September 2009 Meetup Slides
It’s 10:30am the day after our last meeting and both presenters have posted their presentation slides on their respective websites. I believe that’s a Refresh Columbia record.
Presentation Slides:
- Automated Website Testing – Matt Hooper
- Developing Socially (Facebook Platform) – Jimmy Sawczuk
Thanks to our speakers and to everyone who came out for making this another great meetup. Look forward to seeing you all again on October 28th!
September 2009 Meetup
We’ve got two very exciting topics this month and hope you’ll all be able to make it out for our September Meetup! Venue Note: We’re back at the Richland County Library again this month!
The Lineup:
Automated Website Testing
Matt Hooper – VC3
I’ll be presenting techniques for automated website testing using WatiN, an open source tool for browser-based testing. I’ll discuss ways to approach test writing, and the pros and cons this style of integration testing vs more focused unit tests. I’ll also cover how we have used it over the past year to test some of our web-based apps at VC3.
Leveraging the Facebook Platform
Jimmy Sawczuk (@jimmysawczuk) – Startlike
I’ll start with an overview of the Facebook platform and why it’s a cool thing to use. Next I’ll show a working example, explaining how it works and how it can be modified for use by anyone who runs a Facebook Fan Page.
Win a Book!
Thanks to the user group partnerships advertised in the sidebar, we’ll be giving away a free book each month. This month we’ll be giving away a copy of Oreilly’s Designing Web Navigation by James Kalbach. We’ll choose a random attendee from the sign-in sheet between the first and second talk. Be sure to show up for a chance to win.
When: September 30th, 2009 at 6pm
Where: RC Library – Bostick Auditorium (map)
Topic: Automated Testing & Facebook Platform
RSVP: On Facebook
AIGA: InShow15
I received the following email from AIGA today announcing the call-for-entries for their InShow competition. For more details, check out http://www.inshow-o-rama.com
InShow15 | Call-for-Entries
Entry Drop-offs
It’s that time of year again, time for AIGA South Carolina’s annual juried competition that celebrates the best South Carolina has to offer in Print, Interactive, Broadcast and Student Creative. So that means it’s also time for the InShow 15 “Call-for-Entries.” This year AIGA South Carolina will hold drop-off locations for InShow entries on Tuesday, 9/22/09 in Columbia, Charleston and Greenville, from 5-7pm. Entries will also be accepted via US Mail to: 701 Gervais Street, Suite 150-162, Columbia, SC 29201 until Friday, 9/25/09 until 3:00 pm*.
(*Note: If you are unable to make the drop-off deadlines on 9/22/09, AIGA SC will wave all late fees for entries, due to the InShow “Call-for-entries” mailer being delayed in the mail. However, all entries must be received via mail no later than Friday, September 25, 2009, 3:00 pm, EST.)
Drop-offs Locations:
All locations: 9/22/09 5:00pm-7:00pm
Columbia: George Fulton Studios, 1224 Huger Street
Charleston: Charleston Beer Works, 468 King Street
Greenville: Blue Ridge Brewing Company, 217 N. Main Street
InShow Competition Details
For details on categories, instructions and InShow15 form downloads, go to: http://www.inshow-o-rama.com
New for 2009
In celebration of InShow’s 15th Anniversary, we are introducing a very special offer for this year only! For every five paid entries, you will receive one entry totally FREE! So every sixth entry is free! There are no limits to this offer and it is good for both members and non-members as well as all student entries.
InShow15 | Judges Lecture
Thursday, September 24, 2009
On Thursday, September 24, 2009, AIGA South Carolina welcomes Frank Chimero, of www.frankchimero.com, and one of the three judges for InShow15, to join us for a “judges lecture” at USC School of Art at the McMaster Building.
Frank teaches design and typography at Missouri State University. He also frequently contributes his writing and illustrations to Thinking for a Living. Chimero’s fascination with the creative process, curiosity, and visual experience informs all of his work. Each piece is the part of an exploration in finding wit, surprise, honesty and joy in the world around us. For Frank, the work is play, and the play is work. His clients include: The New York Times, Business Week, Starbucks, Fast Company, American Airlines, Edizioni Corraini Press, and Good Magazine.
When: Thursday, September 24, 2009
Where: USC McMaster, Room 214
Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm Social hour; 6:45pm-7:45pm lecture
This event is our will be a FREE event, so bring a friend and learn more about becoming a part of AIGA South Carolina!
Barcamp Charleston
We’ve been excited about the upcoming Barcamp event in Charleston ever since the organizers gave us a heads up about it a month ago. The date is officially set for October 24th, 2009 and a website with the detail is up at http://www.barcampchs.org. Space is limited to 200 attendees, so register soon!
If you’ve never heard of Barcamp, the homepage puts it in as few words as possible:
“It’s an ad-hoc, user generated unconference, where participation not observation is key. It’s a day where people gather and share in an open environment.”
When: Saturday, October 24th, 2009 from 8am – 6pm
Where: Lowcountry Innovation Center, 1535 Hobby St, North Charleston, SC 29405
Cost: Zip, Zero, Zilch…Free!
SC.GOV is Looking for a Web Designer
The following is a job posting for an open Web Designer position at SC.GOV in downtown Columbia, SC. If you have a local job opening you would like to post on this site, please let us know.
South Carolina Interactive, a subsidiary of NIC, is seeking candidates for an immediate full-time position as a Web Designer in Columbia, SC.
This individual will work with project managers and developers to create interfaces for complex web applications. Candidates should have the following qualifications: degree in design-related field or 2+ years equivalent experience; the ability to write clean, semantic, valid XHTML; and the ability to create and execute usable CSS2 layouts.
Duties:
- Design usable, standards compliant, cross browser compatible interfaces for web applications
- Design templates for MOSS web sites
- Prototype complex Internet and e-commerce applications
- Maintain existing design standards
- Create Web site CSS layouts within a specified XHTML framework
- Work with customers and other staff to determine design specifications
- Design occasional print and promotional items
Desirable Characteristics:
- Self-motivated and creative
- Organized and able multi-task between several projects
- Requires limited supervision
- Team-oriented mindset with flexibility for change
Requirements:
- Bachelors degree in design or 2+ years equivalent experience
- Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Illustrator and Photoshop expertise
- Thorough knowledge of Web standards and Accessibility, including Section 508
XHTML and CSS2 coding - Some experience with CSS and JavaScript frameworks (jQuery, Blueprint, etc)
- Knowledge of Application Development Life Cycle methodology
- In-depth familiarity with the Internet and Web-based applications
- Experience prototyping web applications, designing user interfaces
- Excellent typographic and layout skills
- Desire to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
Benefits:
- Competitive compensation program
- No-cost group medical/dental insurance
- Paid vacations/ State holidays
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Matching 401(k) contributions with 100% vesting
- Disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Company wellness program
- Causal and fun office environment
- Paid parking
If you are interested in the professional advantages of an environment that supports your development and recognizes your achievements, please send your resume and cover letter to: sciresumes@portal.sc.gov
No relocation included.
NIC is an equal opportunity employer.






