Oracle OpenWorld Blog

Early Bird Registration Ends Soon

Why register early? How about big savings. You’ll save between $500 and $900 on a Full Conference Pass and $400 on Oracle Develop. Not a bad carrot to dangle before your boss in today’s economy. But don’t wait—these savings end July 18.

Registering early also means you can start planning right away to make the most of this year’s conference. Start by browsing the exhibition catalog to choose from more than 1,700 sessions. You’ll also want to prepare for one-on-one meetings with Oracle experts who are ready to discuss your biggest challenges.

And don’t forget, we’ve got brand new programs this year. They include:

Green Room and Green Marketplace—where you can attend green sessions plus special exhibitions devoted to the effect green awareness is having on business.

Embedded Pavilion, Virtualization Pavilion, Oracle Accelerate Pavilion—where you can meet with Oracle partners to discuss the latest IT and business solutions.

We’ll wrap this up for the time being, so you can register now and save big. But after you cash in on the early bird savings, come back often and we’ll help you get the most out of Oracle OpenWorld 2008.

Schedule your sessions by following the experts

By the time Oracle OpenWorld attendees hit the show floor, most of them already have a scratch list of all exhibits and sessions they plan to attend. When mapping out your conference options, it’s helpful to know which keynotes or panels are popular among the VIPs, fellow attendees, or industry insiders.

Business intelligence guru Michael Armstrong-Smith is one such wonk. He carefully maps out his itinerary for the entire conference and shares his favorite presenters and live demonstrations on his Learn Discoverer Blog. A veteran of the Oracle road show circuit (and the author of the Oracle Discoverer Handbook), he not only posts his schedule of events, but also usually follows up by reviewing the hands-on labs and providing additional links or related articles.

Another way to prepare is to follow the blogs of some of Oracle OpenWorld’s finest speakers, like Steven Feuerstein, an evangelist and software developer whose main obsession these days is code testing. On his FeuerThoughts site, he outlines three of his upcoming presentations at Oracle OpenWorld 2008 and keeps the world up-to-date on everything PL/SQL. Or keep an eye on the online postings of Oracle employees like Steven Chan as he riffs on the latest technology stack news from Oracle Applications Development.

Finally, be sure to check back here on July 22—we'll have an exclusive announcement about the release of some cool new scheduling tools.

A Better Way to Plan Your. Open. World.

You told us you wanted a better tool for choosing and scheduling your sessions at Oracle OpenWorld. We listened. Now we're happy to announce the launch of a smoother, smarter way to create your entire schedule for the conference. Here are some highlights of the new Schedule Builder:

Recommended sessions: A recommendation engine powered by Oracle Data Mining provides a list of the sessions most relevant to you.
E-mail a session: Send your colleagues an e-mail about an interesting session right from the scheduler.
Improved user interface: Access session information directly from your calendar view. Add or remove sessions with one click. See multiple pop-ups of session information.
Other cool features: Build your Oracle OpenWorld agenda and export it to a calendar. Schedule personal activities or meetings with friends, colleagues, and partners. Check out the action at the Exhibition Halls.

To use the new scheduler, here's what you need to do: Register for Oracle OpenWorld. Take a short guided tour of the tool. Start scheduling. (Use Internet Explorer for full functionality and best results.)

And don't forget—to be certain you get a seat at your preferred sessions, be sure to sign up in advance with Schedule Builder and arrive at the sessions at least 10 minutes early.

Feel free to let us know what you think of the new tool.

Sign Up for Mobile Reminders and Updates at Oracle OpenWorld

Keep your finger on the pulse of Oracle OpenWorld. Sign up to receive daily notifications about conference events and sessions at the show. Your broadcast reminders, personal schedule reminders, and targeted event reminders will guarantee that you always have the latest news throughout every day of the conference. You can also view your personal event itinerary and set personalized session reminders.

We value your feedback on the conference, so we want to make it easier for you to give. After attending a session, fill out a short survey on the presentation and speakers via your mobile device. Every survey you complete enters you in a daily raffle for a fabulous prize.

If you're staying at a San Francisco Airport Hotel, you can conveniently check in for the conference while you're en route to Moscone Center. Instructions on your shuttle bus will show you how to have your badge waiting for you when you arrive.

You can sign up for the Oracle OpenWorld mobile services beginning on Saturday, September 20. At that time, simply text START to 22848, log in to MyReg, and opt in. (Text charges may apply.)

(You can also view this video at http://www.vimeo.com/1761465)

Lisa Stuart, our friendly neighborhood Events person, graciously demonstrates how to search session listings using this handy online tool.

And don't forget to plan your week with the new and improved Oracle OpenWorld Schedule Builder.

Oracle OpenWorld Tokyo

Now that you’ve recovered from Oracle OpenWorld Latin America, it’s time to gear up for Oracle OpenWorld Tokyo. But, since our keyboards lack the kanji ideographs to post bilingually here, we’ll let our friends in Tokyo handle their own blogging. We just want to make sure you have the tools to keep up with the upcoming show’s news.

We know enough Japanese to recognize the blog posts discussing some of the industry-specific sessions lined up, including the government, auto, and defense streams. For those of you with a better grasp of Japanese, you can keep up with Oracle OpenWorld Tokyo blog by subscribing to their feed.

If you’re an Oracle Mix member, join the Oracle OpenWorld Tokyo 2009 group. You’ll be able to start the friendships, partnerships, and conversations that you can build upon once you get to the show. If you’re not yet an Oracle Mix member, now’s a great time to sign up and connect with other members interested in the conference.

You can also visit the Oracle OpenWorld Tokyo Wiki page to discover other ways to start conversations about the show. While you’re there, add your own content, learn about the Tokyo Unconference, and follow people talking about the show through Twitter and Hatena.

If you’ve found other great ways to keep up with Oracle OpenWorld Tokyo, post them in the comments.

Registration for Oracle OpenWorld 2009 Opens Next Week

Oracle OpenWorld is fast approaching. Call for Papers is already open, and our next step is registration.

Early birds who want to save up to $500 can begin registering for the conference in less than a week. Starting April 14, the Oracle OpenWorld Website will be updated with full details on our various packages, so you can find the one that best meets your needs and your budget. This year’s packages include Full Conference, Oracle OpenWorld Discover, Oracle Develop, the Primavera Program, and Visitor Pass Plus.

Full conference registrants will have access to five days of Oracle OpenWorld sessions and some special programs, including the new two-day Primavera Program, which features more than 70 sessions focused on enterprise project performance management and related subjects. As a special offer, if you buy four Full Conference passes, you get a fifth for free.

There are also some other ways to get creative and stretch your dollars. For instance, Oracle OpenWorld Discover and Oracle Develop attendees can add the Networking Package for access to a host of events where you can mingle with other Oracle enthusiasts. This package includes the Welcome Reception, OTN Night, the Appreciation Event, and lunch Monday through Thursday.

You’ll be able to get all the registration benefit and pricing details on the Oracle OpenWorld registration site very soon. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments and we’ll try to point you in the right direction.

Register for Oracle OpenWorld 2009 Today

Registration is open for Oracle OpenWorld 2009. You can take advantage of our Early Bird rates by registering now.

Look around the registration site to get a good idea of which Oracle OpenWorld package is right for you. Find out about the benefits of the Full Conference package, the special, two-day Primavera Program, and the Exhibitors and Sponsors Registrations. You’ll also be able to learn about our Club Oracle Gold Pass and Networking Package registration add-ons.

The registration site breaks down the show information into categories you’ll recognize—Register, Schedule, Learn, Exhibit, Network, and Explore—but this year, we’ve added another valuable resource to the Register tab: Registration ROI. Here, you’ll find customizable letters that you can submit to your company’s management laying out the numerous reasons why attending Oracle OpenWorld is a no-brainer. Download the letter that best fits your role, add specifics to help make your case, and get the OK early so you can take advantage of our early Bird Registration savings.

After you’ve registered, you can notify people in your networks by using the “Stay Connected” links at the top of the page. If you’re on Oracle Mix, get involved in the Oracle OpenWorld Group by starting a chat or weighing in on a topic that’s already there. We also have a links to the Oracle OpenWorld conversations happening on LinkedIn and Facebook. Twitter users can start some Q&A and follow updates about the show through our @oracleopenworld account, and we’ve given you quick access to one of our channels on YouTube so you can watch and respond to our videos.

If you have any questions about Oracle OpenWorld 2009 registration, let us know in the comments. And don't forget that the 2009 Call for Papers ends Sunday, April 19.

Update: The Call for Papers deadline has been extended until 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 26.

Win a Ride in the Team Oracle Biplane with Sean Tucker

Are you still looking for a reason to take advantage of our Early Bird registration rates—besides the $500 savings? Well, if you register for Oracle OpenWorld 2009 before August 14, 2009, you could end up as Sean Tucker’s wingman (or wing-woman).

Two winners will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a 20-minute joy ride in the Team Oracle biplane with pilot Sean Tucker. As the world’s world's premier air show performer, we’re sure he’s going to give you a ride to remember. But just in case there are some moments where you shut your eyes, the whole thing will be captured on DVD, shot from the video camera mounted inside the plane. You’ll also get to take home Sean’s autograph and a photo of yourself with this aerial aerobatic genius.

Winners will be drawn from those who purchase an Oracle OpenWorld 2009 Full Conference Pass or submit an entry before the Early Bird registration deadline ends. Get the full details and enter today. You may have an unbelievable experience to share at one of the show’s Networking Events.

Oracle OpenWorld Content Catalog Is Live

The Oracle OpenWorld 2009 content catalog is live.

You can start perusing most of the 1,800 Oracle OpenWorld sessions available this year, including session titles, abstracts, track info, and confirmed speakers. The catalog will include session info on Oracle OpenWorld, Oracle Develop, and the Primavera Program.

We've also added the ability to tag content this year. That way you—and others who do what you do, or think the way you think—can easily find this year’s don’t-miss sessions.

Remember, you can still have a say on sessions you want to see added to the Oracle OpenWorld agenda. Make sure you cast your vote on Oracle Mix.

Take a few minutes to poke around, and let us know how the Oracle OpenWorld 2009 content catalog works for you.

Find Your Way to Expert Advice

Have you ever waded through endless documentation trying to establish best practices at the very beginning of a project? Or, with the project’s deadline fast approaching, scrambled to solve glitches you could never have predicted despite all that careful planning? If so, you know that expert advice is sometimes necessary. In fact when you’re in a tight spot, it can’t come too soon.

As usual, the current issue of Oracle Magazine covers a full range of technical topics, sometimes responding directly to readers dealing with real-life implementation issues. Take the time to learn how others are overcoming obstacles while getting their projects off the ground using Oracle Application Development Framework, PL/SQL, Oracle Developer Tools for Visual Studio, and Oracle Data Pump, just to name a few.

If you’re looking to roll up your sleeves for an extreme learning experience, you can’t beat Oracle Develop, the developer event that coincides with Oracle OpenWorld. This year, Oracle Develop is more deserving of your attention than ever. The list of topics covered might be immense, but the knowledge gained from attending expert-led sessions, labs, and demos is always right on target. Program tracks are now listed, so you can start making plans today.

Early Bird Registration Pricing Ends Soon

The sessions. The keynotes. The technology. The demos. The networking. The fun. It's all going to be there.

And if you're reading this, chances are you'll be there too.

The 2009 show is going to be the best yet. So don't wait to register for Oracle OpenWorld, Oracle Develop, the Primavera Program, or Oracle OpenWorld Discover. Do it now—before Early Bird registration ends—and save some serious cash.

Prices go up August 14. So register now.

Early Bird Rates Extended

The Oracle events staff—all the bigwigs, directors, managers, and staff—were sitting around this huge table, all agreeing on one thing: Let's cut 'em some slack.

Everybody knows you're busy. Everybody understands about tight budgets. And the thing about technical genius and organizational skills being mutually exclusive, well, that's just legacy.

So they've extended Early Bird pricing for two more weeks. Two weeks! That's all. Then, prices go up to normal, and you're going to have to explain to someone why you missed it.

You only have until August 28. So register now.

You know who's going to be there (the world's IT aristocracy). You know what you'll see there (the hottest, newest, mind-blowingest technology). And you know how much fun it is (with all the networking, events, meet-ups, and parties).

So here's your last chance to save the samolians when you register for Oracle OpenWorld, Oracle Develop, the Primavera Program, or Oracle OpenWorld Discover.

Join Your Colleagues for the Annual Oracle OpenWorld Partner Day

This is going to be an informative and productive year at Oracle OpenWorld for partners in the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN). You will have opportunity to connect with each other, with customers, experts, consultants, bloggers, and just about anyone else who can help you do the most for your customers (and your bottom line).

This year's OPN Forum is Sunday, October 11. It features a fantastic lineup of activities, features, sessions, and networking. This partners-only event includes:

• A special vision-and-strategy session with Oracle executives
• Special partners-only sessions
• North America Titan and Global PartnerNetwork awards

And be sure to check out the OPN Lounge in Moscone South. It's a great place to meet with colleagues and customers, or just to kick back and relax amidst the hustle and bustle.

You have to be registered for Oracle OpenWorld to join the OPN forum, so get your pass now while Early Bird prices are still in effect. Then register for the forum, and we'll see you at the show.

If you're not an Oracle partner yet—but want to be—visit the OPN portal.

Have any other tips for your fellow partners? Feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Oracle OpenWorld Focus On Documents

Oracle OpenWorld has so much to offer, you don't want to play it by ear—and you certainly don't want to hear about a must-attend event from your colleagues after it's already happened.

Start planning now by reviewing the Oracle OpenWorld Focus On documents. These guides narrow all of the keynotes, sessions, demos, and networking activities relevant to particular areas of interest. They're one of your best tools for finding events sorted by Oracle products, technologies, solutions, and industries. You'll find topics as broad as database application development or as fine-tuned as a specific Oracle E-Business Suite module.

The Oracle OpenWorld team will keep Focus On documents up-to-date—and add new ones—as the show gets closer. Bookmark them today, so that you have them within easy reach as the updates get made.