“this” isn’t what you think it is: JavaScript for object oriented programmers – I

NOTE: Part I of DOUBLE LENGTH SESSION

JavaScript is not just for DOM manipulation: with its growing presence in browsers, on servers, and now the desktop with Windows 8, JavaScript is fast becoming the ubiquitous programming language. Regardless of your background, odds are pretty good that JavaScript will be part of your future. JavaScript has a unique feature set that can make it challenging for object oriented programmers. In this introductory session we’ll discuss some of JavaScript’s pitfalls and strengths. We’ll take a look at strategies for developing JavaScript namespaces, classes, and objects from an object oriented perspective.

Joel Cochran

Joel Cochran is currently serving as a Technical Evangelist on the Microsoft Civic Technology Services team. Joel was born in Virginia, grew up in Iowa, and graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. After serving in the United States Army, he moved to Florida where he fell backwards into a job at a software company. Before long he was a software developer on the IBM AS/400 platform. After moving back to Virginia a few years later, he worked for a micro-ISV writing software for local governments. This period led him through a wide range of technologies such as RPG, DB2, Java, Perl, PHP, MySQL, Linux, and more. In 2003, Joel discovered C#, .NET, and SQL Server, and has been dedicated to the Microsoft stack ever since. Over the years he has ranged through a variety of web, desktop, and database development tools and environments. An accomplished writer and speaker, Joel loves to teach and was a 6-time Microsoft MVP prior to joining the company. He lives in Harrisonburg, VA, with his family, and is an avid pool player.