Anders Norås
Director of Software Leadership at Avanade
Oslo, Norway
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Anders Norås first trained in arts and design, but for the past 25 years, he’s been creating magic with code instead of paint. Combining creativity with technical expertise, Anders offers a unique perspective on the tech world—one that’s as much about people as it is about pixels.
With over 100 conference talks to his name, Anders has spoken at events across the globe. His presentations aren’t just talks—they’re experiences. Known for his dynamic energy and sharp delivery, Anders has a talent for transforming even the driest technical topics into something engaging, memorable, and often hilarious.
Whether you’re a design enthusiast, a media professional, or a hardcore computer science purist, Anders has insights that will make you think—and probably laugh. He doesn’t just discuss technology; he brings it to life.
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Ouvroir de Code Potentiel
The Ouvroir de littérature potentielle (Workshop of potential literature) movement, founded in the 1960s, explored creativity by applying strict constraints to writing. These constraints — like avoiding specific letters or using mathematical structures — forced authors to think differently and produced unique literary works.
In this lightning talk, we’ll apply the principles of Oulipo to programming. By reimagining familiar programming exercises with unusual rules and restrictions, we’ll explore how constraints can lead to new insights and approaches in coding. This approach, though unconventional, offers valuable lessons in problem-solving and creativity in software development.
Demoscene: The Golden Years
Step into the time machine and journey back to the late 80ies and early 90ies with Anders Norås as he delves into the genre defining era of the 16-bit demoscene.
These were the glory days where human ingenuity clashed with machine capabilities in a perpetual battle of digital creativity.
In this lighting talk, attendees will be treated to a nostalgic exploration of the subculture's pinnacle, witnessing firsthand the relentless competition and boundless innovation that defined this epoch.
Whether you're a seasoned enthusiast or completely new to the scene, prepare to be entertained and inspired by the timeless ingenuity and artistic fervor that characterised the early days of the.
Join us for a journey through time and witness the enduring legacy of creativity that still makes its marks on popular culture.
The Cultural History of WinAmp ⚡️
In this short talk Anders Norås takes you on a trip into the world of one of the most influential software products ever. You’ll discover the endless creativity of the user interface as an artistic expression, the Easter eggs and myths of the Winamp lore and how Winamp’s influence has reached way beyond the little box on your screen.
The History of Computer Art
Join Anders Norås on a captivating journey through the evolution of computer programming as a means of boundless creativity and expression. From the LSD-fuelled hacking subculture of 1960s San Francisco to artificial intelligence making its mark on gallery spaces, discover how programming has transformed into a breathtaking art form.
This talk revisits awe-inspiring stories of fine artists who, in the 1970s, stumbled upon the magic of computers. Explore the mysteries of mathematical algorithms that have become the still lifes and croquis nudes of computer art, adding beauty and emotional depth to the digital canvas. Travel back in time to witness the internet’s transformation into a global gallery, showcasing not only stunning visual masterpieces but also the code itself as an art form.
Prepare for a visually engaging experience filled with stunning imagery and elegant code, designed to inspire your journey into the rich world of computer art.
By the end, you might even have your own answer to the timeless question: What is art?
Vapourware: The best software that never was
We’ve all had grand ideas and small side projects, but some people have turned these into grandiose software projects that never got released.
In this talk, Anders Norås tells the stories of some of the wild software projects people have started, what happened and who the people behind them were. You’ll learn about a lost version of Microsoft Windows where the teams worked for years to bring some of Bill Gates’ visions for the operating system to life, before the project came to a sudden end. You’ll see the never release computers that could have made IBM the leader of the home computer market. You’ll learn about a music streaming service that could have beaten Spotify to the game. You’ll hear the heart-moving story of the “world’s greatest web browser” which has been in the making for more than six decades. And many, many other mind boggling stories of ambitious software projects.
This is the best software you never got to use.
Marvels of Teenage Engineering
Since the dawn of the microcomputer era, kids have been wonderstruck by the amazing things computers can do. Some of these kids went on to write groundbreaking programs pushing their computers way beyond the limits of what their computers were designed for.
In this talk Anders Norås tell the previously untold stories of these Marvels of Teenage Engineering. We’ll get to see vintage code on vintage computers using black magic programming tricks so advanced that they will amaze even the most seasoned developers.
A Brief History of Computer Music
Computer programmed music has come a long way since the CSIR Mark 1 played a scratchy Colonel Bogie back in the early 1950s. In this talk we'll go on a journey through the history of music made with code. We'll meet the pioneers who invented computer music, visit classic video game soundtracks, learn how computer musicians made big sounds with tiny tech, how algorithms create never-ending soundtracks and the huge impact computer music has had on popular culture. Expect lots of nostalgia, vintage code on vintage computers and a musical experience of epic proportions.
Green Code
Green computing is always about energy efficient servers, hardware without hazardous materials and other things that appeal to hardware buffs. Cloud computing is great, but what else can us programmers do to help the environment?
Back in 2010, Anders showed us how to be eco-friendly through writing better code and smarter business logic in his NDC lightning talk Green Code.
Now ten years later, at dawn of the decade where the world needs to deliver on the UN Sustainability Goals, Anders revisits his 2010 presentation to explore how we programmers can contribute to eco-friendliness by writing better code and designing better software.
4.294.967.295 - A number, Three Accidents and a Looming Catastrophe
At first glance, 4,294,967,295 seems like a pretty large, yet innocent number. Easy mistake to make. Anders talks about the trouble this number has caused, and why it will be the end of the world in 2038.
Dream Machines and Walled Gardens
Ted Nelson was a troublemaker. In 1974, frustrated by the closed and bureaucratic world of computing, he wrote Computer Lib/Dream Machines—a book that was part manifesto and part blueprint for a digital future. Nelson saw computers not as tools of control but as portals to personal freedom, creativity, and interconnected knowledge. He championed hypertext long before the web, called out the dangers of technical jargon designed to exclude ordinary people, and fought for systems that put users in charge.
This talk tells the story of Computer Lib, the man behind it, and the philosophy that shaped it. It explores how Nelson’s ideas could have led to a very different digital world—one built around open, decentralised knowledge rather than the walled gardens and algorithmic control we have today. What if his vision had won? What would the internet look like if computing had followed the path of Computer Lib instead of Big Tech?
Nelson once wrote that “most authority is malignant.” This is a talk about the man who wanted to dismantle it, and the future we lost when the world ignored him.
NDC Porto 2024 Sessionize Event
Copenhagen Developers Festival 2024 Sessionize Event
.NET DeveloperDays 2024 Berlin Sessionize Event
NDC Oslo 2024 Sessionize Event
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