, explore, and challenge the way we create
software. Using net conferencing technology such as Skype and
LiveMeeting, we hold regular meetings, open to anyone, usually taking
the form of a presentation or an Open Space Technology-style
conversation.
Please see the Calendar(http://www.virtualaltnet.com/Home/Calendar) to
find a VAN group that meets at a time convenient to you, and feel
welcome to join a meeting. Past sessions can be found on the Recording
page.
To stay informed about VAN activities, you can subscribe to the
Virtual ALT.NET Google Group and follow the Virtual ALT.NET blog.
Times below are Central Standard Time
Start Time: Wed, Mar 31, 2010 8:00 PM UTC/GMT -5 hours
End Time: Wed, Mar 31, 2010 10:00 PM UTC/GMT -5 hours
Attendee URL: http://www.virtualaltnet.com/van

Zach Young
http://www.virtualaltnet.com

From Zero to Professional Build in a matter of moments, not days! with Rob Reynolds on Feb 24

Topic: Automated Builds: How to UppercuT Your Code!

“From Zero to Professional Build in a matter of moments, not days!”

How you build your code and verify quality is something that is usually not thought of at the beginning of a project, but is one of the most important things you can add to code. UppercuT (UC) is a build framework (based in NAnt) that allows rapid and powerful use of NAnt without having to understand the intricacies of NAnt. We are basically going to dive right in after a couple of minutes of talking about it and start building applications quickly. Our focus will be to show you most if not all of the features to show you how UC can actually save you in code and maintenance time.

Bio:
Rob Reynolds has been programming in .NET since the early days of 1.0. In his day job he is a senior developer at a bank where the doors are always locked and there's no money inside! Rob is an MCSD for .NET, holds a bachelor's degree in MIS from Kansas State University, is active in the Topeka .Net User Group, a regional INETA speaker, an eagle scout, and a veteran officer of the US Army Reserve. Rob enjoys spending time with his wife and kids when his wife hasn’t locked him in the basement to work on any of the OSS projects he manages.
What is VAN?

Virtual ALT.NET (VAN) is the online gathering place of the ALT.NET
community. Through conversations, presentations, pair programming and
dojos, we strive to improve, explore, and challenge the way we create
software. Using net conferencing technology such as Skype and
LiveMeeting, we hold regular meetings, open to anyone, usually taking
the form of a presentation or an Open Space Technology-style
conversation.

Please see the Calendar(http://www.virtualaltnet.com/Home/Calendar) to
find a VAN group that meets at a time convenient to you, and feel
welcome to join a meeting. Past sessions can be found on the Recording
page.

To stay informed about VAN activities, you can subscribe to the
Virtual ALT.NET Google Group and follow the Virtual ALT.NET blog.

Times below are Central Standard Time
Start Time: Wed, Feb 24, 2010 8:00 PM UTC/GMT -6 hours
End Time: Wed, Feb 24, 2010 10:00 PM UTC/GMT -6 hours
Attendee URL: http://www.virtualaltnet.com/van

Zach Young

http://www.virtualaltnet.com

First Meeting this year will be You Can't Dance the Lambda by George Mauer

Topic
You Can't Dance the Lambda is a discussion on the lambda feature of .NET 3.5, why I use it all the time and for everything and so should you. The discussion starts by defining lambdas and demonstrating why they are nothing but syntactic sugar over concepts that .NET programmers have been familiar with for years. It continues by demonstrating a variety of patterns which use lambdas to abstract away repetitive code, increase extensibility, and write more intention-revealing and robust applications.

Bio
George is a .NET developer with a keen interest in maximizing long-
term business value through good software development practices. He is
particularly interested in Domain Driven Design, Test Driven
Development, and the SOLID principles. He is currently the Vice
President of the Greater New Orleans .NET Usergroup and a regular
attendee at gnocode (New Orleans Programmers) and Virtual Alt.NET Brown Bag
meetings.

What is VAN?

Virtual ALT.NET (VAN) is the online gathering place of the ALT.NET
community. Through conversations, presentations, pair programming and
dojos, we strive to improve, explore, and challenge the way we create
software. Using net conferencing technology such as Skype and
LiveMeeting, we hold regular meetings, open to anyone, usually taking
the form of a presentation or an Open Space Technology-style
conversation.

Please see the Calendar(http://www.virtualaltnet.com/Home/Calendar) to
find a VAN group that meets at a time convenient to you, and feel
welcome to join a meeting. Past sessions can be found on the Recording
page.

To stay informed about VAN activities, you can subscribe to the
Virtual ALT.NET Google Group and follow the Virtual ALT.NET blog.

Times below are Central Standard Time
Start Time: Wed, Jan 27, 2010 8:00 PM UTC/GMT -6 hours
End Time: Wed, jan 27, 2010 10:00 PM UTC/GMT -6 hours
Attendee URL: http://www.virtualaltnet.com/van

Zach Young

http://www.virtualaltnet.com

Gabriel Schenker introduction to NHibernate and Fluent NHibernate Part 2

Topic
I will present an introduction to NHibernate and Fluent NHibernate. This introduction will not only discuss NHibernate in isolation but show its usage embedded in a realistic yet simple WPF application. All aspects of how to setup, run and extend such an application will be discussed. An important focus will be put on the differences between testing and running the application. 

Bio
After receiving my Ph.D. of Physics at the Federal Institute of Technologies in Zurich, Switzerland, I worked for some time in building physics, and subsequently moved to behavioral science. Among other things, I was involved in training expert examiners of different industries in how to write and take exams that are fair and really test the relevant aspects of their profession.
In 1996, I started as an independent consultant, mentor, trainer and developer. In 2001, a partner and I founded a small software company. We have been writing customer specific software for all kinds of industries as well as for the government.
Since March 2009, I have been working as a senior software architect for TOPAZ Technologies in Austin, TX. I moved to Austin in October 2009.

I have been working on the .NET platform in my professional work since 2000. I am the author of the NHibernate FAQ blog and am a member of "Los Techies". I have also published several articles on DotNetSlackers about NHibernate and Fluent NHibernate.

What is VAN?

Virtual ALT.NET (VAN) is the online gathering place of the ALT.NET community. Through conversations, presentations, pair programming and programming dojo’s, we strive to improve, explore, and challenge the way we create software. Using net conferencing technology such as Skype and LiveMeeting, we hold regular meetings, open to anyone, usually taking the form of a presentation or an Open Space Technology-style conversation.

Please see the Calendar to find a VAN group that meets at a time
convenient to you, and feel welcome to join a meeting. Past sessions can be found on the Recording page.

To stay informed about VAN activities, you can subscribe to the Virtual ALT.NET (VAN) Google Group and follow the Virtual ALT.NET blog.

Times below are Central Standard Time
Start Time: Wed, November 18, 2009 8:00 PM UTC/GMT -6 hours
End Time: Wed, November 18, 2009 10:00 PM UTC/GMT -6 hours
Attendee URL: http://www.virtualaltnet.com/van

Gabriel Schenker introduction to NHibernate and Fluent NHibernate.

Topic
I will present an introduction to NHibernate and Fluent NHibernate. This introduction will not only discuss NHibernate in isolation but show its usage embedded in a realistic yet simple WPF application. All aspects of how to setup, run and extend such an application will be discussed. An important focus will be put on the differences between testing and running the application. 

Bio
After receiving my Ph.D. of Physics at the Federal Institute of Technologies in Zurich, Switzerland, I worked for some time in building physics, and subsequently moved to behavioral science. Among other things, I was involved in training expert examiners of different industries in how to write and take exams that are fair and really test the relevant aspects of their profession.
In 1996, I started as an independent consultant, mentor, trainer and developer. In 2001, a partner and I founded a small software company. We have been writing customer specific software for all kinds of industries as well as for the government.
Since March 2009, I have been working as a senior software architect for TOPAZ Technologies in Austin, TX. I moved to Austin in October 2009.

I have been working on the .NET platform in my professional work since 2000. I am the author of the NHibernate FAQ blog and am a member of "Los Techies". I have also published several articles on DotNetSlackers about NHibernate and Fluent NHibernate.

Times below are Central Standard Time
Start Time: Wed, November 11, 2009 8:00 PM UTC/GMT -6 hours
End Time: Wed, November 11, 2009 10:00 PM UTC/GMT -6 hours
Attendee URL: http://www.virtualaltnet.com/van