Michael Carducci

Stop writing code and start solving problems

Wed 5:00 PM

Being a professional software engineer, it’s easy to fall into the belief that one’s role in a company is to write code.
Another perspective might be that one’s role is to solve problems for the business and that writing code is merely one of several tools available to help solve those problems.

There are numerous problem-solving “anti-patterns” that are rampant in the industry today. “Forewarned is forearmed” as they say. In addition to highlighting these “anti-patterns” with real-life examples and the (sometimes) disastrous consequences, Michael asks some of the difficult questions about our true motivations for our decisions and how our decisions can either positively or negatively affect our team and our organization.

Fully Optimize Your Memory

Wed 8:00 PM

Unlock your latent photographic memory. In this session you’ll learn failsafe techniques and systems that allow you to never forget names, appointments, or numbers. In the process you’ll be more effective and imaginative at work; improve reading speed and comprehension, and shorten study times.

An improved memory will change your life, literally. In the session we will describe in detail several memory techniques that, with a little practice, will have you remembering virtually anything you want.

The Art of the Impossible

Thu 8:00 PM

We all have an innate sense of what’s possible. Not only is this how magicians fool you, but it might also be what’s holding you back.

In this session Michael Carducci shares how he applied lessons learned in his career as a professional magician to his “day-job” as a software engineer.

Magicians have a simple process for creating new material; think of the most impossible thing you can imagine, the engineer a way to make it possible. Michael has been engineering solutions to “impossible” problems for nearly 20 years and this has given him a unique perspective on dealing with challenges in all aspects of his life.

This talk is broken into two sections. In the first section, uses illusion, anecdotes and other examples to help identify your mental obstacles.

In the second section you learn how to apply what you’ve learned to the real world; 6 techniques to bypass your mental obstacles.

Relational Database Essentials (with a deck of cards)

Fri 10:45 AM

Relational databases are the foundation to countless systems but are often abstracted away and ignored until queries start timing out. Learn the essentials of indexing, query tuning and database design; all explained with a deck of playing cards.

We start with the fundamentals: Normalization, the 7 types of joins (that’s right, 7!) and internal data structures.

From there we dive deep into how indexes work, performance considerations of indexes and even why the database sometimes ignores your indexes.

Digging even deeper, learn the three ways the database will implement a join. Finally learn some miscellaneous tips to improve your SQL and security.

High Performance MySQL

Fri 1:30 PM

Are you getting optimal performance from your database? Do you secretly wonder if your my.cnf is even close to tuned for your hardware and workload?
In part 1 we embark on a deep dive into DB Design, Indexes, query tuning and configuration.

Learn the tools and techniques to make good design decisions to maximize performance. How to interpret query plans and benchmark and tune your queries. Leave with a deeper understanding of all the various configuration options available and how each affects performance.

High Performance MySQL

Fri 3:15 PM

Are you getting optimal performance from your database? Do you secretly wonder if your my.cnf is even close to tuned for your hardware and workload?
In part 1 we embark on a deep dive into DB Design, Indexes, query tuning and configuration.

Learn the tools and techniques to make good design decisions to maximize performance. How to interpret query plans and benchmark and tune your queries. Leave with a deeper understanding of all the various configuration options available and how each affects performance.