Portland startups, open source, and tech news, jobs, and events #pdx
A few weeks back, I put out a call for Portland startups and projects to get up on stage at the first Demolicious of 2011. And as luck would have it, there were a ton of awesome responses. Trouble is, we only had five spots available. And picking which five was tough.
But now, the selection is done. So all that’s left is your heading to Demolicious this Wednesday at Backspace, watching the awesome demos, and helping select a crowd favorite. Read More
You know me. I like the startups. And while those startups can sometimes have the potential to be big ol’ companies, sometimes a tech startup can be a one person venture. When? When it’s a startup that is a single developer moving into the realm of freelancing.
But where to start? What to do? What the hell? Well, local freelance developer Peat Bakke has some answers. And he’d like to share his insights. I mean, if you’re interested and stuff. Read More
Whenever there’s inclement weather in Portland, the news crew frenzy is only eclipsed by the social media frenzy. #pdxtst springs into action. People are reporting a flake here and an icicle there. Reports come in from all over.
But something else interesting happens. Portland Mayor Sam Adams and other public officials start coordinating communications via social media. The public sector starts engaging folks online. And that’s pretty cool. But should it take a crisis for that to happen? That’s what the first #140conf in the northwest—#140confnw—is going to explore in May. Read More
Well just ask Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke whose somewhat spastic video for “Lotus Flower” has become the latest rage for humorous mashups.
If there is one thing the Internet has in bushels, it’s snark. Release something that is ripe for lampooning and rest assured, the folks on the Web will take full advantage of it. Don’t believe me? Well just ask Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke whose somewhat spastic video for “Lotus Flower” has become the latest rage for humorous mashups.
But how is one to track all of these parodies? Well, leave it to Portland ingenuity. Introducing Get Down Thom. Read More
[HTML3]Okay. I may be a little overly fond of calling Portland the “de facto hub of open source.” I mean, we play host to OSCON and Open Source Bridge. We’ve got a very active open source community. Our fair city has opened up its data to let people hack to their hearts’ content. And we’re home to a bevvy of open source types like Steve Holden and, yes, Linus Torvalds. Heck, we even have open source based companies like Puppet Labs that are getting funded. And some of the most influential folks on Github Read More
Pitching your startup. It ain’t easy. And it takes practice. But there are only so many times you can talk to yourself in the mirror. Or ask your cat to sit still and listen intently. Besides, let’s be honest. Your cat’s feedback? Suspect. At best.
That’s why there’s Pitch Club. So you can practice your pitch in front of other people who have been standing in front of the mirror a lot, too. Just head on over to PIE, this Thursday at 6:30 PM. Read More
Did you know that the OTBC (@otbc) wants to invite you over to their place in Beaverton for cocktails on Wednesday?
Just wondering, since the RSVP list is pretty short right now. Maybe you missed the announcement, or you got busy and forgot. It happens.
Let’s not get into the whole, it’s too far debate. The OTBC can be reached by MAX and bus, and for many of you, it’s on the way home.
So, enough with the excuses.
When it comes to running a startup in Portland, one of the most common misconceptions has to be the “it’s impossible to raise money in Portland” one. Now, it’s not easy. But it’s not impossible.
How do I know? Well, because people have been raising money. Even in this economy. And on Tuesday, Starveups is going to let some of those money raising folks share their stories. What’s more, they’d like you to come hear them. Read More
Steve Holden, a staunch proponent of open source and one of the leading folks in the community surrounding the Python open source programming language. And guess what? He lives in Portland now, too.
When it comes to describing the Portland tech scene—and I’ll admit I’m more guilty of this than most—it’s championed as the de facto hub of the open source community. I mean, OSCON and Open Source Bridge are held here. Our open source user group activity is off the charts. And, tired or not, we’ll always play the Linus Torvalds card.
But there’s still more to be done. And last night, someone challenged the entire town to do more. Who? Steve Holden, a staunch proponent of open source and one of the leading folks in the community surrounding the Python open source programming language. And guess what? He lives in Portland now, too.
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Make an 8-bit version of the Safari Web browser, of course. Or at least that’s what Panic’s Neven Mrgan has done. And now, you can experience yourself. With Pixelfari.
Now the folks at Portland-based Panic are known as a pretty creative bunch, churning out awesome Mac software that both delights and amazes folks on a regular basis. But when you have the opportunity do all that good work during your day job, what’s one to do with free time?
Make an 8-bit version of the Safari Web browser, of course. Or at least that’s what Panic’s Neven Mrgan has done. With Pixelfari. Read More