Writing the From The Editor column is an interesting process. Each month I spend time considering what I should talk about. There’s always a fog of ideas floating around in the ether, and lots of things going on around me. Eventually it becomes clearer, so this month let's talk about… getting focused.

Focus on changes

The EMC Developer Network (EDN) is evolving into a place where a wider range of developers can get connected to EMC technology resources and each to other.

We’ve got plans for EDN’s future, some well defined, some still a bit fuzzy. Part of my job is to help bring these plans into focus. Recently we took a couple of first steps to improve the EDN experience. The most obvious change is the new look and feel of the site, with its cleaner, crisper interface. There is still work to be done, but I think this is a great start.

I particularly like the new logo. The first time I saw it, I considered that the colored boxes represent the various developer communities that make up the EDN. A few days later, I realized that the boxes remind me of a handheld number puzzle where you rearrange the grid by sliding the numbered tiles around. This is a fine metaphor for designing solutions by shuffling components and services around to suit the requirements.

The Member Profile page is a new feature. If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to update your member information so we know where you are located and what you’re interested in.

More focused content

We’re working to change the way our information is presented. In the past, we’ve pretty much taken a purely opportunistic basis for publishing content. The “Oh, good, someone submitted an article, let’s get it out there ASAP” is a valid approach, but we want more.

We will be taking a more magazine-like approach whereby an editorial board comes up with topics that we want to see covered, solicits input and assigns people to come up with relevant focused content. For example, we will be starting a series of articles about collaboration, with featured columnists (EMC engineers and customer developers) adding their expertise.

If you have articles. code samples, ideas or other things of interest to EDN members send them to me at edn_editor AT emc.com. After all, this site is for you, and your opinions count. There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes to bring new EDN features and communities to you, and I want your input, sending an email to me is just one way of getting the discussions going.

Focus groups at DevCon 2006

The conference is almost here (November 13-16, 2006), but it’s not too late to register.

I’ll be doing a presentation called Developer Network: Getting Connected, and I hope you’ll attend. However, that presentation will be me talking to you. While we’re at the conference, I also want to turn the tables… I want to listen to you, in small groups or one-on-one.

DevCon is a great place to sit down and talk face to face. I will be hosting some gatherings for very focused talks about specific EDN features (present and future). Talking to members about what you like (and don’t) is a great help in the shaping of this site. Don’t be shy, be heard, express your opinions!

Those who participate in these focus groups will receive a special little token of my appreciation (no, I’m not telling you what it is in advance).

So, if you are going to attend DevCon 2006 and would like to be heard, send an email to me at dn_editor AT emc.com, put the words “GET FOCUSED” in the email title, and we’ll arrange for some time to meet.

Focusing on your faces

At the conference, be kind to the photographer, because I’ll be the one behind the camera. You will find me wandering around the conference, making lots of photographs of speakers, attendees, and events. Why would I want to do this?

• It's an excuse to introduce myself to lots of people attending the conference, and still have them smile
• I will show the conference photos during the lunch on Thursday
• It gives me a chance to play with some cool new camera equipment
• My manager asked me to do this, and I thought it prudent to say yes

I will post photos of the conference on the Developer Network so that

• People who did not attend can see what/who they missed, and plan to be at next year’s event
• Attendees can show their managers and families that this wasn’t simply a San Francisco vacation

Important note: In an effort to convince people that attendees are actually learning things at the conference, I intend to show lots of photos of serious people taking notes and gazing intently at PowerPoint slides at keynotes, breakout sessions, and the like. This is necessary to offset photos of smiling attendees having fun at the Exploratorium and other San Francisco attractions. We can't have people thinking that attendees are enjoying themselves, now can we?

Looking ahead

The most recent round of EDN changes are complete. My conference presentation is submitted. Travel arrangements have been made. The camera gear is packed. This month’s article is done. It's getting blurry again, so it’s time to start focusing on next month...

Alan Z.

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