I attended my first Barcamp in downtown Miami.    The workshops are amazing.   I’m impressed and inspired.  Much thanks goes to the event organizers.

 Notable workshops:

Nate Westheimer’s presesntation of www.bricabox.com

BricaBox is a freshly launched Blog+MashupGadgets.   You configure your own restraunt review, photo/Google map mashup, or video collection site.    With a signature tilted DC 59/50 hat, Nate’s presentation style is laidback and personable.

The project shows a lot of promise.   Configuration is based around Blocks.   Each block is a widget that simply display data or connect it with an API.   Possibilities are  only limited to the speed that BricaBox’s one man design team (Kyle) can produce new blocks.   The trick for BricaBox will be  keeping it simple so that mass audiences can use it.

Ed Torro’s Agile Process with Scrum

Ed gave a quick rundown of using Scrum as a tool to protect and respect your development team and reach software development zen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrum_(development)

Coworking

http://coworking.pbwiki.com/

The coworking movement involves freelance developers forming actual (not virtual) working communities to get out of the isolated lifestyle of working at home in their underwear.

Successes and Failures were presented by the founder of independents hall, Alex Hillman.

http://freelanceswitch.com/interviews/independents-hall/

Hillman claims to have made a profit within the first four months of his coworking venture.