[LRUG] May Meeting - Specifics

[James Adam]

On 5/3/07, Suw Charman <suw.charman at gmail.com> wrote:
> I agree, but I also disagree. There's got to be some grit in the
> oyster, but it has to be the right grit in the right place! For
> example, I've started on the Agile Development book, and yes it's
> good, but if I get stuck (and it's not a typo issue) then I really get
> stuck because I am too inexperienced to know where the problem may be.
> If I'm trying to do something and there's an error because of a
> problem with the way my environment is set up, (two people have helped
> me set up my computer and I have no idea what either of them did!),
> then there is no way for me to fix it.
>
> If I had a monthly, or maybe fortnightly, session with a mentor who
> could look at my problem and teach me how to fix it, then that would
> be a massive help. It would also give me the motivation to keep
> working on the various books that I've bought but which currently
> languish on my bookshelf.
>
> Having resources online and books and mailing lists is all well and
> good, but having someone who can take one look at your error and say
> 'Ah, right, what's wrong is...' is a much better way to go.
>

I agree completely, and this is basically what I had in mind when I
suggested it. As a mentor, I'd be looking to help with someone who has
a fairly good idea of what they want to achieve at any given time (if
they've got a pet project, even better)

Ideally we'd then discuss the problem face to face every now and
again, and talk about the smaller day-to-day issues via
email/IM/IRC/Twitter (I'm kidding, not twitter). We'd both be able to
see the code, and I'd be able to commit comments and suggestions that
they'd pick up when they updated (we can use the LRUG SVN repository
for this, if necessary).

You can certainly find all the answers on the internet, but sometimes
there's nothing more valuable than a bit of guidance from someone
who's done something similar. It's the interaction that's important,
really.

-- 
* J *
  ~