August 1, 2011 is "How I Get Started in ColdFusion" Day

Posted At : July 20, 2011 8:30 AM | Posted By : Steve
Related Categories: ColdFusion,Personal

During the cf.Objective() conference at which I was a speaker (I did mention that I would work that into all future anecdotes!), I got into a conversation with some other developers (including Tony Garcia and Greg Moser) about how we got started in ColdFusion. I realized two important things:

1) Every "How I Got Started in ColdFusion" story is interesting. I have heard dozens so far and I have found each and every one of them to be interesting.

2) Very few of these stories seem to match how we expect people to get involved in ColdFusion.

So, I propose that all of us post a blog entry on August 1 telling how we got started in ColdFusion. If you don't have a blog, send me your story and I will post in on my blog.

This could be a really good way for our community to get a feel for how people really get into ColdFusion, which can help guide our discussions of what we can do to better spread the word.

I'm looking forward to hearing/reading how more people got started in ColdFusion!

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I'd be down for this :) I like it.
# Posted By Ben Nadel | 7/20/11 9:07 AM
Yep, good plan. I'll do one too.
# Posted By James Hull | 7/20/11 9:11 AM
Excellent idea...I will do the same
# Posted By Adam | 7/20/11 9:13 AM
I'm doing it! Great idea!
# Posted By Nathan Strutz | 7/20/11 11:25 AM
I don't have a blog, but I can probably manage a Google+ post!
# Posted By Carl Von Stetten | 7/20/11 12:37 PM
I think you mean: "How I got started in ColdFusion".
Otherwise, people might think you're having trouble restarting your server.
# Posted By Phillip Senn | 7/20/11 1:58 PM
Everybody,

I'm looking forward to reading them! Spread the word!

Phillip,

Heh, good point. Fixed.

Thanks,

Steve
# Posted By Steve Bryant | 7/20/11 3:07 PM
I'm in.

Somebody remind me on July 31, plz :)
# Posted By Charlie Griefer | 7/20/11 4:05 PM
Thats a great idea. I'm in
# Posted By Michael Seid | 7/20/11 7:14 PM
hmm, my CF story is not that interesting... but I'm looking forward to read yours.
# Posted By Henry | 7/20/11 7:24 PM
Time to dust off my KnitGal blog and post my story . . .
# Posted By Lola LB | 7/21/11 4:59 AM
Mine is writtena nd post date to appear on August 1st :-)
# Posted By Russ Michaels | 7/21/11 7:05 AM
Great idea, Steve! I'm in.
# Posted By Matt Gifford | 7/21/11 7:30 AM
I'm game. I just hope I remember to do it :-)
# Posted By Ryan Anklam | 7/21/11 7:31 AM
Great idea. I am in.
# Posted By Dave Ferguson | 7/21/11 9:42 AM
Written, scheduled for 8/1 :-)
# Posted By Billy Cravens | 7/29/11 10:33 AM
Has everyone remembers to do it

http://www.michaels.me.uk/
# Posted By Russ Michaels | 8/1/11 3:43 AM
Blurted out some words here - http://www.northern-union.com/

Thanks
# Posted By James Hull | 8/1/11 4:18 AM
At billycravens.com - kinda long
# Posted By Billy Cravens | 8/1/11 4:21 AM
Wrote a small story about it: http://www.pilcrow.nl/2011/08/how-i-got-started-in...
# Posted By Michiel Bakker | 8/1/11 6:17 AM
Good idea, I too am 'in'
# Posted By Shaun McCran | 8/1/11 6:20 AM
I thought this was a cool idea, so here is my posting (I don't have a blog).
I was a geography major, and moved the the DC area to GIS work. As I got into my job, it became apparent I was going to need to learn VB if I was going to move up where I was. that was not working well, and I was not really enjoying what I was doing. My friend (became my best man in my wedding) mentioned he was using this web language to buid sites...it was ColdFusion 4.5 or 5 not sure which. So, I took a class on CF, worked with my buddy, and then off to the land of CF. Now, I was still living like I was in college, so if I could get anyone to do my job for me, I would. Not until 3-4 years into using CF did I have the right mentors that said, you really need to stop asking us a ton of questions, and figure it out on your own. They pushed me into learning a lot, and because of them, I am writing on this blog and reading blogs like this. I am not expert, or am not someone that does a ton of stuff on the side, but I have seen the ease of CF and how it can make my job easier...
# Posted By Dan Fredericks | 8/1/11 6:25 AM
Here is my submission: http://www.livitek.net/blog/post.cfm/how-i-got-sta...
# Posted By Wade Stockton | 8/1/11 7:36 AM
Great idea, Steve.

Here's my story:
http://www.sallyjenkinson.co.uk/blog/index.cfm/201...
# Posted By Sally Jenkinson | 8/1/11 7:41 AM
Mine is here http://www.n42designs.com/blog/index.cfm/2011/8/1/...
# Posted By Sean Coyne | 8/1/11 8:16 AM
Here's my essay: http://www.mattgifford.co.uk/how-i-got-started-in-... :)
# Posted By Matt Gifford | 8/1/11 8:18 AM
Excellent idea Steve, heres my short story http://www.andyjarrett.co.uk/blog/index.cfm/2011/8...
# Posted By Andy Jarrett | 8/1/11 8:27 AM
Posted my start on my website http://www.stillpixel.com/How-I-got-started-in-Col...
# Posted By Ron Rattie | 8/1/11 8:40 AM
Just finished my essay. It was fun to think back and remember how my career got started. http://blog.bittersweetryan.com/2011/08/how-i-got-...
# Posted By Ryan Anklam | 8/1/11 9:18 AM
Hey Steve, I'm so glad you proposed this to the community. Seems like a ton of people have gotten involved, very cool.
# Posted By Greg Noser | 8/1/11 10:44 AM
wow, I typo'd my own name. It has to be a monday :)
# Posted By Greg Moser | 8/1/11 10:45 AM
Here's Mine Steve! Thanks for the great suggestion...

http://blog.cutterscrossing.com/index.cfm/2011/8/1...
# Posted By Steve 'Cutter' Blades | 8/1/11 10:55 AM
Here is my contribution...

http://blog.dkferguson.com/index.cfm/2011/8/1/How-...
# Posted By Dave Ferguson | 8/1/11 10:57 AM
Here is mine. Not exactly riveting but cool to contribute to this great idea:
http://jamesallen.name/index.cfm/2011/8/1/How-I-Go...
# Posted By James Allen | 8/1/11 11:08 AM
Here is my post:

http://i-am-geek.com/blog/?p=194
# Posted By Adam | 8/1/11 11:09 AM
Thanks for the opportunity.... Here is the link to my post. Pls publish it.. Hope it helps

http://etnconnect.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-i-got-s...
# Posted By Tope Olutola | 8/1/11 11:31 AM
Ok, here is mine.

http://www.gregmoser.com/blog/how-i-got-started-in...
# Posted By Greg Moser | 8/1/11 11:39 AM
Steve & Greg -- who knew that our little conversation at cfO() would lead to this? Anyway - it was a great idea and here is my little story

http://objectivebias.com/entry/how-i-got-started-w...
# Posted By Tony Garcia | 8/1/11 12:58 PM
I'm in. This is my ColdFusion story :) http://www.mihaibaboi.com/how-i-got-started-in-col...
# Posted By Mihai Baboi | 8/1/11 1:32 PM
Great idea Steve. http://blog.sigmaprojects.org/post.cfm/how-i-got-s...
# Posted By Don Quist | 8/1/11 2:05 PM
Great stuff so far!

Tony,

Indeed! I had *hoped* we could get this kind of response, but I certainly had not *expected* such a good response. I haven't read all of the entries yet (though I am collecting a nice spreadsheet of them so I can blog all of the links later), but I think I am already seeing some lessons learned beyond just the good entertainment value of the stories.

Peanut,

I still have that book! In fact, I bet I still have every CFWACK from 3.1 through 8 (maybe even 9).
# Posted By Steve Bryant | 8/1/11 2:48 PM
Steve, when this is done you should compile some stats. I'd love to see how many people responded and how long their posts were. Would be a good way to encapsulate the dedication and passion of ColdFusion developers.
# Posted By Ryan Anklam | 8/1/11 2:55 PM
Here's my story: http://www.mccran.co.uk/index.cfm/2011/8/1/How-I-g...

Was a top idea, there's been some good reading.
# Posted By shaun mccran | 8/1/11 4:17 PM
You'll also want to go through CFBlogger to pull out these stories that got posted.

Mine is: http://www.knitgal.com/blog/
# Posted By Lola LB | 8/1/11 4:31 PM
Lola,

Yep, I have been tracking those as well. it looks like some people put links on Ray's entry as well. I haven't looked through those yet, but I will.

Thanks,

Steve
# Posted By Steve Bryant | 8/1/11 4:47 PM
Steve,

Great idea, here's my story:

http://www.panesar.net/2011/08/01/how-i-got-starte...

It's been really interesting reading the stories of others who might not blog as much about CF or I haven't gotten around to visiting their blogs yet.
# Posted By Jas Panesar | 8/1/11 5:07 PM
Great idea Steve, this has been really interesting. Here's mine: http://www.slateblue.org/2011/08/01/how-i-got-star...
# Posted By Tim | 8/1/11 5:34 PM
As I was ready all the great stories, I used two curation tools to make a collection:
Storify.com and then I tried the same thing with Scoop.it.

The latter is so much nicer so go there and read through all the posts on this August 1: How I started in Coldfusion Day. A great idea, Steve! Thank you for your great inspiration.

Take a look around Scoop.it: http://www.scoop.it/t/how-i-started-in-coldfusion
# Posted By Birgit Pauli-Haack | 8/1/11 6:18 PM
Sorry I'm so late to the party - had to wait until tonight to post:

http://www.bennadel.com/blog/2234-How-I-Got-Starte...

I very much enjoyed the walk down memory lane :)
# Posted By Ben Nadel | 8/1/11 6:32 PM
Just found the RSS feed for the Scoop.it
http://goo.gl/3rL7M

Steve, I just saw you earlier post that you are keeping a spreadsheet... this is as per 7:40pm... but I don't know how many I missed... Feel free to use it anyway you want.
# Posted By Birgit Pauli-Haack | 8/1/11 6:40 PM
@ben Its a good thing you are late, it gave some us less well-known bloggers a chance to get our posts read!
# Posted By Ryan Anklam | 8/1/11 6:50 PM
Great Idea, shared mine here
http://dale.fraser.id.au/2011/08/how-i-got-started...
# Posted By Dale Fraser | 8/1/11 8:01 PM
All right, I'm in: http://knowwwhow.com/2011/08/how-i-got-started-in-...
# Posted By Andrew Mills | 8/1/11 8:10 PM
This is my story: http://www.daveboulden.co.uk/index.php/2011/08/01/...
# Posted By Dave Boulden | 8/1/11 8:23 PM
I was going to do a Google+ post, but I decided it was time for me to dabble in this whole blog thing... So, here is my meager contribution:

http://cfvonner.posterous.com/how-i-got-started-in...
# Posted By Carl Von Stetten | 8/1/11 8:51 PM
This "blog" post is on time, and definitely under budget:
http://www.phillipsenn.com/Index/ColdFusion/HowIGo...
# Posted By Phillip Senn | 8/1/11 10:12 PM
Posted my story on Google+ https://plus.google.com/110472811208351040949/post...
# Posted By Joost van der Drift | 8/2/11 1:37 AM
Excellent idea, Steve. So many different backgrounds, but we all have one thing in common.

My humble contribution:

http://cfsimplicity.com/33/how-i-got-started-in-co...
# Posted By Julian Halliwell | 8/2/11 2:51 AM
Here's my story if you haven't already read it.

http://nil.checksite.co.uk/index.cfm/2011/8/1/How-...
# Posted By Stephen Moretti | 8/2/11 5:15 AM
Posted mine late last night too:

http://www.countermarch.com/blog/index.cfm/2011/8/...
# Posted By Steve Rittler | 8/2/11 5:46 AM
My probably rather dull contribution:

http://sebduggan.com/posts/how-i-got-started-in-co...
# Posted By Seb Duggan | 8/2/11 5:50 AM
Steve Bryant - Awesome! Who would have thought I'd be taking a picture of that old book with my mobile phone?

The stories are all fantastic. Great idea! :)
# Posted By peanut | 8/2/11 8:39 AM
Ryan,

Yep. I definitely plan to compile some information from these. What form that will take, I'm not yet sure.

That means, by the way, that I will likely stop by different entries with questions in the near future.
# Posted By Steve Bryant | 8/2/11 10:21 AM
I've loved reading everyone's stories!

Also posted mine: http://coldfusionbeyond.com/post.cfm/the-founding-...
# Posted By Collectonian | 8/2/11 11:34 AM
I'm pretty sure this means that ColdFusion is dead, right? I'm pretty sure this is proof that CF is alive and has as passionate of a developer community as you'll find anywhere.
# Posted By Ryan Anklam | 8/2/11 11:46 AM
A day late (but I was on vacation): http://corfield.org/blog/post.cfm/how-i-got-starte...
# Posted By Sean Corfield | 8/2/11 12:52 PM
ColdFusion sounds interesting. As I read some comments regarding your post, they are really taking time to learn and experience it. I wanna try it too.
# Posted By Ecommerce | 8/13/11 9:27 AM
what should i studdy in collage to get started with cold fusion
# Posted By jesus | 1/12/12 11:03 PM
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