VarnaConf 2012
Developers Conference
Hackerspaces in Bulgaria, and the
sexy ways to learn something really
essential

Agenda
• Hacker phenomenon explained
• Hackerspace – what's the deal in here
• Hackerspaces in Bulgaria
• Hackerspaces and enterpreneurship
• Trainings in hackerspaces – the essence
• Q&A / Contacts / Resources and anything
else

Hacker's definition
In media => "someone who tries to break into
computers"
In reality => "a clever programmer“
Reality examples
• Someone who enjoys learning details of a programming language or a system;
• Someone who enjoys doing the programming rather than the theory of it;
• Someone capable of appreciating someone else's hacking;
• Someone who picks up programming quickly;
• Someone who is an expert at a particular programming language or system;

Hackerspace definition
“ A hackerspace or hackspace (also referred to as a
hacklab, makerspace or creative space) is a location where
people with common interests, often in computers,
technology, science, digital or electronic art (but also in
many other realms) can meet, socialise and/or collaborate.
Hackerspaces can be viewed as open community labs
incorporating elements of machine shops, workshops
and/or studios where hackers can come together to share
resources and knowledge to build and make things.”

Hackerspace keywords
• Physical space;
• Computers, technology, systems;
• Socialization;
• Collaboration;
• Hackers (clever programmers);

What's in?

What's in?
Why you no eat pancakes?

Yes, friends, and beer too :)

Hackerspaces in Bulgaria
varna lab - Varna
Init Lab - Sofia
OpenLabBG - Plovdiv

varna lab
Go and find them today! :)
e-mail: varna-lab@googlegroups.com
twitter: @varnalab
irc: irc.freenode.net #varnalab
address: Pencho Slaveykov Str. 50
url: http://www.varnalab.org

Hackerspaces &
Enterpreneurship
Remember the hacker?
➔ Clever programmer
➔ Enjoys learning constantly
➔ Want to do things, rather than talk about them
➔ Can-do mentality
➔ Keen on collaborating and socializing
➔ Keen on innovation
➔Hackerspaces nourish enterpreneurship.

Some examples, in Bulgaria
• Allied Assets
• CampLight
• Fonii
• Future Schools
• Game Craft
• Shtrak!
• And many others ;)

Trainings in hackerspaces
• Trainings in hackerspaces are a
natural way to develop the startup
ecosystem in Bulgaria
• Experts give out proven knowledge
• Ambitious individuals receive
essential knowledge on a practical
topic

The past and the future
The past The future
• iOS • Electronics
development • PHP advanced
• PHP • HTML5
• Symphony • Drupal theming
• WordPress
• WordPress
• HTML and CSS
• Drupal
• Many others
• HTML and CSS

Trainers
• Share knowledge, raise awareness
• Popularize their names
• Create/Hire professionals for their business
• Prove authority in a given topic
• Improve presentation skills
Fight over the biggest human fear :P

Trainees
• Receive real knowledge, from professionals that
really practice their preach
• Learn the essentials faster
• Find a project/job if performing good in course
• Get enthused from the hackerspace
environment, become member and do it all
• Become trainers themselves!

Resources
• Recordings around Bulgarian
hackerspaces
• Hackerspaces potential in Bulgaria
• startupbulgaria.com
The pefect scene ;)
=> hackerdojo.com

Contacts
Kalin Chernev
T: @kalinchernev
E: kalata@shtrak.eu
B: http://shtrak.eu/kalata