The Spirit of Community

This Saturday was a unusual day for me; a day filled with a rare blend of excitement, anxiousness and vivid memories of a not so distant past. It was to be a day of special significance for me, as a software professional. I had been invited to give a presentation on the fundamentals of .NET, as a part of the inauguration of the RVCE .NET User Group. As we reached the gates of RVCE on Saturday, old memories started to unfold. Coming to the place where I graduated from after many years, also added to the level of excitement. Something I least expected at the event was to be called upon the stage as a "Dignitary". I know, and you know, that I don’t deserve that kind of respect, just yet ! The event then started in a traditional way, with Lamp Lighting and invocation. It was really encouraging to see such a huge crowd for the inauguration, thereby exceeding all our expectations.

I had delivered sessions in the past, but to peer professionals. Presenting it to a set of enthusiastic students, willing to jump on to the .NET technology bandwagon, was a totally different ball game. Adding the fact that I was an RVCE alumnus, probably added a bit more to the pressure. It was the first time that I had given a presentation to students. Not too long ago, I was in their place and hence, I did have a idea of what the level of expectation would be like. I had prepared more on the way the session was structured rather than the content itself, knowing that most of the crowd would be new to .NET. But, during the course of the presentation, I veered off into depths and probably lost the audience in the process. Nonetheless, it was a great learning avenue for me and I definitely would be looking forward to more such opportunities and to contribute to the growing .NET community.

I would like to end this note by mentioning why I think community is important, not just to a professional, but also to a student. Community is all about sharing knowledge selflessly. It is about building a strong network of people, perhaps beyond the premises of an individual's organization or institution, and which could cut across geographical boundaries too. Community also adds a new dimension to your image of a professional or student - it helps broaden your perspectives on things, be it technology, problem solving, etc.

Community has definitely changed the way I look at technology, for the good, and perhaps fuelled what I really aspire to become. I wouldn’t say I have been a exuberant image in the community thus far, but I shall always try to give the best I can.