Going to a programming event provides me with an opportunity to relax, in that I work full-time in the NHS and programming is not my day job. There is therefore no pressure on me as I learn more about Drupal. I soon realised though that it helps to take a peek ‘under the bonnet’.

Drupal, a content management system, is of course built using PHP, hence I attended the PHPNW Conference in Manchester in 2010. That was a interesting & informative experience and I have signed up for 2012 conference and I’m really looking forward it.

If PHP is your passion, or part of your future career plans then you should be there too. PHPNW is a very well organised, professional bash and it is leading edge in two senses. It has a local feel with a warm North West (England) friendly welcome and yet also features international speakers. While the organisers are keen to deliver the key topics and sessions by featuring established speakers they also encourage new blood and new voices. Working with student nurses I recognize the importance of supporting students and new talent. The programme is such that many sessions are not limited to PHP, but involve topics and technologies that are transferable to other programming languages and industry sectors.

I hope to learn more on the general principles of PHP security, what aspects of security people are talking about, if any? I’ll also be on the look out for sessions and chat about Symfony, now pivotal in Drupal’s future, plus development tools and frameworks. The conference banter is a stream in itself, the most important network is social and this is very well catered for.

Hot food, beers at the social and the flat cap is optional.  See you there!