Java, Communities, and Social Networking Lou Ordorica Community Manager Sun Microsystems

Lou Ordorica

Community Manager

Sun Microsystems

The Java Story A remarkable person ...

A remarkable person ...

The Java Story ... creates a remarkable platform ...

... creates a remarkable platform ...

The Java Story ... that ultimately touches millions of people every day.

... that ultimately touches millions of people every day.

How Did We Get Here? 40 to 50 million new Java runtimes (JRE) monthly downloads 1+ billion JRE updates yearly Billions of devices using JRE 5 million Java developers Millions and millions of users

40 to 50 million new Java runtimes (JRE) monthly downloads

1+ billion JRE updates yearly

Billions of devices using JRE

5 million Java developers

Millions and millions of users

The Story Begins and Ends with Developers ...

... and Communities

Agenda Experiences and lessons learned Java Developer Communities Java.net Glassfish JavaONE Community Touch Points product reviews code sharing discussions wikis Java and Social Networking

Experiences and lessons learned

Java Developer Communities

Java.net

Glassfish

JavaONE

Community Touch Points

product reviews

code sharing

discussions

wikis

Java and Social Networking

What do these words have in common? Prose Neon NetProse Lyric DNA Silk Ruby Pepper WebRunner Language Web Dancer Web Spinner Pop Quiz

Prose Neon NetProse Lyric DNA Silk Java Ruby Pepper WebRunner Language Web Dancer Web Spinner They all belong to the short list for naming JAVA! Answer

Communities

Java.net The Center of the Java Developer Universe

Java.net About Founded in 2003 Funded by Sun, managed by the O’Reilly Network 5,000 projects (20% active)‏ 500,000 registered users (10% active)‏ An ecosystem of Java developers Successful Achieved legitimacy in the eyes of developers Independent, vendor-agnostic Embraced open-source software movement early

About

Founded in 2003

Funded by Sun, managed by the O’Reilly Network

5,000 projects (20% active)‏

500,000 registered users (10% active)‏

An ecosystem of Java developers

Successful

Achieved legitimacy in the eyes of developers

Independent, vendor-agnostic

Embraced open-source software movement early

Lessons Learned Use community governance sensibly Not at the site level, but for projects / technology Put the community first, even when your bosses disagree Earn credibility for your company Teach yourselves how to be a good community participant Achieve an organizational understanding of what it takes to be respected in the community Simple tools can go a long way Small groups are effective with forums, wikis, blogs, mailing lists, code management

Use community governance sensibly

Not at the site level, but for projects / technology

Put the community first, even when your bosses disagree

Earn credibility for your company

Teach yourselves how to be a good community participant

Achieve an organizational understanding of what it takes to be respected in the community

Simple tools can go a long way

Small groups are effective with forums, wikis, blogs, mailing lists, code management

Glassfish Enterprise Class Java Open Source App Server

Glassfish About Started June 2005 Over 14 million downloads to date Over 240 thousand registrations since Dec 2007 Glassfish Admin Hits 2/07 - 12/08

About

Started June 2005

Over 14 million downloads to date

Over 240 thousand registrations since Dec 2007

Glassfish Lessons Learned Don’t start from scratch Usefulness is very important Develop transparently Strive for win-win relationships Communication tools matter least, participation and commitment matter most Large and distributed projects thrive on information Leave room for local experimentation,but think globally “ Empowerment and communication creates community” Communities create markets

Lessons Learned

Don’t start from scratch

Usefulness is very important

Develop transparently

Strive for win-win relationships

Communication tools matter least, participation and commitment matter most

Large and distributed projects thrive on information

Leave room for local experimentation,but think globally

“ Empowerment and communication creates community”

Communities create markets

Java Support Forums

Java Support Forums About General Java technology discussions 900,000 registered users (17% active)‏ 5,000 new users join each month Successful community moderators program Lessons learned Ignore your developer community at your peril! Expertise is the currency of a support forum — track and measure this (points and rewards programs)‏ Embrace your community leaders — they can help you more than you realize

About

General Java technology discussions

900,000 registered users (17% active)‏

5,000 new users join each month

Successful community moderators program

Lessons learned

Ignore your developer community at your peril!

Expertise is the currency of a support forum — track and measure this (points and rewards programs)‏

Embrace your community leaders — they can help you more than you realize

JavaONE Images courtesy of Jochen Siegle/TechShowNetwork

JavaONE on the Web JavaOne BlogCentral JavaOne Ustream

JavaONE About Started 1996, celebrated 13th anniversary in June 2008 Average 15,000 attendees yearly Technical sessions, BoFs, Hands-on labs for the Java-faithful and Java-curious Lessons learned People need offline, physical interactions to cement relationships started online Offer students free admission — they’ll enter the workplace soon, and could be your brand advocates Try to capture the excitement of events on the Web with streaming video, podcasts, tagged photos & blogs

About

Started 1996, celebrated 13th anniversary in June 2008

Average 15,000 attendees yearly

Technical sessions, BoFs, Hands-on labs for the Java-faithful and Java-curious

Lessons learned

People need offline, physical interactions to cement relationships started online

Offer students free admission — they’ll enter the workplace soon, and could be your brand advocates

Try to capture the excitement of events on the Web with streaming video, podcasts, tagged photos & blogs

Community Touch Points

Java Studio Creator Product Reviews

Java Studio Creator Product Reviews About Launched in 2006 on Sun.com and Developer sites Hosted service provided through partner Moderation is done on an exception-basis Lessons learned Make your competitors squirm by doing the things they are unwilling to do Don’t force people to adopt social tools if they aren’t ready Use reviews to build a better mouse trap, and earn loyal customers, too

About

Launched in 2006 on Sun.com and Developer sites

Hosted service provided through partner

Moderation is done on an exception-basis

Lessons learned

Make your competitors squirm by doing the things they are unwilling to do

Don’t force people to adopt social tools if they aren’t ready

Use reviews to build a better mouse trap, and earn loyal customers, too

Sun Developer Network Share

Sun Developer Network Share About Launched April 2007 2,015 members 342 posts Lessons learned Look outside for innovation and inspiration Don’t underestimate soft skills needed to manage a community To get things done, you sometimes have to play outside the rules If you aren’t just a little bit scared, something is wrong

About

Launched April 2007

2,015 members

342 posts

Lessons learned

Look outside for innovation and inspiration

Don’t underestimate soft skills needed to manage a community

To get things done, you sometimes have to play outside the rules

If you aren’t just a little bit scared, something is wrong

java.sun.com Community Discussions

java.sun.com Community Discussions About Launched November 2008 Hosted service provided through partner Lessons learned Build strong relationships with your vendors early (you never know how much abuse you’ll subject them to)‏ There is no such thing as a small community project Avoid attempts to “go big” if you haven’t solved for community moderation People want to be heard. Give them the opportunity.

About

Launched November 2008

Hosted service provided through partner

Lessons learned

Build strong relationships with your vendors early (you never know how much abuse you’ll subject them to)‏

There is no such thing as a small community project

Avoid attempts to “go big” if you haven’t solved for community moderation

People want to be heard. Give them the opportunity.

Sun Java Communications Suite Wiki

Sun Java Communications Suite Wiki About Launched October 2007 Uses third-party enterprise wiki software Lessons learned Wikis are for real — collaboration and communication are accelerated, especially in big companies The need for good information architecture doesn’t go away — it’s importance is magnified on a wiki Opening up your development processes to the world can have unexpected benefits — like new customers interested in your company and product!

About

Launched October 2007

Uses third-party enterprise wiki software

Lessons learned

Wikis are for real — collaboration and communication are accelerated, especially in big companies

The need for good information architecture doesn’t go away — it’s importance is magnified on a wiki

Opening up your development processes to the world can have unexpected benefits — like new customers interested in your company and product!

Java Open Source Social Networking

Java and Social Networking Project SocialSite Profiles Java.net widget integration

Project SocialSite

“ The real power of Java technology is ‘connecting.’ And when you get people connected, good things happen.” Parting Thought

Community Manager for Hire! Lou Ordorica’s contact info: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lordorica Blog: http://blogs.sun.com/socialfx Email: [email_address] Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/louordorica

Lou Ordorica’s contact info:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/lordorica

Blog: http://blogs.sun.com/socialfx

Email: [email_address]

Linked In: http://www.linkedin.com/louordorica