Wednesday 9 December 2009

SCALE 2010

I have just submitted a talk for the beginner track at next years Southern California Linux Expo.

I have no idea whether it will be accepted. However, here's the submission.

Title Get Developing - it's easy.
Categories General
Audiences Beginner, Intermediate
Description We all know that Linux has some wonderful tools for developing applications. I learnt these tools to become the sole IT support for my business ( a sucessful dental office). I'll tell you what I did, and hopefully inspire you to do the same.

Short submission.
I started writing an application called "openMolar" in November of 2008. openMolar is an application used in my dental practice.

To do this I had to learn Python, Qt4, the bazaar version control system, mysql, GNU gettext, and debian packaging.
I also learnt to use the Launchpad facilities for code hosting, bug tracking, translation and a PPA repository for ubuntu .

In this talk, I hope to give you a basic synopsis of why I chose these particular tools (because, let's face it, there are some fine alternatives to each).
I do not claim to be anything other than an enthusiastic hobbyist in any of these areas, but I have successfully used them to get my application to a stage which is working well in a demanding real-life situation.

So if you are not developing applications yet, or are doing so using different tools, please come along and hear what I hope is an interesting story of "an application from scratch".

p.s. if you are not writing code yet... I will endeavour to change this. If I (a middle-aged dentist) can write working code.. anyone can.

Long Submission.
I want to discuss the following items during the talk.

1. Having A problem to solve - a demonstration of my application in use.
2. Choosing a license.
3. Why Python?
4. Why PyQt?
5. Collaborating with others, using launchpad for code hosting and bug tracking.
6. Packaging the app so that you get feedback. Debian packaging and the use of a PPA.
7. Translating into other languages - the GNU gettext tools. Porquoi?
8. the future for the application - can we make money from this?


Message to Reviewers.
No presentation to upload at present, but I do have a video online at
http://tinyvid.tv/show/1174zh4v3sldz

project website is https://launchpad.net/openmolar

2 comments:

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

This is some good effort, Neil. I really appreciate reading stuff from people that say they're developing this application for security purposes, they're making a program to increase productivity, etc. Here in Manhattan, IT support is also a vast niche, and network security is a top focus of the professionals. Some businesses here invest on IT, too. I hope that someday, you'll be able to innovate something that can be used by your fellow dentists.