Hello Codetown!

News Flash - Codetown is on Facebook here. We'll post links to articles, blog posts, media, and new items in general on our Codetown Facebook page.

We'll also post links to interesting articles outside Facebook.

What's the point of having a Facebook presence for Codetown? It's all about the Web2.0 phenomenon. Yes, we want you to visit Codetown dot us. But, the whole idea behind the interactive web is hyperlinks and interaction. So, Facebook has some advantages. Call it economies of scale. Face it, Facebook has the largest demographic, is the largest network and has more features than any other online community.

We can learn a lot by paying attention to what Mark and co. do with the Facebook architecture.

How about Google +? Yes, we should propagate Codetown to every community on the web. For starters, though we'll focus on Facebook as our outside portal.

So, please visit the Codetown Facebook page and "Like" it. Then, please invite your friends.

Because this is all about power in numbers.

Let me tell you a little story. Way back when I was a pup, I worked on a big software development project with a huge team. I learned a lot. One day, I discovered there was a problem in the SDLC that nobody could figure out. I knew right away there was a path to take in solving it that hadn't been tried. This was back when the web was new. I posted the question on a bulletin board. Right away, someone suggested an answer. So, I told the team lead on my project...

A few days later, I got a call from the department secretary. She said my director wanted to see me in his office. Now, it may be obvious to you after reading this vignette why he wanted to see me. But, to me it was a mystery. I straightened my tie, gathered my composure and walked down the long hall to his office.

I gently knocked on the door, walked in and saw that there was my director, my manager and my team lead. And, the director said "Michael, please sit down."

I sat down. I looked up at these three people who had so much control over my destiny. The director looked at me and asked "Michael, do you know why we asked you to meet with us?"

I answered, "No."

My director said "You are aware that we've had a show stopper on this project that has delayed it, correct?"

I answered, "Yes."

I searched my memory and wondered what I might have done to attract their attention. I thought the only thing might have been to go outside the group with that question. Because, that risks making the group look bad. Nobody wants to look stupid.

But, I had posed the question as though it came from me, not the group. And, the answer came right away without any flames. It seemed innocuous. But, I was a little nervous.

My director said "Michael, we want to thank you. Your approach to solving the problem worked. And, the answer the person in Australia provided solved the problem."

I breathed a sigh of relief. My next thought was "Can I go now...?"

But, that didn't happen. What happened was my director reached across to the phone and called the secretary in. He asked her to give me the envelope.

I reached out and took the envelope from her. My director gestured to me to open it. I opened the envelope. In it was another envelope from a bank stuffed full of money. 

My director said "Michael, we want to thank you for thinking outside the box. The best way we can think to thank you is with money, so please accept this as a gesture of our gratitude. Take your wife out to dinner, celebrate, do something nice for yourself. Because you and your idea about posting that showstopper problem on the web helped us through a rough time on this project. A time so bad, that not solving the problem would have cost far more than this spot bonus."

I looked at all three of my "management" and smiled. About then, I decided I was ready to stop waiting to be invited to the party and start throwing my own.

But, that's another story!

We want Codetown to be a place where you can ask questions and learn that you don't have to know everything. You just have to surround yourself with people who do. And, that takes numbers. It takes community.

So, please "like" our Facebook page. Invite your friends to join Codetown. Post questions and discoveries on your Codetown blog and in the Discussions. Upload media. Let's make Codetown a place to hone our craft.

All the best,

Mike

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Codetown/263235253744