Month: September 2018

Erlang in Earnest, for Mixed Reality gaming – Auckland – 19 September 2018

What

Using Erlang in earnest – building a Mixed Reality, multiplayer, game engine embodying digital Agents – a beginner’s guide

Description: We have built a Mixed Reality game engine in .Net running in Azure. It works well, but scaling and cost mean it is not tenable as the business grows. We needed to build something that could be massively parallel, and scale without limit. We tried NodeJS. We rethought things, did some more research, and came up with Erlang. It took us a couple of years to find a way into the language, but once we found the right tools, getting started with Erlang took about two weeks. This talk will attempt to help you avoid a similar two-year trial period. With examples.

Short Bio: Dr Roy Davies is a computer scientist who went to the dark side and became interested in the human side of the cursor. Studying cognitive science and psychology prepared him for doing research in Mixed Reality in the 90s when it was still a new and amazing thing. Over the years, he has worked in academia and business, with a stint as a consultant, in both Sweden and New Zealand. His first introduction to ‘interesting’ languages was programming in Prolog, and building hard-wired computers to control robots for people with disabilities. Roy is currently the CTO of Imersia, but still gets his hand dirty by cutting code – leading by example.

Functional Programming Auckland

Come learn, teach, play with all things FP. We’ll see what people are into including some presentations and hack nights to try other cool languages etc. Haskell, Scala, Clojure, Lisp, ML, OCaml, Javascript, Erlang and all the others…

When and Where

Wednesday 19 September 2018
6pm – 8pm

Movio HQ
2.4 – 30 St Benedicts St
Eden Tce
Auckland

How Much

Free

More

Using Erlang in earnest – building a Mixed Reality
Functional Programming Auckland Meetup Group

NetHui West Coast – Greymouth – 11 October 2018

What

NetHui is a collection of New Zealand’s most diverse and interactive Internet community events. InternetNZ has helped bring the NetHui experience to New Zealanders interested in the future of the Internet since 2011 – they have been held in cities, towns and at your house via live streaming.

What happens at a NetHui?

A NetHui is about discussions, not presentations – participants set topics and lead conversations amongst all of the attendees. While there are plenary sessions with keynote speakers to bring participants together at the beginning and end of each day, most of a NetHui is dedicated to breakout sessions, often with multiple sessions running concurrently. This format deliberately creates smaller groups so more voices can be heard.

A NetHui feels very different to most events. The collaborative conversations between participants draws in views and expertise that is often overlooked. People share their own experiences as well as their expertise, so it is rare for a NetHui session to end without everyone feeling like they learned something new – even if they were experts in the topic to begin with.

Is NetHui for me?

Of course! NetHui is for everybody who has an interest in the challenges and vast opportunities the Internet presents, the policies and regulations around access and use of the Internet, or anyone that simply wants to talk about the Internet.

A NetHui is empowering for participants because everyone’s views, opinions and contributions are valued equally at NetHui. People of all ages, backgrounds, genders and ethnicities are encouraged to attend. A respectful, open attitude towards others is expected from all participants, speakers, exhibitors and volunteers. Put simply, if you’re looking for a safe, open, inclusive space to engage with your community about the Internet and all that goes with it, then NetHui will be your kind of place.

And if you can’t attend a NetHui in person, you can get involved in the conversation online: Every NetHui session is live-streamed, and we have live-chat so you can participate. We also have people making collaborative online notes of the sessions.

How is the programme for a NetHui decided upon?

To build a NetHui programme, the public are invited to submit ideas for the things they’d like to talk about. People with similar topics are linked up and asked to prepare and facilitate a conversation during a NetHui Breakout Session. The ideas raised by the community also inform the creation of panel discussion topics, and the invitation of panelists and keynote speakers, both of whom lead bigger discussions in NetHui plenaries. The programme development process starts months before a NetHui, to engage widely with the community and allow groups time to flesh out their topics and prepare.

When and Where

9am – 5pm
Thursday 11 October 2018

Tai Poutini Polytechnic
73-87 Tainui Street,
Greymouth

How Much

$30 for standard tickets

More

Nethui West Coast Website
Draft Programme
About Nethui

Daffodil Express Steam Train – Wellington to Carterton – 9 September 2018

What

Celebrate spring and travel with Steam Incorporated from Wellington to Carterton by heritage excursion train to attend the annual Daffodil Festival.
Sunday 9 September 2018

The train will be hauled by our steam locomotive Ja1271, and we will be using our set of vintage carriages, some with open balcony ends. The train will include a buffet counter selling drinks and snacks, and a souvenir counter for all sorts of railway and steam memorabilia.

A diesel locomotive will be attached in front of our steam locomotive for the sectors through the 9km long Rimutaka Tunnel.

Located in the heart of the Wairarapa, Carterton’s popular Daffodil Festival offers an abundance of activities ranging from the famous Daffodil picking at Middlerun, markets along High and Holloway Streets, the Big Wai Art sale in the events Centre, Daffodil Express Steam Train experiences as well as loads more family fun.

The market stalls will be set up in the town centre a short walk from the railway station. Shuttle buses will run from the town centre to the daffodil fields where you can pick your own daffodils for a small fee. The cost of the bus transfer is included in your train ticket.

For the serious railfan there is also the option of riding the train all the way to Masterton (but missing some of the daffodil festival) where we turn and service the locomotive.

All seating is preassigned. Prior booking essential. Departure times are provisional and will be confirmed closer to the date.

When and Where

Wellington Departure
8:20am Sunday 9 September 2018

Arrive Caterton 10:40am
Depart Carterton 2:45pm
Arrive Wellingonton 5pm

How Much

Adult return fare $95
Child $55.

Fare includes bus transfers to daffodil fields. You can also board the train at Petone, Waterloo, and Upper Hutt.

More

Daffodil Express Webpage
Steam Incorporated listing other events.

Kiwicon 2038 – Wellington – 14 – 17 November 2018

What

Kiwicon is the one of the myriad technical computer security conferences in the Australia-Pacific region, but remains triumphant as the one that most resembles a variety show. Organised by a masochistic cabal of the security community, Kiwicon attempts to bring together the commercial infosec industry, academics, students, and hobbyist hackers to discover the new, the interesting, and technologically crackin’.

First run in 2007, by now Kiwicon has gained reputation, size, and an extra cleaning run for the toilets. Attendance in 2016 was around 2100 people (although we do not claim all of them are paying attention) plus 30 or so speakers, staff and crue.

Kiwicon is a hacker conference, which, if you were wondering, means we talk about the intricacies of breaking into, breaking out of, or breaking around technological systems.  It might have had a “warranty void if removed” sticker, but that’s now a scrunched up ball, and we are reverse engineering the firmware.

If you’ve been to a hacker con elsewhere, then you’ll know what Kiwicon is about – any of the other grass roots community cons are what Kiwicon pays homage to, but we try to add a little special (strange) kiwi flavour to it.

If you’re new to hacker conferences, well, we think you’re in for a treat. Kiwicon is probably not like any other tech conference you’ve been to – there’s no dry, boring talks (we hope), no vendor booths, no bags of crappy pens and tripe you don’t want. Instead you’ll get people who are engaged with tech because they are pathologically curious; people who like poking things till they break just because its there and then figuring out how to fix them. You’ll probably also get one of the more hostile network environments you’re likely to connect to (perhaps, second to the Ministry of Health, circa 2009), so, unless you’re particularly confident at securing your laptop, phone, RFID proxcard, passport, pager, or iPad, you’d be best to just leave them at home. Or take the battery out (and watch out for HERF guns.)

Yes, some hackers break the law. Lots of hackers don’t – we’re not Legion; the Kiwicon community includes people from corporate and government backgrounds, through purestrain infosec industry, and the wider tech sector, students, academics and onwards into space cadets, conspiracy theorists, freaks, and goths. So pretty much like life, then, but with much more people wearing black. Keep an open mind, and, in the words of Frankie, relax.

When and Where

Training Days (plus pre-events)

Wednesday 14 November
Thursday 15 November

Main Event

The Michael Fowler Centre
111 Wakefield St
Wellington

9am – 6:30 pm
Friday 16 Novemeber and Satuday 17 Novemeber 2018

 

How Much

$99.95 standard (or pay more if you want)
$29.95 for student and benficiaries

Costs of training to be advised but some free places.

More

Kiwicon 2038 Website
Kiwicon 2038 Schedule

Auckland Backgammon Championship – Auckland – 6-7 October 2018

What

The Auckland Backgammon Club is sponsoring the 2018 Auckland Backgammon Championship. Open to all Backgammon Players. Expert to Novice.

Two days of full-on Backgammon.

October 6th: Standard Swiss Format. All participants are guaranteed to play 5 – seven point Matches.

October 7th: Top 16 Players from the Swiss Format will play Knockout Matches.

A Consolation Tournament will also be played on October 7th for all those who did not make it into the Knockout Match.

You do not have to be an Expert to enter the Tournament. You are guaranteed to play at least 5 – seven point Matches against Players whose skill range is Expert to Novice. It is a lot of fun and a very excellent Backgammon learning experience. Give it a GO.

When and Where

10am – 6pm both days
Saturday 6 October 2018
Sunday 7 October 2018

Taksim Turkish Kitchen & Bar,
373 Manukau Road,
Epsom,
Auckland

How Much

$28 Entry

More

Eventfinda link
Auckland Backgammon (meets weekly)

NetHui Manawatū – Palmerston North – 5 October 2018

What

NetHui is a collection of New Zealand’s most diverse and interactive Internet community events. InternetNZ has helped bring the NetHui experience to New Zealanders interested in the future of the Internet since 2011 – they have been held in cities, towns and at your house via live streaming.

What happens at a NetHui?

A NetHui is about discussions, not presentations – participants set topics and lead conversations amongst all of the attendees. While there are plenary sessions with keynote speakers to bring participants together at the beginning and end of each day, most of a NetHui is dedicated to breakout sessions, often with multiple sessions running concurrently. This format deliberately creates smaller groups so more voices can be heard.

A NetHui feels very different to most events. The collaborative conversations between participants draws in views and expertise that is often overlooked. People share their own experiences as well as their expertise, so it is rare for a NetHui session to end without everyone feeling like they learned something new – even if they were experts in the topic to begin with.

Is NetHui for me?

Of course! NetHui is for everybody who has an interest in the challenges and vast opportunities the Internet presents, the policies and regulations around access and use of the Internet, or anyone that simply wants to talk about the Internet.

A NetHui is empowering for participants because everyone’s views, opinions and contributions are valued equally at NetHui. People of all ages, backgrounds, genders and ethnicities are encouraged to attend. A respectful, open attitude towards others is expected from all participants, speakers, exhibitors and volunteers. Put simply, if you’re looking for a safe, open, inclusive space to engage with your community about the Internet and all that goes with it, then NetHui will be your kind of place.

And if you can’t attend a NetHui in person, you can get involved in the conversation online: Every NetHui session is live-streamed, and we have live-chat so you can participate. We also have people making collaborative online notes of the sessions.

How is the programme for a NetHui decided upon?

To build a NetHui programme, the public are invited to submit ideas for the things they’d like to talk about. People with similar topics are linked up and asked to prepare and facilitate a conversation during a NetHui Breakout Session. The ideas raised by the community also inform the creation of panel discussion topics, and the invitation of panelists and keynote speakers, both of whom lead bigger discussions in NetHui plenaries. The programme development process starts months before a NetHui, to engage widely with the community and allow groups time to flesh out their topics and prepare.

When and Where

9am – 5pm
Friday 5 October 2018

Palmerston North Conference and Functions Centre
354 Main St, Palmerston North

How Much

$30 for standard tickets

More

Nethui Manawatu Website
Draft Programme
About Nethui

Wellington.vue: Using Vue.js with a Headless CMS – Wellington – 12 September 2018

What

Vue.js users will be presenting their methods and experiences with using Vue to present data from a “headless CMS”. Different approaches will be discussed: RESTful APIs, GraphQL, custom API controllers and static files.

Speakers include:
– Aaron Carlino, SilverStripe Ltd
– Ed Linklater, Somar Design Studios

This will be a joint meetup with Wellington SilverStripe User/Developer Workshops, but most of the content will be relevant to those using other frameworks such as Laravel, Django or Rails.

Venue, drinks and snacks provided by Somar Design Studios.

When and Where

5pm – 7pm
Wednesday 12 September 2018

Somar Design Studios
Level 9 50 Manners Street,
i-centre building, entrance to the right of Life Pharmacy. Take the lift to Level 9.
Wellington

How Much

Free

More

Using Vue.js with a Headless CMS meetup page
Wellington.vue Meetup

AKLgamedev Meetup: ‘Guardian’ Launch – Auckland – 12 September 2018

What

Come along and celebrate the release of Metia Interactive’s ‘Guardian’ on Wednesday September 12that the September AKLgamedev Meetup is during Māori Language Week.

The Guardian story is an interactive fiction. The game will showcase our unique cultural identity in New Zealand and highlight beautiful regions of our country in a contemporary and original story across popular platforms.

This is a journey that will take the player into a world of mystery and impending mayhem while discovering the truth behind an ancient secret.

AGENDA
– 6:00p | Doors open
– 6:10p | Welcome
– 6:20p | Guardian: A journey from idea to now.
– The importance and uniqueness of telling Maori stories.
– Using a narrative script engine with Unity.
– Community announcements.
– 7:00 | Meetup ends – Progress Bar

When and Where

Wednesday 12 September 2018
6pm – 7pm

Room TBC
AUT City Campus
St Paul St
Auckland CBD

How Much

Free

More

Meetup Page for event
The Auckland Game Development Meetup
Guardian