The list of topics that we came up with are: 

1. Business models.  The big multinationals such as Oracle and IBM are making money by servicing hardware and software that runs on the Open Source platform. The smaller players like Red Hat are finding it challenging to make large dollars when one of the tenets of Open Source is free software.  Service and customer support can only go so far in bringing in revenue.  What’s next in the search for business models / strategies that can enable smaller vendors to continue to embrace the Open Source ethos, while still enabling them to create vibrant businesses?
   
   
   
2. Rough Waters Ahead for "The Cloud?"  The idea is compelling… no more need to leave your data tied to a personal computer on your desk.  Instead, anywhere and anytime you can have instant access to the information and resources you need, because "The Cloud" provides the storage and the processing everywhere you go.  But is this freedom, or a throwback to the old days of centralized computing?  Wasn’t the PC revolution all about "personal" computing?  What about bandwidth issues, network security, and even cyber-terror?  Is "The Cloud" really the answer, or should we tread cautiously before moving to a complete "software as a service" model?
   
   
   
3. Open ID — will one size really fit all?  The web… so much to see, so much to do, so much that’s interesting.  We all want to sign up and log on to everything.  But what a monstrous pain dealing with all those different user IDs and passwords.  If you use the same one, you open yourself up for tremendous security risks.  So the dream of a unified access ID you can use everywhere makes a lot of sense.  What are the obstacles to making Open ID ubiquitous?  Are the challenges primarily technical, political, or simply a matter of marketing?
   
   
   
4. The Open Web — creating an open set of protocols that can be agreed upon and implemented by the broad community of developers.  Freeing the web from proprietary vendors so everyone can participate in its ongoing evolution.  In theory, a beautiful thing.  But can this happen outside the framework of profitable business models?  And pure selflessness is not only rare in individuals, it’s almost non-existent in corporations that have to meet payrolls and mollify skeptical shareholders.  So how do we work within these practical realities to move the vision forward?
   
   
   
5. Innovation — there’s no shortage of interesting Open Source projects.  A quick scan at Sourceforge.net shows nearly 300,000 different project topics.  A good many of them, however, are "free" versions of proprietary software, for instance GIMP for Photoshop, OpenOffice for MS Office, and so on.  To really raise the bar on Open Source, we need to also include "insanely great" innovations in user experience, new business models, and engineering.  There’s lots going on already, so perhaps half the challenge is making the exciting stuff better known.
   
   
   
6. Patents and Legal Issues — when you buy from Microsoft, there’s no escaping the ever-present "End User License Agreement" or EULA.  For a developer who’s more interested in creating a really amazing solution to a gnarly technical issue, having to hassle with legal issues, copyrights, copylefts, patents, and the rest is just more time away from coding.  But they definitely want to make sure their rights are protected, as well as their ideals.  This is a very complex topic that is getting much greater attention in the OS world as companies look for ways to create free software distributions while still providing revenue-generating versions for their own businesses (e.g., SugarCRM).
   
   
   
7. Blending the Visions — Governments are looking to streamline their operations and serve their constituents more effectively; Enterprises are seeking new ways to reduce overhead while still providing large customer bases with secure, reliable, and on-demand services; and Entrepreneurs are constantly pushing the envelope to develop the next breakthrough innovations in technology and business models.  Three distinct groups with shared dreams of changing the world by leveraging the power of Open Source.  And the challenge is this: how can we best blend these visions in a way to benefit all?
    
8. Mobile Open Source Technology — Black berries, iPhones, Google’s Android technology, Twitter, and an ever-growing host of other technologies make it easier than ever before to hit the road and remain connected to your business, your family, and your life.  In fact, we’re only beginning to appreciate the degree to which mobile open source technologies will change the world.  The big question on everyone’s minds: what’s next and will I need deeper pockets?

There you have it!  If any of those above topics sound like something you either are an expert in, or you are interested in researching and are willing to share your research results, please consider OSSPAC as a venue for sharing your knowledge.

The OSSPAC Call for Papers is open until the end of September.  Just click on this link to read more information about it, and we look forward to hearing from you!

 The official online registration for attending OSSPAC 09 is now open!  Hurry and register before September 1st for our "gold charter" discounts.  

Click HERE to go to the registration page now!

Click here to submit your paper now!

Open Source Singapore-Pacific-Asia Conference and Expo (OSSPAC) is a gathering of like-minded people, from developers to top level executives, to promote, educate, and show how open source technologies create practical solutions.

OSSPAC is looking for presenters to share their expertise and experience with the open source community.  Though any open source subject is welcome, weight will be given to those that present forward thinking ideas, advanced technology, and are practical and proven business models.

You can present proposals for the following categories of talks:

• Tutorial (2 hours) – a hands-on workshop where session participants work singly or together to learn practical applications of technology or methodology.
• Breakout session (45 minutes) – present your views on a specific problem area solved by using open source software.

 Areas of Interest for Proposals

Presentations should meet the following criteria:

• Forward Thinking: Offer practical ideas on gaining wider acceptance of Open Source solutions for organizations large and small.  Make the case that Open Source is not only available today, but it is ready for the challenges of tomorrow as well.
   
• Technology-Focused:  Show us your best how-to tricks of the trade; identify useful resources, libraries, and development techniques;  explain the technical secrets underlying your success.  Preference will particularly be given to proposals that show off ground-breaking technological advancements in areas such as rapid prototyping, social computing, and rich internet applications.
   
• Practical and Proven.   Bring your best, real-world examples and case studies of how you have successfully implemented Open Source solutions to common problem sets. Tell your audience how Open Source has improved your corporate bottom line; demonstrate real benefits and real savings.

Please be clear about the experience and knowledge level of your audience: Novice, Intermediate, or Expert. Keep in mind that we look for a balance of all three experience levels when determining the conference schedule.

All proposals are due by September 30, 2008
Click here to submit your paper now!

Topic ideas are:

• Business Models
• Rough Waters Ahead for "The Cloud"
• Open ID
• The Open Web
• Innovation
• Patents and Legal Issues
• Blending of Visions
• Mobile Open Source Technology

Click here to see more information about the topic ideas listed above!

We are looking at three basic tracks, each with a wide variety of potential talks and workshops.

Getting IT Ready – Business Planning / Strategy

Possible Examples:

• Creating Multinational Applications for a Global Customer Base
• Open Source Options for the Social Web
• How Government Agencies Can Evaluate Open Source against Proprietary Solutions

Getting IT Done – Product Development

Possible Examples:

• Reducing the Learning Curve for Newly Formed Development Teams
• Beyond Theory:  Agile Project Management Case Studies
• Prototyping Tools for Rich Internet Applications

Getting IT Right – Testing, Deployment, and Support

Possible Examples:

• The Challenge of Deploying Open Source Across the Mobile Web
• Ensuring Fail-Safe Applications for the Multi-National Enterprise
• The Delicate Balance – Testing Security, Usability, and Functionality
• Licensing Issues of Public Sector & Private Enterprise Partnerships

Submit your paper now!

• CEOs, CTOs, and CIOs who want to learn how to leverage Open Source tools, technologies, and “Enterprise Class” offerings to foster business innovation and improve their corporate bottom line.
• Developers and system administrators who want the most up-to-date insights on the latest trends in operating systems, Free Web APIs, and how these and other emerging Open technologies can advance their careers.
• Government officials who want to learn about the legal implications of Open Source, advanced risk management strategies, and their implications of Open technologies on public sector IT departments across Asia.

• OSSPAC is the seminal event that will re-energize and reinvigorate the Open Source movement across Singapore and the entire Pacific-Asia region. 
• OSSPAC will provide a highly visible forum for open source companies to clearly demonstrate how Open Source solutions are ready for business today!
• OSSPAC finally offers the region’s Open Source community a chance to demonstrate their applications and offerings before the world, dazzling everyone with their bottom line blend of passion and technical brilliance.

At last, with OSSPAC there’s an event to bring CEOs, CIOs, Developers, and Entrepreneurs together to connect, to learn, and to evangelize the opportunities available with Open Source systems.  Offering three full days of intensive sessions, keynotes, and workshops, OSSPAC will provide a much-needed jumpstart for promoting open source across Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region.

In putting together the OSSPAC event, we’ve made a study of the Singapore region markets, studied competitive/partnering open source Asian events, consulted with the SOSA founding member Yap Boon Leong of Resolvo Systems, Rama Yurindra of PT Rynet Cipta Teknologi/Zend Technologies, Singapore Open Source User Groups, Singapore PHP User Group, and the Singapore Government – and the list of participant companies and individuals continues to grow as excitement for OSSPAC builds.

Even though February 2009 may seem like a long time away, in truth, the days and hours remaining are limited.  We have a huge amount of work before us to make OSSPAC into the truly ground-breaking event Singapore deserves and needs.  Calls for papers, panel creations, workshops, meetings with the press and government officials – there’s a lot to do.

And the key question for you: 

Will you be there?

–Kent

http://developers.sun.com/web

www.oracle.com