Welcome to phonedeveloper.com/ec

I am running for one of the two open seats on the Java Mobile & Embedded Executive Committee. I am an Individual Member of the JCP.

Java ME has recently encountered a number of challenges, not the least of which are a persistent fragmentation problem and competition from new platforms. I have no illusions about one EC member being able to change the world in an EC dominated by the presence of large corporations. However, the JCP's push for more transparency both within JSRs and the EC holds promise for the ability to collaborate with others. I have asked several Java ME community leaders to help provide the interface to the Java ME community, and bring a new level of interaction between the creators of this technology and its users, the developer base.

This document (PDF, 240K) contains some thoughts I put together last year about what I wanted to accomplish on the EC. Reading it again a year later, I find it long in the tooth, but the basic message is still the same. Expect an update very soon, because the PMO has asked each candidate to provide a position paper and respond to member questions about why they want to join the EC and what they plan to accomplish. This request alone is very exciting because it is completely new for EC elections. Previously, only statements of corporate information and JCP experience were requested. The PMO is definitely looking to get more representation from the general JCP membership in the executive committees!

To that end, I would ask anyone reading this to seriously consider voting "from the bottom up", that is, vote for someone who shares your interest, rather doing what is too often the default, voting for a recognizable corporate name. If no one voted for the typical large corporations on the ballot (they are already well-represented on the EC), what would be the impact to the EC if candidates who were individuals or small corporate JCP members swept the election?

The answer is: not much. Those new members would command less than 15% of the vote of the EC. However, it would provide an opportunity for the community to open a dialog with the EC and start down the road toward some much needed change. As much as I would like to see incumbents retain their seats on the EC, it is time to make room for representation of the general developer community, and the only way that will happen is for JCP members to vote for candidates that are reflections of themselves.

Sean Sheedy