Talk proposal: console.log(“wow!”); a guide to lesser-known features of console.log

[alexwlchan]

Talk title

As above. It’s only an idea right now.

Abstract

At some point or another, we’ve all broken out console.log for some quick and dirty debugging. But what else can it do? In this talk we’ll see some of the powerful things we can do in the console.

Background

I spoke at QueerJS London… a while ago, and when I opened that talk I joked “my web development experience starts and ends with console.log” (and then did a talk about how robots were stealing my job, which feels strangely prescient).

Since then I’ve been noticing interesting things I can do in the console, which make it more than just “print an unformatted string”. And I think there’s a talk in it?

The actual message of this talk is that we’re surrounding by super-powerful tools, and we very rarely dig into what they can do. Often we don’t need a new tool, we need to learn what’s in our existing tools.

Rough outline:

• intro
• styling console.log with CSS
• timers
• structured data (groups, tables, etc)
• what’s the real lesson here?

I should disclaim that this talk doesn’t exist yet, but I think there’s something here. (I will not be upset if you like the idea but want more detail before you accept it!)

Your name (and pronouns)

Alex Chan / they/she

Location

I’m based in the south east of the UK, London-ish. I’ve had this idea in my head for a while; saw you’re doing a meetup in Berlin and figured I’d finally write it up.

Contact Details

alexwlchan everywhere, or alex@alexwlchan.net for email

Code of Conduct

• [x] I've read and agree to the QueerJS Code of Conduct

[SaraVieira]

Hey!

We can definitely pay for your flights from London but we unfortunately cannot pay for hotels :/

I will also be organizing one in London around the time of react advanced London, where would you prefer to speak?

[alexwlchan]

I would have been happy to pay my way and use it as an excuse to visit Berlin, but London would be more convenient for me – late October, right?

[SaraVieira]

Yes! Late October, you can also just speak in both ahahah

[alexwlchan]

Sorry for disappearing for two months, work got busy – I'm still theoretically interested in giving this talk in London at some point, but I can't commit to this for October.