Knowledge Sharing

**Welcome to our January UX Beers in Antwerp!** This time, we will host our event on Tuesday the 27th of January at [Made](https://www.made.be) in Antwerp. [Ariad](https://www.ariadgroup.com/) and [Creative Skills](https://www.creativeskills.be/) sponsor our events. 📺 Follow the event online? We stream live via [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBqyTDAyQBw) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# UX TALKS **Talk 1: Misaligned expectations, endless revisions and design hangovers?** [Martin Lambeau](https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-lambeau/), Healthcare Lead @Made It often starts with a vague or uncertain brief. This talk explores how co-defining the brand and design strategy leads to stronger ideas, faster decisions, and better design outcomes. **Talk 2: How to survive the UX job market in 2026?** [Marjan Geerts](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marjanatsrimigeerts/), UX researcher, UX designer & trainer @uxcoach.be While UX design was booming in Belgium a couple of years ago, the past year it became more difficult then ever to land a job or assignment in UX. How does that make us feel? What are the questions we all want to get answered? And how to position ourselves in the uncertain UX job market? This talk contains lessons learned from UX designer and coach, Marjan Geerts. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# SCHEDULE 18:00 - Doors open. Drinks & snacks 19.00 - 19.15 - Introduction to UX Belgium Meetup, announcements 19.15 - 19:45 - Talk #1 19:45 -20:15 - BREAK 20:15 - 20:45 - Talk #2 20:45 - 21:30 - Socialize \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# SLACK CHANNEL We have our own UX Belgium slack channel. [Come join us and say hi!](https://join.slack.com/t/ux-belgium/shared_invite/zt-1bjpnuiog-T4Di4flXYPWgbT9KrZ53CA) \*\*\* \#\#\# YOUTUBE CHANNEL All our livestreams and talks are recorded and available on our [UX Belgium youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCno7V18T-EglYXprgrUZQ7A). \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \#\#\# ABOUT UX BELGIUM UX Belgium is a growing community of User Experience (UX) professionals in and around Belgium. Look for these types of events: UX Beers Periodically, we gather at a different agency or venue to drink beers, network and listen to speakers on various themes in the world of UX and digital design. UX Antwerp: Each last Tuesday of the month UX Brussels: Each second Tuesday of the month, 4x per year UX Hasselt: 4x per year UX Workshops Now and then we organize events to dive deeper into specific skills and techniques in UX. These are smaller, hands-on workshops designed to boost your UX toolbox. \*\*\* The UX Belgium Meetup Team

Make A Robot with MicroPython In this hands-on session, you’ll learn the fundamentals of robotics using MicroPython and an ESP32 microcontroller. We’ll guide you through building a simple robot that can light up LEDs and move a handmade part. The workshop covers wiring, coding, and basic motion control principles, which you can later expand to include sensors or APIs. **Important** We will provide all required components for in-person participants. Remote participants will receive a shopping list of components and setup instructions in advance. **Agenda:** 18:00-18:30 - Registration, food 18:30-20:00 - Workshop 20:00-21:00 - Networking **GitHub Repo** [https://github.com/pyladiesams/robotics-with-micropython-jan2026](https://github.com/pyladiesams/robotics-with-micropython-jan2026) **Stream** [https://www.youtube.com/live/6u5wlQamD9E](https://www.youtube.com/live/6u5wlQamD9E) **Speaker** [Josefine Quack](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jquack/) Josefine is an experienced Forward Deployed Robotics Engineer at Monumental, where she hacks and plays with robots all day. As a result those robots have already built over 30 houses. Please don't leave any chocolate around her unattended. ​**📧 Contact** Are you interested in speaking at one of our events? Do you have a good idea for a Meetup topic? Get in touch with us at [amsterdam@pyladies.com](http://amsterdam@pyladies.com/). ​💬 Find us on the PyLadies Global workspace: 1. ​[https://slackin.pyladies.com](https://slackin.pyladies.com/) enter your email address and accept the email invitation 2. ​Go to workspace [https://pyladies.slack.com](https://pyladies.slack.com/) 3. ​Join channel #city-amsterdam

De 35ᵉ monthly meetup van [Nimma.codes](https://www.nimma.codes/). Elke laatste dinsdag van de maand. Een cross-language user group voor software developers in de regio Arnhem-Nijmegen. Let op: het eten is er om 17:30. We starten om 18:00 met de opening. *We houden er niet van om eten te verspillen. Ben je verhinderd? Geen probleem, maar meld je uiterlijk een dag voor de meetup af.* **Programma** * 17:30 - 18:00 Inloop + food/drinks * 18:00 - 18:45 **Webbeveiligingsstandaarden: Wat, Waarom en Hoe? - Arjan Eising** * 18:45 - 19:00 Pauze * 19:00 - 19:30 **Django And Its Ecosystem - Quint Wessels** * 1930 - 20:00 **Professional Django Development - Kees Hink** * 20:05 - 21:00 Netwerken en gezelligheid In deze editie hebben we één wat langer praatje en twee korte. In de eerste talk van **Arjan** gaat hij ons wat vertellen over webbeveiligingsstandaarden. Moderne browsers gebruiken een scala aan technieken om websites en gebruikers te beschermen tegen kwaadaardige aanvallen. Deze standaarden zijn cruciaal om de integriteit van gegevens te waarborgen en het vertrouwen van gebruikers te behouden. Ze voorkomen dat gevoelige gebruikersgegevens op ongewenste plaatsen belanden of dat ongewenste code wordt uitgevoerd. Voorbeelden zijn Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) en Content Security Policy (CSP) voor het veilig aanroepen van externe content en API's. Deze presentatie behandelt de belangrijkste webbeveiligingsstandaarden en de bescherming die ze bieden. Daarnaast krijg je praktische tips voor het opzetten van veilige API's en het effectief aanroepen daarvan vanuit de front-end. **Quint** gaat ons een kijkje geven op Python, waar het staat, en zijn (open-source) ecosysteem. **Kees** gaat ons meenemen in hoe Four Digits Django en WagtailCMS projecten ontwikkelt, implementeert en onderhoudt zonder gek te worden.

**3D Workshop** * **Ontwerpen met Fusion360** * **Scannen in 3D** * **Het gebruik van 3D printers** **Je bent nu welkom in de nieuwe locatie NewTechPark** Je kunt ook online aan deze fysieke bijeenkomst deelnemen. De bijeenkomst is dan op de locatie te volgen. Als je [hier](w.j.put@hccnet.nl) vooraf een mailtje stuurt kun je dinsdagavond tussen 19.00 en 20.00 uur inloggen met Jitsi voor vragen, of ter kennismaking met hcc!3D. Online neem je deel aan de bijeenkomst met [https://wij.hcc.nl/3D](https://wij.hcc.nl/3D) [(Alleen toegang als je zichtbaar bent met voor- en achternaam. )](https://wij.hcc.nl/3d)

Join us for an evening of good vibes! Whether you’re a local or an expat, Mingle Mania is the perfect place to socialize and make friends or even to practice languages. 🤝🤼‍♂️💬🙋‍♂️🫂 👉 Join [https://chat.whatsapp.com/GopSuzuFKRBKeYVKQrX4pE](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GopSuzuFKRBKeYVKQrX4pE) The group has many regular members, we intend to do various type of events, the goal is to build a strong community for all sorts of activities. If you have an event idea that you would like to see happen, let us know. We generally have about 20 participants, the age is between 20 and 60 averaging somewhere around 30, language exchange is not strictly enforced, culture exchange happens naturally. **mingle** (verb, intransitive): to move among people and talk to them, especially at a social event. 📍 **What We Are:** * A diverse group of locals and expats * ...going out at least every Tuesday 😊 🆓 **Event Details:** * It is free to join and operated on a voluntary basis! * Please honor the bar by ordering at least one drink.

Every Tuesday, the group 024 Waalrunners goes for a run at a distance of between 5km - 10km. Everyone is welcome to join, you just need to turn up at 20:00 on Tuesday in front of Cafe De Hemel. There are different routes every time, and the group welcomes all new people to join them. After the run we usually stay for a drink at De Hemel. https://waalrunners.activedates.nl https://chat.whatsapp.com/CRXG7x9HQUw4Q1qCrNzXn4?mode=ems_copy_t https://www.facebook.com/024waalrunners-710731759317504

Hi Everyone, This is our weekly open hackerspace evening! Usually from 19:00 :-) Feel free to drop by, come and nerd with us! See this Tuesday! We're in room 126, ring the room number and we'll open the door. We're located on the first floor

Hi✋ At[ Data Tribes ](https://www.datatribes.nl/)we organise Meetups because we truly care about sharing knowledge both inside and outside the organisation. We believe that it is beneficial to us and to the market as a whole to connect, create, learn and grow together! **The agenda** // Doors open 6.00pm // Drinks and Pizza’s 6.30pm // Start presentations 7.00pm // **Longhow Lam Snowflake Intelligence — Enterprise AI Agent** // Start networking 9.00pm // End Meetup 9.30pm Greetings, Data Tribes Inc.

**Context is becoming the missing link that transforms powerful AI models into truly intelligent systems.** In 2026, the next leap in AI comes from understanding *context* \- user intent\, environment\, history\, and goals\. This shift separates generic outputs from meaningful\, real\-world outcomes\. Join this Meetup to explore why context is the foundation of more reliable, human-centered, and transformative AI. We’ll dive into the role of **knowledge graphs** and how they help AI systems make sense of complex information and connect insights the way humans do. **16:30 - Welcome snacks and drinks** #### **17:00 - Talk 1** #### **Why Context Matters in AI – Grounding LLMs** Aniket Mitra will explore how enterprise data captures the *DNA of an organisation*—the what, where, when, who, how, and ultimately the why behind decisions. He will explain why siloed data limits AI-driven decision-making, and how knowledge graphs provide a unified semantic layer that enables trustworthy, AI-powered control towers across the value chain. **Aniket Mitra** – Aniket Mitra is the founder of Computationele Wetenschapsgroep (CW) which is a technology development SME that specialises in designing, building & scaling Knowledge Graphs for enterprise customers across industry verticals like retail, manufacturing & logistics. **17:30 - Talk 2** **Building Trustworthy AI in Regulated Sectors – Moonjelly, Knowledge Graphs, and the Context Layer** Surajeet Bhuinya will share how a dedicated context layer helps AI systems understand how organisations actually work. Using Moonjelly as a practical example, he will show how connecting people, documents, and processes into a living enterprise graph creates context unique to each industry and use case—leading to better decisions, clearer accountability, and real business impact. **Surajeet Bhuinya** – Surajeet Bhuinya is the founder of DataPebbles, a leading Data & AI company in the Netherlands. With 25+ years of IT experience, he operates at the intersection of data, AI, and innovation, building scalable, practical AI systems that deliver measurable business impact. He is also the founder of Moonjelly, a platform that connects people, documents, and processes into a living enterprise graph, enabling teams to understand context, see impact, and act with confidence. **18:00 - Talk 3** **ReviewGraph – Using Knowledge Graphs to Predict Customer Satisfaction and Extract Hidden Insights** Lifeng Han will present ReviewGraph, a graph-based framework that transforms customer reviews into knowledge graphs to predict ratings and uncover hidden insights. He will compare this approach with traditional NLP methods and LLMs, highlighting how knowledge graphs offer strong performance with lower computational cost, greater interpretability, and promising integration with RAG systems. **Lifeng Han** – Researcher, **[4D Picture](https://www.linkedin.com/company/4dpicture/)** Project. Dr. Han has authored 50+ peer-reviewed publications and previously worked at the University of Manchester on Healthcare NLP. His PhD focused on machine translation (ADAPT Centre, DCU, Ireland). **18:30 - 20:00 - Networking, drinks and snack**

OPA programmeert in 2026 rond een positieve toekomst waarin mens, natuur en techniek elkaar versterken: DARE. Voor OPA staat DARE voor Solar Punk, de hoopvolle tegenhanger van cyberpunk: een praktische ontwerpvisie die aansluit bij wie we zijn als platform dat ontmoeting, inspiratie en samenwerking organiseert. Tijdens de Arnhemse Uitnacht 2026 trappen we ons nieuwe jaarprogramma af met een nieuwe editie van **Bring Your Own Beamer** in de **Eusebiuskerk.** Dit jaar delen wij de Eusebius met Mode Partners 025. Naast toffe videokunst, gebeurt er dus ook van alles op gebied van mode. De afgelopen edities van BYOB trokken ruim 3000 bezoekers.

**ArnhemJUG** We are excited to announce the first meetup of 2026. We are welcomed by OpenValue Arnhem for the January meetup! **Agenda** * 17:00 CET walk-in * 17:30 – 18:30 Food and drinks * 18:30 – 19:30 talk: **Bigger Unit Tests are Better - why small unit test classes will slow you down** by **Peter Schuler** * 19:30 – 19:45 break * 19:45 – 20:45 talk: **Creating effective and objective architectural decision records** by **Piet van Dongen** * 20:45 – 21:30 drinks **Bigger Unit Tests are Better - why small unit test classes will slow you down** Do you take care that every class in your system has a separate unit test class? Are you a proud Test-First advocate? A code coverage evangelist? Are you the Sonar police in your team? Do you take pride in knowing all the quirks of your mocking framework? Then this session might be a cold shower for you. You will see how the general approach to unit testing might harm your flexibility. But a few simple changes in your approach will make your life better, your coding faster, your refactoring easier and your understanding of the business requirements stronger. In this presentation, you will learn new strategies that will help you make your unit tests bigger. First, guided by clear code examples, we will look at why having many small test classes may harm you. Secondly, you will understand why making the tests bigger is such an important improvement. And lastly, you will learn techniques and tricks that will help make your unit tests bigger. **About Peter Schuler** Peter is a lifelong Java developer with a passion for TDD and code quality. Lately he has become a Java community lead for the Rabobank as a side hustle. In his off time, he likes to work in the garden or goes for a short run. **Creating effective and objective architectural decision records** Documenting decisions is like eating your veggies as a kid: they keep telling you it’s good for you, but you just hate doing it. Architectural Decision Records (ADRs) to the rescue! ADRs are perfect for just-in-time, just-enough documentation for engineering teams and organizations. During this session, you will learn how to make architectural decisions effectively and objectively by: * Learning the structure of a good ADR (no more walls of text that nobody reads anyway!) * Practicing how to turn subjective choices into objective ones (no more pros and cons lists and tribal conflicts!) * Creating editable diagrams, fast (no more spending hours wrestling tools that your collaborators don’t know how to use!) * Collaborating quickly with technical and non-technical stakeholders (no more hours of Tower of Babel meetings!) * Reporting the decision using effective language and fit-for-audience diagrams (no more writing reports that end up unread in drawers!) Do you want to learn how to facilitate good decision making without spending weeks looking for consent? Then join this session and you will walk away a better software architecture decision facilitator. **About Piet van Dongen** Piet van Dongen is a senior software architect and engineering consultant at OpenValue, helping organizations solve complex technology challenges through effective software practices. With expertise spanning architecture, engineering, and education, he delivers practical solutions focused on resilient architectures and short development cycles. Known for his calm demeanor under pressure and strategic use of humor, Piet has guided clients through large-scale transformations, trained architects and engineers, and built an extensive professional network across the European tech community as organizer of the Dutch iSAQB Software Architecture Community and former leader of the Dutch AWS User Group. A regular speaker at international conferences including AWS re:Invent, DevOpsDays, Codemotion, and Devoxx, Piet shares insights on effective software architecture practices, cloud migrations, and resilience engineering, with a blend of technical depth and engaging humor. His pragmatic approach combines technical expertise with business acumen, enabling teams to successfully adopt modern software architecture and engineering practices and DevOps methodologies. Whether consulting, speaking, or training, Piet partners with organizations to deliver tangible value and navigate their software delivery journeys with confidence.

Donderdag **29 januari 2026** is het weer tijd voor onze **Techday**: hét vaste moment waarop we kennis delen, elkaar inspireren en nieuwe ideeën direct in de praktijk brengen. Deze Techday is niet alleen voor developers, maar juist ook voor collega’s uit HR, Sales, Marketing, Operations en andere disciplines. Deze editie pakken we het aan als een **conferentie in het klein**. Drie sprekers, drie verhalen, één middag – *drie verhalen voor de prijs van één*. **Wat kun je verwachten?** • **Idzard** neemt je mee in **Product Goals** Waarom zijn ze zo belangrijk? En waarom zou elke product professional ze moeten kennen (en gebruiken)? • **Dave** laat je ervaren wat **Storytelling** doet Waarom onthouden we verhalen beter dan feiten? En hoe kun je storytelling inzetten in je dagelijkse werk? • **Jeroen** duikt in **Prototyping met AI** Hoe gebruik je AI om sneller ideeën te verkennen, testen en aanscherpen?Alle talks zijn **interactief**: geen achteroverleunen, maar meedoen. Je wordt uitgedaagd om de ideeën **direct toe te passen**, zodat je na afloop niet alleen geïnspireerd bent, maar ook echt iets nieuws kunt.Neem mee: goede zin en je laptop voor het maken van een prototype. **Wanneer:** Donderdag 29 januari 2026 **Wat:** Techday RE – conferentie-editie “Verhalen en beelden” **Voor wie:** Iedereen (!) die nieuwsgierig is en wil leren **Agenda** 14:45 - 15:00 - Inloop 15:00 - 15:45 - Product Goals 15:55 - 16:30 - Storytelling 16:35 - 18:00 - Prototyping met AI 18:00 - 19:00 - Eten We zien je graag op de Techday!

We’re heading into the south eastern Veluwe for a stunning scenic route that stays wonderfully quiet and almost deserted for a big part of the way, before building up to a truly spectacular grand finale! After around 6 km we reach the mysterious “Altar of the Loenermark” (Altaar van de Loenermark). I have no idea what it is, so we’ll discover it together. From there we continue through the beautiful heather and forest landscapes of Loenermark, one of those places where the Veluwe feels wide, wild, and open. Next we pass one of the quirkiest monuments in the Netherlands: the Ijkbasis Loenermark 1957–2007, a tribute to the calibration of measurement instruments from the past. The calibration itself might not sound exciting, but the location absolutely is, right in the middle of wide open heather, with big skies and that endless Veluwe feeling. It also marks about 11 km into the hike, a perfect spot to take our lunch break. After lunch we walk straight through the iconic National Park Veluwezoom, famous for its rolling grasslands and its fluffy semi wild cows. To finish in style, we end at Paviljoen De Posbank for a well earned snack or drink with a view over what many call the most spectacular heather of the Netherlands, complete with rolling hills. From there we head down towards Rheden, where you can easily catch the train or bus home. This is not a loop hike! **📍When and where to meet?** We’ll meet at 10h at busstop Loenen, Leeuwenbergweg. https://maps.app.goo.gl/LC3nNJQo57B5NnSy8 We are leaving a bit earlier otherwise we will find Paviljoen Posbank closed, which would be very sad. ⏰ We **start walking a few minutes after meeting up** — we don’t wait for latecomers, as the forest calls and daylight is short this time of year. **🚗 Coming by car?** This is not a loop hike. If you park in Loenen, you’ll need to make your own way back from Rheden afterwards. **⏸️ Planned Breaks** After **11 km**: Lunch break at **Ijkbasis Loenermark** (bring your packed lunch, this spot is truly in the middle of nowhere) **20 min** [https://maps.app.goo.gl/S5vAEpadAJs93ZrC7](https://maps.app.goo.gl/S5vAEpadAJs93ZrC7) After **19 km**: Snack or drink at **Paviljoen De Posbank** [https://maps.app.goo.gl/wowuqj3sRY5hcid37](https://maps.app.goo.gl/wowuqj3sRY5hcid37) **💸 Payment** Please pay as soon as you sign up: To keep things fair for everyone, if we don’t receive your payment within 48 hours, we will need to remove you from the participant list. If there’s a waiting list, this will happen sooner (in less than 48 hours). If that happens, no worries — you’re always welcome to sign up again if there’s space. 🌟 Early Bird Deal! Join now for just €4 — available for 3 days (72h). After that, the price will be €5. https://tikkie.me/pay/59muhp2djpv45gc6hgh6 **👟 Good to know** * Refund policy: Cancellations are fully refundable up to 1 week before the event (This is Friday 23 January at 23h59). After this period, the fee becomes non-refundable. * Hike difficulty: Our hikes are moderately challenging. Please only join if you’re confident you can keep up with the group’s pace (5 km/ h)— it’s more fun for everyone when we can walk together without long waits. * If the pace is too challenging: We may kindly suggest you continue at your own pace. We’ll give you clear directions to the nearest bus or train so you can return comfortably. * At your own risk: You participate at your own risk, so please make sure you have appropriate insurance coverage for outdoor activities. * Payment note: With Tikkie we only see initials (e.g., J. Doe instead of John Doe). Please include your Meetup name in the payment note so we can match it easily. * Friends joining: If you bring a friend, make sure they also register and pay. * What to bring: Snacks, lunch, and water/ or hot thee/ coffee. * Stay connected: Join our WhatsApp group to be the first to hear about future hikes — ask for the QR code during the hike. * T-shirts: Fairwear-certified organic cotton, eco-friendly inks — €25. Sustainable, odor-resistant, and perfect for hiking. Let us know your size and we’ll bring one for you.

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

Looking for a creative night out that isn’t boring or corporate? Come hang out at **The Arcane Foundry** for an open candle bar and a 3D print paint and sip! Choose something from our 3D-printed shelf — *think ceramic paint-and-sip, but way cooler and with custom models we print in-house.* Or head to the candle bar and pick your fragrances to pour your own **pillar candle or container candle**. Sip complimentary tea, enjoy bakery snacks, and **BYOB wine or beer** while you paint, pour, and make whatever the hell you feel like making. No experience needed — this is all vibes, fun, and meeting new people while creating something you’ll actually want to take home. Starting at a very low price of $10 and up for paint and sip (Includes use of community paints, paint pallet, paint brushes) Monster and Fantasy Fidgets $10 75mm Resin Fantasy Models $25 Garden Gnomes $12 32mm Table-Top Miniatures $10 **Candle Making** (includes vessel, your choice of wick, wax, scented oil, labels and lids) 5oz Glass Jars $18 8oz Candle Tins $28 12oz Glass Candles $38 12oz Amber Jars $45 16 oz Skull or Jack o Lantern Candle Mugs $60 (Limited Edition!) \[www\.thearcanefoundry\.com\]\(The Arcane Foundry\) **All materials included. You just bring yourself (and your drink of choice).** **Payments accepted:** * Cash * Venmo: @Daclaud-Lee * Cashapp: $DaclaudL * PayPal: daclaudlee@gmail.com

## Details \#\# Learn Infrastructure\-as\-Code \(the FUN Way\) — Through Minecraft 🎮☁️ **Joint Meetup: DevOps Columbus - Azure CBUS - Columbus HashiCorp User Group** What if learning Terraform and Infrastructure-as-Code didn’t feel like a whitepaper… but more like a game? Join us for a joint DevOps Columbus, Azure CBUS and Columbus HashiCorp User Group meetup where **Mark Tinderholt** \(Principal Architect\, Microsoft Azure \| HashiCorp Ambassador \| “The Azure Terraformer”\) shows how **Minecraft** can be used as a surprisingly powerful way to understand real-world Infrastructure-as-Code concepts. In this session, Mark will demonstrate how Terraform and Azure can be used to provision, configure, and manage Minecraft servers—while teaching the same patterns you’d use for production cloud infrastructure. \#\#\# What we’ll cover * Infrastructure-as-Code fundamentals using **Terraform** * Provisioning real infrastructure on **Azure** * Applying **IaC best practices** (immutability, repeatability, versioning) * How playful environments like Minecraft make complex concepts *click* * Why learning through experimentation beats click-ops every time \#\#\# Who should attend * Developers, platform engineers, and cloud engineers * Terraform users (new or experienced) * Anyone curious about Infrastructure-as-Code but tired of boring examples * Minecraft fans who want to see it used in a totally unexpected way No prior Minecraft experience required—just curiosity and a willingness to learn infrastructure the fun way. Come for the blocks, stay for the Terraform. 🧱➡️📐

**In February we will be decorating and making snowflakes out of paper crafts, coffee filters, popsicle sticks, and more! All supplies are provided, seats are limited! Come As you are, when you can; hope to see you there!**

Happy Holidays! The first Wednesday of January is 7th, and this is Orthodox Christmas. And i will be wishing everyone Merry Christmas in January, and i am sure many of you will be tired from all this socializing. That is why we are going to meet on February 4th. And we will continue discussing the Hot topic of our age an AI. We’ve spent the last few sessions learning how to *talk* to AI. We’ve mastered prompt engineering and "vibecoding" to build things faster. Now, it’s time for the next leap: **letting AI work for us while we sleep.** In this session, we are moving beyond simple chatbots to explore **Autonomous AI Agents.** Unlike standard tools that wait for you to type a command, Agents are designed to perceive a goal, plan a series of tasks, and execute them independently within your WordPress site. We will discuss **Generative vs. Agentic AI:** Understanding the shift from *"Write me a blog post"* to *"Monitor local Knoxville news and draft a weekly summary every Friday."* I am sure many of you have seen WordPress ads offering different Agentic tools like **Uncanny Automator**, **AI Engine**, or **n8n**. What do these tools do? How successful they are? And how implementable all these agents are for your current WordPress site? I will gather some info and make research. But please join us and bring your stories and experience on topic. See you!

## Learn Infrastructure-as-Code (the FUN Way) — Through Minecraft 🎮☁️ **Joint Meetup: Azure CBUS × Columbus HashiCorp User Group × DevOps Columbus** What if learning Terraform and Infrastructure-as-Code didn’t feel like a whitepaper… but more like a game? Join us for a joint Azure CBUS, Columbus HashiCorp User Group, and DevOps Columbus meetup where **Mark Tinderholt** \(Principal Architect\, Microsoft Azure \| HashiCorp Ambassador \| “The Azure Terraformer”\) shows how **Minecraft** can be used as a surprisingly powerful way to understand real-world Infrastructure-as-Code concepts. In this session, Mark will demonstrate how Terraform and Azure can be used to provision, configure, and manage Minecraft servers—while teaching the same patterns you’d use for production cloud infrastructure. ### What we’ll cover * Infrastructure-as-Code fundamentals using **Terraform** * Provisioning real infrastructure on **Azure** * Applying **IaC best practices** (immutability, repeatability, versioning) * How playful environments like Minecraft make complex concepts *click* * Why learning through experimentation beats click-ops every time ### Who should attend * Developers, platform engineers, and cloud engineers * Terraform users (new or experienced) * Anyone curious about Infrastructure-as-Code but tired of boring examples * Minecraft fans who want to see it used in a totally unexpected way No prior Minecraft experience required—just curiosity and a willingness to learn infrastructure the fun way. Come for the blocks, stay for the Terraform. 🧱➡️📐 Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/