24th Goulash Programming Night (GPN24)

»Goulash Programming Night« almost sounds like a cooking marathon for sleepless computer science students. What began in a basement in Karlsruhe, Germany, in 2002 with a few technology enthusiasts has grown into one of the Chaos Computer Club's biggest events. The topics are diverse.

The core topics are hardware and software development and data security. But data protection, network policy and many other fascinating topics are also covered: How do you cook the perfect goulash? Can you make beautiful jewelry out of hardware scraps? How does a sewing machine work? How do you fly spaceships?

The Goulash Programming Night is organized by Entropia e.V. of the local Chaos Computer Club in Karlsruhe. More than 1500 visitors are expected in the atriums of the Hochschule für Gestaltung (HfG) and the lecture halls of the ZKM. It is important to note that despite the technical depth of some of the speakers, the Goulash Programming Night is not just for "digital natives" or nerds. Everyone is welcome and can learn something; the old motto "we like everything" applies. Four days of hacking, goulash, talks, chunks, workshops, lounge, mate and fun with your device await you.

True to its name, programming is the main focus of a GPN. In the atriums, tables equipped with power and network connections are set up in the "Hackcenter," for guests to use. Many attendees arrive with a project in mind, intending to spend a few days—and possibly nights—working on it during the Goulash Programming Night. That doesn’t mean questions are off-limits. In fact, most hackers are happy to share insights about their passion when they aren’t immersed in deep programming. They also love to showcase their latest creations, so the Goulash Programming Night is teeming with homemade light installations and gadgets.

The second main component of a Goulash Programming Night—besides the activities at the Hackcenter—is the workshop and lecture program. There are in-depth lectures on hardware and software development, educational (and humorous) anecdotes about the everyday madness of programming, and debates on internet policy. You can level up your electronics skills in soldering and DIY workshops. Lightning Talks offer an open stage for spontaneous short presentations. The demo scene is always a big hit. 

This year's theme is “gpn24.de – Gulasch at the Scale of Chaos.”