ADVISOR: You're presenting a session called "DRY FileMaker: Techniques to Keep Scripts Error-Free and Manageable." What are the most important skills DevCon attendees will take away from that session?
Geoff Coffey
Six Fried Rice
Geoff Coffey is co-owner of Six Fried Rice where he writes about, teaches, and builds software with FileMaker Pro. He is also coauthor of the acclaimed FileMaker Pro 9: The Missing Manual, the best selling book about FileMaker Pro from O'Reilly Media, and a technical editor and contributor to Advisor Basics of FileMaker Pro journal. Geoff specializes in Web application development, and has been publishing FileMaker data on the Web for 13 years. He has an MBA from Arizona State University and a degree in Computer Science from Northern Arizona University.
GEOFF: The goal of the session is to expose attendees to ideas and approaches that will keep their databases running more smoothly, with fewer problems, for longer. Those are lofty goals, and there are no silver bullets here. But even a few choice concepts can really make a substantial difference, especially when you're dealing with complex systems, hands-free automation, or multi-developer teams. A system that isn't fragile and that's easy to maintain is the difference between a lifetime of happiness and way too many late nights wishing you were in the pizza business.
ADVISOR: What's the most surprising/interesting/useful piece of technical information attendees will learn in your sessions?
GEOFF: It's hard to pick just one. I'll be exploring a concept called "Don't Repeat Yourself" or DRY for short. I'll start with a set of seemingly well designed scripts, and rework them with DRY in mind in several passes. Each time through, the scripts get better, hidden repetition fades away, and a new layer of applicability emerges. It can be very enlightening
ADVISOR: What other sessions are you looking forward to attending? Why?
GEOFF: I always look forward to the Under the Hood sessions. They are super enlightening ... and worth the price of admission alone.
"It's a four-day high, followed by a major sleep-craving crash and I wouldn't trade it for the world."
ADVISOR: What is your favorite DevCon "networking" (i.e., fun!) activity? Please try to keep it G-Rated!
GEOFF: I'm a pretty boring person, and I live a G-Rated life :) The sense of community is amazing at DevCon. People helping people, sharing ideas, and arguing the finer points of FileMaker while floating around the Lazy River in 110° heat. It doesn't get any better than that! Seriously, there are so many fun activities, and so much energy, it's hard to pin down a favorite. It's a four-day high, followed by a major sleep-craving crash and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Come meet Geoff Coffey at this year's FileMaker DevCon. You won't want to miss his sessions on keeping your FileMaker scripts error-free and manageable, and custom Web publishing using Ruby on Rails.