Ravi Ram: TechBash & Community Conferences – Episode 327

Challenges

  • Organizing large-scale community events and ensuring they are inclusive and welcoming.
  • Balancing technical depth with accessibility for a diverse audience.
  • Keeping up with the rapid pace of technological advancements and integrating them into conference content.

Solutions

  • Creating a family-friendly atmosphere at TechBash to encourage broader participation.
  • Emphasizing the importance of diversity and approachability in conference planning.
  • Featuring sessions on cutting-edge topics like scope logging with OpenTelemetry to stay relevant.

Benefits

  • Building a strong, supportive tech community through events like TechBash.
  • Providing a platform for knowledge sharing and professional growth.
  • Enhancing the visibility and impact of new technologies through community engagement.

Ravi Ram is a software engineer specializing in .NET, Azure, and intensive, high-stakes software. He started developing in 1998 with basic websites. Moved from Classic ASP with Cart.ASP. After learning about SQL injections after a client hack, he was hired by the California Department of Justice to do that work. Ravi is completely self-taught and has contributed to countless software projects over 30 years.

Topics of Discussion:
[03:24] Ravi shares his career journey, starting with web design for a neighbor, moving to classic ASP, and eventually to .NET.
[05:12] TechBash is a .NET conference in Pennsylvania, emphasizing its family-friendly atmosphere and the high attendance of families.
[08:00] A few of Ravi’s favorite moments and sessions from TechBash.
[12:57] Going through code in real-time with one of the TechBash speakers.
[16:51] How approachable, diverse, and friendly TechBash is.
[17:11] Ravi talks about a session on scope logging with OpenTelemetry, which impressed him with its configuration capabilities.
[27:49] Why the duo loves the word “seam”!
[28:07] Encouragement for first-time speakers who may be interested in TechBash.