Backstage is the BBC's developer network that encourages and supports UK developers in reusing BBC content. It provides access to data, feeds, and APIs under a license similar to CC non-commercial. Backstage has a new website and Idea Store for sharing development ideas. Recent events included building an RFID weather bot and sponsoring smaller tech events around the UK. The Homura open source games engine and Feeds Hub project were also discussed.

1. BBC Backstage 2009Rain Ashford, technologistBBC Research & development

2. Backstage is run by… Ian Forrester in Manchester Rain Ashford in London

3. What is Backstage and what go we get up to? the BBC’s developer network

4. encourage & support UK developers

5. a license similar to CC non-commercial

6. champion ‘open culture’ around the BBC, releasing data, feeds & APIs

7. a community We’ve a new and improved Backstage website/blog: http://welcomebackstage.comBlog now allows comments – we’d love to hear your feedback!

8. Idea Store http://ideas.welcomebackstage.com/ideatorrent/If you’ve got a great idea for re-using BBC content – share it!You can: vote, comment comment, get help and watch ideas grow!

9. Open Lab – a sister site for Backstagehttp://backstage.bbc.co.uk/openlab/For teachers, learners, students, developers - anyone with an idea for a learning resource wanting to develop it into a prototype.

10. BBC Micro for the 21st CenturyThe recent 25th anniversary of the BBC Micro set us thinking about what it would take to create something as amazing today.

11. BBC Micro: a bit of background…in the 80's BBC Education the "BBC Computer Literacy Project” was started in response to a BBC documentary called "The Mighty Micro”

12. BBC approached Sinclair, Dragon, Acorn & others, but the Acorn Proton came out as best

13. although the BBC Micro was quite expensive compared to the Spectrum and the Commodore 64, 1.5 million Micros were sold and also 400,000 books

14. Appeared in schools all over the UK from 1982

15. 4 ‘BBC’ models (Model A, B, B+64 and B+128) 8 later (Master & Archemedies

16. built-in ROM-resident BBC BASIC programming languageBBC Micro: fast forward to the twentyfirstcenturyrecent 25th anniversary of the BBC Micro

17. stats indicate CompSci course applications are dwindling

18. UK is becoming a services nation rather than building products for its consumers

19. how we can and should handle vast amounts of data if we don’t own, understand or have access to the systems that control it?

20. How do we get people to become interested in the fundamentals of computing and hardware rather than just accepting the consumer goods?BBC Micro: stuff to get excited about!better time than ever to get access to free resources and tutorials

21. culture of throwaway tech means lots to pull apart & play with

22. mash-up culture means getting into electronics /coding much more *ahem* socially acceptable

23. Arduinos, motors, sensors and other kit are easily availble

24. Homebrew gaming: Pandora, GP2x, etc

25. groups like dorkbot & events such as Maker Faire taking offMaker Faire UK, Newcastlehttp://bbcweatherbot.blogspot.com/The first Maker Faire came to the UK in March, we took demos to show & did some hardware hacking of our own.