To further its commitment to the Java Community Process (JCP), Oracle has submitted the first of two Java Specification Requests (JSRs) to update and revitalize the JCP.

The two new "JCP.next" JSRs, which will go through the same JSR development process that is used for Java technologies, will define the next iteration of the JCP and involve changes to help broaden transparency of Java technology development, improve procedures, increase agility, and encourage new community participation.

JCP.next JSR 1 will produce a new version of the JCP Process document and a formalized Executive Committee Members' Guide and is expected to be completed and approved within about six months. Some changes include:

• Requiring all Expert Group (EG) operations to be carried out in public forums
• Increasing the transparency of the recruiting process for Expert Group members to ensure that all applications are fairly considered
• Exploring ways to enable all JCP members to participate in EC activities through public teleconferences, meetings, e-mail aliases and discussion forums
• Determining how to disclose TCK testing process results, for example publishing lists of compatible implementations on jcp.org and by removing any barriers to the disclosure of test results

 See more details in the press release.

Thinking about submitting a session for JavaOne 2011? That's great! Here are some tips that will help your JavaOne submission stand out:

• Write an abstract that is easy to read and describes the value of the presentation. Do explicitly mention what is being discussed during the session rather than making a blank marketing or strategy pitch. For example, include mention of demonstration, case study, customer/partner participation, quantitative facts, etc.
• Submissions should be:
•     Java-related topics (not technologies such as Flex, .NET, Objective C, etc... unless it's specifically a topic about how such things INTEGRATE with Java)
•     Non-product pitches (JavaOne is a technology conference!)
•     Interesting/innovative uses of Java (be creative!)
•     Practical relevant case studies/examples/practices/etc. (showcase your skills!)
•     Presentations should offer a unique solution

The last tip is a great reminder: it's not the Java technology itself that matters, but how Java solves a problem. That should be your focus. Learn more tips by visiting the JavaOne Call For Papers website, it has a whole page of Tips and Guidelines.

While these are all good tips to make your submission stand out, the most important tip we can give is make sure to get your submissions in on time. The JavaOne 2011 Call for Papers closes on May 23!

We bring you this message from Patrick Curran, Chair of the Java Community Process:

The results are in... the 2011 JCP Executive Committee Special Election has officially concluded. I'd like to thank all of the nominees for their interest and participation in the election, and to congratulate the four new EC Members.

On the SE/EE EC:

• Ratified seats: Goldman Sachs, SouJava - terms end 2013
• Open Seat Election: London Java Community - term ends 2012

On the ME EC:

• Open Seat Election: Alex Terrazas - term ends 2011

The new EC members take their seats today -- Tuesday, May 10.

For complete results, see http://jcp.org/en/whatsnew/elections.

Coders4Africa is a Not-For-Profit Organization with the goal of providing professional training and certification on a variety of platforms, including Java developer frameworks and tools, to one thousand African software and application developers by the year 2016. Oracle is proud to be a sponsor of Coders4Africa.

The endeavor was created through the efforts of five IT professionals: Ali Kone (Mali), Kwame Andah (Ghana), Ibrahim Cisse (Mali/Senegal), Amadou Daffe (Senegal), and AlMoustapha Cisse (Niger). Collectively, they have 40+ years of software engineering and development experience. After years of interaction with technologists in Africa, they decided to focus on programming and software development as a way of giving back to their communities.

"Our short term goal is developing a community of African developers all across Africa under one structured roof - Coders4Africa," Amadou Daffé said. "We want to create a pool of highly skilled African citizens in the software development industry to enlarge the labor income share thus contributing in a more equitable distribution of income," he explained.

Coders4Africa is holding an informational event on June 18-19 in Accra, Ghana. Software developers, local software companies, and Ghana Government Representatives are all warmly invited. Learn more at www.coders4africa.org!

The revitalization of the Java Community Process continues: For the Executive Committee Special Election (ends May 9), in which two ratified seats are open, Oracle has nominated two very worthy, and very complementary, candidates.

Just to refresh your memory, in January 2011, Oracle nominated the Brazil-based SouJava Java User Group, represented by Java Champion Bruno Souza, for one of those two ratified seats. (Nominees for ratified seats are proposed by Oracle in its role as the Java steward, but must be endorsed by a vote of the total JCP membership). SouJava is one of the oldest and largest Java user groups in the world, and by virtue of its national constituency, has deep roots into the Java and open-source communities. (Furthermore, as he likes to tell it, Bruno was also perhaps the first and only developer to actually pay for his JCP membership, back in the days when that was required.) The nomination of SouJava to be the first Java User Group member on the EC will give an even louder voice to the Java user group community and to the broader developer community, and will formally recognize the importance of Brazil in the Java world.

For the second ratified seat - and this process has taken some time due to the need to find a strong candidate - Oracle is nominating New York-based Goldman Sachs, represented by John Weir, Managing Director and CTO of Operations Technology. With this nomination, Oracle continues to deliver on its commitment to expand the representation of tech-savvy, non-vendor businesses with a very strong commitment to the success of Java. (Ericsson and Credit-Suisse are two other EC members in this category.)

For background purposes, consider the position statement provided by this nominee:

Goldman Sachs is a financial services firm built on its global technology enterprise. Technology is not only the largest division at Goldman Sachs, representing more than a quarter of the firm, but over two-thirds of its 8,000 members are application developers. With more than 130 million lines of Java code under management, development at Goldman Sachs is overwhelmingly Java-based, and there are more than 3,000 developers in its Java user group implementing systems which are then leveraged by over 10,000 end-users.

The firm custom-builds most of its software because of the unique technological problems presented by the nature and scale of its businesses; the critical importance of state-of-the-art capacity, latency and resilience; and the need to respond rapidly to clients. Its historical reliance on open source components, as well its extensive multi-vendor relationships, also give it deep experience with problems of interoperability and systems/software integration. As a major consumer of Java, Goldman Sachs is thus deeply invested in its future, and seeks to contribute to Java standards. We remain committed to the continued evolution of Java, both through the innovation of the broad Java community, and the ongoing process of standardization.

Oracle believes that considered in tandem, these two candidates offer the right balance of interests between corporate "consumers" of Java and the community at large. As Java ME Executive committee member John Rizzo of Aplix Corp. has described it, the former brings the perspective of a key industry investor, whereas the latter carries the voice and energy of a large and vibrant user community. Only with a diverse set of representatives from vendors, individuals, open source communities and participants, Java user groups, and technical leaders in businesses with strong Java practices, will the JCP be able to drive the kinds of changes needed to produce a better, more open, and more agile community process in the future.

JCP members, we need your participation to help make this happen! The Special Election ends on May 9, with members-elect taking their seats on May 10. Get involved - cast your vote!