FLIP TABLE;
> Calls for projects are open! Register to participate!
> Event URL: fliptable.nyc
> Hex House // Sun. May 17th 2-6pm
TL;DR:
FLIP TABLE; is an open-to-all celebration of "weird" databases: things that can read and write data, but with a twist of some kind. The event will have three parts:
[2-4PM] HACK Hack on a goofy DB of your own creation (chill)
[4-5PM] SHOW Voluntary presentations!
[5-6PM] HANG Try out folks' databases and hang out :D
You can register via Luma, whether you're planning on making something or not!
LONG
Things you could use to read and write arbitrary data:
Traditional computer databases [crowd booing]
TETRIS (video)
Used COVID-19 Cue tests (video)
The internet itself (video)
Checkboxes (blog)
YouTube (video)
A Metrocard (hasn't been done yet afaik but possible)
DNS a.k.a. the thing that turns URLs into IP addresses (GitHub)
Birds??? (video)
This is the gist of FLIP TABLE;- reading and writing data in unexpected, clever, or just downright goofy ways.
The event will have three parts:
[2-4PM] Co-hacking time
For folks that haven't had time to make a weird database (or even for those who have!), this time is set aside for swapping ideas, getting inspiration, and cooking up something before presentations. I hesitate to call it a hackathon because that sounds stressful- more like a themed cowork session. There will be snacks.
[4-5PM] Presentations
Short presentations from anyone that wants to share more details about the process behind / quirks of their database, open-projector style.
[5-6PM] Hang & explore the DBs
Remaining time will be for hanging out and playing around with everyone's strange databases.
There's no hard rules here. Feel free to swing by the hacking session even if you're not making something!
PARTICIPATE
If you're thinking of showing something at FLIP TABLE;, here are a few (very loose) guidelines. For our purposes, a database only needs to support reading and writing arbitrary data. It does not need to support SQL, be technically impressive, or be "performant" in the usual ways (e.g. fast, consistent, highly available, etc).
If you're looking for a little more guidance, here are a few completely optional prompts to consider:
What's the most absurd place you could think to store data?
How could a database make the user feel something?
What do people usually look for in a database? What would be the opposite?
What does it mean to persist data?
How could you make a database more dynamic?