Posts Tagged ‘NicolasMartignole’
[DevoxxFR2013] Keynote “Ouverture”: Welcoming Devoxx France 2013
Lecturer
Nicolas Martignole is an independent consultant and founder of Innoteria, with over a decade of experience in Java. He specializes in architecture, team coaching, and project management, having implemented Scrum at a major French bank since 2008 and previously at Thomson-Reuters as a senior developer and project manager. He authors the blog “Le Touilleur Express.”
Antonio Goncalves is a senior architect consulting and training on Java technologies. Formerly a Weblogic consultant at BEA Systems, he has focused on software architecture since 1998. Author of “Java EE 5” (Eyrolles) and “Beginning Java EE 6 Platform With GlassFish 3” (Apress), he contributes to JCP on Java EE 6, JPA 2.0, and EJB 3.1. He teaches at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers and co-founded the Paris Java User Group.
Zouheir Cadi is an independent consultant specializing in Java/JEE technologies. After years in development, he serves as a production architect, bridging development and operations. Currently at France’s top e-commerce site, he is a Paris JUG board member and Devoxx France co-founder.
José Paumard, passionate about programming for over 20 years, transitioned from assembler and C to Java. An assistant professor at Paris University for 15 years with a PhD in applied mathematics and computer science, he blogs at “Java le soir,” a key French resource on Java. A Paris JUG member, he co-organizes Devoxx France and speaks at conferences like Devoxx and JavaOne.
Abstract
This article examines the opening keynote of Devoxx France 2013, delivered by Nicolas Martignole, Antonio Goncalves, Zouheir Cadi, and José Paumard. It contextualizes the event’s growth, organizational challenges, and community focus, analyzing session selection, special events, and thematic keynotes on past, present, and future of the industry. The discussion highlights transparency in call-for-papers, sponsor contributions, and efforts to engage diverse audiences, underscoring Devoxx’s role in fostering Java and broader tech ecosystems.
Event Overview and Growth Trajectory
The keynote commences with warm welcomes, acknowledging the team’s efforts in hosting Devoxx France 2013, a three-day event with 180 speakers, 75% French-language content. Martignole notes the expansion from 1,250 attendees in the inaugural edition to 1,400, a 220-person increase, signaling strong community interest. This growth mirrors the Devoxx family’s international success: 3,500 in Belgium and 500 for the UK’s debut, organized in just four months.
A satisfaction survey from the previous year, with 301 responses, informs improvements. Despite its length (81% found it too long, 18% much too long), it guides refinements, with Goncalves promising quality control for future iterations. The emphasis on constructive feedback, especially negatives, reflects a commitment to attendee-driven evolution.
Practical details include a free “Meet and Greet” evening with wine and cheese, sponsored by SonarSource, Atlassian, and CloudBees, running until 22:00. Six rooms host sessions, with overflow managed by red-vested volunteers for safety. All talks are recorded on Parleys.com, alleviating concerns about missing content. Community integration is highlighted, welcoming groups like Paris JS and Scala User Group.
Organizational Transparency and Session Selection
Transparency in the call-for-papers process is a focal point. Opened November 20 and closed January 31, it garnered 572 submissions, accepting only 162 due to venue constraints. Conferences (50-minute slots) saw 320 proposals, with 74 accepted; 14 allocated to premium sponsors, leaving 60 for general selection – an 82% rejection rate.
A 10-person team, including volunteers, rigorously evaluated submissions, using notes (0-5 scale), discussions, pizzas, and color-coded Post-its. Goncalves humorously notes resorting to a cat for ties, underscoring the process’s seriousness despite challenges. Rejected speakers are encouraged to reapply or present at local JUGs, emphasizing inclusivity.
The keynote theme – past, present, future – features speakers like Clarisse Herrenschmidt on writing history, Martin Odersky on objects and functionals, Alexis Moussine-Pouchkine on Java’s trajectory, and Habib Guergachi on web architectures. Odersky’s evening BoF is noted for Scala enthusiasts.
Special Initiatives and Community Engagement
Unique events differentiate Devoxx: “Devoxx for Kids,” led by Audrey Neveux, introduced 70 children to programming via robots the previous day, aiming to demystify parents’ professions. Though not repeatable annually due to school changes, it inspires future iterations alongside Belgium’s multilingual versions.
“Open Source Hacking” with Brice Dutheil and Mathieu Ancelin offers hands-on contribution. The “Afternoon for Decision-Makers,” from 14:00-18:15, mixes genres with CIOs discussing cloud, prepared by Arnaud Héritier. Reserved seats accommodate hard-to-book executives, but it’s open to all.
“Code Story,” by David Gageot and Jean-Laurent de Morlhon, features full-day live coding in a basement room. “Mercenaries of DevOps,” with Pierre-Antoine Grisoni, Henry Gomez, and others, explores native packaging and Kanban boards the next day.
Sponsors receive gratitude: premium partners enable affordable tickets; Oxiane handles training for over half attendees, managing complex dossiers. Medium and base sponsors filled slots quickly, with full exhibition halls praised for embodying Devoxx spirit.
In summation, the keynote reinforces Devoxx as a collaborative hub, blending education, networking, and innovation to advance the Java community and beyond.