Wednesday, December 28, 2011

A big crowd for Baltimore #TechBreakfast @ETC in Canton

This morning is the Baltimore Tech Breakfast at the Emerging Technology Center in Canton - Baltimore, MD.

We have a packed house for the Show and Tell.

Original

The morning kicks off with a fellow Ski Instructor and developer, Shea Frederick, talking about:

Baltimore Open Data

Using the Socrata Open Data API  - http://data.baltimorecity.gov. A couple of hundred datasets are available.

Examples of data sets:
- Employee Salaries
- Parking Citations
- Liquor Licenses
- Crime Reports
- Property Taxes

Files and Documents:
- Building Footprints
- Neighborhood Outlines
- Flood planes
- Street Centerlines
- Vacant Properties

The data api allows simple searches:

XML and JSON data is returned.

Get an API Key by registering. This allows access to complex searches.

The update frequency of the data depends on the datasets. 

The City is receptive to suggestions for new data sets to add.

XML Fat - Content Management System

Matt Sax  - Info AT XMLFAT {dot} com

A web-based XML-based Content Management System.

Target cost is less than $100/year.

- Data can be kept where you want it.
- Reformat to XML and re-format to present it.

uses. csv, xml or json as data sources.

No custom API needed for development.

Shared Code Repository. Developers of code and modules can be released as needed.

Very simple and powerful interface. The example of a calendar module uses a simple javascript variable to display a calendar. The system can reference widgets available on the Internet. 

The CMS system can be extended via an API. 

The target audience is web developers that understand javascript.

Primary engine is in C, originally in Perl. The CMS can run standalone as well as web-based.

Vertically integrated hardware and software company focused on "New Space" which includes companies like Virgin Galactic. 
Hardware and software solutions.

They are developing a high performance Space Suit for use in Space Diving.

General Discussion Portion of the event - How are you promoting your business

ParkingPanda.com - the "AirBnB of parking"

LocalUP -EatBMore.com

- Flyers 
- SEO
- Press - is free and creates recognition. 
- Marketing people follow Press/Journalists on Twitter. Re-tweet them. 

Gus Sentementes gets a shout out as a great local tech journalist. 

Write a great pitch document for journalists to use. 

Tech Cocktail is a great contact.. 

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