Code Mesh Conference: Everything you need to know

The annual Code Mesh tech conference kicks off for its 2020 instalment this week.

Due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the event has been rebranded “Code Mesh V” and will take place virtually for the very first time.

In preparation for the big event, this article contains everything you need to know about when it’s happening, how much it costs, and everything you can expect to see coming up.

What is Code Mesh?

Described as “the alternative tech conference”, Code Mesh is the leading UK conference for alternative programming. For the tech-lover with an interest in invention and innovation, Code Mesh is a two-day conference that brings together leaders and speakers to promote non-mainstream technologies. Historically, it has been branded as an event where academia meets innovation.

Code Mesh operates under the idea that thinking beyond the conventional can empower tech users to master adequate solutions to a variety of issues. The conference delivers educational talks about navigating some common problems that can be faced when working with technology.

Simon Peyton Jones, Principle Researcher at Microsoft Research, delivered a talk at the Code Mesh conference in 2019 on the importance of teaching fundamental skills of computer science early. He says, “Code Mesh is always very exciting because it’s full of intelligent, motivated, passionate people who are doing really interesting things with computer science.”

When and where is it?

Previously, the conference has been held at the ILEC Conference Centre in Earls Court, London. This space has accommodated for large conferences of up to 1,200 delegates, as well as large exhibitions of up to 80 conference stands.

The 2020 Code Mesh V convention is taking place virtually, commencing on November 5, 2020 and running for two full days until November 6. In order to accommodate both UK and US audiences, the timings are as follows…

Day 1 (November 5, 2020): 10:00am – 6:00pm GMT
Day 2 (November 6, 2020): 4:00pm – 12:00am GMT

What can I expect?

In previous years, where attendance has been in-person, prototypes of various technologies have been readily available for testing, play and experimentation. Conference stands set up at the ILEC Centre have acted as a hands-on way in which creators and programmers can showcase some of these new technologies.

At this year’s Code Mesh V convention, however, talks will take place online. All discussions, lectures and seminars will be led by successful industry experts; pioneers who have worked behind the scenes on some of the most exciting new introductions to the world of computing and technology.

Robert Virding, who is a co-creator of programming language Erlang, says all talks relate to computing in some capacity. But, there is a broad scope of topics that are discussed at Code Mesh. “You go to talks about things you weren’t expecting … they’re a lot of fun and very interesting.”

Who is speaking at Code Mesh 2020?

Code Mesh is welcoming a unique mix of over 50 creators, developers, innovators, academics, and visionaries to speak at the 2020 convention. Some of the people lined up to deliver a talk are:

• Leslie Lamport, Researcher at Microsoft
• Philippa A. Gardner, Professor of Theoretical Computer Science
• Sophia Drossopoulou, Professor at Imperial College London
• David Turner, Designer of SASL, KRC and Miranda
• Satnam Singh, Software Engineer at Google Research
• Kofi Gumbs, UI Engineer at Twitter
• Edwin Brady, Creator of Idris programming language
• Access the full list of speakers here: https://codesync.global/conferences/code-mesh-ldn/#speakers

Where can I watch previous talks?

Previous years have seen a wide range of topics discussed. Many of these talks have been uploaded to the CodeSync YouTube account. Alternatively, you can access many of these talks through the archival footage that exists on the official Code Mesh website.

Federica Pelzel delivered a talk at the 2018 conference, discussing the ethical dilemmas that can arise when using artificial intelligence (AI). With examples, Pelzel investigated how facial recognition algorithms contained inherent biases that misidentified photos containing men and women of colour. She also discussed what types of software tech giants like Microsoft, Google and Facebook are implementing to help rectify algorithmic biases moving forward. Watch the full talk on YouTube here:

In Duncan Coutts’ 2018 talk “Building a Billion Dollar Cryptocurrency”, he spoke about the ways that computer programmers can use programming languages like Haskell to help improve the way companies develop and verify cryptocurrency algorithms. In his talk, Coutts spoke about navigating obstacles when designing and implementing public blockchain systems. But, he reassured that these challenges present new opportunities to apply forward-thinking computer science. Watch the full talk on YouTube here:

In 2019, Fahran Wallace’s “Your Brain on Software Development” talk discussed themes of cognitive bias and how they affect programmers’ coding and decision-making. Wallace, a Senior Consultant at software development consultancy OpenCredo, spoke about the importance of C4 diagrams. It's a tool through which to understand the context and restrictions of systems before choosing which technologies to utilise. Watch the full talk on YouTube here:

How much does it cost?

If Code Mesh 2020 is something you would like to attend, great! There are different types of ticket that you can purchase. Details are listed below.

• Standard conference tickets are between 110 and 130 euros. However, this depends on how early you buy.
• Student tickets are available for 55 euros each, and will grant you access to both days of the conference.
• Diversity tickets are available for those who apply for the diversity scheme, which is intended to serve members of underrepresented groups. These will grant you FREE access to the conference.
• Volunteer tickets are available if you wish to join the team as a volunteer. These will grant you FREE access to the conference.
• Training combo tickets are available for 320 euros and will grant you full access to the Code Mesh conference, plus your choice of a full-day training day, or two half-day tutorial days.

Full ticket pricing can be found here: https://codesync.global/conferences/code-mesh-ldn/#tickets