Nathaniel Schutta
The Rich Web Experience
Orlando · December 1 - 4, 2009
Architect as a Service
Nathaniel T. Schutta is a software architect and Java Champion focused on cloud computing, developer happiness and building usable applications. A proponent of polyglot programming, Nate has written multiple books, appeared in countless videos and many podcasts. He’s also a seasoned speaker who regularly presents at worldwide conferences, No Fluff Just Stuff symposia, meetups, universities, and user groups. In addition to his day job, Nate is an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota, where he teaches students to embrace (and evaluate) technical change. Driven to rid the world of bad presentations, he coauthored the book Presentation Patterns with Neal Ford and Matthew McCullough, and he also published Thinking Architecturally and Responsible Microservices available from O’Reilly. His latest book, Fundamentals of Software Engineering, is currently available in early release.
Presentations
Deconstructing Prototype
By now, most developers have (re)discovered the much maligned JavaScript language and the plethora of top notch libraries have helped make this grey beard of web programming accessible to a new generation of developers. While many are content to simply rely on others, we can learn an awful lot about how to write better JavaScript by taking a look under the hood.
JavaScript Beyond the Basics
JavaScript is one of the most widely used languages around and yet its also one of the most misunderstood. With Ajaxified UIs becoming the norm, this humble language is once again at the forefront.
Testing the Web Layer
While your project might have nearly 100% code coverage on the server tier, many projects ignore testing the web layer. With more and more code being pushed to the browser, a lack of tests for the client code begs for trouble.
Ajax Library Smack down: Prototype vs. jQuery
Ajax is everywhere, from the local newspaper to sites that the CEO surfs. Contrary to popular belief, it isn't rocket science, especially with the right library.
CSS For Developers
By now, developers know they aren't supposed to use tables for layout but despite good intentions, most look at CSS as a black art. While schooled in algorithms and data structures, when it comes to CSS, most of us just copy, paste and pray. This talk will remove some of the mystery surrounding styling web applications. We'll cover the basics and show you how libraries like YUI can make things even easier.
Pragmatic Usability (aka, Software Engineer's Guide to Usability)
While some companies have the luxury of a full time usability team, most of us have to make do on our own. Sure, it might be easier (and more comfortable) to focus on all the hip back end goodness, but if your user interface makes users yack, your product is doomed.
Hacking Your Brain for Fun and Profit
The single most important tool in any developers toolbox isn't a fancy IDE or some spiffy new language - it's our brain. Despite ever faster processors with multiple cores and expanding amounts of RAM, we haven't yet created a computer to rival the ultra lightweight one we carry around in our skulls - in this session we'll learn how to make the most of it. We'll talk about why multitasking is a myth, the difference between the left and the right side of your brain, the importance of flow and why exercise is good for more than just your waist line.