Prerequisites & help

Prerequisites

Before the Hackathon, please do the following (20 minutes). All software is free. If you are attending the Clinic, please do this in advance of the Clinic.

1. GitHub username
   • Create a GitHub account (if you don’t already have one) at https://github.com. Follow optional advice on choosing your username
   • Please provide your GitHub username here; this will allow us to add you to the cloud hackathon workspace.
   • Remember your username and password; you will need to be logged in during the workshop!
2. Earthdata Login account
   • Create an Earthdata Login account (if you don’t already have one) at https://urs.earthdata.nasa.gov
   • Remember your username and password; you will need to be logged in during the workshop!
3. Slack
   • Join our Slack workspace (invite sent via email). In the 2021-nasacloudhack-projects channel, suggest a hackathon project idea/use case, and mention if you are looking for teammates to join. Read through other entries and comment on those of interest to you. On Day one of the hackathon we will hold a project pitchfest and finalize teams for the week.
   • Learn more about how we’ll use Slack during the workshop
4. Zoom
   • Be prepared to call into Zoom using the link provided in the Slack 2021-nasacloudhack-general Channel.
5. Get comfortable
   • Consider your computer set-up in advance, including an external monitor if possible. You will be following along in Jupyter Hub on your own computer while also watching an instructor live-code over Zoom (or equivalent), and will also want quick-access to Slack to ask for help and follow links.

Getting help

We will use Slack rather than Zoom Chat as our main channel for help, since the conversations are preserved beyond a single call and since it’s easier to reply and have threaded conversations and post screenshots.

Slack

You will be invited to the Openscapes Slack organization, where there is a growing community of Openscapes Champions. (New to Slack? See this Quick Start Guide). We have three private Slack channels for the Hackathon:

2021-nasacloudhack-general: General channel is for announcements and general questions and communications.

2021-nasacloudhack-projects: Projects channel is for for participants to pitch project ideas and discuss projects with the whole hackathon group. As teams form you can have direct messages with your team (and we can create new channels as needed).

2021-nasacloudhack-help: Help channel is the place to get troubleshooting help: please paste error messages and post screenshots and we will help you by replying to your post.

To create a screenshot:

• On your Mac - Screenshot
• On your PC - Snipping Tool

Zoom Breakout Rooms

During Tutorials Session

If you’d like to talk to someone and live-screenshare about your issue, please write in Zoom Chat that you need help and we will move you into a breakout room with a helper.

During Team Hacktime

During the team project time, you will be placed in a Zoom breakout room with your respective teammates to collaborate more easily. If you have questions as you work, post your question(s) in the Slack 2021-nasacloudhack-help Channel and a helper will respond in that thread. If needed, a helper can also join your team’s Zoom breakour room for easy screensharing, troubleshooting or to further discuss a question.