  We report here on the software Hack Day organised at the 2014 SPIE conference
on Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation in Montreal. The first ever Hack
Day to take place at an SPIE event, the aim of the day was to bring together
developers to collaborate on innovative solutions to problems of their choice.
Such events have proliferated in the technology community, providing
opportunities to showcase, share and learn skills. In academic environments,
these events are often also instrumental in building community beyond the
limits of national borders, institutions and projects. We show examples of
projects the participants worked on, and provide some lessons learned for
future events.
