Free Software and Hardware
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out free software and hardware events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the free software and hardware events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find free software and hardware events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Free Software and Hardware Events Today
Join in-person Free Software and Hardware events happening right now
Libera Animae - Freeing the Soul
Meeting Room 2b, Main Library
Join us for a welcoming evening of reflection, gentle music, and meaningful conversation. We’ll begin with a short grounding moment, followed by a brief reading from spiritual or philosophical traditions, and an open reflection circle where participants can share (or simply listen).
Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. We desirere to cultivate a space where all questions are welcome and all members are treated with compassion and respect.
All backgrounds are welcome.
Starting and Maintaining Relationships
This is a free in-person meeting.
Let's talk about relationships in such a way that you can really benefit from the knowledge.
We can talk about
* Soulmates
* How to start a relationship
* How to maintain a relationship
* How to pick the right partner
* How to recognize the red flags
* How to improve communication
* How to avoid argument and fights
* How to increase trust
You ask the questions, we'll talk about them.
Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
This group is sponsored the Dianetics & Scientology Self-Improvement Center.
Free In-Person Event: Handle Self-Confidence & Motivation to Achieve Your Goals
This is an in-person meeting.
Would you like to know the Real You, not just a shadow of yourself? Does your life energy feel somehow trapped within? Does your self-confidence get easily shaken? Do you get in the way of your own goals? We will discuss the real source of all this, what holds you back in life, and how to handle it so you can achieve more successful and happier living.
Perhaps you get weighed down with negative emotions you can't seem to shrug off. Or find yourself doing strange and irrational things - not really being yourself. We will cover why that is and tools that work to help you unearth your self, your self-confidence and motivation.
This meeting will help you learn about how to effectively overcome:
-Out-of-control unwanted emotions
-Low self-esteem
-Anxiety
-Negativity
-Stress
-Irrational fears
-Traumatic or painfully emotional incidents
-Breakups
-Betrayals
-Feeling like you're not really yourself
-Self-doubt...
We will discuss how to unleash the inner you and tap into your true potential. So come to this online meetup!
This meeting is sponsored by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation of Central Ohio
Reclaim Your Rhythm: How to Biohack Sleep, Focus, and Flow
Transform stress into energy and fatigue into focus in 30 minutes flat.
This is your invitation to recharge your body’s
energy, emotion, and performance blueprint — live.
Former Tony Robbins coach Sara Basloe leads an electrifying mini workshop designed to help you:
• Upgrade your state instantly with physiology shifts
• Use emotion as a navigation tool, not a reaction
• Prime your body for high flow focus
• Learn the nighttime habits that unlock deep recovery
[REGISTER HERE](https://triumphtracknow.com/weekly-momentum-series)
Bonus: Hear how client favorite sleep chews help align your rhythm naturally.
And end the momentum webinar session with the chance to join a private Rhythm Reset Coaching Session to personalize your blueprint.
Let’s raise your energy 3 levels — live.
➡️[ Reserve](https://triumphtracknow.com/weekly-momentum-series) your spot now and step into unstoppable energy
Columbus Ruby Brigade Monthly Meetup
**\*\*\* We've Moved! Bold Penguin - 6555 Longshore St, Dublin, OH 43017 \*\*\***
Jonathan Stevens
**Polymorphic Association - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly**
When Active Record works, it’s great. Polymorphic associations in Active Record promise elegant flexibility: one interface, many possible models. When they work, they feel almost magical. But when your application grows and real‑world complexity sets in, that magic can quickly turn into confusion, broken queries, and performance headaches. We’ll explore where polymorphic associations shine, where they silently introduce technical debt, and why even experienced Rails developers can end up wrestling with unscoped queries, tricky joins, and hard‑to‑optimize relationships. We’ll walk through real examples of tangled polymorphic logic—and more importantly, show practical strategies to refactor, untangle, or even avoid these pitfalls entirely. By the end, you’ll know when to reach for polymorphism, when to run away from it, and what to do when your complex query simply refuses to cooperate.
**AGENDA:**
* See updates to parking below
* Doors open at 5:30, feel free to come and hang out before!
* Official start of the meeting is at 6:30pm
* After the meeting is done, we will go hang out at a nearby space in Bridge Park!
If you can, please sign up via meetup by noon the day of the meeting so we can have an estimate headcount for food :) We always order extra, so feel free to join us even if you don't get signed up!
Thank you to Bold Penguin for providing the food and location!
**Parking & Arrival:**
**Parking:** Parking in Bridge Park is free. The closest lots are the Mooney Garage and the Hotel/Endres Garage.
**Entry:** The doors to the office are to the right of PINS. The street level door and elevators lock at 6pm. If you arrive after that, someone should be there to let you in, else call the number posted. Take the elevator to the 2nd floor. Once you exit the elevator, turn right.
\*\*\*
We are a bunch of professionals, students, and geeks who are excited about Ruby programming language ([http://ruby-lang.org/](http://ruby-lang.org/)) and Rails framework ([http://rubyonrails.com/](http://rubyonrails.com/)) and the joy they have brought back to web development. Our main goal is to share the love of the Ruby and Rails ecosystems with anyone that is interested. We cater to everyone, whether a non-programmer through advanced Rubyists.
* We give lectures on programming topics
* We freely provide decades worth of experience
* For full details of this month's meeting please visit [http://columbusrb.com](http://columbusrb.com)
Free in-person event: Take Control of Your Mental Health
It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself.
Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went?
Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence?
Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp.
Italian Conversation Hour
Ciao a tutt\*!
Let's meet Monday at 6.30pm at the Upper Arlington Library (**Tremont** Branch) in **Meeting Room A** to speak in Italian for 1 hour.
Keeping Monday for consistency but we can discuss if there are better days/times/locations!
Free Software and Hardware Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Christians in Tech - Meetup #31 @ Improving
Christians in Tech is a community at the intersection of faith and technology. Our meetups are designed to spark meaningful conversations, promote knowledge sharing, and encourage growth—both in your career and your spiritual walk with God. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your tech journey, CIT welcomes you.
Our Website
[https://linktr.ee/citcbus](https://linktr.ee/citcbus)
Sponsors and Partners
* Improving (Venue Sponsor)
* Bethel World Prayer Center (Fiscal Sponsor)
* Fruits & Roots (Coffee Partner)
Free In-Person Events: How to Let Go of the Past and Move Forward
The emotional pain from past bad experiences easily lingers in the present, making it hard to enjoy life and create your future. Even when you think you've moved on, the negative emotions can be triggered, sending you back into the pain of that experience.
And we are talking about pain; emotions such as grief, depression, anxiety, fear (or terror), boiling anger, simmering resentment, feelings of shame, blaming and regret can leave you incapacitated to a greater or lesser degree.
In this local event we will be discussing the reasons why these past bad experiences have the power to affect you long after they occurred. We'll go over why the emotional pain can be so strong. We'll also discuss some simple solutions to overcome your emotional pain and be free to fully enjoy your life again.
Examples of painful experiences include:
* A broken relationship or divorce.
* Death or loss of a loved one.
* Death of a pet.
* A sudden shock or bad news.
* A betrayal.
* Being part of an abusive relationship.
* A bad injustice.
* Loss of a job, position or business.
* A grave illness or injury.
The negative emotions from these experiences don't just go away on their own. But the good news is there is a way to clear them out of your way.
Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there.
This group is sponsored the Dianetics & Scientology Self-Improvement Center.
DoJo (Informal Python Meeting)
**New Dojo Location!**
**Draft Day Columbus**
1130 Dublin Road
Columbus, OH 43215
We're going to try a new dojo location for a few weeks and see how it works
Dojos are informal Python group study sessions where everyone interested in Python gathers to learn about Python, help others with Python, or just hang out. Everyone is welcome from Python beginners to experts. Bringing a laptop is encouraged (we'll have extension cords and power strips). If there's something you want to learn leave a comment on this invite so we can plan ahead.
We're looking for topic suggestions and people interested in presenting at our monthly meetings. To this end we've set up a survey form at [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15eBKF1nQQ2XS5gzD4rvhVRHMBEj7lJtHuA9wXupS3Uc](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15eBKF1nQQ2XS5gzD4rvhVRHMBEj7lJtHuA9wXupS3Uc)
Unity GameDev Hangout – Tools, Workflows & Open Discussion
This is a relaxed, community-driven Unity GameDev meetup.
There’s no strict agenda this time — just developers getting together to talk shop, share projects, and exchange ideas.
**Some topics that may come up (based on attendee interest):**
• Frame Debugger & performance tooling
• Addressables & additive scene workflows
• Input System, localization, responsive UI
• AI integration approaches
• DevOps & LiveOps experiences
• Full lifecycle: idea → cross-platform publishing
• Favorite Asset Store tools and hidden gems
• Weird Unity quirks we’ve all run into
*Nothing is locked in.*
Bring a project if you’d like.
Bring a question.
Bring a lesson learned.
Or just come hang out and meet other developers.
All skill levels welcome!
Board games at The Forge
The Forge does have a full bar and kitchen. There is no cover charge but they do request all attendees to purchase a minimum of ~$20 per person. Soft drink refills are $1 each. Please support our hosts so we can continue to provide great events for the group!
The Forge has a large library of games available for us to enjoy. Hosts and regulars will also provide numerous popular games but please bring any games you would like to teach and/or play.
Doors open at 6, and we expect gaming to be rolling by around 630. Please promptly end your games and clear out the space at 10pm when the bar closes.
We encourage socializing but do not permit disruptive behavior of any kind. Thank you for your continued commitment to providing a fun and welcoming space to veteran, newbie, and rookie gamers in the Columbus area.
Parking can be challenging. There is a parking lot behind the neighboring Mexican restaurant that is free and easy to walk from but it's a bit hidden.
NFT AI ART Columbus
NFT's are here to stay folks!
This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more.
**PLUS**
This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.
Free Software and Hardware Events Near You
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Driving Success with Agentic AI for Software Development Discussion
Join us for an engaging panel discussion on **AI Agentic Coding** and how autonomous AI systems are transforming the way software is built. Experts in AI, software engineering, and developer tools will share insights on how agentic AI—systems that can plan, reason, and execute coding tasks—is reshaping modern development workflows.
The discussion will cover topics such as AI-assisted development, productivity gains, challenges around reliability and governance, and what the future of software engineering may look like with AI agents as collaborators. Whether you’re a developer, tech leader, or AI enthusiast, this session is a great opportunity to learn, ask questions, and explore how agentic AI is redefining coding
TBD
**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you.
The building address is 4450 Bridge Park
The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400
**Abstract**
TBD
**YouTube Link**
TBA
Fishbowl: How is AI impacting your software engineering career?
**Presenter:** All of Us
**Time:** Pizza at 6:00, Presentation Starts at 6:30pm Eastern
**Location:** Theoris, 9000 Keystone Crossing, Suite 230, Indianapolis
Let's have a fishbowl discussion about AI. Has it replaced you yet? Have you replaced it? Somewhere in between? How is AI impacting your career as a software engineer?
Looking forward to seeing you there!
### What is a Fishbowl Discussion?
[A ](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=00b4b265baa395dc4ad7b262d4d6e3b7b7c31b2195941076e51d2eca252c2d02JmltdHM9MTc2MjgxOTIwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=0e60c23d-2dbf-642d-0fd7-d4512c2b6597&psq=fishbowl+discussion&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvRmlzaGJvd2xfKGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbik&ntb=1)**[fishbowl discussion](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=00b4b265baa395dc4ad7b262d4d6e3b7b7c31b2195941076e51d2eca252c2d02JmltdHM9MTc2MjgxOTIwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=0e60c23d-2dbf-642d-0fd7-d4512c2b6597&psq=fishbowl+discussion&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvRmlzaGJvd2xfKGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbik&ntb=1)**[ is a structured format for dialogue that typically involves two groups: an inner circle (the "fishbowl") and an outer circle. The inner circle consists of a small number of participants who actively discuss a topic, while those in the outer circle listen and observe. This format encourages participation from all members, as individuals from the outer circle can join the inner circle by taking an empty seat when they wish to contribute.](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=00b4b265baa395dc4ad7b262d4d6e3b7b7c31b2195941076e51d2eca252c2d02JmltdHM9MTc2MjgxOTIwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=0e60c23d-2dbf-642d-0fd7-d4512c2b6597&psq=fishbowl+discussion&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvRmlzaGJvd2xfKGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbik&ntb=1)
From Idea to Working App in Minutes: The Agentic Development with Amazon Kiro
Discover Kiro, AWS’s innovative development environment that adapts to your workflow. Whether you prefer specification-driven development or a more intuitive, vibe-based approach, Kiro empowers you to build applications your way.
In this session, speakers will explore Kiro’s core functionality and its evolution through re:Invent 2025, along with demonstrations of prompts used to create APIs, hooks, and steering documents.
In the latter part of the session, watch as we build a complete example from scratch, showcasing Kiro’s agentic AI workflow in action for spec-driven development and vibe coding.
What You'll Learn - Core Kiro concepts and development philosophy
Feature evolution: pre and post re:Invent 2025
Practical examples: API creation, hooks, and steering docs
Live coding demonstration with real-time problem solving
Who Should Attend - Developers, solutions architects, and technical leaders interested in modern AWS development tools and AI-assisted coding workflows.
**Speakers Bio:**
Matthew Jorat: Matthew Jorat is a Customer Solutions Manager at AWS with nearly three decades of expertise in AI, cloud transformation, migration, modernization, IT, technology, and business. His career spans infrastructure engineer, solutions architect, security auditor, customer success director, support and services director, and operations officer. He was an early adopter of AWS services as a customer, and his current role at AWS uniquely blends his technical and business skills as he partners with executive teams to translate strategic priorities into measurable business outcomes through cloud adoption, AI implementation, and operational excellence. Matt leads end-to-end AI initiatives for enterprise customers, identifying high-impact use cases and maintaining relentless focus on measurable ROI. He holds eight AWS certifications and serves as Adjunct Professor at Franklin University teaching cloud computing and AWS architecture. His expertise encompasses GenAI, agentic AI systems, migration, modernization, and optimization strategies that drive transformation at scale.
[https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/)
Girish Bhatia: Girish Bhatia is a seasoned technology delivery leader with deep expertise in cross-domain program management. He holds multiple AWS certifications, including AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, AWS Certified Developer – Associate, and AWS Generative AI Practitioner, and is also an AWS Community Builder. Girish brings over two decades of experience in the information technology industry.
Throughout his career, Girish has led major technology-driven business transformation from modernizing on-premises applications to driving large-scale cloud migrations. His work includes API-based integration platforms, data-center and mainframe modernization, and enterprise cloud adoption initiatives.
Based in Columbus, Ohio, Girish works at a tech-forward fintech company. He is passionate about AWS serverless architectures, Generative AI and emerging cloud technologies. An avid learner and builder, he continues to explore and apply the latest innovations in AWS to help organizations accelerate their digital transformation.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/[https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/)
**THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/
**DIRECTIONS**
Franklin University
Fisher Hall
300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8
Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map.
NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct.
**Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?**
Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com
COhPy Monthly Meeting
**Improving Office in Franklinton**
Physical location:
Improving Office
330 Rush Alley Suite #150
Columbus, OH 43215
Schedule:
6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages.
6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s).
Topic: Type Annotations with John Cassidy
We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact Central OH Python at centralohpython@gmail.com
Columbus HUG March
Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!!
https://sessionize.com/cbus-hug-2026/























