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Back in 2008, a group of passionate Python programmers in Austin decided to come together to discuss and debate around topics related to the software programming language called Python.
They formed the Austin Python Meetup Group on April 14, 2008 with three founding members and organizers – Peter Wang, Robert Myers and Travis Swicegood. The group had more than 30 members by the end of 2008. Today, the Austin Python Meetup Group put on by APUG has over 1500 passionate Python programmers as its members.
The bridge called “Meetup”
Long before the social media came into this world, people had very few resources to find and connect with like-minded people in their region, let alone in other parts of the globe.
Only special events like Python-related talks, seminars and other occasions enabled professionals specializing in Python coding and students aspiring to become python programmers to meet one another. That too, was limited to only a few people who attended the event, either through invites, entry passes or tickets.
Meetup, the largest network of local groups from around the world, is the first of its kind social networking site that enables people to connect over the internet and then meet in person at a chosen location at a chosen time and date.
It was founded way before Orkut, Facebook and Twitter came into existence. Meetup was formed in June 2002, and has since acted as a bridge connecting like-minded people in regions around the world. The company, which is based in New York City, and initially catered only to select regions in the US, now has over 125,247 groups in over 196 countries.
This site is available in 6 languages – English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian and German.
History of Austin Python Meetup
The Austin Python Meetup group had its first ever meeting on April 16, 2008, with 3 Python programmers. The subsequent meetings of the group started happening once every month, and the members of the group continue to meet once every month to discuss Python programming and everything else related to it.
The first few meetings had less than 10 programmers participating, but the numbers grew to more than a dozen participants for the meetings in 2009.
More and more people joined the Austin Python Meetup and by 2011, the meetings started seeing participants in larger numbers of more than 30 or even 40 people in attendance.
Varied topics discussed
The group discusses a variety of Python-related topics from coding issues, tips, to hacking, computer frameworks, app migration, SQL, Python packages, Python-based tools, Django, Pinax, RPy, updates in the programming language, review and discussion of books and whitepapers on Python, set up tools relevant to Python, Python applications and Python interfaces.
Organizers of the group also make it a point to attend special Python conferences, talks as well as other corporate events and share the details and topics of discussion with the rest of the members. The group has also organized a few talks by expert Python programmers and prominent authors of books on the programming language.
Austin Python for students and aspiring programmers
The Austin Python Meetup may seem like a place only for the pros, but it is not. The group is also an excellent option for students the coding language and those who are simply passionate about it.
If you see yourself working on this programming language in the future, you would want to be a part of this group in Austin. Given that the group has so many experienced Python programmers, students and learners can benefit by joining it.
Meetup also has message boards for all individual groups, where members can ask relevant questions, share views or suggest ideas for growth of the community. The discussion boards are also being increasingly used for job postings.
So if you are a Python programmer in search of better opportunities in your field, then joining the Austin Python Meetup is a good idea. Not only will you find relevant job opportunities, you could even be recommended by your peers in the group, if you have the skills and are successful in demonstrating your knowledge of the programming language in the monthly Meetups.
Even if you are a fresh graduate looking to get a job as a Python programmer or need further Python training, joining the Austin Python Meetup can be helpful.
Among the top resources for Python programmers in Austin
In addition to the internet and many books on Python programming language, the Austin Python Meetup is a great source of information relevant for Python programmers and application developers in Austin.
Members of the group can share more than just information and news – they can also share files via Meetup, which is one advantage of this site over the other social networking sites.
Also, Meetup enables you to meet the fellow Python programmers in person, without any fear. It is a source that you can rely on to meet credible Python programmers in a safe, public environment.
Austin Python is being backed by three main sponsors including Capital Factory, The Texas Tribune and Enthought, Inc. The group is 7 years old and is still going strong with over 1500 active members who are passionate about the program and strive for the development of the Python community in Austin.
Austin Python Meetup for fun and social causes too
Although Python remains the main focus of the group, the members also tend to meet once in a while to discuss social causes and other issues relevant or non-relevant to Python. The Meetups usually take place at spaces like the Omni, courtesy the Capital Factory, and the offices of the Texas Tribune that hosted the groups meetings for a while.
Along with interesting discussions about Python and everything else related to it, the meetings also include beer and snacks for those who want to chill when they talk about their passion – Python programming.
If you are a Python programmer in need of training around Austin, consider our courses here at Firebox. We will come to Austin, but also have online public Python courses. Click here to check them out.
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