Some of the best information can be shared through a chance encounter during the comings and goings of Oracle OpenWorld. This week, find out where you can track down your favorite presenters at the conference or elsewhere.

AMIS Query—Preview Session Oracle OpenWorld 2008
Oracle enthusiasts in The Netherlands can get a head start on the conference presentations of their Dutch peers—with dinner and drinks, too—during the OOW 2K8 Dutch preview event hosted by Senior Oracle Database Consultant Marco Gralike and AMIS Services BV in Nieuwegein.

I’m Speaking at Few Conferences: OracleWorld, Miracle OpenWorld, UKOUG, CMG
Tanel Põder, one of the first Oracle Certified Masters in the world, and an OakTable Network member, adds Oracle OpenWorld to his busy speaking schedule. See where else he is sharing his expertise.

Oracle OpenWorld ADF Methodology Unconference
Join Eric Marcoux, chief architect of Université Laval in Quebec, Canada, and other Oracle ACEs sharing their know-how about Oracle Application Development Framework development projects at an unconference about ADF methodology.

Creating Strong Supplier Relationships Using Oracle iSupplier Portal (Release 12)
Harsha Limaye of IT Convergence recently presented his white paper, Creating Strong Supplier Relationships with Oracle iSupplier Portal, to the North Central Oracle Applications User Group. If you missed it, visit him at IT Convergence's booth #2310 in Level 1 of Moscone South.

Oracle OpenWorld—Forms Modernization & Data Integration
From Kontich in the Flemish region of Belgium, Nathalie Roman describes the two iAdvise/O2U sessions she and Hans Heremans will present on moving to a SOA environment, and the different approaches to data integration using the Oracle technology stack.

We have most of the basics planned out for the coming weeks to make sure we keep you posted on all things Oracle OpenWorld, but we thought this would be a good time to ask you straight up what you think of our blog so far. Are we sharing the right information? Are we responsive enough (we sure try)? Is there anything you'd like us to cover that would make you come back more often?

We're here to tell the story of the Oracle community's biggest event of the year, and cover as many facets as possible. So, please feel free to share your thoughts and requests in the comments. Thanks!

We've just gone live with a juiced-up search engine that's great for helping you explore and plan for Oracle OpenWorld 2008.

Here's how to use it. First, got to the home page, registration page, or any other page on the Oracle OpenWorld Web site. Enter your search term in the search tool at the top-right of the page. Now use the "Group by" and "Sort by" dropdowns to arrange your search results by relevance, type, title, venue, and time. It's the perfect way to see what sessions are available in a particular stream, at a specific venue, or at a time that fits your schedule. (The screengrab on the left shows the first four results for a search on the term "grid computing" grouped and sorted by type and venue.)

You can also start your search by entering your search term on oracle.com. When you get your results, use the "In the section" dropdown to select "OpenWorld SF 2008." This will display your results with the useful "Group by" and "Sort by" options.

Happy hunting!

The location of the meeting plays a significant role in the success of greening the event. And where better to hold a green meeting than in San Francisco at the Moscone Center. San Francisco was recently named the "most walkable" city and the Moscone Center has taken a leadership role in environmentally responsible operations.

Consider what an impact one facility can have ... in one year alone, and only at Moscone West, SMG's Food and Beverage operation purchased a total of 700,164 bottles and cans; 675,752 water, juice, and soda containers; 59,712 bottles of beer; and 14,700 bottles of wine ... all of which were recycled.

An excellent choice for Oracle OpenWorld! As you experience Oracle OpenWorld 2008 keep in mind all of the "behind the scenes" environmentally responsible practices that are taking place, such as:

Recycling. Moscone Center is currently diverting 60% of its material from the waste stream. In the past five years, an average of more than 1.6 million pounds a year have been diverted.

Composting. SMG's Food and Beverage operation has a comprehensive composting program that utilizes sustainable, compostable serviceware in all food and beverage areas.

Donations. Over 20% of the total diversion has been achieved through donations of goods and materials to schools and charitable organizations in the community.

Energy Efficiency. Moscone Center's photovoltaic system was launched in 2004 and consists of over 5,000 solar panels and nearly 60,000 square feet of photovoltaic surface area atop the Esplanade Ballroom and South Lobby rooftops. The system produces approximately 675 kwh providing an energy savings equivalent to that used by approximately 1,200 homes.

You can do your part too during Oracle OpenWorld 2008: look for opportunities to recycle, walk instead of ride, and visit the Green Pavilion. We will be onsite as well, capturing measurable data so you can see just what a difference one conference can make!

Nancy J. Wilson
CMP, Meeting Strategies Worldwide
Meeting Strategies Worldwide was hired to assess the Oracle OpenWorld 2007 green meeting practices and provide guidelines for Oracle OpenWorld 2008 and other Oracle events.

Our first annual Suggest a Session program not only produced more than 20 outstanding sessions for Oracle OpenWorld, it also provided fodder for some of our most popular posts. (See the Sessions & Content category.) In the spirit of "give the people what they want," we've tracked down the program winners in order to keep the spotlight shining.

We asked our winners three questions that gave them the opportunity to describe their sessions and share their advice for getting the most out of Oracle OpenWorld:

Q. If you were going to Twitter a friend about your presentation, how would you describe it in 140 characters or fewer?
Q. What's the one session you're not going to miss (other than your own, of course), and why?
Q. What are your top three tips or tricks for attendees?

We'll post the answers as we get them. Find them easily by looking for the "Suggest a Session Winner" medallion at the top of the post. Or check the Session Winners category to view the collected wisdom in one place.

What do the U.S. Air Force, a chicken, and Turkey all have in common? The answer is found in this week’s roundup.

Oracle Open World (Oracle OpenWorld)
There’s a reason it’s repeated—Oracle ACE and former U.S. Air Force Captain Anton Nielsen will be speaking twice at this year’s conference. Both talks will be about Oracle Application Express (Oracle APEX). One on how to make data more secure from hacking. The other on realizing ROI.

Oracle OpenWorld 2008
Graham Smith, an Oxfam GB infrastructure analyst, will also be presenting two sessions at this year’s Oracle OpenWorld. If you have questions about Oracle’s PeopleSoft Technology—or chickens—check out one of his sessions.

Oracle Open World 2008—Oracle Database 11g Exam Cram Confirmation
We consistently find great stuff on Oracle Blog from H.Tonguç Yilmaz of Istanbul, Turkey. Find out what resources he is using to prepare for the Oracle On-Site Certification Testing at the upcoming conference.

Empoprise-NTN High Noon—Beale Street Bar and Grill (San Francisco, CA)
Worried about your trivia skills getting rusty while at the conference? Don’t fret. Blogger Empoprise has already found an NTN Buzztime location for you close to the Moscone Center—which is named after former San Francisco mayor George Moscone, in case you get asked.

Zend/PHP Conference
Developers from around the world are coming to the Bay area for the Zend/PHP Conference. If you are one of them, are you staying for Oracle OpenWorld? Share your reasons for attending both in our comments section.

For those of you looking to experience the best of San Francisco while you’re here this fall, Doug McConnell walks us through the San Francisco scenic waterfront. Doug is cofounder of OpenRoad.TV, and this post is the first in a series of three that explores the highlights and history of San Francisco’s beautiful coast line. Thanks Doug for leading our adventure.

Geographically, San Francisco is a small town, but it's so environmentally and culturally diverse, it can take a long time to explore … and it's worth every hour you can give to the effort.

If I have just one recommendation to give you, and that's tough, I urge you to follow the reborn waterfront of the city, all the way from the ballpark north past the Ferry Building and west through Fisherman's Wharf, the Presidio, and Land's End and the new Cliff House. This entire stretch of history and spectacular scenery has changed dramatically since the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989. It's one of the nation's greatest urban transformation stories in the past half century.

For those of you who remember San Francisco before the ground shook in October 19 years ago, much of the City's eastern bay front, north and south of the Bay Bridge, was grey, dark, and dingy. The huge and multi-level Embarcadero Freeway stood between the City and the water's edge. Following the quake, the freeway came down, the light streamed in, and the money and creativity began to flow. Entire neighborhoods emerged to the south, packed with restaurants and nightlife. North of the Bridge, the old Ferry Building, one of the City's most iconic landmarks, was restored and renewed as an epicenter of epicurean delights. Old trolleys from around the world arrived and began to ply the modern waterfront, swinging down Market Street and heading toward Fisherman's Wharf.

Doug McConnell
Cofounder of OpenRoad.TV, The Traveler's Video Guide to the American West

Oracle has more than 20,000 partners around the world, and Oracle OpenWorld is the one place customers can find hundreds of them in one location. This year we'll have more than 450 partners exhibiting in 300,000 square feet of space, turning the Exhibition Halls into a virtual learning emporium. Check out the exhibitor listing to see who's coming.

Each year attendees flock to the Moscone South and West Exhibition Halls to meet our partners and explore exhibits, technology innovations, games, product demos, and more. In fact, there's so much to do that attendees requested more time to do it. In response, we've dedicated session-free time in the schedule this year—and reduced the number of keynotes—to give you more time on the show floor.

As amazing as the Exhibition Halls are, keep in mind that our partners also play a huge role in the conference by sponsoring and delivering sessions. And you don't want to miss the keynotes of Mark Hurd, Chairman of the Board and CEO of HP and Paul S. Otellini, President and CEO of Intel Corporation. These industry luminaries from two of our most important strategic partners will be imparting important insights you won't be able to get from anyone else. HP is Oracle OpenWorld's 2008 Marquee Sponsor, and Intel is Oracle OpenWorld's 2008 Innovation Sponsor. You can find dates and times for all the speakers in the keynote schedule.

If you're a partner, we've got plenty of special activities and resources for you at Oracle OpenWorld too. Oracle PartnerNetwork Forum on Sunday, September 21 is designed entirely for Oracle partners and is a "can't miss." Be sure to read our partners only post for the lowdown on the Oracle PartnerNetwork Forum, the OPN Lounge, Titan Awards, and other exclusive offerings at the conference.

Sharlene Ratcliff-Korenica
Director, Worldwide Alliances & Channels

In the late 1990s, Oracle was embracing the internet—becoming the first enterprise computing company to adopt the Java programming language. The Silicon Valley companies sprouting up from increased internet use created new might for the Bay Area economy, and Oracle OpenWorld attendance mushroomed between 1998 and 2000. The 1999 conference even included Online 99, the first fully interactive conference component, expanding the excitement of the Oracle OpenWorld experience to the worldwide community. This conference interactivity continues to this day with the Oracle OpenWorld On Demand program scheduled for the 2008 conference.

The technology explosion came to a sudden end as overpriced NASDAQ companies released disappointing earnings and their valuations dropped. Too, Silicon Valley’s economy took a huge hit … despite the continued healthy growth of online shopping. Sadly, the terrorist attacks of September 11 compounded these sobering economic difficulties.

Nonetheless, Oracle released new versions of three major product lines—Oracle Database, Oracle Application Server, and Oracle E-Business Suite. These three layers of IT infrastructure constituted the foundation of Oracle’s industry-leading security functionality. Attendees of Oracle OpenWorld 2002 saw that Oracle, unlike the 2002 San Francisco Giants, was “Unbreakable.”

Part 1: Sowing the Seeds of Success

Oracle Technology Network (OTN) is the world's largest community of Oracle developers, DBAs/admins, architects, and QA testers. So, what better place to gather than at the world's biggest Oracle event?

Oracle OpenWorld 2008 will host a plethora of learning, networking, and just plain fun activities for OTN members:

• The OTN lounge offers both business and pleasure. Set aside some time for the Oracle ACE Office Hours. Or swing by whenever for snacks, energy drinks, beer, and board games. Either way, don't forget to enter the iPod raffle and grab your free T-shirt, software, and swag.

• Get the party started right (and right away) at OTN Night. Take the shuttle from Moscone Center to the Hilton Hotel on Monday night for food, games, drinks, dancing, and more.

• Add Oracle Develop to your agenda for only $100 more than the price of a Full Conference Pass. Dig deeper into the latest developer technologies with keynotes, technical sessions, and hands-on labs. (Stay tuned for an Oracle Develop post coming soon.)

• Nobody should miss the Oracle OpenWorld Unconference. You're invited to present your own one-hour session or workshop—or see what your colleagues have to offer. The Unconference takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday at Moscone West.

OTN membership is free, so join now to get the most out of Oracle OpenWorld. Check out the OTN at Oracle OpenWorld preview page for more details. And of course, check in with the OTN TechBlog for interesting tidbits on all things OTN.

The start of the world's largest professional IT conference is getting closer and closer. Are you ready? Oracle enthusiasts from across the globe are beginning to make their plans. Here are some blogs where you can see what fellow attendees are up to, refine your agenda, or just weigh in about your preparations.

Your. Open. World.
Alan MacKelworth & Co is the UK brokerage firm that goes by the name AMaC. In this post, they chat up the global efforts of design-build companies highlighted in Oracle OpenWorld's Embedded Track.

Oracle OpenWorld 2008
With just two months left before Oracle OpenWorld sessions start, software engineer and Oracle enthusiast Pawel Barut from Kraków, Poland, is still jumping through hoops to get his U.S. Visa applications completed.

Intercompany Session at Oracle OpenWorld
Oracle Financial Applications Development veteran David Haimes is putting together his Intercompany session for Oracle OpenWorld. Help him tailor his presentation by letting him know what he should cover.

Me at Oracle OpenWorld 2008
First-time Oracle OpenWorld attendee Paulo Vale is coming to the conference from Portugal to participate in a session. Find out where you can catch the cofounder and development director from Neoface at the show.

Going to Oracle OpenWorld
Another first-timer, Jason Arneil, is coming in from Grangemouth, a small town in Scotland. See what he's looking forward to, and what he's worried about, as he prepares to make his way Stateside for the first time.

September is the warmest month in San Francisco, with highs of about 70°F/21°C and lows of 56°F/13°C. Nice.

But be prepared for it to change.

San Francisco weather can be surprising. Mornings are often cool and overcast. Then the sun comes out. So now it's 80°F, and you're enjoying warm sunshine and clear skies, when all of a sudden the temperature drops 30 degrees, a crazy wind starts to blow and fog rolls in.

San Franciscans find no end of humor in a sight so common it's become cliché: the summer—vacationing family wearing tank-tops, shorts, and flip-flops, all huddled together for warmth, dashing for the souvenir shop to get a matching set of San Francisco-themed hoodies.

HAR! We've all seen it.

It's not like they haven't been warned. Most travel-related Web sites and guidebooks issue the same warning: Beware San Francisco's summer fog … dress in layers. Now you too have been warned.

And to satisfy the junior meteorologist in all of us, we looked for an explanation. For that, we turned to our friend, meteorologist Michael Kelting, the weather anchor at KRON4 TV news.

He explained that the air in California's central valley gets really hot during the summer, often well over 100°F. The hot air expands and rises, creating low pressure. To relieve the low pressure, ocean air is drawn through the Golden Gate. Lots of air.

Meanwhile, ocean currents outside the Golden Gate draw cold water from the North, which mixes with the warmer air, creating fog. Thus it's fog—cold, damp fog—that gets drawn through the Golden Gate and settles right over San Francisco.

The result: a sudden drop in temperature and corresponding spike in hoodie sales.

Fortunately, the sun is not as strong in September as it is earlier in the summer, and the central valley doesn't get as hot. Also, pressure systems ride the jet stream north and cancel out the sea breeze. For you at Oracle OpenWorld 2008, it means excellent weather.

But bring a sweater just in case.