Title: Reacting Ahead of Time
Abstract: What’s faster than O(1)? Step changes in performance and scalability come from paradigm changes rather than incremental optimizations. The inexorable march forward in “table stakes” product requirements has forced developers to explore ways to push computation from client to server, from runtime to buildtime, from fat SPAs to code-split frameworks. Cutting edge UX is exploring how to prefetch and cache resources intelligently, trading off memory usage for compute time. Lastly, DX has also been pushed forward with fascinating ideas from hot reloading to GraphQL. Where is all this taking us?
Details for Review:
- How will you start?
I need to track down an exact quote but the basic inspiration for this comes from a Google TGIF where either Larry or Sergey were asked about the lower bound for search response time. The expectation was that 0 seconds was a hard lower bound, but their response was surprising - why should 0 be a lower bound for response time? Once we start aiming for negative response times (i.e. predicting what you will need) we get very interesting solutions. The solution itself may not be extremely practical, but the paradigm shift that results from asking absurd questions like that can be very instructive!
- Content
This isn’t a web performance talk so much as a paradigm shift talk. What I see happening in the React and greater Javascript ecosystem is pushing around the center of gravity of compute and it is fascinating seeing the resulting practices and frameworks that rise up to help developers execute these ideas. I think the common thread is continually pushing computation to Ahead-of-Time where possible, and I’ve never seen anyone compare the related strategies people are taking toward this path.
I’ll keep the talk very frontend focused since that’s what the audience is most likely to care about.
Somewhere in the talk I will have to reference Outkast’s Hey Ya! and ask “what’s cooler than being cool?” The equivalent of “ice cold” for us is “blazing fast”, of course.
- What is your conclusion?
I don’t know my conclusion just yet - will spend some time researching and thinking about implications of current trends. Ideally I want to provide a list of fertile areas for developers to explore based on the trends we cover in the talk.
- If you have live demos, how will you make sure they go smoothly? No live demos, just gifs
Pitch:
This talk needs to happen because seeing common trends tying together the disparate pieces of news of frameworks and libraries popping up to solve DX and UX problems can be a helpful organizing mental model. It gives developers a common starting point to discuss paradigm shifts rather than incremental improvements. I am not the only right person but I’m -a- right person to give this talk because I absolutely love identifying current trends, putting them in context with our history, and identifying areas of opportunity. I’ve only spoken at React Rally before, but I am a frequent meetup speaker and am comfortable speaking.
Title: Learning React in Public
Abstract: Developers are used to the idea of constant learning, especially in the fast moving Javascript ecosystem. But how often do we take a step back from learning to consider -how- we learn? In this talk we explore how Learning in Public can accelerate your career, bring value to your professional network, and ultimately make you a better developer, with examples all drawn from personal experience with React.
Details for Review:
I think the idea that “soft” skills can feed back into “hard” skills is incredibly under explored. Since changing careers I have gradually found my way into a constant practice of Learning In Public, and publicly drafted an essay on how to do it. Since that went viral I’ve always wanted to do a talk on the successful things I did to accelerate my React learning as I have always offered advice piecemeal but never put in one place til now.
- What is your conclusion?
This is emphatically not a “boast about me” talk. I’m not even happy with my own learning. But the conclusion is that more people should Learn React in Public, because it is a powerful way to learn while giving back to the community. I believe this idea is bigger than I am, and I want people to take it and run with it and show -me- how it’s done. I believe everyone wins when they do this, but no altruism is required - it legitimately is the best way to learn even if you were the only human being left (although you may have bigger concerns than learning React at that point).
- If you have live demos, how will you make sure they go smoothly? No live demos.
Pitch:
I am the right person to give this talk because I have benefited a ton from Learning in Public and have applied it well to React even as a beginner. I also help run the 500+ Q&A a month thread on r/reactjs and often chat with bootcamp grads and self taught folks on how to get to the next level in their knowledge and career, and this is often the top non-technical concern on their minds.
This talk needs to happen because the React community is growing at least 50% a year so there is huge demand for advice on -how- to learn React, and folks are coming in from all sorts of backgrounds.
I’ve only spoken at React Rally before, but I am a frequent meetup speaker and am comfortable speaking.