Happy Ada Lovelace Day!

An illustration inspired by the A. E. Chalonportrait created for the Ada Initiative, which supports open technology and women.

Ada Lovelace is touted as the first computer programmer, and a female one at that. On Ada Lovelace Day we aim to raise the profile of women in science and technology.

How can you get involved?

• Spread the word via social media
• Link to some interesting articles on Ada Lovelace Day
• Support the Ada Initiative
• Join the Anita Borg Institute
• Have a celebration at your company or local women's interest groups
• Take some time to think about the battles for equality still faced by professional women
• Celebrate the technical women in your life

Insert Coin(s) Retro Gaming night!

Like games? Like Music? Course you do! Oxford Art Factory is putting on another round of Insert Coin(s) an event for the adult gamer.

Attendees pay just $10 for a night of retro gaming (tabletop, pinball and standing arcade units) and the latest gaming titles). DJs will spin a blend of 80s, 90s and modern rock and upcoming Aussie band Glass Towers will take to the main stage.

The series will also showcase modern gaming favourites and upcoming games from leading publishers, giving gamers and casual fans a chance to sample the latest titles ahead of release.

Co-founder Patrick Kolan adds, "We were overwhelmed by the success and sheer fun of the first Insert Coin(s). It was an insanely fun night, pure and simple. Old school and casual gamers, music and art fans mingled with the retro and new games and there were a lot of red eyes the next day in Sydney."

A custom 80s-style milk bar, built into the venue, will serve alcoholic milkshakes and there will be free candy and surprises all night! Doors open at 6pm.

As arcades become a rarity, nights like Insert Coin(s) give a new generation a taste of yesteryear - but with the edge of 'cool' that patrons have come to expect from the team at Oxford Art Factory.

Pinball machines including - Addams Family, Fish Tales, Back to the Future, World Cup Soccer, Terminator 2 + Getaway, classic arcade games Pacman, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Frogger, Space Invaders + more, Tekken 5, Marvel Vs Capcom, Raiden Fighters Jet, Street Fighter 2, Metal Slug X, Simpsons, King of Fighters, Wonderboy, Shinobi, Double Dragon and more!

Oxford Art Factory, NSW

Buy Tickets on Moshtix
Thu 10 Nov, 2011
06:00 PM


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University of NSW CS Revue: Hack to the Future!

The University of NSW Computer Science students put on an annual "revue" which is an annual sketch comedy show incorporating dancing, singing, sketches videos and all things funny! With our roots in Computer Science and Engineering, the show delivers a fresh, innovative take on comedy.

This year it's Hack to the Future!

Since 2002, CSE Revue has proven to be a hit with a wide range of audiences, leaving everyone awed by the special effects, slick videos, exciting set design and our commitment to make them laugh.

Great scott! This year, CSE Revue is hacking to the future! So relax, grab a bunch of friends and come for an all round good night! Get your tickets fast, or you'll be outta time!

Details

Week 9 - Tuesday 20th to Friday 23rd September
Please be there by 7:20pm (Doors open at 7.30pm)
UNSW Science Theatre, 400 metres along the Main Walkway from the Anzac Pde Gates.
Adults $15, Students/Staff $12 and Arc Members $10.

Book tickets online.


View CSE Revue 2010 - Pacman: The Dark Byte in a larger map

Love your Sysadmin like they love your systems on SysAdmin Appreciation Day!

Sometimes their jokes can be a little left of field, and sometimes you roll the dice and hope you haven't hired a Bastard Operator From Hell, but SysAdmins do a lot of hardwork in the hours that you and I don't want to be working.

This Friday is SysAdmin Appreciation day, so why not take some time out to appreciate your under appreciated, late night keyboard jockeys and 24/7 on call saviours?

Buy them a slab of caffeinated drinks, an unusual Rubik's cube, a bottle of good Scotch whiskey, even that weird old computer you've had at the back of your cupboard for 10 years will probably make their eyes light up. Later remember safe and warm in your bed at 3am that it's not you on call that night out in the cold with blinking terminals peering out at you.

http://www.sysadminday.com/

Missed Girl Geek Dinners at Google Sydney? Watch the speeches on YouTube

Recently I was involved in helping run a Girl Geek Dinner event at the Google Sydney office and we had an overwhelming response and a great night. It even made the official Google Australia blog!

If you weren't able to attend or watch the Livestream you might be interested to know that both the key note speech from Mary Gardiner from the Ada Initiative and lightning talks from some of our female Google software engineers and the organiser of Girl Geek Dinners are available on YouTube. Apparently I'm in them, complete with bad jokes.

Keynote:



Lightning Talks:



Love this? Live in Sydney? Come to our next event! You can read all about Girl Geek Dinners on the official blog.

It's like Christmas for geeks: Free Comic Book day

This Saturday the 7th of May is Free Comic Book Day!

It's the best day to be a geek, local comic book stores hold events and attract custom supporting your local small business. It's a great day to dress up, hang out around other geeks, visit your comic book shop and catch u p on your favourite graphic novels.

There'll be free promotional items to be given out, sometimes you get special editions and one of a kind items on the day, or if you're lucky there might be an artist or writer at your local store.

To top things off in Sydney there's the added bonus of all paid comics being an additional 20% off at Kinokuniya including manga and special editions and Kings Comics will be having its annual sale to coincide.

Why not make it a day out and meet up with some of your nerdier mates after you've shopped your heart out for a drink and to compare purchases and freebies, it's one of my favourite days of the year!

Terry Pratchett at the Sydney Opera House

Fantasy fans take note Terry Pratchett is coming to Sydney to speak at the Sydney Opera House in his talk 'Sir Terry Pratchett: Imagination, not Intelligence, Made us Human'


Pratchett will be interviewed by local adolescent fantasy author Garth Nix and they will be taking questions from fans and the audience. Pratchett is best known for his epic work on the Discworld novels and related graphic novels, cartoons and TV films. His work is so far reaching that he was knighted in 2009 for his contribution to English literature. 


The show is on at the Opera House on the 17th of April, a continuation of incredibly popular pop culture talks that the Sydney Opera House has conducted including Neil Gaiman, Stephen Fry and Kevin Smith. 


Tickets are only $30 and still available from the Opera House website, they're also conducting a competition to meet Pratchett in the flesh and have him personalise a book. Purchase tickets to be in the draw.

Girl Geek Dinners Sydney is back

The first major event for the year is booked in for March 10th at UTS.

To help celebrate International Women’s Day we have organised a fun-filled event full of tech talks and a special section on softer skills as requested by some of you last year.

Technical talks:

• Recent cyber attacks and information security
• Pia Waugh will be coming from Canberra to discuss the National Broadband Network
• OzGDI Jscript teacher Cathy 

Career and soft skills:

• Salary negotiation: Find out what you are worth and get it
• Smash the glass ceiling: What has really worked for Lynn Kraus, partner at Ernst & Young (with a Q&A so have your questions ready)
• Coaching: Emily Baxter, girl geek turned life coach will give a short talk

What: Girl Geek Dinner
Where: Aerial UTS Function Centre, level 7, UTS building 10. Enter at 235 Jones St, Ultimo Foyer, take the lift to level 7.
When: Thursday 10 March 2011. Talks start at 6:30 but don’t miss the nibbles and drinks first from 6pm!

More at: http://www.girlgeeksydney.com/