Look what I got in my inbox today:
Warmest Greetings.
eGENTING is pleased to invite you to participate in the eGENTING Programming Competition 2007.
Date: Saturday, 22 September 2007
Time: 10.00 am - 6.00 pm
Venue: Resort Convention Centre, Resort Hotel, Genting Highlands
Visit http://egpc.genting.com.my for more details of the competition, including registration, sample questions and solutions, and lecture notes. Fantastic prizes await you. Start registering now!
Yours faithfully,
Tan Chee Leng
Research & Development (Systems)
eGENTNG Sdn Bhd
Does this mean I can join in again? Should I give the other students a chance 
? But I would like all students to join!
Before I continue, I better off and just tell everyone I didn’t win the Ultra 20 machine. 
Now if anyone wants to donate one to me, I’m more than happy to accept it.
During parts of my boredom on the first day, I started to think “Why did Sun have this event?”
- Sun’s advance against Microsoft’s Tech Ed
- Because Open Source isn’t lifting off in Malaysia
- Sun’s reinforcement of its image
The day opened with a very interesting keynote. It highlighted the government’s preference policy towards the adoption of Open Source. Talked about the large Open Source presence in Malaysia, and was general in great support of Open Source. I say “Open Source” because there was not a single mention of “Free Software“, similarly it only utilized the Open Source Initiative definition of what a software would be deemed “Open Source“. This is sad, especially with Sun recently becoming a corporate patron of the Free Software Foundation.
With the mention of wanting to have another Sun Tech Days the following year, I thought it started answering the question’s above. Sure it might be labeled as a “worldwide developer conference“, but it has the potential to be used for as other things. Especially with the number of goodies they gave away throughout the event! JavaOne conference, iPod nanos, Ultra 20, lots of shirts, lots of dukes, dvds, bags, etc. Good propaganda man. People will be talking about it, I already am.
They also did a good job of literally keeping the people at the conference. This was done by placing incentives to come early (raffle for an iPod nano), to stay by the end of the day (free shirts, and a bag), attend talks (they threw free shirts and dukes out to the crowd), fill out forms (random free stuff: iPod nanos, leather jackets, etc).
At other events I’ve been to, generally the crowd shrinks to about halfsize by lunch time.
My favorite track for the day would have to be the “Software Failure Happens: Deal With It!” by Bill Venners of atrima developer fame. It was actually very informative, and helped to solidify how Exception handling should be used. Similarly it was not too introductory to bore me.
Though VMWare’s presentation was all marketing, I have to admit that it was really good. Really was A+ material. Introductory (but not slow), technical (at the same time alot, but not too much), great slides, rehearsed, entertaining, informative.
The last track of the day was an AJAX track. Really a starter’s track to AJAX. But they made it SO complicated, like REALLY complicated. It was also my first hand experience at looking how JSF worked, and it just seemed ugly, and tedious. I wanted to go up on stage, take over the announcer and show her how its done in Ruby on Rails.
Though the announcer slammed JavaScript, complained about its dynamic typing, an interpreted language, and more. Also claimed that if you were writing JavaScript, its best to ignore JavaScript’s idioms and write it as if your writing Java. Which I would most disagree with. The only thing I would most agree with is that browsers interpret JavaScript differently. Yes I am looking at you naughty browser Internet Explorer.
The slides were alright, it did demonstrate other JavaScript libraries (Dojo, only mentioned Prototype), JavaScript debugging, and was quite technical actually, a bit too much.
If your curious, they said they would upload the slides within a weeks time.
Overall, the promotion of OpenSolaris was based on the free (as in low cost) of it. There was a lot of marketing emphasized on its technical merit, which I can’t exactly disqualify as I didn’t know of any. Interesting how Ruby was mentioned avlot throughout the whole event, this also included Ruby On Rails.
Throughout this event Sun definitely wanted to look like a good guy. Much emphasis on the “opening” of Solaris, and Java, and giving it away for free.
Recommendations:
- Get local (foss) developers to talk. Though I would prefer FOSS developers, just getting more local people to show case their stuff is important to show that we, as Malaysians, are moving forward. We can produce stuff.
- Start/Emphasis/Help local (Open)Solaris/Java User Groups.
- Get students to talk, its can make a stronger point to the students attending.
- Its Free Software also damnit!
These are the DVDs I have collected at the event. If you’d like a copy do ping me.
- Solaris Starter Kit ( 2 DVDs)
- i learn DVD
- Learning Materials
- Nexenta OS LiveCD
- BeleniX LiveCD
- SchilliX LiveCD
i install DVD
- Solaris Express Community Release b54
- Nexenta OS Alpha 6 Install
- OpenSolaris Source
- Sun Studio 11
- Solaris Express Developer Edition (2/07) (1 DVD)
- Sun Developer Network All Access Kit (January 2007) (2 DVDs)
Today was, alright. The morning talks was very very slow, especially since I had to wake up early to arrive on time, even though I know these things start late. But hey, I wanted a chance to win that iPod Nano. Morning talks included the talk by the country manager, the minister of MOSTI, and James Goslings Keynote.
After the opening talk by the Sun country manger Gan Boon San, the audience was in for a surprise. A lucky member of the audience would be going on a full paid trip to the JavaOne conference.
Sadly…that wasn’t me either. Similarly I didn’t win the iPod nano. The Sun Technical Demo was quite interesting, did wake me up. Had a look at Project Looking Glass, and some other cool toys/software. The audience did go wow over Project Looking Glass. I wonder what would have happened if I showed them Beryl/Compiz.
The most interesting track of the day I found was “How to Develop Solaris Parrallel Applications” by Roman Shaposhnik. The presentation discussed parallel programming, and how to Moore’s law is basically dead, and programmers will have to struggle with Ahmdal’s Law. Basically it is about how people will have to cope with processors unable to run faster than normal, and now have to move to a different programming paradigm parallel programming.
Most definitely an interesting topic, and I’ve only dealt with multi-threading for, at most a day. But lucky for me, I was able to answer his questions, and won myself two t-shirts. A “Java, Solaris, Innovation Happens Here” white t-shirt, and a blue “Sun Tech Days Alumni” shirt.
Asked how how the move to multi processor computers will have an impact on kernel design, in terms of the age old argument of monolithic, and micro kernels. Would micro kernels stand a chance?
There was no definitive answer, as he says its too early to judge.
Thats bout it for the day. So off I went home with a few goodies:
- 3 shirts. The remaining shirt is a standard Sun Tech Days shirt given to all participants.
- Duke doll, about 3inches toll.
- An Oracle cup.
- Solaris Express Developers DVD.
- A Sun Tech Days pen, and book.
Sadly I didn’t go home with an Ultra 20 today as well. Two chances tomorrow, one for an Ultra 20, and another for an AMD machine.
If anyone would like a copy of Solaris DVDs do not hesitate to ask me.
