Conference on Caktus Group

Chicago Like a Local: Part 2

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 23:54:16 +0000

Chicago Like a Local: Hidden Gems & Unique Experiences (Part 2)

DjangoCon US 2025 is getting closer, and while we’ve covered some classic must-see spots in Part 1, there’s so much more to explore beyond the typical tourist attractions. If you’re looking for unique experiences, quirky hidden gems, and places where locals actually hang out, this guide is for you.

Reflection on DjangoCon 2022

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 15:33:37 +0000

Ronard’s Recap

“It takes a village” the African proverb goes. Nowhere was this as apparent as in DjangoCon. It was my first technology conference and my experience could not have been better. People from the most senior developer to fellow juniors and even one of the co-creators of Django made the experience feel warm and inviting. Perhaps knowing that you are surrounded by introverts alleviates the social pressure, knowing that everyone has a common interest, or perhaps even love for programming also brought a soothing feeling to the experience.

DjangoCon is Back and Free of Charge

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 18:02:16 +0000

We’ve waited eagerly for DjangoCon 2021 since last year’s event was cancelled due to COVID-19. Not only is the event back, but it’s free to attend! DjangoCon will take place virtually on October 22 and 23 — it will be unprecedented since this is the first time the conference will be virtual.

Highlights from PyCon US 2021

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 17:10:44 +0000

I had the opportunity to attend PyCon US, which was held entirely virtually. Though an in-person experience is impossible to replicate (the last time I attended PyCon in person was in 2018), I found that many aspects of the live conference were still available in an online format. Here are some of my highlights:

PyCon US 2021 is Around the Corner

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 18:23:52 +0000

PyCon US 2021 will be completely virtual this year. For the first time ever you’ll be able to enjoy this popular event from the comfort of your favorite armchair!

Take Note of these Top Talks From DjangoCon Europe

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 20:28:03 +0000

Photo by The Climate Reality Project on Unsplash

Like many conferences in 2020, DjangoCon Europe was held virtually. I’m glad I had the opportunity to attend because the sessions provided insight and information that I’m still applying. In light of the pandemic and the social changes it’s caused, I’ve come to know that web development and the solutions it provides are at the heart of how we are navigating this challenging time. Here are three talks from DjangoCon Europe that I believe will help you protect, maintain, and develop projects.

All Things Open 2019 Recap

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 19:02:08 +0000

I recently attended All Things Open in Raleigh. Bringing together more than 4,000 attendees, it is the largest open tech event on the East Coast, and is focused on “exploring open source, open tech, and the open web.” This year, ATO included more than 240 sessions across 22 tracks, ranging from front-end development to internet-of-things to studies of open data in government. The event was much larger than the last time that I attended in 2017.

DjangoCon 2019 Delivered Again

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 21:05:01 +0000

Above: Django Fellow Carlton Gibson gives a talk on “Your Web Framework Needs You: An Update.”

Again this year, DjangoCon more than delivered on its promise of something for everyone. A keynote on burnout and balance? Thoroughly entertaining! Jessica Rose’s talk left us in stitches. Who knew a talk about occupational burnout could be so fun? It was one of a wide range of subjects covered in three days of talks, bookended by a day of tutorials and two days of sprints. The conference took place in San Diego and ran from September 22 - 26. What a great week of learning and networking!

Taking a Dip into Elixir

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 17:55:58 +0000

ElixirConf 2019 will be in Aurora, CO, and I’m delighted to announce that two Cakti, our CEO Tobias McNulty and Lead Developer Vinod Kurup, will be in attendance from August 27 - 30.

DjangoCon, Here We Come!

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 18:13:01 +0000

We’re looking forward to the international gathering at DjangoCon 2019, in San Diego, CA. The six-day conference, from September 22 - 27, is focused on the Django web framework, and we’re proud to attend as sponsors for the tenth year! We’re also hosting the second annual Caktus Mini Golf event.

Our Favorite PyCon 2019 Presentations

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 18:31:31 +0000

PyCon 2019 attracted 3,393 attendees, including a group of six Cakti. When we weren’t networking with attendees at our booth, we attended some fascinating presentations. Below are some of our favorites. You can watch these talks and more on the PyCon 2019 YouTube channel.

Be Quick or Eat Potatoes: A Newbie’s Guide to PyCon

Thu, 23 May 2019 20:49:07 +0000

Pictured: I traveled to Cleveland, OH, for PyCon 2019, where I got this shot of the city skyline.

This year I attended PyCon for the first time. It’s rather amazing that I haven’t been before, since I’ve been using Python professionally for over 15 years. PyCon 2019 was held in Cleveland from May 1–9. There was so much to take in, and there are so many good things to say about it. It was a fantastic experience. But rather than provide a “mission report: 2019” a la Winter Soldier, I thought I’d do something more useful — write a guide to PyCon from a newbie perspective. Here are six lessons I learned from my first PyCon.

We're Eagerly Preparing for PyCon 2019!

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 13:00:00 +0000

Pictured: The final rush is on! Staff quickly check materials for our PyCon booth.

PyCon 2019 is almost here, and we’re excited to continue to sponsor this premier Python event, which takes place in Cleveland, OH, from May 1 - 9. PyCon attracts attendees from around the world, and for the first time, the conference will include a track of Spanish talks.

Impressed by Devopsdays Charlotte 2019

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 15:41:09 +0000

We have a small two-person Infrastructure Ops team here at Caktus (including myself) so I was excited to go to my first devopsdays Charlotte and be surrounded by Ops people. The event was held just outside of Charlotte, at the Red Ventures auditorium in Indian Land, South Carolina. About 200 people gathered there for two days of talks and open sessions. Devopsdays are held multiple times a year, in various locations around the world. Check out their schedule to see if there will be an event near you.

7 Conferences We’re Looking Forward To

Sat, 26 Jan 2019 18:01:22 +0000

Above: The Internet Summit in Raleigh is one of the local conferences we recommend attending. (Photo by Ian Huckabee.)

At Caktus, we strongly believe in professional development and continued learning. We encourage our talented team to stay up to date with industry trends and technologies. During 2018, Cakti attended a number of conferences around the country. Below is a list (in alphabetical order) of the ones we found the most helpful, practical, and interesting. We look forward to attending these conferences again, and if you get the chance, we highly recommend that you check them out as well.

Django Depends on You: A Takeaway from DjangoCon

Tue, 13 Nov 2018 13:00:00 +0000

Photo by Bartek Pawlik.

DjangoCon 2018 attracted attendees from around the world, including myself and several other Cakti (check out our DjangoCon recap post). Having attended a number of DjangoCons in the past, I looked forward to reconnecting with old colleagues and friends within the community, learning new things about our favorite framework, and exploring San Diego.

DjangoCon 2018 Recap

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 11:00:00 +0000

Above: Hundreds of happy Djangonauts at DjangoCon 2018. (Photo by Bartek Pawlik.)

That’s it, folks — another DjangoCon in the books! Caktus was thrilled to sponsor and attend this fantastic gathering of Djangonauts for the ninth year running. This year’s conference ran from October 14 - 19, in sunny San Diego. ☀️

Diverse Speaker Line-up for DjangoCon is Sharp

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 13:37:18 +0000

Above: Caktus Account Manager Tim Scales gears up for DjangoCon.

We’re looking forward to taking part in the international gathering of Django enthusiasts at DjangoCon 2018, in San Diego, CA. We’ll be there from October 14 - 19, and we’re proud to attend as sponsors for the ninth year! As such, we’re hosting a mini golf event for attendees (details below).

Why We Love TestBash (and You Will, Too!)

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 13:30:00 +0000

Mirror, mirror, on the wall - what’s the best test conference of them all? That’s the question that many of you may be asking yourselves when trying to decide which conference to attend. Well, we believe we have discovered what may be one of the top contenders for best software testing conferences: the Ministry of Testing’s TestBash.

PyCon 2018 Recap

Mon, 21 May 2018 13:30:00 +0000

Making connections

Before the conference, our team listed “making connections” as one of the main reasons to attend PyCon. We certainly did that, welcoming visitors to the booth and catching up with friends old and new.

Caktus at PyCon 2018

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 13:30:00 +0000

We’re one month away from PyCon 2018 and are looking forward to this year’s event in Cleveland, OH. Caktus is proud to sponsor once again and will be in attendance with a booth.

Southern Fried Agile 2017 Recap

Wed, 27 Dec 2017 14:30:00 +0000

I attended the Southern Fried Agile conference in November 2017, where I heard some excellent talks and connected with local Agilists in Charlotte, NC. Southern Fried Agile is the sister conference of TriAgile, which I also attended this year.

2018 Event Shortlist

Mon, 11 Dec 2017 14:30:00 +0000

The Caktus team attends a number of conferences each year to learn about the latest tips and tools. Several of us also go to events to share knowledge as speakers or sprint leaders. Using our varied experiences, we’ve put together a list of the events we’re looking forward to next year.

AWS re:Invent Recap

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 14:30:00 +0000

As a certified Amazon Web Services (AWS) Consulting Partner, Caktus sent a member of the team to AWS re:invent this year to meet other solution providers, discuss with AWS representatives how to leverage our partnership to best serve our clients, and of course, get hands-on experience with both existing and newly-revealed AWS services.

The Opera of Agile: A Striking Performance at Red Hat Agile Day

Wed, 01 Nov 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Have you ever heard anyone sing opera during a tech-focused conference? Neither had I, until now.

Red Hat Agile Day, held in downtown Raleigh, recently provided this unique opportunity. The theme of the 2017 Red Hat Agile Day was “Agile: brokering innovation; bringing together great ideas.” The conference certainly lived up to that theme with a diverse line-up of speakers, including a former professional opera singer who bookended his presentation with songs. One was a creative, original ballad about being an Agile product manager (see the lyrics here), which he delivered at full blast, because how else can you sing opera?

DjangoCon 2017 Recap

Wed, 23 Aug 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Mid-August brought travel to Spokane for several Caktus staff members attending DjangoCon 2017. As a Django shop, we were proud to sponsor and attend the event for the eighth year.

Caktus at DjangoCon2017

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 13:30:00 +0000

In less than a month we’ll be heading out to Spokane, WA for DjangoCon 2017. We’re proud to be attending as sponsors for the eighth year, and look forward to greeting everyone at our booth. On August 16th, we’ll be raffling off a GoPro Session action camera, so be sure to stop by and enter. We’ll also have our comfy new t-shirts and some limited-edition Caktus 10th Anniversary water bottles to give away. They went fast at PyCon, so don’t wait to get yours.

Constructive Code Review (Bonus PyCon 2017 Must-See Talk)

Wed, 12 Jul 2017 13:30:00 +0000

There were so many good talks this year that we’re including a bonus entry in the 2017 edition of our annual PyCon Must-See Series, highlighting the talks our staff especially loved at PyCon.

Readability Counts (PyCon 2017 Must-See Talk 6/6)

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Part 6 in the 2017 edition of our annual PyCon Must-See Series, highlighting the talks our staff especially loved at PyCon. While there were many great talks, this is our team’s shortlist.

Requests, Under the Hood (PyCon 2017 Must-See Talk 5/6)

Mon, 03 Jul 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Part five of six in the 2017 edition of our annual PyCon Must-See Series, highlighting the talks our staff especially loved at PyCon. While there were many great talks, this is our team’s shortlist.

5 Ways to Deploy Your Python Web App in 2017 (PyCon 2017 Must-See Talk 4/6)

Mon, 26 Jun 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Part four of six in the 2017 edition of our annual PyCon Must-See Series, highlighting the talks our staff especially loved at PyCon. While there were many great talks, this is our team’s shortlist.

How Documentation Works, and How to Make It Work for Your Project (PyCon 2017 Must-See Talk 3/6)

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Part three of six in the 2017 edition of our annual PyCon Must-See Series, highlighting the talks our staff especially loved at PyCon. While there were many great talks, this is our team’s shortlist.

TriAgile 2017 Recap

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 13:30:00 +0000

I attended the TriAgile conference in Raleigh, NC on March 30th, 2017 and wanted to share some takeaways from a couple of the talks I saw. Overall, the conference was a nice opportunity to network with some local Agilists and hear about their work and experiences. It was well organized, and I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the Agile community in the Triangle!

Decorators, Unwrapped: How Do They Work? (PyCon 2017 Must-See Talk 1/6)

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Part one of six in the 2017 edition of our annual PyCon Must-See Series, highlighting the talks our staff especially loved at PyCon. While there were many great talks, this is our team’s shortlist.

PyCon 2017 Recap

Wed, 24 May 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Caktus attended PyCon 2017 in Portland from May 18-21. It was the first PyCon for some, while others were PyCon veterans. All of us were looking forward to the opportunity to hear some great talks and make or renew connections in the Python community.

Uniqueness is an Advantage

Wed, 17 May 2017 13:30:00 +0000

Back in March, the organizers from the Women in Tech summit asked if I’d like to collaborate on a panel on diversity in technology at their Philadelphia summit. Back in October, I had created a panel on “Staying a Women in Tech” and was excited for the opportunity to speak on such a significant topic in my hometown of Philadelphia. I was introduced to Brigitte Daniel, who had submitted this new panel, and we began putting the panel plans together. Brigitte would moderate the discussion and I would be a panelist along with three other dynamic women in tech: Elise Wei, Jumoke Dada and Gulrukh Ahanger.

Caktus Activities at PyCon 2017

Wed, 26 Apr 2017 13:30:00 +0000

It’s almost time for PyCon and the team here at Caktus is ready to meet other attendees. Where and how can you find us?

Come Visit Us at PyCon 2017

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 12:00:00 +0000

PyCon 2017 is fast approaching, and we’re excited to support the event this year as sponsors once again. It’s a great opportunity to meet new friends, exchange ideas and interact with the community at large.

Django Under the Hood 2016 Recap

Tue, 29 Nov 2016 17:31:25 +0000

Caktus was a proud sponsor of Django Under the Hood (DUTH) 2016 in Amsterdam this year. Organized by Django core developers and community members, DUTH is a highly technical conference that delves deep into Django.

On building relationships - Digital Project Management Summit Recap

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 15:27:30 +0000

Photo of Elizabeth speaking to DPM 2016 Summit by David Jordan.

When I first became a digital project manager, I struggled to find professional resources. There was a plethora of information available for traditional project management, but not much specifically for digital project management. Luckily, a colleague recommended the Digital PM Summit, sponsored by the Bureau of Digital.

RapidCon 2016: RapidPro Developer's Recap

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 15:41:07 +0000

Developer Erin Mullaney was just in Amsterdam for RapidCon, a UNICEF-hosted event for developers using RapidPro, an SMS tool built on Django. The teams that have worked on RapidPro and its predecessor RapidSMS have gotten to know each other virtually over the years. This marks the second time they’ve all come from across the globe to share learnings on RapidPro and to discuss its future.

PyData Carolinas 2016 Recap

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 19:29:14 +0000

We had a great time at the inaugural PyData Carolinas hosted nearby at IBM in the Research Triangle Park. People from Caktus presented a number of talks and the videos are now up online:

Caktus Group @ PyData Carolinas 2016

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 17:23:47 +0000

Tomorrow marks the official beginning of PyData Carolinas 2016 (though technically, the tutorials started today). This is the first time PyData has hosted a conference in our area. We’re especially proud of the way local leaders and members of meetups like TriPython, TechGirlz, Girl Develop It RDU, and PyLadies have worked in tandem to put this event together for the Python community.

Postgres Present and Future (PyCon 2016 Must-See Talk: 6/6)

Thu, 18 Aug 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Part six of six in our annual PyCon Must-See Series, a weekly highlight of talks our staff especially loved at PyCon. With so many fantastic talks, it’s hard to know where to start, so here’s our short list.

Python Nordeste 2016 Recap

Mon, 15 Aug 2016 15:52:15 +0000

Image via @pythonnordeste #pyselfie

I don’t know anyone there. I don’t know the language. What about this Zika virus? What about this political unrest? These were some of the doubts and fears racing through my mind at the start of my trip. I had barely settled back home from my trip from PyCon US when it was time to start making the trip to Python Nordeste. It’s a long set of flights to Teresina in the northeast region of Brazil, and I was alone.

Trainspotting: Real-Time Detection (PyCon 2016 Must-See Talk: 4/6)

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 13:41:43 +0000

Part four of six in our annual PyCon Must-See Series, a weekly highlight of talks our staff especially loved at PyCon. With so many fantastic talks, it’s hard to know where to start, so here’s our short list.

Caktus at DjangoCon 2016 - Talks that Have Us Talking

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 16:51:21 +0000

Caktus is headed to Philadelphia for our seventh DjangoCon. We’re Gold Sponsors this year, so definitely come by our booth to chat with our team and grab t-shirts, stickers, and a 40% off coupon for Lightweight Django, co-written by our technical director, Mark Lavin. Also be sure to enter our raffle for an Amazon Echo.

PyCon 2016 Recap

Tue, 14 Jun 2016 12:00:00 +0000

PyCon, beyond being the best community event for Python developers, is also an event that we happily began thinking about eleven months ago. Almost as soon as PyCon 2015 ended, we had the good fortune of planning the look and feel of PyCon 2016 with organizer extraordinaires Ewa Jodlowska, Diana Clark, and new this year, Brandon Rhodes. Our team has loved working with the organizers on the PyCon websites for the past three years now. They’re great people who always prioritize the needs of PyCon attendees, whether that’s babysitting services or a smooth PyCon web experience.

My First Conference Talk: Reflecting on Support and Inclusivity at DjangoCon Europe 2016

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 12:00:00 +0000

The environment at Caktus is, above all, one of encouragement. I experienced that encouragement as an intern and continue to experience it as a full-time developer. In addition to providing workplace mentorship, Caktus encourages all of its employees to submit talks to conferences. My manager Mark Lavin and mentor Karen Tracy encouraged me to get over my concerns about being new to the field and to start submitting talks.

Where to Find Cakti at PyCon 2016

Thu, 26 May 2016 12:00:00 +0000

As Django developers, we always look forward to PyCon. This year, working with the Python Software Foundation on the design for PyCon 2016’s site kindled our enthusiasm early. Our team is so excited for all the fun to begin. With an array of fantastic events, speakers, and workshops, we thought we would highlight all the events we’ll be participating in. Come find us!

Mark Lavin to Give Keynote at Python Nordeste

Mon, 16 May 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Mark Lavin will be giving the keynote address at Python Nordeste this year. Python Nordeste is the largest gathering of the Northeast Python community, which takes place annually in cities of northeastern Brazil. This year’s conference will be held in Teresina, the capital of the Brazilian state of Piauí.

Identifying Racial Bias in Policing with a Data-driven App

Fri, 16 Oct 2015 21:16:16 +0000

Recently, Caktus co-founder Colin Copeland spoke about the creation of a web app that analyzes North Carolina traffic stop data to identify racial bias during the Code for America 2015 Summit. The website allows both police departments and community members to visualize a dataset of more than 18 million stops statewide. Colin spoke with Ian Mance, the originator of the app idea and staff attorney with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Together with fellow community members, Andy Shapiro and Dylan Young, they used Django, an open source web framework, to make policing data more accessible.

PyCon 2016: Behind the Design

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 18:30:00 +0000

Having helped to design an award-winning event site for last year’s PyCon in Montreal, we are thrilled to collaborate again with the Python Software Foundation (PSF) on this year’s site for PyCon 2016.

Caktus at DjangoCon 2015

Fri, 04 Sep 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Django is kind of our thing, so we’ve been looking forward to DjangoCon 2015 for months! Now that it is finally here, we thought we would give a little preview of what Cakti will be up to at this year’s conference.

Epic Allies Featured at mHealth at Duke 2015 Conference

Fri, 19 Jun 2015 12:00:00 +0000

At this year’s mHealth at Duke 2015 Conference, Dr. Lisa Hightow-Weidman discussed her current mHealth projects for HIV prevention. Chief among these projects is her work with Caktus Group on Epic Allies, a mobile gaming app that utilizes social media and mini-games to increase adherence to prescribed medication amongst HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM).

PyCon 2015 Talks: Our Must See Picks (1/6)

Tue, 28 Apr 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Whether you couldn’t make it to PyCon this year, were busy attending one of the other amazing talks, or were simply too enthralled by the always popular “hallway track”, there are bound to be talks you missed out on. Thankfully, the PyCon staff does an amazing job not only organizing the conference for the attendees and the days of the conference, but also by producing recordings of all the talks for anyone who couldn’t attend. Even if you attended, you couldn’t have seen every talk, so these recordings are a great safety net.

PyCon 2015 ReCap

Tue, 21 Apr 2015 19:55:57 +0000

The best part of PyCon? Definitely the people. This is my fifth PyCon, so I’ve had a chance to see the event evolve, especially with the fantastic leadership of Ewa Jodlowska and Diana Clarke. We were also lucky enough to work with them on the PyCon 2015 website. This year we were once again located in the Centre-Ville section of Montreal, close to lots of great restaurants and entertainment.

How to Find Cakti at PyCon 2015

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 13:09:46 +0000

We’re very excited for PyCon 2015 and can’t wait for the fun to begin. Working on the PyCon website stoked our excitement early, so it’s almost surreal that PyCon is finally here. With an overwhelming number of great events, we wanted to highlight ones Caktus and our staff will be taking part in. Below you’ll find a list of where we’ll be each day. Please join us!

PyCon Blog Features Caktus Group

Tue, 27 Jan 2015 21:07:10 +0000

Brian Curtis, the director of the Python Software Foundation, recently interviewed and featured Caktus on the PyCon website. PyCon is the premiere event for those of us within the Python and Django open source communities. Brian writes about our work designing the PyCon 2015 website, our efforts in Libya, and what’s on the horizon in 2015. We’re excited about this recognition!

DjangoCon 2014: Recap

Mon, 08 Sep 2014 17:44:43 +0000

Caktus had a great time at DjangoCon in Portland this year! We met up with old friends and new. The following staff gave talks (we’ll update this post with videos as soon as they’re available):

DjangoCon Ticket Giveaway!

Thu, 14 Aug 2014 18:00:00 +0000

Update: Congratulations to @dmpayton for winning this giveaway!

Caktus is giving away a DjangoCon ticket valued at $850! DjangoCon is the main US Django conference and it’s returning to Portland this year, August 30 - September 4th. Meet fellow Django developers, learn what others are doing, and have a good time!

PyOhio Recap: Celery with Python

Mon, 11 Aug 2014 11:07:39 +0000

Caleb Smith recently gave a talk, “Intro to Celery,” at PyOhio (video below). Celery is a pretty popular topic for us here at Caktus. We use it often in our client work and find it very handy. So we were happy Caleb was out in the world, promoting its use. We sat down with him to hear more about PyOhio and Celery.

OSCON 2014 & REST API Client Best Practices

Mon, 04 Aug 2014 11:36:53 +0000

Mark Lavin, Caktus Technical Director and author of the forthcoming LightWeight Django was recently at OSCON 2014 in Portland where he gave a talk on improving the relationship between server and client for REST APIs. OSCON, with over 3000 attendees, is one of the largest open source conferences around. I sat down with him to ask him about his time there.

Website Redesign for PyCon 2015

Thu, 31 Jul 2014 20:14:48 +0000

PyCon 2015’s website launched today (a day early!). PyCon is the premiere conference for the Python community and one we look forward to attending every year. We’re honored that the Python Software Foundation returned to us this year to revamp the site. We were especially happy to work again with organizer-extraordinaires Ewa Jodlowska and Diana Clarke.

Contributing Back to Symposion

Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Recently Caktus collaborated with the organizers of PyOhio, a free regional Python conference, to launch the PyOhio 2014 conference website. The conference starts this weekend, July 26 - 27. As in prior years, the conference web site utilizes Eldarion’s Symposion, an opensource conference management system. Symposion powers a number of annual conference sites including PyCon and DjangoCon. In fact, as of this writing, there are 78 forks of Symposion, a nod to its widespread use for events both large and small. This collaboration afforded us the opportunity to abide by one our core tenets, that of giving back to the community.

Caktus Attends YTH Live

Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Last week Tobias and I had a great time attending our first Youth+Tech+Health Live conference. I went to present along with our partners Sara LeGrand and Emily Pike from Duke and UNC respectively on our NIH/SBIR funded game focused on encouraging HIV medication adherence. The panel we spoke on “Stick to it: Tech for Medical Adherence + Health Interventions” was rounded out by Dano Beck from the Oregon Health Authority speaking about how they have used SMS message reminders successfully to increase HIV medication adherence in Oregon.

Caktus is going to Montréal for PyCon 2014!

Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:00:00 +0000

Caktus is happy to once again sponsoring and attending PyCon in Montreal this year. Year after year, we look forward to this conference and we are always impressed with the quality of the speakers that the conference draws. The team consistently walks away with new ideas from attending the talks, open spaces and working on sprints that they are excited to implement here at Caktus and in their personal projects.

New for PyCon: App for Group Outings + Giant Duck

Tue, 08 Apr 2014 14:57:52 +0000

For PyCon 2014, we’ve been working for the past few months on Duckling, an app to make it easier to find and join casual group outings. Our favorite part of PyCon is meeting up with fellow Pythonistas, but without someone rounding everyone up and sorting the logistics, we’ve found it difficult to figure who’s going where and when. Our answer to this age-old conference conundrum is Duckling!

Caktus Participates in DjangoCon 2013

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Caktus is happy to be involved in this year’s DjangoCon hosted in Chicago. We are pumped about the great lineup of speakers and can’t wait to see some of our old friends as well as meet some new folks. Beyond going to see the wonderful talks, Caktus is participating as a sponsor and Tobias McNulty will be speaking on scaling Django web apps. Come stop by our booth or see Tobias’ talk to connect with us.

Raspberry IO Open Sourced

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 14:40:39 +0000

Back in March, at PyCon 2013, the PSF provided each attendee with a Raspberry Pi, a tiny credit-card sized computer meant to be paired with the Python programming language. The power and portability of the Raspberry Pi has stimulated an explosion of interest among hobbyists and educators. Their uses seem to be limited only by our collective imagination.

Mark & Julia Speaking at OSCON. “Developers + Designers: Collaborating on your Open Source project”

Tue, 23 Jul 2013 14:20:01 +0000

On Wednesday, Mark and Julia are teaming up to deliver their talk "Developers + Designers: Collaborating on your Open Source project " at OSCON 2013. We’re thrilled that their talk got accepted and know that they have a lot to contribute to the Open Source conversation which too often lacks the voice of designers. Julia and Mark will be discussing how it is important to start collaborating early on your ideas before writing code. We’re happy to have such adept developers and designers here at Caktus pushing each other to work outside of their strict job titles and collaborate to build projects that couldn’t be built anywhere else. If you are at OSCON this week, stop by and hear Mark and Julia’s talk. Or, if you miss their talk, they will be around all week and are excited about meeting new people.

Caktus and Python Software Foundation Collaborate on PyCon 2014 in Montreal Site

Wed, 10 Jul 2013 15:36:12 +0000

[Caktus is proud to be a part of the launch of the]{style=“color:#000000; background-color:transparent; font-style:normal;”} PyCon 2014 in Montreal[ website. We were delighted to be selected as this year’s partner for software development and brand updates. In the past, we've enjoyed working with the ]{style=“color:#000000; background-color:transparent; font-style:normal;”}Python Software Foundation[ as a collaborator for the ]{style=“color:#000000; background-color:transparent; font-style:normal;”}Raspberry.io[ branding and development and are excited to help out with the PyCon website.]{style=“color:#000000; background-color:transparent; font-style:normal;”}

Caktus sponsoring and speaking on mobile health at SwitchPoint 2013

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:13:21 +0000

SwitchPoint is a one-of-a-kind conference and a unique opportunity to learn, share ideas, and hear about global and mobile health efforts around the world. We had a great time at SwitchPoint last year. I’m excited to announce that Caktus, for the second year in a row, is sponsoring [SwitchPoint 2013]{style=“color: rgb(17, 85, 204);”}.

PyCon 2013 Recap---Teaching and Learning with the Python Community

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:30:47 +0000

Caktus had a wonderful time at this year’s PyCon conference. We believe strongly in supporting our developers in their quest to become the best coders that they can be and think that being at PyCon is a great way for them to learn about what’s going on in the Python community. We sent ten people to the conference to work at our booth and attend conference events. The organizers of PyCon, headed by Jesse Noller, put on an amazing event that created a space for people to meet face to face in order to work and learn together.

Raspberry IO announced at PyCon

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:51:00 +0000

PyCon is one of our favorite conferences here at Caktus. We’ve been attending for the past 4 years now and it is amazing to see how much the community has grown. This year is especially special because Jesse Noller and the Python Software Foundation (PSF) came to us to help them build Raspberry IO. The site features work from the Python community and their adventures in using Raspberry Pi with Python.

PyCarolinas' Logo Design by Caktus

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 13:39:54 +0000

Having creative freedom is an important part of any good design job. From time to time, you'll get those projects where you are really confined in what you get to do. It's important to have those creative outlets available to you and to be able to work on projects where you have the freedom to create.

Thoughts after attending Djangocon

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 13:50:02 +0000

The Caktus team attending and having a great time at Djangocon!

It’s been one week since I posted my wrap-up of the first day at Djangocon, and although I didn’t get the chance to cover each day individually I wanted to post a quick conference wrap up.

Djangocon 2012 First Day

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:24:10 +0000

The Caktus team arrived in DC for Djangocon on Monday evening, 9/3 and I've been keeping notes about what the presenters have been discussing and generally what the mood and experience have been like. I am taking a few minutes out of my Tuesday schedule to share with everyone how Djangocon 2012 is shaping up! I stayed in Track 1 throughout the day, so I can only report on talks given there.

Caktus Team Members Presenting at DjangoCon 2012

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 14:00:13 +0000

Caktus is proud to announce that four of our developers will be presenting at this year’s DjangoCon. We are also happy to announce that we will be sponsors of DjangoCon, taking place in Washington D.C. on September 4th through the 7th. In addition to the four Caktus team members who will be presenting this year, our entire development staff will be in attendance enjoying the conference and city.

Thoughts after attending the UNICEF Rwanda mHealth Conference

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 17:00:00 +0000

This past July, I had the pleasure of attending the UNICEF Rwanda Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. The conferences focus was on developing a comprehensive eHealth suite for numerous nations to implement.

Caktus is Sponsoring PyOhio 2012

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:44:24 +0000

Caktus is proud to announce that we are a sponsor of this year’s PyOhio conference taking place in Columbus, Ohio on July 28th and 29th! This is the 5th year for this regional conference and each year it continues to grow in size and scope. A great perk about PyOhio is that all of the talks are released for free online and also there is no charge to attend the conference. It is great to see more regional Python conferences throughout the nation and we are very excited to be a part of this growing trend. I will be attending the conference on behalf of Caktus, so make sure to seek me out and say hi, I will be wearing a Caktus t-shirt and would love to speak with you about what we do and of course any neat projects you’re building or working on in Python!

Karen Tracey to Deliver Keynote at DjangoCon Europe 2012

Thu, 31 May 2012 19:47:14 +0000

I am very proud to announce that Karen Tracey, Lead Developer at Caktus and Django Core Developer, will be delivering a keynote address at DjangoCon Europe next week. This will be Karen's first speech to the Django community, of which she has been an exemplary member since 2006.

Caktus is Sponsoring SwitchPoint 2012

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:45:24 +0000

I’m excited to announce that Caktus is a sponsor of the first SwitchPoint 2012 conference that is being held in the Saxapahaw Ballroom in Saxapahaw, NC. It is being organized by IntraHealth, an organization that mobilizes local talent for sustainable and accessible health care around the world. The conference is bringing together a number of people from different industries and disciplines to discuss how technology and ideas can increase global health equity. There are quite a few great speakers from RedHat, USAID, WorldBank and the United Nations. The Caktus team is really excited to attend Switchpoint and sponsor this incredible event.

Caktus is Sponsoring Pycon 2012

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Caktus is sponsoring Pycon 2012 in Santa Clara, CA this coming weekend! Nearly the entire office will be attending this year's event, which means Mark, Caleb, Calvin, David, Karen, Dan, Tobias, Colin, Julia, Nicole and I will be on site contributing and learning with the rest of the Python community. Nicole and I will be in charge of manning the booth, and so if you managed to wrangle tickets to the sold-out event, we invite you to stop by our booth #213 and say hello! Also Karen, Mark and Calvin will be sprinting after the talks, working on Django and Python3 tickets.

Caktus Consulting Group Sponsors DjangoCon 2011

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:13:49 +0000

DjangoCon 2011 is coming up next week and I’m excited to announce that Caktus is sponsoring the conference again this year! It is being held once again in beautiful Portland, Oregon from September 5th through the 10th. We’ve grown quite a bit from last year, there will be 9 team members-Colin, Tobias, Karen, Mark, Dan, Scott, George, Caleb and myself-attending the conference this year.

Sprinting on Django: A Layperson's Perspective

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:32:37 +0000

We just got back from another fun and successful PyCon. While we didn't get to stay for much of the sprints we did get to spend some time in the Django sprint Sunday and Monday. Monday morning I was there early and I noticed a bit of confusion among the Django sprinters. While I'm not a frequent contributor I've participated a few sprints at previous conferences and local sprints with Caktus. I shared with them my experiences and it seemed generally helpful so I thought I would share them here as well.

Caktus Consulting Group Sponsors PyCon 2011

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 03:00:00 +0000

PyCon 2011 Atlanta is just around the corner, and I'm proud to announce that Caktus is a gold sponsor at the conference this year! We sponsored DjangoCon in both 2009 and 2010, and this year agreed to extend that support to the Python community in general.

Caktus Consulting Group Sponsors DjangoCon 2010

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:50:45 +0000

DjangoCon 2010 is just around the corner, and I'm proud to announce that Caktus is sponsoring the conference again this year!

Caktus Sends Team of Five to PyCon 2010 in Atlanta

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:08:30 +0000

Python and Django are tools we use on a daily basis to build fantastic web apps here at Caktus. I'm pleased to announce that Caktus is sending five developers--Colin, Alex, Mike, Mark, and myself--to PyCon 2010! PyCon is an annual gathering for users and developers of the open source Python programming language. This year the US conference is being held in Atlanta, GA. We'll be driving down tomorrow (Thursday) from Chapel Hill, NC and staying for the conference weekend plus one day of the sprints.

Caktus Consulting Group, LLC sponsors DjangoCon 2009

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:58:29 +0000

Django is a tool we use on a daily basis to build fantastic web apps here at Caktus, and DjangoCon is the annual conference for Django developers and other community members. We are proud to announce that Caktus Consulting Group, LLC is sponsoring DjangoCon 2009!