Last week from Thursday through Saturday I had the privilege to attend RESTFest to speak, listen, and learn. Much thanks has already gone out to the organizers Benjamin, Mike, Shelby, and Ryan they deserve it and more for their efforts to organize, finance, and run the event as smoothly as they did.
About a year ago I started down this path towards a deeper understanding of REST services and API design, and while this is the first time I’ve attended rest fast the talks from the past provided a very strong educational foundation. This understanding allowed me to direct the next stages of my research through specifications and papers. I have a strong belief in the responsibility of the successful to strengthen the ladder they climb behind them to allow more follow. Over the next few weeks I’m sure to glean even more knowledge from my time in Greenville, however it’s obvious the organizers and veteran attendees of RESTFest have built a very strong ladder.
In hindsight it was probably a mistake that I decided to rewrite my talks to fit extra-session conversations on different API design approaches. While the material I wanted to present was the same or similar, I didn’t have the opportunity to rehearse, scrutinize the potential reactions to the slides, or practice delivery. I do believe there was room for improvement on the delivery, organization of slides, and focus of the talks. However despite the potential shortcomings I faced nothing but helpful and considered feedback from others to improve my delivery and presentation.
The uniquely safe environment they created gave someone like me the opportunity to learn firsthand the differences between speaking at a lunch and learn and a conference among many other things. Lesson’s ranged from a touch of speaker wisdom to limitations of AWS managed services. In my mind all of these constructive critiques and utter lack of negativity only help to further demonstrate the safe educational environment at RESTFest.
Thank you those who financially, logistically, vocally, or in any other capacity have helped make RESTFest past and present happen. I can say unequivocally I wouldn’t have the knowledge I have now without your effort and support.
RESTFest was fun, it was educational, it was productive, it was nerdy, and I liked it.
See ya next year Greenville!