F# Open Source Update + Tackling Mutability with Data Flow Graphs

We'll have a short talk at the start from Visual F# team member Kevin Ransom, reviewing recent developments and plans around Visual F# open source. Then we'll turn it over to Sound Metrics developer Curt Nichols for a talk on using F# for data flow graphs.

The talks will be streamed and available afterward via Google Hangouts On Air here: https://plus.google.com/b/114125245508430492423/events/cmj02ki1m01deq78rg2euar0n34 Direct YouTube link here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV9AoVGibpU

visualfsharp.codeplex.com – Microsoft takes contributions to F#

F# has long been open sourced with a long-standing presence on github. That community, however, could not provide contributions to the shipping Microsoft F# compiler. In April, Microsoft opened up the compiler to community contributions at visualfsharp.codeplex.com. In this chat we will cover how this effort has changed the way we develop F# covering:

• Target Visual Studio releases, out of band releases, daily builds
• Contributions, types of contributions, Contribution Licence Agreement
• The source code, the test suite, the contribution process
• Relationship with other F# initiatives, Fsharp.org, FSharp Powertools
• The F# roadmap, including F# 4.0

About the speaker: Kevin Ransom is a Senior Software Developer at Microsoft, where he is a member of the managed languages compiler team working on the open source initiative for F# and Roslyn and the next version of the managed program. He has been at Microsoft for 15 years mainly working in the DevDiv and Windows organizations.

Tackling Mutability with Data Flow Graphs

Implementing near-real-time processing of high-resolution sonar images in procedural fashion has yielded its share of synchronization issues. Building on the notion of the data flow graph, this "from the trenches" talk will discuss building a directed graph of actors to manage mutable state in F#.

Stretch goal: Abstraction versus Performance: A look at function composition from the OO programmer's perspective: is this just a wrapper? Some thoughts on function composition, abstractions, and performance.

About the speaker: Curt Nichols is Principal Software Engineer at Sound Metrics, where he designs and builds software for high resolution imaging sonar. His work in the software field has spanned a broad range from avionics to personal finance and tax preparation; online commerce to systems programming; and mobile UI to acoustic imaging.
Curt likes pondering questions such as "How do I move high-performance, low-level code into high-level FP abstractions without compromising performance?" and "Shouldn't there be an easier way?"

There is some parking across the street in front of building 25, or in one of the nearby parking structures.

Pizza and drinks will be provided.