InnerWorkings has a unique and innovate approach to how developers learn.  Outside of traditional learning techniques in books, over-the-shoulder training, or formal class instruction, InnerWorkings has developed a product the enables developers to learn by developing!

Their product is implemented as a Visual Studio add-in, so your learning happens inside the tool that you use to develop.  There is no lab manual, not pages to flip.  Instead there is a versatile learning environment where a coding challenge is presented to you.  Your task: complete the challenge by writing code.  You learn by writing the code.  You can get help along the way via links, tips as well as a personal tutor if needed.  At the end of your challenge your solution is examined by some artificial intelligence and scored based on implementations of best practices and how well the code met the requirements of the challenge.  It is the closest you can get to a real-world scenario of being given a business requirement and implementing it.

InnerWorkings has signed up to sponsor The Code Trip in several ways.  They have provided us with an annual subscription to their product for one lucky winner at our Code Trip events.  This enables you one (1) year access to their catalog of training materials.  In addition, they have set up a discount code (IWCODETRIP) for Code Trip subscribers to receive a 10% discount on acquiring training drills via their product.

We have also partnered with them for The Code Trip Coding Challenge.  Through a lot of our visits we talk about C#/Visual Basic language enhancements as well as LINQ technologies.  We've enabled every Code Trip subscriber the ability to register for InnerWorkings for free and choose one of the learning drills.  You will get the drill for free, be able to complete the challenge and entered into a chance to win an annual subscription for InnerWorkings as well as an XBOX 360 game console.  Details and registration are available at http://innerworkings.thecodetrip.com.  This contest is open to Code Trip subscribers, so please subscribe and then visit the site to register!

Check out their extensive catalog of learning topics: AJAX, ASP.NET, C#, CSS, Enterprise Library, LINQ, Silverlight, VB9, SQL, VSTS, WCF, Workflow, WPF and more!

Visit http://innerworkings.thecodetrip.com and register today!

Infragistics is a world leader in user interface technologies for .NET developers.  They provide developers with high quality reusable presentation layer tools for Windows Forms, ASP.NET, Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Tablet PC development as well as Java environments.  Their tools help developers create compelling user interfaces while at the same time accelerating the development lifecylce and improving usability for end users.

Infragistics is sponsoring The Code Trip by providing licenses of their NetAdvantage for .NET component toolset for our team to provide as prizes at our tour stops.  NetAdvantage is a comprehensive suite of ASP.NET and Windows Forms controls, components and tools for .NET developers.  These controls enable developers to add no-touch AJAX to web sites, power and performance to WinForms applications all with a professionally polished user interface.  Visit Infragistics NetAdvantage for .NET today for more information and some live demonstrations of their components.

If you are a .NET developer and have been working with .NET since version 1.0, you no doubt at some point have come across Developer Express...and maybe even ran into Mark Miller.  If not, then prepare to be amazed.  Do you think you write code fast?  We don't believe you.  At least we think you can be even more productive in your development.  Developer Express (DevExpress to the cool kids) has a product called CodeRush.  CodeRush is a Visual Studio add-in that makes you more productive and efficient as a software developer.  We think this video from a conference does a great demonstration -- it pits a developer against a super model: CodeRush Challenge with Sara.

CodeRush works in the IDE helping to bring new ways of looking at code, generating code, navigating code and enables you to create rich extensions for your specific development style.  DevExpress has sponsored licenses of CodeRush for The Code Trip team to give away at our events.  This is a product every developer should consider having in their tool belt!

IdentityMine is a user experience company specializing in today’s leading presentation technologies, including Microsoft’s WPF and Silverlight. By offering a robust line-up of consulting, training, development and stand-alone solutions, IdentityMine allows its customers to select a program to fit their specific needs while utilizing IdentityMine’s rich expertise and experience in working with the Microsoft platforms.

IdentityMine is sponsoring The Code Trip by providing licenses of their Blendables Essentials Mix WPF control set product as raffle prizes along the route as well as offering a 10% coupon to those who follow The Code Trip event (CODETRIP10 – expires May 31, 2008).  The Blendables Essentials Mix is a set of 10 controls which span all aspects of design and development in Windows Presentation Foundation. Whether you need advanced binding utilizing EvalBinding, the simplicity of DragAndDrop listboxes, or the zoom and pan functionality offered in Zoombox, the essentials mix is sure to become an important part of your application development tool belt.

Join us at our SLO,  Silicon Valley or SF events and meet up with roadie Kurt Brockett, Director of Product Management at IdentityMine, to learn more about Blendables and IdentityMine.

Learn more about IdentityMine at www.identitymine.com and check out their product offerings available at www.blendables.com.

Axosoft, LLC is a leading provider of bug tracking and software project management applications for software development teams.

Their flagship product, OnTime, stands out with industry-leading innovations, an intuitive user interface and state-of-the-art technology. OnTime is in use by over 5,000 development teams in ISV, Consulting and IT organizations within 45+ nations around the globe.

OnTime is the only product of its kind with Windows, Web, and Visual Studio .NET interfaces that is available both as an installed product and/or as a hosted service.

Telerik is a leading vendor of User Interface (UI) components for ASP.NET and Windows Forms, and .NET Reporting solutions. Building on our expertise in interface development and Microsoft technologies, Telerik helps customers build applications with unparalleled richness, responsiveness and interactivity. Created with passion, Telerik products help thousands of developers every day to be more productive and deliver reliable applications under budget and on time.  Telerik also has an ASP.NET content management system, Sitefinity CMS, as well as is preparing a suite of controls for Silverlight.

The drink of hard core developers!  Red Bull is one of our premier Code Trip event sponsors hosting an event at their headquarters in Santa Monica, California.  From an idea starting in 1984 to the launch of the drink in 1987, Red Bull has become a household name in energy drinks with their famous slogan 'Red Bull gives you wiings' and distrinctive brand which has been transformed the energy drink industry.

The Code Trip is thankful that Red Bull supports technical communities and has opened the door to their headquarters to host a special event only for Code Trip subscribers.  Be sure to follow other Red Bull events in your communities at http://www.redbullusa.com!

MaximumASP is the hosting and bandwidth provider for The Code Trip.  MaximumASP has become known as one of the premier Windows-based hosting providers in the world by providing customers top-notch support, reliable servers, a scale-on-demand infrastructure, and comprehensive network security protection.  MaximumASP provides shared, virtual private, and dedicated servers to meet customer needs.  Founded in 2000, MaximumASP currently hosts more than 44,000 domain names and gives their customers the quality support and infrastructure to scale your business needs at any time.  If there is a problem, they are there for you...guaranteed.  Visit http://www.maximumasp.com for your hosting needs!

Terralever is a leading interactive marketing agency that specializes in delivering significant measurable resuls via tailored online marketing solutions.  In partnership with McAndrew|Kaps, Terralever was the chosen interactive agency who produced the Code Trip logo and web site design.  Their talented staff worked with our team to deliver a unique brand and online experience that would emulate the goals of the Code Trip.

Terralever is also a leading Silverlight partner for Microsoft and has produced several production implementations leveraging Silverlight 1.0 and more recently, Silverlight 2.  View their work online at http://www.terralever.com.

For our leader of our video podcasts, we commissioned the talented Eden Soto and Lawrence Scaduto.

Eden Soto, Motion Designer – Eden's work can be seen all over the internets on shows like Diggnation, GigaOM, Mahalo Daily, Channel 10, Channel 8 to name a few. If you're looking for some high impact motion visuals for your next project whether it be Podcasts, Trade Shows, Portables, TV or anything else that has a screen, contact him or see more of his work at edensoto.com.

Lawrence Scaduto, Composer – Lawrence has been a member of too many indie bands to count. He works out of his studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Although primarily a guitar player, Lawrence mostly uses a mouse to write and record his unique brand of pop/punk/electro/ghetto–tech music and builds gnarly guitar pedals to bring analog filth to his creamy digital creations. He is currently waiting for someone other than himself to write a detailed Wikipedia entry of his creative work, as his current IMDB profile doesn't give him the daily ego boost he so desperately needs. You can listen to his other work at fourthgradegladiators.com.

While traveling, connectivity to those tubes that help us communicate is a must!  Sprint has partnered with The Code Trip to provide ongoing wireless connectivity throughout our trip.  Sprint has provided the crew with several of their latest Rev.A EVDO data cards, providing the most up-to-date connectivity options for us.

We're using three different solutions: the Ovation U727 and the Merlin S720 devices.  Both provide Rev.A connectivity, one is a USB solution which enables very quick connect/disconnect capabilities without relying on a PC/MCIA card slot.  The Ovation USB option also has storage and keeps the connectivity software required in memory so you never have to remember where that CD-ROM was!

Our connectivity has been consistent and reliable in the coverage areas for Sprint.  Thanks to Sprint for keeping The Code Trip connected!