Event

During the OpenJS World open Keynote discussion, Anna Lytical deconstructs the world around them to create entertaining and educational coding tutorials. Anna Lytical is “a sickeningly entertaining and educational” drag queen specializing in technical education content creation. 

In this conversation, Anna highlights the parallels between a drag makeup look and coding. For example, in code the cost of importing a package could make your applications slower, larger or more confusing to contribute. While in make-up, it can take a lot of physical space to store. Anna uses a diagram of an eye to illustrate the grid and they use this diagram to help make it easier to understand code. In order to explain how the application of purple eyeshadow on the crease can be converted into a more polished look, they help to elucidate this by creating a new function. In this, they take two areas in the function to be their input, and they’ll get their color by adding new strings. The coding on the right side of the video directly corresponds with all the steps needed to create this make-up look.

Additionally, Anna explains what the Learning Ladder is and how they view the path of someone becoming a great engineer as a ladder. They talk about how sometimes the steps seem clear but the rungs seem to be too far apart. Sometimes people don’t always climb the standard ladder to a Computer Science career because they sometimes don’t have all the knowledge needed to take those steps. Anna explains that this is where their content comes in as it helps to bridge those gaps. 

Anna takes something people know, whether it is make-up, drag or JavaScript code and they combine it with something new by drawing connections and making it relatable to the viewers and their experiences. Anna nicely demonstrates how coding can be just as creative as make-up can be.

OpenJS World Full Video Here

Broken down by section:

Introduction 0:01

Understanding Drag 0:33

Cost of importing a package 2:58

The eye 3:18

Completed Make-up look and code 8:03

The Learning Ladder 9:23

Anna Lytical Courses 10:30

Closing comments 12:42

Thank you Anna Lytical for showing us the creative side of coding in a super entertaining way!

OpenJS World Keynote Series: The Roaring Twenties for JavaScript

During the OpenJS World Welcome Keynote, Robin Bender Ginn, Executive Director of the OpenJS Foundation, and Todd Moore, Vice President of Open Technology and Developer Advocacy at IBM, discussed JavaScript and the importance of diversity, the effect of the pandemic on the JavaScript ecosystem and gave updates on some of the many the projects hosted by the OpenJS Foundation

Ginn started the Keynote discussion by drawing a parallel to the roaring 1920’s to the 2020’s and highlighted how both were dramatic decades of change. During the conversation, Ginn and Moore shed light on how the presence of systemic bias in the tech industry can be a hindrance in the growth of JavaScript. Both the keynote speakers were hopeful that this bias could be overcome in the years to come. They highlighted OpenJS’ efforts to create a diverse and varied stakeholder community, while also recognizing there is a long way to go and steps like putting more structure around DEI programs helps bridge that gap.

The on-going pandemic has led to a sharp rise in online commerce and the digital delivery of healthcare and education. JavaScript was the key tool behind this. For example, Netflix, an end-user and contributor to the Node.js project, saw a heavier reliance on its IT infrastructure during the pandemic.

In their closing thoughts, both the speakers agreed that Node.js was key to many companies’ growth because its maintainers ensure that it is neutral and diverse in nature. Ginn and Moore also reiterated the importance of the role open-source plays in speeding up innovation and acts as a force for good in global economies. 

OpenJS World Welcome Keynote Full video here
Broken down by section:
Member introduction 0:04
Systemic bias in the tech industry 2:19
Members 3:08
Pandemic and its effect on the 3:51
A closer look at Netflix’s Open Source Software 4:09
Milestones from OpenJS Project Communities 5:06
Project Graduation 7:01
Collaboration Network 8:31
NodeJS Certification Program 10:43
New Individual Supporter Program 11:33
Neutrality and the role foundations play 12:26
Leading Standard Development Orgs 15:00
Why is IBM contributing to the OpenJS Foundation 16:47
Closing thoughts and call to action 17:06