It's Hackathon-time again. We had a great Hackathon in Orlando last month that focused on the DotNetNuke MVP design pattern. This month, we have a fantastic Hackathon planned for June 16. The Hackathon launchpad is Washington, DC, but like all Hackathons, anyone, anywhere can participate.

The theme for this Hackathon is "Visual DotNetNuke." Read all about it here.

I have received feedback from many of the developers who worked on a submission for the Orlando Hackathon that adjusting to the new MVP pattern and accomplishing the requirements outlined for the project in 24 hours was an extremely challenging, if not impossible, goal. Therefore, we are extending the Hackathon submission deadline to May 9, 2010.

If you are participating in the Hackathon tonight, you can get a head start on your project by reviewing (or modifying) the source code of the sample module provided here.

Tweet about the DotNetNuke Hackathon and you could win a cool Hackathon Hoodie.

Next week's Hackathon gives you 24-hours to build an awesome DotNetNuke module and win fabulous prizes. Depending on where in the world you are, this might mean missing work if you have been up late and need to recover or if you work on your module during the day. Here's a sample letter you can send to your employer explaining why it's important for you to attend the Hackathon and why you might need some time off.

Hackathons are common for many technology communities, especially ones based on Open Source. They are popular because they provide a great way for developers to pick up new skills in a casual and collaborative environment, while also winning prizes and getting swag. Now, the DotNetNuke community also has Hackathons with the debut event scheduled for May 4 in Orlando, Florida.