For a lot of reasons actually. Not least is building communities using the Passionate Users playbook. What level can you get to?
The SAP Developer Network (SDN) is bootstrapping by allowing its users to kick ass.
If you work at BEA, IBM or Microsoft or Oracle its time to add to those whitebread blogrolls. If you aren’t tracking SDN you’re going to get blind-sided. Don’t just read other bloggers from your own company – that way groupthink lies.
NetWeaver now lives-too many developers are in the grassroots for it not to be true.
SAP really needs to get some t-shirts done though (look who’s talking). “I joined the 20k club…”
Jeremiah Stone says:
July 11, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Parallel universes?
SDN posts about earning t-shirts (Hope the link works…)
Also:
Shirt earning instructions
Check out the first post. I think that says it all about passion in the SDN community: “I sud (sic) say March’06 turned out to be a wonderful month for me …. thnx SDN for the T-Shirt + iPod. Really makes me feel on cloud number 9 :-)”
They’re doing a good job over there. Craig and Mark deserve the press. They are very, very passionate about building community, and to it’s credit, corporate is supporting them to the hilt.
Ric says:
July 11, 2006 at 3:03 pm
I checked out their “business card” (beta, according to the site) – Cote will be unimpressed that they are apparently NOT using microformats …
James Governor says:
July 11, 2006 at 3:43 pm
if that’s the worst of their problems ric… 😉
thanks for the clarification Jeremiah. You’re right that Craig and Mark are doing an outstanding job.
Jeremiah Stone says:
July 11, 2006 at 3:45 pm
Links didn’t work… Don’t like in comments, or didn’t I form the URLs correctly? Anyway, here they are in their full glory…
First link:
Tiny
Full Link: https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/advancedsearch?QueryString=t%20shirt&SearchPluginName=sdn_all&SelectedCustomProps=resourcetype(value=sdn_article),resourcetype(value=sdn_article_complex),resourcetype(value=sdn_bulk_zip),resourcetype(value=sdn_case_study),resourcetype(value=sdn_demo),resourcetype(value=sdn_ebook),resourcetype(value=sdn_ebook_comp),resourcetype(value=sdn_eclass*),resourcetype(value=sdn_enduser_submission),resourcetype(value=sdn_evalution_version),resourcetype(value=sdn_event),resourcetype(value=sdn_faq*),resourcetype(value=sdn_file_only),resourcetype(value=sdn_forum),resourcetype(value=sdn_help*),resourcetype(value=sdn_hot_fix),resourcetype(value=sdn_how-to_guide),resourcetype(value=sdn_interface_documentation),resourcetype(value=sdn_javadocs*),resourcetype(value=sdn_mimes),resourcetype(value=sdn_open_source),resourcetype(value=sdn_patch),resourcetype(value=sdn_plain_html),resourcetype(value=sdn_presentation),resourcetype(value=sdn_product_definition),resourcetype(value=sdn_sap_tutor),resourcetype(value=sdn_sapnote),resourcetype(value=sdn_sdn-tv),resourcetype(value=sdn_tool),resourcetype(value=sdn_virtual_classroom),resourcetype(value=sdn_webinar*),resourcetype(value=sdn_weblog),resourcetype(value=sdn_workshop_material)
Second Link:
Tiny
Fill Link
https://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/sdn/weblogs?blog=/pub/wlg/3288
Ed Dodds says:
July 13, 2006 at 2:34 pm
Stock down this a.m. due to lower anticipated licenses. I’ve seen this in other firms as well. I wonder if it is an indicator of less development or of movement to open source platforms…
the other Mark says:
July 14, 2006 at 4:44 am
Thanks for those positive comments. Glad you’re watching closely. Happy for the attention on behalf of SDN.
James Governor says:
July 19, 2006 at 3:24 pm
its a great question ed. i tend to think that there might be a lull as SAP’s business becomes more developer oriented. meanwhile it seems there are a lot of soft tech earnings out there right now.