User Groups - What do you want from them?

There are many user groups, meetups, developer groups, etc depending on where you live that are available to get involved in.  This is one of many ways to meet other developers, see what they are doing, what projects and so fourth are going on in your neck of the woods that you wouldn't necessarily know about.  But, one thing that I'll say is that the format is about the same from the 3-5 groups that I participate in the Central Florida Area.  I even run a Windows Phone/8 group here too, and the same could be said.

Now, one thing that I wanted to do was sponsor contests. So I started the Dark Sky App contest to try and put a little something different into the mix, but I wanted to throw the general question out to the world.  What do you as a developer, designer, etc. want out of these types of groups?

Typically it's a meeting where on or a few people present on a topic, there is some Q & A and generally some free stuff given away.  Now I'm always good for some free nerdy swag or a book, and I will never discount the general social interaction that I get from these groups. Not to mention I have made some pretty good friends and networked with really cool people along the way.  Is that all we are looking for?  Is there something else you "need" from these presentations or gatherings?


Please comment below and let me know...

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DarkSky Developer Contest - Dates & Prize Pool

So here we are, the good stuff. When do we have to be done and what the heck do we get if we win?

Dates

Start NOW, if you have not signed up please do so here. This is important, I need your valid email address so that I can get you the API developer key for Dark Sky.

Next, apps must be submitted in completion no later than 10/1/2012.  This give us time to review them, get them loaded on or devices etc.  If you publish them to the Marketplace please send me the links so that we can get them downloaded.  If they are paid applications, please send us the .xap or provide a download link so we may side load the applications.

So, prizes.  One grand prize for the best Windows 7 Phone and best Windows 8 Metro application. Each winning team or person will receive the following:

• NetAdvantage Ultimate  from Infragistics

Dark Sky Umbrella
Click for larger image

• DarkSky  Custom-printed senz˚ umbrellas — capable of withstanding 80 km/h winds
• $49.99 XBOX Live Point Card

Also each completed application submitted will also receive a free copy of NetAdvantage for Windows Phone from Infragistics.

Other submissions will be awarded various prizes so get to coding!  We are excited to see what's in store.

Any questions please contact @spboyer 

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Orlando Windows Phone & Metro User Group Announces - Dark Sky API Developer App Contest!

Orlando Windows Phone & Metro User Group Announces - Dark Sky API Developer App Contest! 

 Are you a Florida based developer?

Have some skills you're dying to show off?

Well now is the time!

 In support of the Florida .NET Development Community OrlandoWPUG is sponsoring a friendly contest of our development talent to find the best Windows Phone 7 and Windows 8 application using the Dark Sky API.

Dark Sky is a new kind of weather app. It uses state-of-the-art weather forecasting to predict when it will rain or snow — down to the minute — at your exact location, and presents it to you alongside the most beautiful radar visualizations you’ve ever seen.

Joel Martinez (@joelmartinez), founder of the Orlando .NET User Group (@ONETUG), has created the C# wrapper for the Dark Sky API - see the details on Github. Prizes - they are going to be good! There will be one grand prize for the "Best Windows Phone 7 Application" and one for the "Best Windows 8 Metro Application"

 Watch for more details - Sign up, follow Shayne Boyer aka TattooCoder, OrlandoWPUG Founder (@spboyer) and @OrlandoWPUG for announcements of start dates and further details....

Resources

• Register Form - http://eepurl.com/nZXnH
• Dark Sky C# API Wrapper - https://github.com/joelmartinez/darksky-csharp

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