2000 JavaOne^SM Developer Conference Call For Papers:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. is seeking proposals for sessions at the 2000 JavaOne^SM Developer Conference to be held June 6-9 at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.

The JavaOne conference is the largest, most comprehensive gathering of developers, IT managers and business professionals focused on Java^TM technology in the world. It is a comprehensive developer technology and industry business event that offers a combination of:

1. Technical (educational) sessions,
   
2. Birds of a feather sessions (BOFs),
   
3. Business oriented / market success / business future(s) sessions,
   
4. Exhibits
   
5. Interactive technology demonstrations.
   

The JavaOne developer conference is the industry's premier event where attendees come to experience and understand new and emerging Java technologies before making critical development and enterprise purchasing decisions.

We are looking for:
Professional and technical experts who are interested in addressing a technical audience of developers, IS/IT managers and business professionals on the subject of Java technology and related business issues.

Before submitting a session proposal for consideration for the JavaOne developer conference program, please read the following information carefully. It explains the culture of the JavaOne conference, the type of speakers we are looking for and it also contains instructions on how to submit a session proposal.

Top Eight Tips for Creating a Successful Session for the JavaOne Developer Conference Program

1. Focus on technology, not products.
   

   For technical sessions and BOFs, attendees expect a technical focus and are highly critical of speakers who lapse into product promotion. To ensure that the discussion is sufficiently technical and relevant, we seldom invite vendor executives, marketing or corporate communications personnel to speak for these sessions.

2. Attendees respect speakers with hands-on experience.
   

   This is a hands-on crowd. We are more likely to choose potential speakers who have used a particular technology and can comment on what works and what doesn't based on first-hand experience.

3. Find the one or two best speakers in your company.
   

   You be the filter. We get hundreds of proposals each year and appreciate your deliberate and careful choice.

4. Choose an interesting subject, be creative.
   

   Choose subject matter aimed at a wide audience. Be creative but be careful, sessions on obscure subject matter are less likely to be selected.

5. Review past programs.
   

   Generate ideas by reviewing last year's conference program and deciding how you can improve it. What were the elements that made a certain speaker's presentation excellent or poor? Was the topic too broad or too narrow?

6. Be familiar with the types of sessions and Birds-of-a-Feather in last year's conference program.

7. Include your competitors.
   

   We strive for unbiased, balanced sessions that bring together the best sources in the industry to speak on a specific topic, regardless of affiliation. Proposals that suggest speakers from your competition, alongside your own for business sessions, can provide enlivening debates/sessions.

8. Look at current or future trends.
   

   What are the latest trends that the industry is worried about? Perhaps you can base a business session on those trends.

Thank you for your interest.

Types of Sessions we would like proposals for:

TECHNICAL SESSIONS

Technical sessions are from 60 to 120 minutes long. The longer sessions are to allow subject matter to be covered at greater depth, if required.

The typical technical session consists of one or more speakers with two or three demos (at maximum) of the technology being discussed. Code examples and diagrams should be given and discussed wherever possible in order to help the audience understand the subject matter under discussion.

The length of the session required is required as part of your submission and should be relevant to the depth at which you intend to cover the subject matter.

BUSINESS ORIENTED / MARKET SUCCESS / BUSINESS FUTURES SESSIONS

These sessions are flexible and can take several formats. They are all 60 minute sessions.

1. A "Panel Discussion" that provides attendees with the latest information from leading technology suppliers in a lively, free-flowing format typically with a moderator. Each session includes multiple leading vendors in a technology or vertical marketplace with differing perspectives or product approaches. An impartial expert (moderator) chairs each session and controls the discussion among the panelists, and facilites Q&A with the audience.

2. A "Great Debate," in which two industry luminaries debate a hot topic on an up and coming technology or area focusing on Java technology/IT business.

3. A "Market Success story" this is where a vendor / developer / ISV wants to talk about a successful implementation of a Java based technology solution and is willing to talk about what the problems were in a particular scenario and why Java technology was one of the components that helped build the successful solution to the problem. This type of talk should include (where appropriate) multiple perspectives from multiple people but should still have a technology focus and bear in mind the background of the conference audience.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER SESSIONS (BOFs)

Birds of a Feather Sessions are far smaller than technical sessions or business sessions and typically have an audience of no more than 150 people. They are 60 minutes in length and they are normally held in the evenings when (the large) technical and business sessions are not running, they are nevertheless still very popular. The format can vary from a short presentation, opening to questions, to just a general open 'round table' discussion about a particular subject matter with developers / people interested in that subject matter.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL

• Do not include proprietary or confidential material in your proposals. We will assume that you do not consider any material included in the proposals to be confidential.
  
• All submissions become the property of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
  
• All conference presentations are vendor-neutral.
  

All sessions are open to paid attendees only.

Your proposal should contain the following information:

1. A proposed title for the talk/session/debate

2. The type of session, i.e. Technical Session, Business Oriented/ Market Success/Business Futures/Debate or BOF proposal.

3. A brief outline or abstract of the talk/session/debate (not to exceed 500 words)

4. For all proposed speakers must include:  speaker name, title, company, address, email, phone number, fax and website

5. A biography for the proposed speaker(s) showing relevant experience and qualification to speak on the proposed subject matter (not to exceed 500 words)

6. The proposed length of the session (see descriptions above) 60 - 120 minutes max for technical sessions, 60 minutes for all others.

7. Referring person's name, title, company, address, email and phone number.

DEADLINES

All sessions: January 31, 2000

Proposals will be reviewed by the JavaOne Conference Program Committee to ensure that they match the goals of the conference program. Regretfully, we will not be able to accept all submissions, but we will notify you by email of our decision on or before March 1, 2000. We may also ask you to make changes to the proposal to match conference goals.

Submit your proposal online.

If you have any questions please direct them to : j1papers@sun.com

Speakers are required to submit copies of their presentations at least 8 weeks before the conference. These presentations will be included in the online conference notes.

All speakers' names and professional affiliations will be promoted in our conference marketing promotions and on-site materials.

Thank you for your interest in the 2000 JavaOne Developer Conference!