MySQL Conference 05: Exhibit Reception

MySQL Conference 05: Exhibit Reception
Originally uploaded by x180.

Great picture of Shelley (and Zak, Kit and Mark) in the Pearson booth during the exhibit reception. (Photo by James Duncan Davidson/O'Reilly Media)

MySQL Press Booth Drawing Winners

The following people have one prizes in the MySQL Press booth drawing at MySQL Users Conference. We will contact you to redeem your prize. Alternatively, you can stop by the booth before the end of the show.

Winners:

• iPod Mini - Javier Delacruz


• MySQL Press Library - Brucce Bristol


• MySQL Press Library - Steven Nemetz


• MySQL Press Library - Tod Landis

The winner of the trip to LinuxWorld in San Francisco, August 8-11 that includes a full conference pass, airfare, and hotel will be drawn the week of May 16, 2005.

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks for visiting us at the show!

Rubbing Elbows

Like Damon, I love shows where you can get in touch with the folks in the community and the company and swap ideas with very little difficulty. That is perhaps one of the best things about open source: the gurus are just one of the crowd. At the MySQL UserCon, whether speaking with CEO Marten Mickos or the little guy in the trenches, there is information to be gleaned everywhere.

The importance of community within this audience is very clear. In the last 24 hours..

• I have had the chance to speak with Arjen Lentz about better supporting the MySQL User Groups and their meetups through our User Group Program and getting content into the hands of their dedicated community.
• I spoke with Zak Greant about his new company eZ systems and how we can co-promote and support their events on open source content management.
• Damien Seguy does a tremendous job of offering fresh open source content in both English and French at PHP Quebec, a conference at which MySQL Press and Sams Publishing have previously played a role and where we look to do more in the future.
• Even something as simple as a blog that chronicles various sessions has an impact for the community of DBAs and developers that surround this technology; Mike Hillyer is keeping detailed notes just for that purpose and has even compiled a gallery listing and blog aggregator to promote anyone else's efforts.

In all, I think it is very impressive that a small company and their surrounding community can get the communication so right.

Fun distraction at booth

So I was just talking with this great guy who is a database programmer for the US Marine Corps and he pointed me to a fun site called hotornot.com. This could be an addiction. This site offers you the chance to look at pictures of people and vote on their "hotness" factor. What could be more entertaining than judging people all day?!

Talking to Luminaries

One of my favorite parts of these conferences is always the access it gives us to MySQL luminaries. Over the course of the last couple of days, I have really been enjoying speaking to people I haven't seen for a while: Arjen Lentz, Kaj Arnö, Zak Greant, Mike Hillyer, Tony Butcher, and Marten Mickos, just to name a few. I have also met some new people who are variously funny, brilliant, and otherwise enjoyable.

Today we have a whole new set of busy-ness and people: Shelley Johnston and I enjoyed breakfast this morning with Brian Aker, we will have lunch today with people involved with MySQL press, and dinner tonight with our authors. I'm really looking forward to it. (I might even be able to get to a session or two.)

Paul DuBois' new 3rd Edition of MySQL

Tons of people keep coming up to our booth telling us how tattered and used their 1st and 2nd editions of MySQL are. They couldn't say enough great things about this book. As of yesterday evening, the 3rd edition, which was just recently released, was already the best selling book at the MySQL Users Conference here in Santa Clara. If you couldn't make it to the conference, you can get Paul's book for 43% off cover price at Bookpool.com until the end of April.

Flickr Group Added

Okay, that was easy enough. I have added a group to Flickr for 2005 MySQL Users Conference photos Here. Post away. Spread the word.

MySQL Users Conference Photos on Flickr

Shelley warms up for the show
Originally uploaded by cgkemper.

I am going to be adding photos from MySQL UC to Flickr. Since I just signed up for Flickr Pro, I have to wait for them to clear me as a non-pornographer, but after that they will be live. I will try and keep them updated so visit often. I would love to open it up to other attendees, but I am not sure if I know how. If anyone has good advice, email me or comment.

Partner Meeting

I had a chance to sit in on the Partner Meeting yesterday, which was basically an overview and Q&A session for their business partners. Marten Mickos gave an overview of the business strategy and outlook. I really enjoy seeing him speak (this was the second time, the first being his keynote at LinuxWorld East in Boston this February). He stays away from the technical details and provides great insight into the state of open source. One quote from the Q&A session that I loved was when he was asked what competitor they were currently targeting, he answered "we target customers not competitors". It really is interesting to see that kind of attitude that is pervasive within the company. It really is no longer about what platform you are on, but what solutions fit what problem.

Maurizio Gianola gave an overview of the technical end of the software. I was very particularly interested in the MySQL Network support service that was announced at LinuxWorld. It also seemed to be of interest to the majority of their partners and has been rapidly adopted.

Tuesday's Keynotes

This morning's events were opened by Arjen Lentz, who welcomed us to the conference, and was followed by the founders of MySQL AB, Michael "Monty" Widenius and David Axmark. They gave a talk about The State of the Dolphin, which covered some history and some new aspects of MySQL 5.0. They were followed by Michael Tiemann, Vice President of Open Source Affairs at Red Hat. Mr. Tiemann's speech, "Defining Open Source," spoke about why open source not only works, but why open source matters.

Then, like I said, we ate some cake.

MySQL's 10th Anniversary

This is MySQL's 10th Anniversary (and we are coming upon our second anniversary as MySQL Press). Anyway, they gave us chocolate cake. And that ain't bad.

MySQL Users Conference Blog

A number of the staff of MySQL Press are at MySQL UserCon this week. We are going to use this impromptu (created on the exhibit hall floor) blog to post updates on the show. Posters include Development Editor Damon Jordan, Marketing Manager Kim Spilker, Publicist Kit Kemper, Associate Publisher Mark Taber, and Acqusitions Editor Shelley Johnston.

Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments.