Tech Learning Collective

Technology education for radical organizers and revolutionary communities.

  • June 11, 2020 3:30 PM (-0400) June 11, 2020 5:00 PM
  • Remote
  • Status: CONFIRMED

Tickets are no longer available for this event.

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Event description

Ever work on a project with other people? Of course you do. If you’ve been saving files with names like “Project-outline-1” and then saving another version of that file as “Project-outline-2” then you already understand the importance of a Version Control System (VCS). In this beginner’s workshop, you’ll see the popular Git version control system in action and learn how to improve your collaborative workflow whether you’re a software engineer, novelist, or art designer.

Workshop Description

As most of us know first-hand, the creative process involves many edits and revisions. Adding a little bit here, trimming a little bit there, but then hitting “undo” a bunch and experimenting with a new direction is quite normal! When your project is a single file, pressing “Save As…” many times might suffice, but what if your project spans dozens or even hundreds of files?

This is where version control systems (VCSs) shine. Designed to track, compare, and merge different versions of the same project, these tools give you the ability to make a snapshot of the state of your work at a given point in time so that you can “undo” or “redo” any number of times, across any number of files. Moreover, by naming different snapshots, you can create an infinite number of variations of your project and then build on those unique versions without affecting the others; it’s as though the new version is in its own alternate universe. This makes it possible to easily and safely experiment in one universe (called a branch) without throwing away or overwriting the original version of the project on which your changes were based.

In this beginner’s workshop, you’ll learn the basics of Git, a free distributed version control system on which popular sites like GitHub are based. Git is lovingly called “the stupid content tracker” because it can track changes to everything and anything that can be digitized. Although it was originally invented for software programmers, Git is also useful for novelists, researchers, and anyone else whose work involves creativity in a digital medium.

As this is a remote/online-only event, there is no physical class space, but attendance is still limited to 15 students, so purchase your ticket now to reserve your spot.

To participate in our webinars, you will need access to a modern Web browser such as an up-to-date copy of Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. You will also need a reliable Internet connection. We recommend disabling Wi-Fi and plugging your computer in to a hard-wired Ethernet network cable for the duration of the webinar, if possible.

If you would like to share your video screen or appear on camera, you will need to have and activate your own camera, such as the one built-in to many modern laptops. Similarly, to speak with the rest of the webinar participants, you will need a microphone. If you do choose to activate your microphone, we ask that you please plug in headphones/ear buds or use a headset in order to help reduce audio feedback loops that can degrade the webinar experience for other participants.

Please refer to our workshops and webinars FAQ for additional tips and advice before you join the video conference.

As with all Tech Learning Collective events, racism, queerphobia, transphobia, sexism, “brogrammer,” “manarchist,” or any kind of similarly awful behavior will result in immediate removal from class without a refund. Please refer to our lightweight social rules for details on our strictly enforced no-tolerance policy against bigotry of any kind.

About Tech Learning Collective

Tech Learning Collective is an apprenticeship-based technology school that trains politically self-motivated individuals in the arts of hypermedia, Information Technology, and radical political practice. We offer unparalleled free, by-donation, and low-cost computer classes on topics ranging from fundamental computer literacy to the same offensive computer hacking techniques used by national intelligence agencies and military powers (cyber armies). For more information and to enroll, visit TechLearningCollective.com.

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