J.U.G.: Informations | Projects | Events

 What's a Java User Group

A JUG is a virtual and a real reference point for developers and simple programmers dedicated to Java programming language and technology.
Virtual: because the organization can communicate through Internet and teleconferences;
Real: because the organization can prepare seminars and meetings in a "physical" place (usually in lent rooms or in University departments).
These groups of people are TOTALLY INDEPENDENT: this means that all the groups do, relies only on their members!
The JUGs members are mainly students, simple programmers and (in minimal part) some elements of companies interested in the computer science field.
The main target of these organizations is to learn the Java language potentialities, to know the aspects of the language and to discuss about programming techniques.
The JUGs are sometimes organized in legally recognized associations (exclusively in USA), many of which are no-profit.
Further informations can be found at Java User Groups Info Page or reading the suggestions by Rayme Jernigan of Triangle Java User Group in North Carolina.

 What does a Java User Group do

To spread the Java technology, the existing JUGs usually organize the following events:

• thematic and periodic meetings (AWT tutorial, Applets for Webmaster...);

• monthly JavaFest;

• free development instruments made available by Sun Microsystem (IDEs, DS tutorial, magazines and t-shirts...);

• seminars held by information technology companies that can explain their real experiences;

• a majordomo mailing list;

• they publish and keep up to date a web site.

A great part of the JUG's events, however, is dedicated to joining and enjoying because the groups are made mostly of students (and to keep the interests alive). As an example, here you is an agenda for a typical meeting held by the Triangle Java User Group from North Carolina:
6:30 pm - Coffee (the Java logo is a hot cup!)
7:00 pm - Order of the day and meeting presentation
7:10 pm - Meeting event
8:30 pm - Questions and Answers
8:40 pm - Members announcements and meeting, further coffee
9:00 pm - Meeting close-up
(such a meeting is hold in the evening to give the possibility to participate also to members with an employment).

The most important JUGs:
- have constituted in real organizations
- have their own financial resources (bank accounts, members subscription fees, seminars access fees, ...)
- produce shareware and freeware software products

 A J.U.G. at Padova: intents from the founders

In recent years some university courses like the "Fondamenti di Informatica" (Fundamentals of Computer science) held at University of Padova, has teached the Java Language Fundamentals. I like Java for its clear and regular programming syntax, and for the big power of OOP: Object Oriented Programming. But I encountered some problems in widening my knowledge because of the too recent language introduction. This is why there aren't neither many real applications nor courses outside University and so in collaboration with the Student Branch, I'd like to set up a Java User Group in Padova.
Initially we would like to create a totally open and no-profit group (giving time priority to our school exams!). It would be interesting to organize little thematic courses that could cover all the aspects of the language, directly held from our students.
Further, it would be useful to realize some more specific software projects, in order to test our acquired abilities. Also, we could begin to create various interests sub-groups in respect of the members knowledges. Some suggested arguments could be:

• Study and development of palm/handheld PCs applications using the Java 2 Micro Edition;

• Analisys of the ways for performance incrementing in Java Applications to overcome old Java versions slow execution times that current market would refuse;

• More explaination about Servlet, that's a very secure way to exchange data over the Net (even for bank transactions).

It would be useful to realize software projects to publish and to share with other communities. My (ambitious) intent could also be to transform the JUG experience into the job world. In fact here, in Italy (perhaps except for Milan area) the Java language is still not much used.

 A J.U.G. at Padova: how to participate

If you're interested in participating to the IEEESB of Padova JUG, please contact directly the referral Dario (santamar@dei.unipd.it) and write to him all you think about, and what are your intents. Feel free to explain whatever idea on this argument or to ask our Student Branch more informations... We'll evaluate requests and joining proposals and would the project grow enough, we'll hold an organization meeting.

Content of this page is maintained by Dario Santamaria