Workshop: Earle Castledine - Zero to hero with jQuery October 5, 2009

Since late 2006, JQuery has emerged as one of the leading JavaScript frameworks for web developers, powering sites as diverse as DIGG and NBC, being included as part of development platforms like Microsoft’s ASP.NET Ajax Framework and Nokia’s Widget Development Platform, and spawning a large ecosystems of plugins.

In this day-long hands-on masterclass, JavaScript and jQuery guru Earle Castledine takes you from the basics of jQuery: simple and useful effects; through to advanced techniques like themeable widgets and Ajax-y goodness. Through fast-paced and interesting practical examples you’ll walk away with the confidence and skill to apply jQuery to your current projects and ideas.

Who is this workshop for?
The workshop is aimed at designers and developers who want to implement impressive client-side behaviour with less effort. It’s for anyone looking to bring their web pages to life and create an engaging user experience - without requiring a computer science degree. A basic knowledge of CSS and HTML is important, and some knowledge of JavaScript will give you a head-start.

What will you learn?
By the end of the day you will be able to

* make crazy (as well as simple, subtle, and elegant) effects
* understand when to use jQuery (and when not to)
* apply jQuery to your existing projects to add instant sparkle
* implement and customise popular page interactions
* create accessible and themeable components
* handle Ajax requests like a pro

About Earle Castledine
Sporting a Masters in Information Technology and a lifetime of experience on the Web of Hard Knocks, Earle Castledine (Mr Speaker) holds an interest in everything computery. A Senior Systems Analyst and Javascript flaneur - he is equally happy in the muddy pits of .NET code as in the fluffy fields of client-side interaction development. Co-creator of the client-side opus TurnTubelist and author of the upcoming book “jQuery: Novice to Ninja”, Earle recognises the Internet not as a lubricant for social change, but as a vehicle for unleashing frivolous ECMAScript gadgets and interesting time-wasting technologies.

Official Website: http://south09.webdirections.org/workshops