Our next meeting (and last of 2010) will be on Dec. 8 at the Austin American-Statesman, 6:30-8:30pm. This meeting seeks to bridge the gap between journalists and programmers by explaining some of the terms and techniques of each field. Mattt Thompson, a hacker at Gowalla, will untangle and demystify some of the finer points of the programmer craft. And Matt Stiles of the Texas Tribune will talk about newsroom lingo and processes. So, if you don't know the difference between a programming language and a framework, or if you have no idea what a nut graph is, this is the meeting for you.

Says Thompson: "Journalists and programmers share a lot in common: late nights at the keyboard, an obsession with grid systems, a love of data and information...heck, even the beloved aphorism 'hack.' But as we know, it can be a challenge to get them on the same page. This talk aims to bridge that gap, by getting the newsroom up to speed on the parlance and techniques of the techies."

We'll also talk about the vast amounts and kinds of data available online, covering topics like APIs, feeds, and formats. Finally, we'll take a look at some cool ways these technologies are combined, and how they can be integrated into journalism processes.

Food and drink will be provided (although this meeting will be non-alcoholic). But, we can plan to head to a local watering hole right after. So, before the holidays kick in, let's get one more meeting under our belts with big plans for Hacks/Hackers in 2011.

Be sure to RSVP. Let me know if you have any questions. Hope to see you on the 8th.
Cindy