Techie groups

Illustration: David Ercolini

Date: October 7, 2009 9:14:21 AM
To: inyc@timeoutny.com
Subject: For the IT geeks

There are “mixer” type of events for singles, for gays, for Christians, for Indians, etc. How can I find out where clubs or network gatherings take place for IT nerds? I also ask because I want to know more people like me in hopes of building my professional network as well as my social one.

Let’s get down, drones. Where can the IT nerds gather and unite?

Sincerely,
CPU Lover

If you believe in blog supremacy
Dutch journalist Peter Verkooijen, the founder of Web2NewYork (web2newyork.com), always believed that the Internet would kill the old media business model. To prepare for the looming shake-up, he formed a group where people could mingle and make presentations about post-Internet media and business. “It draws a mix of 50 to 100 hip twentysomething Web and media entrepreneurs,” he says. “But they all need the real IT nerd types to get anything done.” The next event, Drinks4Startups, will be on November 18 at Gallery Bar (120 Orchard St between Delancey and Rivington Sts, drinks4startups.com; 6pm, $10).

If you want to hack the planet
Anyone who speaks computer has probably heard of Ruby, the programming language used by sites like Twitter and Hulu. “It’s an insurgent start-up language,” says Francis Hwang, the cofounder of group NYC Ruby. “It attracts a different kind of person, like someone who’d work at a start-up where there’s more fun but less security.” This five-year-old event draws more than 30 people to its educational gatherings, which are usually held on the second Tuesday of the month at the Gilt Groupe office (40 W 20th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves, sixth floor; 646-214-8928, nycruby.org; 7pm, free). The group also hosts the annual Gotham Ruby Conference in the spring, and members often self-organize other meetings, like happy hours and hack fests (chill group-programming sessions). Similar groups exist for languages Java (groups.google.com/group/nycjs) and Python (nycpython.org).

If Bill Gates is your hero
Meet techies over free pizza and raffles at the New York Microsoft Exchange Server User Group’s (meetup.com/nyexug) monthly meetings, where the 500-plus members of the four-year-old organization discuss everything concerning the messaging program. “We have speakers and topics for all levels of technicality,” says founder Ben Serebin. The event is completely free, but attendees must R.S.V.P. The next meeting, a launch party for Exchange 2010, will be on November 10 at the Microsoft offices (1290 Sixth Ave between 51st and 52nd Sts, sixth floor; register@nyexug.com. 6:30pm).

If you’re a girl geek
It’s always ladies’ night for Girls in Tech (girlsintechnyc.com), a single-sex group that has been meeting since February 2007. Says co–managing director Tommy Jenkins, “As young women with the capacity to inspire, we made it our personal desire and passion to create and sustain an organization that focuses on the collaboration, promotion, growth and success of women in the technology sector.” Girl power, sister! These women meet at spots like 48 Lounge (1221 Sixth Ave at 48th St; 212-554-4848, 48nyc.com), where they draw more than 100 attendees who pay $10 to $20 for a night of mingling and networking. Events for November and December are in the works, so check the website for details.

If you find strength in numbers
NY Tech Meetup, the largest technology group in NYC (approximately 11,000 members), was founded by Scott Heiferman, who also cofounded Meetup (yep, he’s the man who launched a thousand book clubs). The group holds monthly meetings, which draw about 700 people to hear five or ten tech start-up companies each give five-minute presentations. The next event will be on Tuesday 3 at Haft Auditorium at the Fashion Institute of Technology (227 W 27th St between Seventh and Eighth Aves, 212-217-7999; 7pm, $10) with an after-party starting around nine at the Black Door (127 W 26th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves; 212-645-0215).

If you put the work in workstation
Last year, Tony Bacigalupo founded New Work City (200 Varick St at Houston St; 888-823-3494, nwcny.com), a shared computer space, because he was lonely working from home and wanted to make connections with fellow geeks. For $25 a day (or with various packages that can cost up to $500 a month), techies get high-speed Internet, the use of printers, scanners and a conference room, and most importantly, free coffee. “It’s a tight-knit community,” Bacigalupo says. “You bring your laptop to hang around awesome people who are going to inspire you, help you work on stuff and then go get beers with you.” NWC, which attracts about 18 people per day, also organizes happy hours and workshops.

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