This meeting is all about Scala. We will start with an introduction to the language itself followed by a look at the Lift web framework.
Many thanks to Big Sky Technology for sponsoring the meeting room and to Tek-Systems for sponsoring the Pizza.
Location
We will meet in room #301 instead of the usual room. We will go back to our regular room in September.
Wolf Law Building, Room #301
2450 Kittredge Loop Road
Boulder, CO 80309
6:00-7:00 PM Introduction to Scala
Whenever a language begins to gain popularity there is a need to present introductory material. But after a awhile the need shifts to understanding the strengths of a language.
So in this presentation I am going to present a snapshot of Scala's unique features and paradigms. At start of the talk you will get to know Scala syntax, closures and functional programming. Next we will review unique features that Scala provides for DSLs such as ADTs, parsing and pattern matching. From this point we will study the improvements Scala makes to OO with strong typing, traits and mixins and how these improvements provide intrinsic support for new paradigms. Finally we will review actors and how Scala's capabilities are finding there way into the real world.
About Tom Flaherty
Tom Flaherty is Chief Architect at Axiom Architectures. He is currently authoring papers about Enterprise Architecture and applying this work to state governments. In 2008 he developed a symbolic math application in Scala for Glaxo. In the past he established enterprise and OO methodologies along with 4-Tier platforms for Williams Communications, DMR and NorTel. He lives in Centennial with his wife Fifi and Maine Coon cat Buddy.
7:00-7:30 PM Pizza and Sodas compliments of Tek-Systems
7:30-9:00PM Lift Web Framework
The talk will start with some background on Lift and then dive right into a Comet and AJAX example that shows how simple it is to make dynamic web applications with Lift. Next we'll talk about some of Lift's unique features that simplify development. Finally, we'll go into detail on Lift's templating system and how that lends itself to clean separation of logic and presentation layers.
About Derek Chen-Becker
Derek is a committer on the Lift project and a co-author of The Definitive Guide to Lift with Tyler Weir and Marius Danciu. Derek has been working on the Lift project and Scala since 2007, and has been writing software in Java for over 12 years. Derek is currently the Senior Network Engineer and Security Architect for CPI Corporation, which owns and operates the Sears Portrait Studios and PictureMe! Portrait Studios.


