2019 Statement of Intent Peter Alexander

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Peter Alexander

I, Peter Alexander, am writing this to formally announce that I am running to be the committee chair of Software Development.

Software development is currently in rough shape. You might even say on the brink of collapse. Our only physical presence is a table in the common area that we’re about to be lose in the expansion, we’ve little name recognition, and we have few teachers. It’s rough, but it’s not hopeless. I’m here to bring us back. Here’s how:

   1. I will obtain a physical presence at DMS and give us a place to store/organize our current and future equipment by purchasing a rolling cabinet. This will serve as our base until after the dust from the expansion settles. After that is all said and done I will try and secure our own territory, but until then the cabinet will be enough. Fortunately, software doesn’t require much space.
   2. I will make us a cool LED sign like many of the other committees have. This may seem minor, but its a great, cheap way of getting our name out, especially to new members. We can attach this to the cart.
   3. We will begin offering our services to other committees and the space at large. This will help build good will and get our name out. Helping Infrastructure with the calendar and with the kiosks located around DMS would be top priority on this front. (I can personally help with the kiosks.)
   4. We will begin offering a core curriculum (e.g. Intro to Python classes) on a monthly circulation. This will require teachers, of course, which—aside from myself—I can only promise on an “If you build it they will come" basis.
   5. As for funds and teachers, to get us started, if I am made chair, I will commit to teaching at least 5 classes a week with the committee’s portion of the honorarium put towards Software Development. This will give us a small trickle of funding and a basic presence on the calendar.
   6. Finally, as we grow, I want to begin to bring in larger names and communities in software to DMS for events and represent DMS at various software events around the Dallas Metroplex.

Let’s get Software Development back on track and make DMS all the better for it.