Ok, my 2c now... :)
A JUG should ideally provide several avenues of Java community support: 1. Forum / email where people can ask questions 2. Community events, where we can get together to meet 3. Educational events, where we can get together to listen to speakers sharing ideas. I would agree with Fritz and Ewald that we have a great mailing list community. Granted, there are only about 10-20 people that actually post, but it is gentle and friendly to newbies. The part which we are really missing are the community and educational events. Sun will not support an online JUG, and that is what we are now. They will support a JUG that physically gets together. They will send us people to speak, T-shirts to hand out, etc. Other companies are the same - they will start supporting us if we physically meet. So, my vision for the JUG is that we will have a crackling dynamic community that reaches out to students, pupils, teachers, professional programmers and managers. Not just with email, but where we meet and listen to interesting talks. Whoever wants to run the JUG should be willing to invest time in promoting it at various companies, schools, etc. Heinz -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Ewald Horn Sent: 05 May 2006 00:27 To: [email protected] Subject: [CTJUG Forum] Re: CT JUG First things first ... Oh no! I go away for a week and miss a get together NEAR me for a change. <Glares at girlfriend> About this here JUG thing : I do think the JUG's actually pretty active compared to other similiar ventures in South Africa. We are fortunate to have a multitude of skilled people on the list who take the time to respond to novice questions from people such as myself. Interestingly enough, I started studying Java last year as an exercise to expand my programming skills. Now I only use Java and Delphi to code in, mixed with some C and ASM where absolutely needed. The local highschool asked me at the beginning of this year to help with their Java classes (around 50 students). Do you realise there is NO official support for teachers concerning materials and ideas ? There are a few scattered groups etc., but nothing worth mentioning. The whole subject is a mess with not enough skilled teachers available (I never studied teaching, though I did lecture in Cobol and C for two years at CTECH on a part-time basis.) in the Western Cape. Would it be possible to expand into schools and other academic institutions? I'm not talking about doing homework for schoolkids, but rather getting out to schools with active Java students and maybe give them a glimpse of what development work is about, especially in Java? It amazes me how much my students' horizons have broadened from exposure to real-world applications. The main problem with the handbooks are that they are extremely limited. Nowhere are the children exposed to what is possible in Java. Every year the matrics have to write a year-end project which counts for a lot of marks. My matrics could not get enough from simple GUI apps with relocatable buttons for instance. Nobody has EVER shown them what a programmer CAN do with enough time and effort. For instance, Java went from a "stupid language" to "awesome" when I asked them to look at the POS screens more closely next time they shop at the local Pick'nPay, a JAVA based POS system. Countless engineers and scientists and other folk visit the schools to "recruit" fresh blood, but I have yet to see real developers pitch up. Most folks that show up with computer-related knowledge are technicians, sales reps or trainers. Boring boring boring boring. Why not show off some apps done for some recognised companies ? It might just change someone's future. Just my 1/2 cent's worth. Regards Ewald Horn Business Manager NoFuss Solutions South Africa Cell : 083 305 3556 Web: www.nofuss.co.za -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.5.3/331 - Release Date: 2006/05/03 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.5.3/331 - Release Date: 2006/05/03 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.5.4/332 - Release Date: 2006/05/04 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "CTJUG Forum" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/CTJUG-Forum -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
