Girls In Tech

What does it mean to you to build a web app that’s social by default? Ever wonder how to get your product ideas from a paper napkin to getting launched so that hundreds of millions of people can use them? Do you have questions on how to integrate with Facebook’s APIs? Are you interested in learning more about how to monetize your Facebook applications?

This Facebook Developer Garage and Hackathon is hosted in conjunction with Girls in Tech <www.girlsintech.net> to try to help you figure out answers to these questions and build something awesome!

To participate, please choose one of the two options:

1) Either submit a Hackathon idea on this wiki: [Facebook & Girls in Tech Dev Garage/Hackathon wiki] and come prepared to hack!

OR

2) Purchase a Girls in Tech Donation Ticket for $20 and come join the festivities: Purchase tickets

We will only accept participants that complete one of the two participant options above.

We hope to see you there!

Cheers,

Facebook and Girls in Tech

David Recordon is the Senior Open Programs Manager at Facebook, where he leads open source and open standards initiatives. He joined Facebook from Six Apart where he focused on platform strategies, and previously worked at VeriSign in the emerging business group. David has played a pivotal role in the development and popularization of key social media technologies, such as OpenID and OAuth. He collaborated with Brad Fitzpatrick in the development of OpenID, which has since become the most popular decentralized single-sign-on protocol in the history of the Web. In 2007, he became the youngest recipient of the Google-O’Reilly Open Source Award.

Check out David’s Keynote presentation at OSCON

David is a native Portlander. He enjoys hanging out with his friends and family

Working in Facebook, what’s the most challenging task to date?

Scale to continue to grow. Active users double in the year after year. Constantly continue to scale; new products and platforms; new version of API and more…We have about 400 Engineering team that support 500M growing users by day.

What’s current technology/device that you couldn’t live without- if you could take in a deserted island?

Kindle; I love to read.

Follow David on twitter @Daveman692

July 19, 2010 10:00 pm

to

July 23, 2010 5:00 pm

In its 12th year, OSCON continues to be the premier meeting ground for everyone using open source. Join over 2,500 people passionate about open source, from developers, designers, trainers, and programmers to sys admins, IT managers, hackers, and entrepreneurs. At OSCON, you’ll participate in hundreds of sessions covering open source languages and platforms, practical tutorials that go deep into technical skill and best practices, inspirational keynote presentations, an Expo Hall featuring dozens of the latest projects and products, fun networking events and activities, and the best “hallway track” around.

This year OSCON is coming back to Portland, Oregon – July 19-23, 2010 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon. OSCON brings together people like you from across the open source universe to learn, inspire each other, and collaborate. I’ve had a great time chatting with Allison Randal, Program Chair for O’Reilly’s Open Source Convention.

Tell us more about Allison Randal. What’s the most accomplished technology you’ve seen today?

Her first geek career was as a research linguist in eastern Africa. But eventually her love of coding drew her away from natural languages to artificial ones. Allison is the architect of Parrot (a virtual machine for dynamic languages), on the board of directors of The Perl Foundation, and founder and president of Onyx Neon. She co-authored Perl 6 and Parrot Essentials, and has edited various O’Reilly books on dynamic languages including Perl Hacks and Programming PHP. Allison is currently working on her PHD in UK. Her favorite technology built in this age would be thunderbird 3 of email applications. Two thumbs up to the developers who built this amazing technology platform

Tell us more about this year Open Source Convention in Portland, Oregon? What can we expect from OSCON 2010 this year? What are the key differentiators this year?

Last year we shy away from Portland but we’ve realized that we want to come back to Portland because there is more support from the Portland community. Portland as a city is smaller comparison to Silicon Valley but they have a large technology community; it’s considered as the open source tech big event of the week. Basically, it is one of the biggest open source conferences in the US. New sessions include Government track and health track- open source in health and technology. The healthcare industry is changing; there is an opportunity for an open source to grow in that space- it is quite an expensive solution of keeping and storing patient’s data. So, there is a huge benefit for the open source solutions.

How would the process in developing key notes and sessions different from year after year?

This year there is a theme. The theme is “make it happen” – open source is in the position of broad acceptance now, we need to educate and expose as many individuals as possible- it’s on the cross road! You need to take the action now and open source can actively change the future. We encouraged public for proposal submission that flows along with that theme. This year we get about 700-750 proposals; we’ve had space about 150 sessions only. The committee takes different pieces of technology to review those proposals; for example: python and ruby each segment of program will be covered by the subcommittee then, we will vote on the final proposals. Basically, we’ll take the top ranks one.

Are you expecting more attendees this year?

We are hoping for more attendance. And yes, it will be; it will be bigger than last year and the year before.

Which sessions are you most excited about?

Two things most excited: cloud and Scala summit; as well as emerging languages camp! Crucial key elements in the open source community. Also, there are dozens of amazing speakers on top of the game that will be presenting. Jill Tarter, SETI Institute and Rob Pike, Google Inc and there are many more great keynotes/speakers throughout the week. To capture what’s hot this year; every year our conference changes with the current technology. Cloud technology is taking off; this year we have a great cloud computing key session by Simon Wardley, Leading Edge Forum. He will share the evolution of technology, the management challenges this brings and the common myths that surround the concept of cloud computing.

Any take away for the attendees?

The idea of how they could get involved in the open source community. To get involve in the local user group and get to know people in that community. Most people are welcoming and embracing the new idea.

Be sure to join Girls in Tech Portland Chapter at OSCON 2010 this year at Portland Oregon. Register today and receive special discount by being a Girls in Tech member.

OSCON takes place July 19-23, 2010 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon.

Register now and save 15%. Use discount code os10pgit when registering at: http://www.oscon.com/oscon2010

For More info for our local Portland chapter, go to our facebook page. If you are interested in being a guest speaker and/or panelist for our workshops and lectures, pls feel free to drop me an email: ivo@girlsintech.net

tweet @allisonrandal @mssonicflare @oscon @24notion @gitweet

#oscon #portland #opensource

I admit that this is a pretty self-indulgent blog post, but so many people ask me about my work experience and the launch of my new company, that I thought I’d dedicate a post to it.

I’m Christine Kirk, but many simply know me by my Twitter handle, @LuxuryPRGal. I definitely respond to both names so feel free to call me whichever you prefer. I started my career in PR at various in-house positions including a law firm, and renewable energy company. I eventually merged into agency life at a tech/consumer lifestyle shop in LA, where in the early 2000s, I was introduced to social media as we know it, with the start of Friendster and developing my blogger relations skills. I was hooked right away, and was then brought on-board at a luxury hospitality agency to introduce many of their high-profile clients to social media. In December 2009, I finally took the leap and launched my own company, Social Muse Communications, a social media marketing consultancy firm for luxury travel, restaurant, tech and lifestyle brands in Los Angeles.

PR agencies across the board have gone through hell and back in the past 2 years — due to the economic climate, and the rapid changes in traditional media as we know it – and at the same time. Let me be clear here — traditional media is not dying. It is changing, and in my opinion, for the better. Print and boradcast media outlets are interacting with their readers and viewers in ways they never had the opportunity to before — and it’s making the news much more relevent..and even accountable. For various reasons (including finances, fear, ignorance, etc.) many PR agencies have not quickly adapted to the changes taking place all around us. Some have done a great job, while others are still playing catch-up. Personally, I never want to “catch-up” to anything, and would prefer to be at the forefront of one of the most exciting revolutions in recent history. There are many PR people who have embraced this “new PR” and who are inspirations of mine including, @NicoleJordan, @BrianSolis, @skydiver (Peter Shankman).

Social Muse Communications is employing a whole new type of public relations and Return on Influence (the new ROI) – there is no one way for a brand to reach their target audience. Simply securing a placement in a glossy magazine, or a news segment on television, is not going to cut it anymore. To go from a good, to an excellent communications strategy, a brand must get in front of consumers through many different levels of media – print, broadcast, online, blogs, and social networking sites. This new world of PR gives PR practitioners the opportunity to communicate not only with media, but also with a brand’s customers directly — and that “high-touch” level of communications is what is most effective to enhancing a brand’s bottom-line. Through real relationship building, both online and offline, people (consumers) are more receptive to hearing and acting on PR messages when it comes from a PR person who has taken the time to get to know them. I personally have over 7,500 followers on Twitter and cannot believe the amazing wealth of knowledge, expertise, inspiration, new business leads, media contacts, bloggers contacts, humor, and friends I have made.

Social media is not, and should never be the only tool in a PR pro’s toolbox, but it just might be my favorite.

Christine Kirk is founder and principal at Social Muse Communications, a social media marketing consultancy firm for luxury travel, restaurant, tech and lifestyle brands in Los Angeles. She also holds the position of PR Manager for the Los Angeles chapter of Girls in Tech. She can be reached via e-mail at christine@socialmuse.com or on Twitter @luxuryprgal.

In March, Aol announced that it’s social aggregator platform, Lifestream, would serve as a standalone product. In a further bid to push what David Eun calls Aol’s “start-around” they are looking for a hip and cool ambassador for their Lifestream product. As they push to revive themselves in the social media world, it looks like ladies are leading the charge!

Aol is on the hunt for an Ambassador who is not just tech savvy but actually a FUN geek. From seeing a number of different videos Tweeted and blogged, the females seem to have the loudest voice. With two of the three final contestants being female, it looks like this contest is reflecting what’s happening all over the web: a lady stampede! With 55% of Twitter users being female, more women in the US on Facebook , and more relationships on all social networking sites – women are taking full advantage of all that social media has to offer. Women like to talk, like to be social, and like to share— from 1930s Tupperware parties to the virtual world, women are raising their voices… and not just in the personal sphere but in all aspects of their lives.

In fact, though it’s still early—the two female finalists for AOL Lifestream are females and are rocking ~94% of the votes! One of the gals in the contest, Tessa Petrich is a Girl in Tech in the SF Bay area. She was the former VP of Marketing at Zimride, a carpooling startup in Silicon Valley. Now, she is hoping to be the life of the party as Ambassador of AOL Lifestream.

So help the ladies be heard, check out AOL Lifestream, and vote!

May 15, 2010
4:00 pm	to	6:00 pm

Girls in Tech’s Minneapolis Chapter, is launching and we want to see YOU at the celebration!

Come and connect with your fellow tech ladies and enthusiasts, and find out what the Minneapolis chapter has in store for you.

(PS: This event is co-ed. All  are welcome!)

When: Saturday, May 15th, 4.00 PM – 6.00 PM

Where: Grumpy’s Bar and Grill, Downtown Minneapolis, 1111 Washington Ave. S

Cost: Free admission to this event.

RSVP: no later than 11.00 AM on May 15^th

http://gitmsplaunch.eventbrite.com

Visit our website: Girls in Tech Minneapolis Chapter

Become a member: Register here!

Follow us on Twitter: @GitMinneapolis

Join us on Facebook: Girls in Tech Minneapolis

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Urvashi Mishra

Managing Director, Girls in Tech, Minneapolis

@urvashi_mishra

On April 22, the Los Angeles chapter of Girls in Tech hosted an incredibly successful PR & Marketing 3.0 panel. The turnout was above and beyond what we expected and we were thrilled to be able to engage so many great minds on such a relevant topic.

The amazing panelists (if I do say so myself) were: Rynda Laurel @rynda (AF83, Bearstech & Hackable:Devices), Heather Meeker @heathermeeker (Whrrl), Babette Pepaj @bakespace (Bakespace, TechMUNCH & The Daily Bits), Amanda Coolong @acoolong (Tech Zulu, ThisWeekin.com & Beta PR) and me, Christine Kirk @luxuryprgal (Social Muse Communications). Unfortunately, the equally wonderful Nicole Jordan (Mobile Roadie) and Andrea Scott (Pom Wonderful) had last minute commitments that kept them from being on the panel as originally scheduled.

One thing for sure is that we were a group of opinionated, passionate, and incredibly intelligent ladies who had a lot to say. Online communications and the digital world is something we are all deeply involved with in our daily personal and work lives, and it couldn’t have been a livelier conversation.

If you couldn’t make it to the event last week, we hope you come out to the next one (we know it’s tough economic times, but price of entry is ten bucks, and you get to schmooze with gorgeous, smart women – what more can you ask for?)

At a high-level, some of the “golden nuggets” (if you will) provided by the panelists were:

• Press releases are NOT dead. They have undergone an evolution with the advent of the social media press release and are still relevant for SEO purposes. They are also a vehicle to disseminate your brand’s messaging the way you want, and in a controlled environment.
• Twitter and Facebook aren’t about the number of followers and friends that you have. Social media is about building brand awareness and making a direct connection with your customers and consumers and having a two-way dialogue with them.
• Twitter Lists are your friend! Use them to create organized groups on different topics, industries, etc. Start with www.wefollow.com for help.
• Social media is but one arrow in the quiver, don’t get caught with tunnel vision on this one channel of communication, and remember to use the many other avenues available to get your brand out there.
• Use geolocation services (FourSquare, Gowalla, Whrrl, etc.) as personal brand builders and “legitimize your work through your lifestyle.” If you represent hospitality brands for example, checking in to restaurants, hotels and spas builds confidence that you practice what you preach.
• How can you avoid Internet stalkers when using geolocation services? Check in when you check out. Only check in when you’re LEAVING a venue, not when you arrive.
• Twitter is great way to create relationships with media you want to pitch stories to. Use Twitter to really learn who a journalist is, what they cover, and how they liked to be pitched. Ask them questions, send them interesting articles and acknowledge them when they post a story they wrote. Build a legitimate relationship and they’ll be more willing to open your e-mail the next time you send one…
• Only small niches of people are actively on Twitter, so your message may not go far. Identify key influencers in other places online and off who can take your message beyond social media.
• Geolocation is here to stay, so you better start learning FourSquare, Gowalla, and Whrrl to stay on top of your game.

Christine Kirk is founder and principal at Social Muse Communications, a social media marketing consultancy firm for luxury travel, restaurant, tech and lifestyle brands in Los Angeles. She also holds the position of PR Manager for the Los Angeles chapter of Girls in Tech. She can be reached via e-mail at christine@socialmuse.com or on Twitter @luxuryprgal.

As we venture into 2010, I can’t help but get excited about new and innovative internet tools and resources that will launch this year, which will help us become more efficient, effective and productive, both professionally and personally. In 2009, there were certainly a lot of cool tools that served as fantastic resources for my very active lifestyle, and I’m sure that they will continue to be useful in the coming years. Check out my list and please comment on sites and web resources that were useful to you this year!

Be a Better Networker

LinkedIn

Facebook

Squidoo

Ning

Twitter

Organize Your Finances

LearnVest

Mint.com

BillShrink

Find That Perfect Vacation

TripIt

RUBA

Tripwiser

TripCart

TripAdvisor

Kayak

Entertain Yourself

Yelp

Craigslist

DapperUp

Bargain Shop Online

Shopittome

Sale.com

Weardrobe

Chictopia

GiltGroup

Polyvore

As many of you know I was in a rear end accident two weeks ago. I was stopped at a red light and the other driver (probably on his phone), slammed into me going about 30 miles per hour. Over $10,000 in damages to my car and many doctors and x-rays later, I am still not feeling 100%. As an avid tweeter http://www.sysomos.com/insidetwitter/and facebooker http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/02/02/fastest-growing-demographic-on-facebook-women-over-55/, I decided to take to the internet while in my state of bed rest. I complained about the accident and the pain I was in and was moved by the loving responses of so many family and friends.

About a week after the accident, I continued with my online conversations remarking on the ongoing pain and headaches, as well as the irony of living in LA, and the fact that the gentleman who hit me happened to be marginally famous. A friend from high school commented on one of my facebook posts with a warning. She had been in a similar accident a year prior with another more famous actor. She told me (off my wall) that during the discovery process for her case, the opposing attorney entered her facebook updates as evidence that she was in fact filing a fraudulent claim. I immediately removed every accident related post and tweet.

I began to get angry with the thought that something that so drastically affected my life was something that, for legal purposes, I should not share with my family and friends on my social media properties. Heeding the warnings on my employment 2.0 blog posted several months ago, I found that for the first time, I had to censure myself on the web and I didn’t like it one bit.

The fact remains that twitter and facebook information is in the public domain http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain and there is no expectation of privacy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expectation_of_privacy. This means that if you have been involved in a car accident and claim that as a result you can no longer participate in the activities you normally do, a smart defense attorney will do a background search on you online and determine whether or not you have posted incriminating information about yourself in the lawsuit. So be warned once again, information that you put online will likely be discoverable, so do so at your own risk.

Thanks to Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement yesterday about the changes being made to Facebook’s privacy structure, it looks like #privacy is about to have yet another run as the trending topic du jour. Well, that and that couple that crashed the White House dinner — as Demetri Martin would say, they’re like the herpes of hyped up news stories. Scheming social climbers aside, privacy is one of the web’s biggest concerns. As girls in tech, we talk about it all the time. Are our identities safe? Are our personal and professional brands secure? Are the kids in our lives making smart choices when they surf?

Months worth of memes have been made out of relatively minor changes to Facebook’s privacy policies in the past, and the comments are already piling in to the Mashable Article discussing this most recent development. It’s easy to understand why people get so worked up over what happens to their information on the internet. From cookies that track our every click to the fact that between docs, mail, maps and search, google knows more about you than your parents probably do, it’s clear that there’s plenty of reasons to make even the sanest surfer paranoid about what they post. As the product manager at a growing user generated content site, I deal with difficult decisions having to do with privacy all the time. What our decision making process always comes back to is a simple question: what would we want someone else to be doing with our data? Nine times out of ten, the answer is simple: give the user as much control over their content as you can.

Of course, as a user, it’s up to you to take advantage of that control. Fortunately, there are as many tools to track the people tracking you as there are mistresses in Tiger Woods’ skeleton closet. There’s google privacy dashboard, which allows you to see all the data points that google’s got about you. You can also set up a google alert that will let you know when new content about you is indexed by the search engine’s spiders. Keotag lets you put in a key word, and see what people are saying about it everywhere from Technorati to Twitter. And, Boardtracker lets you do the same sort of thing across multiple comment boards. Which means you can post your complaints about the new Facebook privacy policy today, and see all the trolls’ responses tomorrow.

It ain’t exactly privacy per se, but it’s pretty powerful stuff nonetheless.  At the end of the day, I strongly believe that the best privacy policy on the web is still the one you set up for yourself by watching what you post, where you post it and what gets said about it after you leave. However, if that’s too complicated for you, then just remember this simple rule: if you’re going to crash a White House dinner, don’t post photos of your uninvited self shaking hands with the president on Facebook. Unless, of course, your personal privacy policy involves a camera crew from Bravo and a hefty chunk of reality show change. In which case, I’ll see you on Thursdays at 10 in my living room.