"I believe the PHP developer to be like no other - The modern day artist of or time. The dreamers and creators that are just crazy enough to go out and do what they want.”

Boston PHP'rs,
Ten years ago on Dec 26, 2002, Mark Withington started the Boston PHP Meetup group. A small group of PHP fans that could meet on a Wednesday and talk PHP and Open Source Technology.

Within six years, Mark did an incredible job of growing this community. Growing to over 400 members and over 50 meetups, once a month in Cambridge/Boston. Serving free Pizza and awesome presentations for 20-50 members each event.

After six years, Mark needed to take a break. I was already a co-organizer when he asked me if I was interested in taking over the group. I was already very busy with three young children, travelling for a challenging job managing a global software team. But "what the heck" I said, "why not?". But Mark made me promise one thing to him. To do more with Boston PHP than he did. I quickly exclaimed that he had done a lot. But then he told of a story, of when he took over Boston PHP from someone else...

I was surprised as Mark went on. He told of a story of how the BostonPHP.org domain was already taken. So he wrote a nice letter to the owner asking if he could buy it. The owner responded and agreed so as long as Mark promise to "do more than he did with it."

Mark certainly kept his promise, and I believe we have kept this promise to him as well. Boston PHP is now one of the largest and most successful PHP meetup groups in the world with over 3,200 members.

This is what I love about PHP, this community, why I love open source. You just don't get this from anywhere else.

Boston PHP: Past, Present, and Future..

It's hard to believe actually how far we've come as a community. We've quickly grown to become one of the largest and most successful PHP meetup groups in the world with over 3,200 members. We also launched the first ever PHP tech conference right here in town (Northeast PHP). We've taken a whole new approach to self education, with Gene Babon's amazing Virtual Self Study Groups. We've incorporated the UX side of your brain with great events and presentations from leading experts in UX like Steve Krug and Jared Spool. We've taught you the Agile process, and have had Framework Bake-offs. Our recent job fairs landed many jobs for attendees, as well as assisting companies that are constantly looking for a "good web developer".

The whole vision for Boston PHP these past four years is to have a friendly monthly meetup experience that teaches the tricks of the trade. To go beyond just PHP, to challenges a community to learn new things - constantly! To ask members to carry new found knowledge forward, learn to get up the podium and present it. To always make every event count. To make it fair and free. Serve pizza at every event. Then to head to a bar (my favorite part), and have a lively tech discussion with a new friend you just met. Who may just encourage you to follow your startup dreams.

Goodbye...

I will be stepping down and saying goodbye to you as your lead host and organizer for Boston PHP. I will be no stranger though, I will still be on the team - but in the background. I will also still lead Northeast PHP.

In keeping the original promise, I am leaving you in great hands with a great team of organizers led by Matt Murphy. If you don't already know Matt, he is an amazing and talented business leader and PHP developer. He has been my partner these past four years, and honestly I could't have done it without him. I am grateful for all he and this team have done.

Congratulation to you Mark, Matt, Ron, Andrew, Heather, Bobby, Gene, and the entire team. For what you have accomplished, for proving once again... that with enough spirit, passion, and drive - anything can happen.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Regards,

Michael Bourque
The Reverse Startup Foundation
http://www.ReverseStartup.org

PS - I have created a new Meetup group that I hope you will consider joining.