The ColdFusion Podcast Roundup: Thursday June 8, 2006

Jun 11, 2006

Helms and Peters - Out Loud
Episode 26: Groupthink (49:02)
Release Date: 03 June 2006
Hal Helms and Jeff Peters

ColdFusion Weekly
Version 1.11: CFQuery Call-in Edition (1:01:59)
Release Date: 04 June 2006
Matt Woodward and Peter Farrell

Helms and Peters Out Loud: Episode 26: Groupthink

If you ask a ColdFusion developer what he or she likes about working with ColdFusion day to day, there's a better-than-average chance that one of the more common answers will be the sense of community.

We are a tight-knit community, and the sharing of information (be it via mailing lists, blogs, podcasts, etc) is prevalent. One could spend hours each day just taking in the wealth of information that the community makes readily available. In Episode 26 of Helms and Peters Out Loud, Hal and Jeff let us know that this is actually a double-edged sword.

Back in the "old days" (anybody remember 2004?), learning took place primarily through structured, instructor-led courses, or via books that were written by knowledgeable authors and (hopefully) carefully edited. Today, anybody can blog. Anybody can air a podcast. It's easy to take what we read at face value and treat it as gospel. Hal and Jeff observe that this creates the potential for many of us to write... POO (pseudo object oriented code).

A blogger who believes that he or she has grasped certain OO concepts may write a blog entry that sounds great to an aspiring OO person. In reality, it may not be truly Object-Oriented code or follow basic OO principles. Yet the community at large may read this and accept it as being right. Eventually, this mindset proliferates and as a community... we're all writing POO.

Neither Hal nor Jeff imply that blogs are inherently bad. This would do a disservice to those community members who spend their valuable time writing blog entries that are meant to help others. The simple point that Hal and Jeff make is that above all else, we have an obligation to not take what we read at face value. Read it, but don't assume it's the "right way." Rather take the ball and run with it. Test the concepts that have been put forth. Examine them closely. Make the determination for yourself as to whether or not this is "the way." Question everything.

If you question that which has been presented, you may find ways to improve it. You might come up with a better way, and you can then make the community aware of what you've learned. Besides preventing the spread of misinformation, you can assist in teaching others and contribute to the community as well.

Our community is special and I do believe that it's a large part of what sets us apart from users of other technologies. But it's about a constant and ongoing sharing of information -- a critical debate and exchange of ideas -- rather than a blind acceptance of all ideas presented within the community. Helms and Peters illustrate this very nicely in Episode 26, and explain how we can all do our parts to ensure that the community continues to grow through proper education.

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ColdFusion Weekly: Version 1.11: CFQuery Call-in Edition

Version 1.11 of ColdFusion Weekly is the kind of episode that I think Matt and Peter had been hoping to do for quite some time?a "virtually live" call in show.

Matt and Peter have dropped frequent not-so-subtle hints during previous versions that they'd like more involvement from their listeners. Skype is preferred, but e-mail will do. They asked for it, they got it, and they're giving it to us.

I've enjoyed past episodes of this podcast (and others) where they've focused on a single subject (be it frameworks, a specific framework, Flex, etc.). I wasn't sure how I'd feel about an episode that bounced around among various topics. In the end, it worked out very well. I wouldn't want to see the "single subject" episodes eliminated, but I certainly wouldn't mind seeing more "Call-In Edition" episodes here and there.

The single subject show allows Matt and Peter to spend more time and go further in depth on the subject matter. However, the call-in show allows them to present a wider variety of subject matter, which could potentially appeal to a wider audience.

The (virtual) interactivity between the callers and Matt and Peter adds a nice dimension to the show. One caller in particular got quite creative with his call, which only added to the overall entertainment value.

The four calls in Version 11 (one of them snuck in during the CFReport, but we'll count it anyway), filled up the time nicely. The questions were answered relatively quickly, but still thoroughly enough to satisfy. (There were technically 5 calls, but one was obviously meant to advertise the CFUnited podcasts).

Whether there will be more shows of this nature in the future largely depends on whether Matt and Peter receive a sufficient number of calls. Their Skype number is 469.293.3820 (also found on their Web page at http://www.coldfusionweekly.com/). Making the call might be a good idea. It won't cost you a dime, and will help ensure that we get to enjoy more call-in themed shows in the future.

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