User groups started in the early days of mainframe computers, as a way to share sometimes hard-won knowledge and useful software, usually written by end users independently of the factory-supplied programming efforts. SHARE, a user group originated by aerospace industry corporate users of IBM mainframe computers, was founded in 1955 and is the oldest computer user group still active. DECUS, the DEC User's Society, was founded in 1961 and its descendant organization still operates. The Computer Measurement Group (CMG) was founded in 1974 by systems professionals with a common interest in (mainframe) capacity management, and continues today with a much broader mission. The first UNIX user's group organized in 1978. Users' groups began to proliferate with the microcomputer revolution of the late 1970s and early 1980s as hobbyists united to help each other with programming and configuration and use of hardware and software
Especially prior to the emergence of the World Wide Web, obtaining technical assistance with computers was often onerous, while computer clubs would gladly provide free technical support.
There are people out there in this world, and there are communities, societies, groups and common congregations at every geographically located place, and spot, where people try to find the notion full meaning of the word “innovate”. Where they try or expect at a time, when there is little much left, owning much to the constraints, the hard times of any troubled economy, when they realize the fact that something needs to be done, something needs to be acted on and emphasized, even though they don’t know how they can actually do it, or what rudimentarily defined obstacles, hindrances, and unknown issues can actually lie in their path. It was quoted once, when a small group of people believed in hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty as well:
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek!”
In line with the thrust of some people’s faith and glory of their courage, they have certainly tried their best to play an effective and meaningful role in creating a knowledge based society in Pakistan.
In furtherance of these general objectives, they remain to maintain that focus upon acquisition and propagation of cutting edge science and technologies. Recognizing the fact that Information Technology is having a profound impact upon almost every aspect of human activity and changing the shape of our future.
If someone is a developer? designer? Student? Have a passion to learn something new? Interested in getting up-to-date, learning new technologies in your spare time. So here we are with a brand new community focusing Next Generation Designers and Developers called DevNext.
DevNext is a user group which has been created with the intention of providing a platform for the Next Generation Developers sharing and discussing knowledge regarding different tools and technologies. Their mission from inception has been to develop a peer group of developers, architects, and managers who are interested in learning, sharing and growing their knowledge and capabilities. The group’s vision is to provide members with a forum to hear top industry experts speak learn and teach others who are interested in the same technologies as you and are facing the same challenges.
DevNext is, was and always will be a significant part of some people’s life, work and struggle!.DevNext User Group is supported by many organizations around the world like Microsoft, Adobe, INETA, Culminis, Wiley, Apress, .Net University, Re-Sharper, Peach Pit and many more. It’s all about sharing “a piece of information, knowledge and for one’s knowing, that what is right and what is not. It’s about sharing to those people, that who themselves are willing enough to make a difference in other’s people life and work and also willing to stand up for the right and justified cause.
I think that DevNext can be more precisely be described as a galactic community of life's beings, independent of age, race or societal orientation, which strives across borders for freedom of information. In common with other user groups devoted to a broad range of products or technologies, the user group provides education, networking, and leadership opportunities for its members. They were interested in maintaining a regular, open forum for people to get together to work on knowledge sharing and making technology exploration more accessible to everyone. In general, the group stands up for more transparency in between student bodies, freedom of information and a human right to communication. Supporting the principles of the technology ethic, the group also supports for free access to knowledge and technological infrastructure for everybody. The group is more widely known for its public demonstrations, such as seminars, open house sessions, discussion talks and forum meetings. It has evolved into a forum for exchanging technical information about programming languages, operating systems, database systems, and user experiences for enterprise users of small, medium, and large-scale software technologies such as WPF, the .NET enigma, e-banking solutions, and many other emerging names in the technology domain paradigm. The members of this group exist to give and share support and advice in between them. Many have regular meetings often with a presentation on a certain topic and most have regular email communication in between times. The community members typically meet once per month in facilities freely provided by universities, colleges, community centers. Members are encouraged to give presentations on personal projects as well as anything they are interested in or would like to contribute.
Contributor:
This article is written by Usman who is an active DevNext member and working as a Sr. Software Engineer at TPS Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd.
