Meet Jeff - a young passionate web developer who needs a bit of help...

July 14, 2011 · by Espen André Øverdahl

Guys and gals: Meet Jeff (who we randomly stumbled over today) - a young passionate web developer from Brooklyn, NY. He loves his job, and even when he's off work, he spend most of his time designing and developing web projects. Jeff has decided to share his knowledge, and teach a class for free! He has always been known as ‘the nerd’ among friends. Some of us might also be known as "the nerd" to our friends, so this struck us as something we wanted to help out on. We like people with initiative, who want to share their ideas. We also like the Web.

Jeff needs help to find a location and people to attend

Nothing crazy, just a place to host a small group of people for an hour or so every week or two, and is located somewhere in New York City. Do you know anyone who could help him out?

In addition, he needs people to come! It would be amazing if you could help him out by sharing this news across the Web. In addition, if you or anyone you know would be interested in attending or helping out, please email him at [email protected] and/or register for the class.

We will also promote this on Twitter. Follow #meetjeff.

Readers' comments 29

Left under the original article, as archived.

MConorThursday, July 14, 2011 1:20:59 PM
I'd love to... but I'd have to take a plane
srirandeThursday, July 14, 2011 1:26:28 PM
elfath jafarThursday, July 14, 2011 1:28:02 PM
.?.!
ZodiusThursday, July 14, 2011 1:48:50 PM
Yeah, same with me - I'd have to take a 3 hour plane flight to New York for this class
TamilThursday, July 14, 2011 2:02:55 PM
I'm faaaaaaar away.
ZodiusThursday, July 14, 2011 2:18:05 PM
Originally posted by Tamil:

I'm faaaaaaar away.

Don't worry, Tamil, you probably know everything already anyway
TamilThursday, July 14, 2011 2:21:28 PM
Originally posted by AleksOD:

you probably know everything already anyway
kotelvero sebastianThursday, July 14, 2011 2:30:28 PM
have you considered doing it online?
HenryThursday, July 14, 2011 3:00:27 PM
http://smiles.kolobok.us/artists/vishenka/l_speedboat.gif -
Webinar ? I joined the skillshare community.
TheresaThursday, July 14, 2011 3:38:58 PM
Peter & Elizabeth (Love & Wonder)Thursday, July 14, 2011 3:46:09 PM
Jeff, you would be my dream come true to learn code - like the others who have responded here, I'm too far from NYC...
Lidiya DergachevaThursday, July 14, 2011 5:17:34 PM
I am near nyc and would def come for a free lesson! (I am in nj tho.....so it'd take me an hour commute but i'd do it)
Igidi stellaThursday, July 14, 2011 7:11:57 PM
I wud hv luv 2 come bt am veeery far nd in another continent.
Neno SerkedzhievThursday, July 14, 2011 7:43:06 PM
How does Jeff feep like recording his classes and sharing them online for those of us who are thousand miles away
On an Opera blog maybe?
Çağlar YeşilyurtThursday, July 14, 2011 8:31:02 PM
He is so far away from me. When he decides to sleeping, I wakes up.
NONSO CHIAKAThursday, July 14, 2011 8:54:50 PM
Wow I would have love to attend to see what will come out of him but my work will not allow me.
belkis josefina santosThursday, July 14, 2011 9:20:08 PM
opera es el mejor nabegador ke hay
ISAAC BOYEThursday, July 14, 2011 9:53:32 PM
hi jeff, can it be online classes
Leeva MarkThursday, July 14, 2011 11:09:51 PM
Great idea Jeff! Wish I could attend but I am on the other side of the map from you. Perhaps as others have stated, you could do a live broadcast of your classes - that would be really fun!
Jeff EscalanteFriday, July 15, 2011 12:44:50 AM
Hi everyone,

Sorry I didn't check the comments here earlier, I was so busy replying to comments on HN and emails. I would be happy to stream the class and/or record it and put it online. If you are interested in staying updated on its progress, please send me an email at [email protected], and I'll add you to the list.

Thanks so much everyone for your support!

~ Jeff
TamilFriday, July 15, 2011 12:51:53 AM
Originally posted by jescalan:

I would be happy to stream the class and/or record it and put it online.
JulianFriday, July 15, 2011 3:35:03 AM
Great for you Jeff , hope you upload your work to the web even I think you could write some articles to dev.Opera and share it with all the people interested.
slackwrdaveFriday, July 15, 2011 5:32:57 PM
As far as a place to do it, public libraries almost always have meeting and conference rooms of various sizes for low-cost to free. With enough lead time, they will put you in the newsletter.

Our local Linux Users Group gave classes and had install fests at the library. Turnout was always better than expected and some of the unexpected participants were delightful.

To reduce the possibility of people showing up thinking it's a "Websurfing for Dummies" class, you can hold an interest meeting to lay out the plan and discuss student qualifications. As far as how to *get* the students, it's never easy to get people together for anything. It might take some head banging.

Best wishes for your success!
Мара ЛютоваSaturday, July 16, 2011 8:55:58 AM
so far away
Peter & Elizabeth (Love & Wonder)Saturday, July 16, 2011 8:01:45 PM
I've already posted here, but, if you did this online - with the blessing of the powers-that-be at Opera, maybe they will allow you to do it within a forum, or group within the Opera server.
okoni blessingSunday, July 17, 2011 6:05:56 AM
hnm.far away
sungy-dzSunday, July 17, 2011 10:13:30 AM
am to far mr jeff but am willing to do this at anytime.
LanreMonday, July 18, 2011 12:00:56 AM
I'm too far away also.. But will be looking forward to the stream/podcast
elationsMonday, July 18, 2011 12:46:51 AM
Why not do both in parallel, have classes in the "real" world and an online version based on those classes. The actual classes in physical locations should, of course, be promoted so that they will be attended by as many interested people as possible who have the time and live close enough to attend. But, in addition to this, Jeff, or anybody else with a similar interest to share knowledge, could also, perhaps aided by volunteers, make a video of the events that could then be made public on myopera.com or an alternative, web service suitable to host the content.

Providing a web version of classes that were held needn't necessarily be much extra work. In its most simple form, it might consist of nothing more that a video of classes, which could be done with the help of participants and put online with minimal effort. If there is an interest to improve the quality of the web representation, the classes could be accompanied by text material about the content of each class and, perhaps, a set of questions to allow participants test how far they understood and were able to internalize what has been taught. The online version of classes could get a further value addition if they contained web references to resources with related, in-depth and perhaps further information for those that want to go deeper into subjects.

Providing online versions running side-by-side with real-world classes would benefit not only users unable to attend the actual classes but even those who participate would probably appreciate and find it helpful for their learning process if had access to relevant information online. And those that missing individual classes could learn what they've missed online rather then necessitating repetitions in the actual class.