Free Stuff is back!
In honor and celebration of my close personal friend* James Gosling, who was profiled today in a great Q&A that ran in Redmond Developer News.....
In anxious anticipation of Java Mobile and Embedded Developer Days (January 23 and 24) where said close personal friend* will be keynoting (and I will be attending :-)....
Won't you join me in welcoming back Friday Free Stuff?
(!!!!)
That's right, people. We're back in gear on Free Stuff.
And I'm going to slam it into overdrive.
(because I like fast.)
:-)
This week's Free Stuff bonanza includes:
- A 2007 (or it might be 2006, I don't remember) JavaOne backpack (new, never used)
- A Java lapel pin (which will surely be all the rage at the Olympics this summer)
- A copy of the beautiful coffee table book "Hello World(s)"
- A copy of the most important Java book in print, written by hot shot techno celebs and my close personal friends Josh Bloch and Neal Gafter.
(The developers that I love most in the world got Java Puzzlers for Christmas. It is the singular must-have posession if you want a shot at one day growing up to be a hot shot techo celeb yourself.)
:-)
For those of you who are anxious and concerned, let me put your mind at ease...
Of course I won't be giving away....
.... my signed copy. I've bequeathed that in my will.
Oh no...
The winner of today's free stuff will get....
... a "virgin" copy.
:-)
For the record. Free stuff is not a contest. I am giving away stuff that I own to a person I choose. It's truly free. I pay for shipping to the winner (anywhere, worldwide) with stamps that I buy at the post office.
You can find MaryMaryQuiteContrary free stuff winners on every continent, including Antarctica.
:-)
So how do you "win?"
Well....
We're gearing up for....
Check out the agenda, poke around the site and tell me (by posting a comment to this blog entry) what you think the #1 thing that I must see/do/hear while I'm there would be.
The most insightful, interesting, funny, creative (or some other arbitrary attribute that I chose) comment will get Free Stuff shipped to them from me.
(Let's keep it clean, people. This is a family rated program.)
I need to start building my agenda for Java Mobile and Embedded Developer Days.
Help me do that by posting a comment to this blog entry telling me what you think I should see/do there.
As you play (along) you're "entered" to "win" this week's Free Stuff bonanza.
To recap:
Step 1: Check out Java Mobile and Embedded Developer Days
Step 2: Post a comment to this blog entry telling me what you think is "must see/must do" while I'm there.
I'll pick my favorite and boom we'll have a "winner."
I'll announce who gets the Free Stuff by Monday Jan. 7 in the afternoon pacific time.
:-)
Bon weekend!
Mary
p.s. You should really try to talk your boss into letting you go to this. It's really going to be awesome.
Hello Mary.
That good that friday free stuff returned
The most important session,
and than you do not have to lack,
is the one of James Gosling.
Maybe you can receive a "Hello Mary! Today I read your blog"
Who knows.
Greetings
Posted by Roman Rubio on January 04, 2008 at 04:52 PM PST #
Thanks Roman.
One can hope, eh?
I'll bring my video camera so that I can get my "techno celeb sighting" all on video....
I'll YouTube it.
:-)
Thanks for playing (along) Roman. And for being first. :-)
Posted by Mary Smaragdis on January 04, 2008 at 05:00 PM PST #
First not to miss is the keynote! :)
PS-5 is a must -- need to go to kids to market Java. They will be the next generation of developers.
TS-8 is also a must -- this is crucial to Java's competitiveness (against Silverlight and Flash)
Who will miss LT-2 -- which is just what Sun is all about - socially responsible and green computing friendly. :)
Ms. Mary - I wish I can attend but saving up for JavaOne come May. Please extend our regards to Terence (who is very active over at the Java Champions mailing list) and Rick Hillegas (who is our point-person for our JavaDB JEDI courseware).
Posted by Rom on January 04, 2008 at 05:10 PM PST #
I'm watching the JavaFx stuff with extreme interest. I cannot wait until we have true cross platform AND device screens we can develop.
And of course the application developer developer obstacle course sounds like fun, hopefully the cars have soft bumpers to not hurt them too badly. :o)
Posted by Dave on January 04, 2008 at 06:00 PM PST #
Hello Mary and Happy New Year!
I think the TS-8: Developing Applications for JavaFX Mobile should be good. I personally can't wait to see the next generation mobile applications, as a developer and user.
Posted by Abraham Tehrani on January 04, 2008 at 07:51 PM PST #
It's got be the lunch, surely :)
Seriously, the thing | think that has the potential to be each of the most cool, most pervasive and most scary all at the same time must be Identity Enabled Mobile Clients; think of the applications for that!
Posted by Ceri Davies on January 05, 2008 at 03:59 AM PST #
I would attend
TS-7: Tear-off Databases on Phones
TS-20: Identity Enabled Mobile Clients
but that's just me :) I think these are interesting because they show a different paradigm for thinking about mobile applications as opposed to normal application development.
I wouldn't miss James Gosling key note as well.
But that's only if I'm attending... alas.. I can't as I am about 10,000 miles away :(
Posted by motasem on January 05, 2008 at 04:26 AM PST #
Go to the SunSpot talks. They're great little bits of kit - really have the potential to open up the embedded market (which is where all the cool gadgets are) to more mainstream java coders (which is every CS graduate).
Plus there'll probably be robots. Take pics :)
Posted by Dick Davies on January 06, 2008 at 02:30 AM PST #
Hi Mary,
Since you're probably more inclined to less tech talk, and probably going to like talks from people in the marketing domain, I'd recommend Meaghan Kelly's talk on 'LT-1: Developing Cool New Applications for Motorola Handsets', even if you don't own a Motorola!
as well as Steve Haney's 'PS-1: Tira Wireless Jump 2008 Developer Desktop Go Mobile Edition'.
Most of these sessions are all about marketing and networking, so you're a lot likely to find marketing gurus in these sessions and in other general sessions like James 'Your Good friend' Gosling's ;) Keynote!
Have fun!
Posted by Gavin Dmello on January 07, 2008 at 07:01 AM PST #
Thanks for playing along everybody.
Done accepting submissions.
I will announce the winner shortly.
Mary
Posted by MaryMary on January 07, 2008 at 09:57 AM PST #
Hello Mary, we do not know each other but I found this page while searching for a 2006 javaOne backpack. I was wondering if you still happen to have it or if you have an idea about how I could get one. My dear husband used his one for 3 years and he loved it, but it came recently missing during a sad incident so I was trying to replace it for him to make him happy!
I assume this free stuff contest is over, but if is not over I would maybe try to participate... Or I would appreciate if you could tet me know if you have a suggestion for me to find one. :)
Alice
Posted by Alice on September 16, 2009 at 07:23 PM PDT #