northofnormal/learning iOS and other things

## learning iOS and other things
##Tutorials/Books/Learning Stuff
##Classes
http://apprend.org/ -- started by some friends of mine who seriously know their shit. Looks like it's some fairly intro stuff right now, but I know they are hoping to build more classes.

http://www.grandcircus.co/ -- offers variations on the thing I did in Toronto, some of them full time, some of them evening/weekend affairs. I've heard mixed reviews of them. I know some people who took their classes and were mostly happy with the classes. I know some people who teach there and have good things to say. But I also know a couple people who have taught there in the past or who have worked there and who refuse to have anything to do with the place now. All of the deeply anti-GC people are women, though, which is a specific kind of interesting.

https://www.girldevelopit.com/chapters/detroit -- It's not just for girls! They offer meetups and smaller tech classes. A lot of them are more entry-level, but occasionally they'll offer something a little more advanced.

### Command Line
http://cli.learncodethehardway.org/book/ -- Learn <whatever> The Hard Way are usually good resources, but this is where I learned to use the command line. Great skill to have, and a good way to feel like a hacking badass when all you are really doing in moving files around. And you'll need to know it for...

### Git
https://try.github.io/levels/1/challenges/1
https://www.codeschool.com/courses/try-git
http://git-scm.com/book/en/v2

Just grab one of these and go to town. Don't get dispirited if you don't understand what the hell is happening, it's confusing and weird. Go forth and trust in the promise that you will spend hours of your life fucking up git, and then spend hours more unfucking git. You never really stop fucking it up, you just learn all the ways to fix whatever mess you made. It's still better than all the alternatives, though.

http://lifehacker.com/5983680/how-the-heck-do-i-use-github

Then go set yourself up a github account!

### ObjC/Swift
http://www.bignerdranch.com/we-write/objective-c-programming/ -- I didn't use it, but I know people who loved this book.

http://www.amazon.com/Book-Diving-Development-Non-Programmers-Series/dp/098823274X/ref=zg_bs_6133980011_4 -- I used the iOS7 version of this series, and I still have them around if you want to borrow them.

http://www.amazon.com/Swift-Hours-Sams-Teach-Yourself/dp/067233724X -- I know the guy who wrote this book, and I'm going through it now. It's very good, and it really gets into the basics in the first few chapters.

https://www.codeschool.com/courses/try-objective-c -- Code School is awesome for everything, and their first-level Objective C course is fun

http://www.raywenderlich.com/ -- this is my go-to for tutorials. Many (but not all) are free, and they are a great hands-on walkthrough of a particular library or technique.

http://nshipster.com/ -- great articles about why <that thing> is so weird, how <this thing> works under the hood, and cool things you never knew about <the other thing>

### Testing
https://github.com/kiwi-bdd/Kiwi -- my testing framework of choice, but not the only one by far.

http://code.tutsplus.com/tutorials/the-newbies-guide-to-test-driven-development--net-13835 -- here's a good intro to the idea of testing, although it uses php in the examples.

http://qualitycoding.org/objective-c-tdd/ -- a more Objective-C intro to TDD

### Code Katas
https://github.com/mchowning/WeatherApiKata -- a coworker of mine built this for the iOS apprentices, and it teaches you how to set up tests and how to make network calls. That's cool.

http://coderbyte.com/ -- small code challenges in a handful of different language

https://github.com/delasteve/evercraft-kata -- I am a GIANT NERD so this is a favorite kata

##meetups
The local tech meetups are the best way to get into the tech scene in Detroit. Usually monthly meetings, usually one or two talks per night, and they usually provide food and/or drinks. By definition, they are for people who like talking about whatever the topic of the meetup is, so you can just show up and ask a bunch of questions. It's also the most painless way to network, because a lot of the costs (venue, food, swag) are covered by companies who want to hire people who go to meetups.

http://www.meetup.com/MotorCityCocoaHeads/ -- the local iOS meetup. It meets usually the third Thursday of every month. We don't have a topic for next month, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be something on the new apple watch kit.
Side note: Cocoa Touch is the UI framework for iOS software, so a lot of iOS meetups/conferences are "Cocoa Something."

http://www.meetup.com/DetroitRuby/events/220483174/ -- Detroit Ruby is just getting off the ground again after a long hiatus, and I think the first meetup is next week.
http://www.meetup.com/Detroit-Craftsman-Guild/ -- this isn't really language or platform specific, it's more of a general meetup for people who care about software craftsmanship, clean code, best practices, and getting better and this whole thing. Next month we're doing a "code retreat" style kata where everyone pairs up, works on test-driving one code kata for an iteration, then we delete all our code, shuffle up the pairs, and start again. I'm pretty sure we won't have a specific language, just pick whatever you are comfortable with and go. We've got a good mix of industries, experience levels, and jobs represented at this one.

##Conferences
Conferences are another great way to learn a lot of new things and meet a lot of cool people. Unlike meetups, they are not free. In fact, they usually cost a hozillion dollars. Most people with tech jobs get a conference budget every year, so it's not like real people pay for this kind of thing...unless you don't have a job that gives you a conference budget.
Anyway, here's a couple I'd recommend:

http://cocoaconf.com/ -- In March in Chicago, or in April in DC. They actually have an all-day session on iOS Fundamentals for people new to iOS development. I might be going to the DC CocoaConf, but I haven't decided yet.

http://selfconference.org/ -- In May in Detroit. I might actually be speaking at this one, I submitted two talks. This is an awesome conference that will cover a lot of ground, not just iOS development. I think there are going to be 4 tracks this year, covering everything from Ruby to functional programming to diversity in tech. *Highly* recommended.
	##Tutorials/Books/Learning Stuff
	##Classes
	http://apprend.org/ -- started by some friends of mine who seriously know their shit. Looks like it's some fairly intro stuff right now, but I know they are hoping to build more classes.

	http://www.grandcircus.co/ -- offers variations on the thing I did in Toronto, some of them full time, some of them evening/weekend affairs. I've heard mixed reviews of them. I know some people who took their classes and were mostly happy with the classes. I know some people who teach there and have good things to say. But I also know a couple people who have taught there in the past or who have worked there and who refuse to have anything to do with the place now. All of the deeply anti-GC people are women, though, which is a specific kind of interesting.

	https://www.girldevelopit.com/chapters/detroit -- It's not just for girls! They offer meetups and smaller tech classes. A lot of them are more entry-level, but occasionally they'll offer something a little more advanced.

	### Command Line
	http://cli.learncodethehardway.org/book/ -- Learn <whatever> The Hard Way are usually good resources, but this is where I learned to use the command line. Great skill to have, and a good way to feel like a hacking badass when all you are really doing in moving files around. And you'll need to know it for...

	### Git
	https://try.github.io/levels/1/challenges/1
	https://www.codeschool.com/courses/try-git
	http://git-scm.com/book/en/v2

	Just grab one of these and go to town. Don't get dispirited if you don't understand what the hell is happening, it's confusing and weird. Go forth and trust in the promise that you will spend hours of your life fucking up git, and then spend hours more unfucking git. You never really stop fucking it up, you just learn all the ways to fix whatever mess you made. It's still better than all the alternatives, though.

	http://lifehacker.com/5983680/how-the-heck-do-i-use-github

	Then go set yourself up a github account!

	### ObjC/Swift
	http://www.bignerdranch.com/we-write/objective-c-programming/ -- I didn't use it, but I know people who loved this book.

	http://www.amazon.com/Book-Diving-Development-Non-Programmers-Series/dp/098823274X/ref=zg_bs_6133980011_4 -- I used the iOS7 version of this series, and I still have them around if you want to borrow them.

	http://www.amazon.com/Swift-Hours-Sams-Teach-Yourself/dp/067233724X -- I know the guy who wrote this book, and I'm going through it now. It's very good, and it really gets into the basics in the first few chapters.

	https://www.codeschool.com/courses/try-objective-c -- Code School is awesome for everything, and their first-level Objective C course is fun

	http://www.raywenderlich.com/ -- this is my go-to for tutorials. Many (but not all) are free, and they are a great hands-on walkthrough of a particular library or technique.

	http://nshipster.com/ -- great articles about why <that thing> is so weird, how <this thing> works under the hood, and cool things you never knew about <the other thing>

	### Testing
	https://github.com/kiwi-bdd/Kiwi -- my testing framework of choice, but not the only one by far.

	http://code.tutsplus.com/tutorials/the-newbies-guide-to-test-driven-development--net-13835 -- here's a good intro to the idea of testing, although it uses php in the examples.

	http://qualitycoding.org/objective-c-tdd/ -- a more Objective-C intro to TDD

	### Code Katas
	https://github.com/mchowning/WeatherApiKata -- a coworker of mine built this for the iOS apprentices, and it teaches you how to set up tests and how to make network calls. That's cool.

	http://coderbyte.com/ -- small code challenges in a handful of different language

	https://github.com/delasteve/evercraft-kata -- I am a GIANT NERD so this is a favorite kata

	##meetups
	The local tech meetups are the best way to get into the tech scene in Detroit. Usually monthly meetings, usually one or two talks per night, and they usually provide food and/or drinks. By definition, they are for people who like talking about whatever the topic of the meetup is, so you can just show up and ask a bunch of questions. It's also the most painless way to network, because a lot of the costs (venue, food, swag) are covered by companies who want to hire people who go to meetups.

	http://www.meetup.com/MotorCityCocoaHeads/ -- the local iOS meetup. It meets usually the third Thursday of every month. We don't have a topic for next month, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be something on the new apple watch kit.
	Side note: Cocoa Touch is the UI framework for iOS software, so a lot of iOS meetups/conferences are "Cocoa Something."

	http://www.meetup.com/DetroitRuby/events/220483174/ -- Detroit Ruby is just getting off the ground again after a long hiatus, and I think the first meetup is next week.
	http://www.meetup.com/Detroit-Craftsman-Guild/ -- this isn't really language or platform specific, it's more of a general meetup for people who care about software craftsmanship, clean code, best practices, and getting better and this whole thing. Next month we're doing a "code retreat" style kata where everyone pairs up, works on test-driving one code kata for an iteration, then we delete all our code, shuffle up the pairs, and start again. I'm pretty sure we won't have a specific language, just pick whatever you are comfortable with and go. We've got a good mix of industries, experience levels, and jobs represented at this one.

	##Conferences
	Conferences are another great way to learn a lot of new things and meet a lot of cool people. Unlike meetups, they are not free. In fact, they usually cost a hozillion dollars. Most people with tech jobs get a conference budget every year, so it's not like real people pay for this kind of thing...unless you don't have a job that gives you a conference budget.
	Anyway, here's a couple I'd recommend:

	http://cocoaconf.com/ -- In March in Chicago, or in April in DC. They actually have an all-day session on iOS Fundamentals for people new to iOS development. I might be going to the DC CocoaConf, but I haven't decided yet.

	http://selfconference.org/ -- In May in Detroit. I might actually be speaking at this one, I submitted two talks. This is an awesome conference that will cover a lot of ground, not just iOS development. I think there are going to be 4 tracks this year, covering everything from Ruby to functional programming to diversity in tech. Highly recommended.