Toronto Girl Geeks on [video]

Toronto Girl Geek members rock! Here's a brief video all about Toronto Girl Geek Dinners and our November 9th, 2009 event: "The Future of Media".



Thanks to all those who participated. Here's to more great events.

Report from TGGD #16: The Future of Media

Toronto Girl Geek Dinner’s 16th meet up on November 9th featured a lively panel discussion on the future of media. The panel featured:

Candice Faktor (moderator) from Torstar Digital
Lori Beckstead from Ryserson University
Angela Misri from CBC
Doreen Iannuzzi from Multimedia Nova Corporation

There was certainly no shortage of stimulating conversation, interesting perspectives and opinions at this TGGD event. The panel discussed an incredible variety of topics such as:

• The importance of reaching cultural audiences
• Content producers as collaborators
• Journalists as content curators
• Hype versus reality, particularly when it comes to social media
• The struggle to be a trusted news source while incorporating user-generated content
• What applications such as Facebook Connect mean for how users engage with content online
• The role of marketers in the social media landscape
• Digital and information literacy

One only has to check out the TGGD hashtag on Twitter to get a sense of the breadth and depth of the conversation going on at this event. The audience and the panel engaged with one another, the result of which was an incredibly dynamic and frank discussion about such an all-encompassing topic.

If you were at the event last night, lets us know what topics you'd like to see covered in a potential 'Part 2' of this discussion.

Thanks to our event sponsor Hover – head on over to hover.com for all of your domain name registration needs. Keep your eyes peeled for the next TGGD event!

Hover comes through with the goods for TGGD #16 on November 9th

Wow, the Toronto Girl Geek Dinner on November 9th is close to sold out. We're very delighted you're joining us for the panel discussion on "The Future of Media".

The good folks at Hover (who are sponsoring our events this fall) have some cool stuff to give away to folks signed up for the event on November 9. Who doesn't love free Internet stuff?


Check out Hover. They help you build and maintain and Internet presence on your own terms.
From their blog:

"We love the Internet. The tools, the apps. The posts, the pokes and the tweets. The collaboration. The choice. For this reason, we have built a domain and email forwarding service to complement other services. We have chosen to liberate our users rather than lock them down."

Hover is easiest, smartest, happiest little service to manage your online identity.

They provide:

• Simple, elegant domain and email forwarding tools
• A "Hover This!" browser button for instantly creating "branded URLs" (yourdomain.com/funnyvideo)
• Tutorials, videos and a great support team to help

Hover also has an exclusive collection of “shared” surname domain that allow unlimited people with the same last name to enjoy a short, memorable email address like amy@smith.net and erika@smith.net.

We look forward to seeing everyone out at the event:

Register for TGGD: November 9th, 2009

A reminder, if you can't make it, please change your RSVP (at least 48 hours in advance), so a Girl Geek on the waiting list can come in your place. We cannot do refunds after that point. If the Meet-up group is full, do check back as folks tend to change availability closer to the date.

See you next week!

The Future of Media: TGGD Panel Discussion (Monday, November 9, 2009)

Toronto Girl Geek Dinner: The Future of Media Panel
When: Monday, November 9, 2009
Time: 6:30pm - 10:00
Where: Fionn MacCools (181 University Ave at Adelaide) (map)
Fee: $10.00 (This nominal fee holds your spot and will pay for your first drink.)

Register for this event at Meetup.com

Every day someone is declaring the end of journalism with the rise of the Internet and social media. Internet Leaders like Eric Schmidt of Google are proclaiming:

"Within five years there will be broadband well above 100MB in performance - and distribution distinctions between TV, radio and the web will go away."

Toronto Girl Geek Dinners is proud to present a "Future of Media" panel discussion on how media is changing including the challenges with the convergence of user-generated content and media.

We are thrilled to have assembled some phenomenal professionals who we're sure will bring their unique perspectives to our event.

The "Future of Media" panel:

Candice Faktor (moderator)
TorStar Digital

Candice was one of a team instrumental in creating TorStar Digital in 2005 and is currently the Managing Director of Corporate Development and Innovation. As well, she is the founder of ourfaves.com in 2007. Candice is an early adopter bridging the power of user-generated content, city search and social networking. Candice was our speaker for TGGD #10 about innovation in a tough economy, so we're very pleased to have her moderating what will surely be a lively discussion.

Lori Beckstead
Ryerson University

Lori is an Assistant Professor, School of Radio and Television at Ryerson University. As an educator, she has a unique perspective on skills training, emerging platforms and what's coming next. This summer she presented at The Radio Conference 09 on "Diversity in Representation on Toronto Radio". She is involved in a number of creative projects from Sound Art installations, soundscapes to student radio dramas. Lori has extensive education in science, education including a Masters in Media Production from the University of Technology, Sydney (Australia).

Angela Misri
CBC

Angela Misri is an Operations and Resource Manager for CBC Radio. She oversees a team of web producers and podcasters who create content for Canada's National Public Broadcaster, specifically as it regards Radio 1 and Radio 2. Prior to managing the team, Angela was the podcaster for CBC Radio, and has worked as a Radio Producer, a Web Producer, and News
Writer for cbc.ca and various other departments in her ten-year stint at the CBC.

Doreen Iannuzzi
Multimedia Nova Corporation

Doreen is the Vice President, New Media for the Multimedia Nova Corporation, best known for Corriere Canadese, the Canadian Italian Daily Newspaper, founded in 1954. The Multimedia Nova is one of Canada’s leading multilingual, multicultural, multinational communications enterprises. With a unique perspective on "hyper-local", Doreen blogs at The New Mainstream about the "move beyond the conventional thinking: Canadian consumers do cross markets every day, regardless of their cultural background."

More TGGD Details:

Meals/drinks are cash & carry. We will be charging a $10.00 fee to sign up for the event. This money will be directly allocated to your first drink at dinner. If you sign up to attend, please come. If you can't attend, please change your RSVP asap so that it opens the door to others who might want to join us.

Internet turns 40!

The Internet officially turns 40 on October 29, 2009. Every day our lives and careers are changed by this invention, and it is amazing to think of the potential change yet to come around the world and for our collective futures.

In September 2009, I had the great fortune to hear Dr. Lawrence Roberts talk about his contribution to the creation and evolution of the early Internet. Dr. Roberts was part of a team of scientists who created ARPANET and packet switching.

He gave some insight into the early days of the Internet. I found it surprising that Dr. Roberts states that the basic elements have not much changed in 40 years. The highlight of his presentation was his list of the top 5 things that we need to change to make the Internet better:

1. Fairness: Multi-flow apps (P2P) overload access networks

2. Improve Network Security: Need user authentication and source checking

3. Emergency services: Need secure preference priorities

4. Cost & power: Growth constrained to Moore's law and developed areas

5. Quality and Speed: Video and voice require lower jitter and loss, consistent speed; TCP stalls slow interactive applications like the web

I think it is safe to say that each of us with our geek lives and careers have much invested in the evolution of the Internet. What do you think? What needs to be changed to make the Internet better? What are the ramifications of some of the above changes?

Dr. Robert's full presentation can be found:here. Improving packet switching continues to be his focus with his company, Anagran.

Vint Cerf, one of the early founders of the Internet, also discusses his vision on the Future of the Internet.

If you want to learn more about the inception and growth of the Internet. Check out the National Geographic article also gives great background.

Dr. Roberts presented at the NCA Security and Technology Conference on September 15, 2009. While you are on the NCA site, check out the other keynote by Art Coviello of RSA, The Security Division of EMC.

We have a winner for the meshmarketing TGGD ticket.

Pretty creative tweet! Well done Roxana! I feel particularly Girl Geeky for having broken the code.

We'll see you at meshmarketing on October 22.

Report from TGGD #15: Sarah Prevette, founder, Sprouter

Text and photos by Jessie Bonisteel.

Sarah Prevette founder of Sprouter, spoke to a room full of Toronto Girl Geeks on September 29th about the many lessons she has learned as her life as an entrepreneur. Sarah has been involved with the tech industry since the start of her career. Her insightful and humorous talk was no doubt an inspiration to all of those present.

One key message of Sarah's talk was don't let your ego get in the way of your potential success. If you have an idea for a project make sure you build a network of knowledgeable people around you, do your research and don't be afraid to ask for help. Once you get to the launch phase of that project, you will find yourself better equipped with the resources you will need to make it a success. Sarah's experience with her first start-up, Upinion.com, and the hurdles she faced lead her to found Sprouter.com - a networking application to help entrepreneurs connect, share ideas and support one another.

Other key lessons from Sarah's talk were:

Network actively

Don't just collect business cards, follow up with people and ask how you can help them. Sarah randomly picks 5 business cards out of her stack and thinks about ways she could connect with and help this individual. When you make a new connection ask them 'who else do you know that I should talk to?'

Don't be afraid to promote yourself

Canadian entrepreneurs should engage in self-promotion more actively, and not be shy about trumpeting their successes. Be classy - not spammy.

Launch fast and fail fast

The best way to see if an idea has legs is to get it out there in the community. Don't let perfectionism and endless tweaking hold you back. Get your idea out there fast, be prepared to fail and try again.

Engage your community

Become actively involved in the community your product or idea is geared towards. Don't just listen to what they are saying but engage them and have an active dialogue with them.

Sarah's experience growing Sprouter.com and becoming involved as an organizer with Twestival lead her to create her three 'A's' of community engagement:

1. Amazing: be amazing, add value and enable the success of others

2. Accessibility: be accessible, don't ignore negative feedback or comments, respond as quickly as you can

3. Authenticity: be transparent - if you don't know the answer to something, admit it.

Sarah concluded her chat with a question & answer session, followed by a chance for Girl Geeks to mingle.

Keep your eyes on the blog for announcements about our next TGGD event. Special thanks to our volunteers and to our sponsor Hover. Head on over to hover.com for all of your domain name registration needs.