Enthusiasts of Software: Powers of Community Gathering Points 🦾
Software communities have contributed to the advancement of the digital world by enhancing themselves and fostering collaborative opportunities. In communities of developers, they’ve opened avenues for keeping up with the rapid technological changes and facilitating the sharing of knowledge. There has been an increase in the number of software communities in Turkey, especially during the pandemic period. I’ve had the opportunity to manage software communities in three different institutions. In this article, I’ll share both my observations and the significance of software communities worldwide.
1950s and 1960s: The foundations of software communities were laid in the 1950s as computer science began to develop. At that time, computers were expensive and rare, so these communities were often small groups of academics, computer scientists, and engineers. During this period, communities focused on sharing knowledge and discussions about methods and practices in software development began to form.
1970s and 1980s: During this period, software communities continued to grow and diversify. Particularly with the advent of open-source operating systems like UNIX and programming languages like C, communities were formed to share information and resources. These communities facilitated communication through online forums like USENET, bulletin boards, and physical meetings.
1990s: With the rise of the internet, software communities expanded further. The open-source software movement gained significant momentum during this period. Large projects like Linux brought together thousands of developers worldwide. Additionally, communication tools such as online forums, mailing lists, and IRC channels were developed for various programming languages, frameworks, and tools.
From the 2000s to the present: Software communities expanded to cover a wide range of topics beyond open-source software. Platforms like GitHub made code sharing and collaboration even more accessible. Sites like Stack Overflow provide developers with a platform to come together, solve problems, and share knowledge.
In Turkey, with the widespread use of the Internet from the early 2000s, Turkish-language software forums, groups, and blogs began to emerge on online platforms. These platforms enabled the sharing of knowledge and discussions related to software development in Turkish content.
🛎️Why Should We Join a Software Community?
The golden rule in software communities is ‘sharing.’ It revolves around storytelling experiences, transferring knowledge that allows a community to grow together, meeting peers, teaching and learning from one another, inspiring and being inspired, and fostering collaboration and innovation. I’ll share these points based on my own experiences. Let’s dive in!
While you’ve presented a compelling narrative around your experiences and a sharing-focused approach, there are a few areas where your expressions could be clearer.
Knowledge and Experience Sharing
When I attended the Data Science Bootcamp by Kodluyoruz for Social Benefit, it was my first experience being part of a software community. Program assistants were volunteering in other boot camps after graduating from the program. Every week, besides the instructors, they voluntarily shared their knowledge and experiences. Throughout the bootcamp, assistants and students were eager to share information, and that left a profound impression on me. This experience sparked my journey into community management. I conveyed my knowledge and experience not in a professional capacity, but with the spirit of volunteering.
While providing training on topics like interview simulations, CV preparation, LinkedIn usage, and personal development, I shared what I knew. Friends within the community also consistently took the microphone, sharing what they knew.
I have always shared my knowledge and experiences in communities and in my one-on-one relationships. As Bill Gates said, ‘If you allow someone to teach you, you can one day become their teacher.’ This thought has formed the basis of my sharing philosophy.
Networking
One of the most commonly encountered concepts in communities is ‘networking.’ Building relationships with people may be more crucial than any other skill because each person you meet can offer a different perspective. These relationships can evolve into friendships, business connections, or partnerships that can benefit you in various ways in the future. Establishing strong relationships is always essential.
Learning Opportunities
It’s crucial to engage in both online and physical community events to acquire knowledge about new technologies, programming languages, or development tools. Additionally, they can offer the chance for one-on-one mentorship.
Inspiration and Motivation
Being visible within a community and having your voice heard can be your greatest source of motivation. In this environment, you draw inspiration from participants or leaders, later becoming an inspiration to others. Inspiration and motivation reflect the power of interactions within a community and can be a significant driving force for many individuals.
Project Collaboration
Communities often provide opportunities to collaborate on joint projects. These collaborative environments foster the emergence of new and innovative ideas, allowing contributions to open-source projects or the chance to develop new projects together. Especially, these examples showcase how such collaborations can yield powerful and creative outcomes.
• Larry Page and Sergey Brin (Google): They met as doctoral students at Stanford University and began working on search engine technology. Their work culminated in the founding of Google and a revolutionary development in search engine technology.
• Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams (Twitter): They came together to found Twitter and introduced the concept of microblogging to the world.
In today’s environment, platforms like GitHub, Product Hunt, and Stack Overflow provide spaces where developers can share their projects, collaborate, and refine their ideas. Open-source projects created on these platforms allow contributions from many individuals, aiding the emergence of new ventures or technological innovations.
Staying Current
The software world is constantly evolving, and communities serve as fantastic resources for keeping up with these changes. They provide insights into new trends, best practices, and developments within the industry.
Support and Troubleshooting
Communities can assist in finding solutions to the challenges you encounter. Especially on platforms like Discord, organized events and channels can offer you support. For instance, events like Code Review, Coffee Talks, and Code Nights could provide answers to your questions.
Software communities offer an excellent platform not only for individual learning and growth but also for staying abreast of innovations in the industry and advancing in this field. These communities provide an environment for exploration from both social and technical perspectives. Participants gain different perspectives and learn together through interactions with contributors, leaders, and educators.
📌 You can reach various communities in Turkey and participate in the events organized by them.
HUAWEI Developer Groups (HDG) Türkiye
It is a global non-profit community for developers with common interests and enthusiasm for new technologies.
📱Linkedln 🌎Instagram 🚩YouTube 🕊️Twitter
HUAWEI Student Developers (HSD) Türkiye
University students who share their passion for technology and software; It is a global program that offers the opportunity to improve their knowledge and experience by providing a learning environment with trainings and events.
You can reach all our platform links👇🏻
🚀 https://usebiolink.com/hsdturkiye
Kodluyoruz
It is a social enterprise working to transform Turkey into a technology talent center.
Patika.dev
An online educational platform that offers various courses and programs, primarily in fields like software development, data science, and design.
Kommunity.com
Kommunity is a platform where even a full-time community leader can stay connected with its members.
SistersLab — Association for Women in Science and Technology
A platform aiming to encourage women’s participation in technology and the digital world. It organizes training, workshops, and events to enhance women’s skills in technology-focused areas like software development, coding, and artificial intelligence.
GDSC (Google Developer Student Clubs)
A community where students come together to improve their skills in technology and create innovative projects.
AYA: Open Software Network
An initiative in Turkey aiming to promote the development of open-source software and increase collaboration in this field. AYA supports open-source projects to help them reach a wider audience.
🚀 https://linktr.ee/acikyazilimagi
PHP Istanbul
A community of developers interested in and working with the PHP programming language. It facilitates communication and collaboration among members by organizing activities, sharing PHP-related knowledge, and transferring experiences.
🚀 https://kommunity.com/istanbulphp/events
Devnot
A community of software developers organizing software conferences, meetings, and educational events and publishing technical articles.
Turkey Java Community
A community of developers interested in the Java programming language. It encourages knowledge sharing related to Java, supports the transfer of experiences, and fosters interaction among members.
🦾 You can access the Developer Telegram Community and Channels from the link😎
Which community are you volunteering for? I’m looking for recommendations from those active in various software communities.
Let’s meet in the comments! 💙
See you in my next Medium article. 💌
🎡 bento.me/kubrabilgic
