OpenWorld 2010

I'm getting ready to leave for Oracle OpenWorld (OOW) and I'm mentally preparing myself the same way one would prepare oneself for, say, storming a beach under a steady barrage of heavy machine gun fire: by trying to pretend that my memories of the last time I survived this experience couldn't possibly be as bad as the real thing. No, I'm not a fan of Oracle OpenWorld. It's too many people spread across too many venues with too few hotels and buses to handle them all.

So that probably makes you wonder: why am I going? Because everyone else is, basically. Last year had something like 45,000 attendees and with the addition of the Java users, this year should be more like 50,000 to 55,000. A lot of Hyperion/EPM/BI attendees have stopped going to OOW, so I was hoping my schedule for this year would be lighter. We just finished putting together the interRel Customer Guide for this year (helping our customers with things they might want to see or do), and on the contrary, it actually seems to busier than in prior years. I'm giving four presentations and hosting a Hyperion day on Sunday. Glenn Schwartzberg is giving another 4 sessions, and Eduardo Quiroz (co-founder of interRel, among other things) is giving a session too.

About the only thing cut out from this year is that I'm doing a book signing. We had 2 of the Top 20 best selling books at the OOW bookstore last year, so they asked Tracy McMullen (Best. Co-author. Ever.) and I to do another booksigning. Since Tracy's not going this year due to some family obligations, I just didn't think it'd be the same signing books all by myself. There will still be lots of our books on sale, though.

Like last year, there will be a "Hyperion Pavilion" on the 5th floor of the Intercontinental hotel next to Moscone West. We will have a booth right by the entrance in case you want to come by and say hi to one of the members of the interRel team (Danielle White will be giving away an iPad, so make sure you find her and give her a business card).

In case you want to stalk me (what better way to show you really care?), here's my schedule for the next week:

Quiroz on interRel in the News

Everyone's talking about interRel this week:

• On Edward becoming an Oracle Ace Director. Congratulations and well deserved Edward!
  

• On Pearson Education and interRel winning an Oracle Excellence Award.
  
• On interRel receiving EPM Solution of the Year award.
  
• On interRel achieving operational and management excellence.
  
• On Oracle honoring all the winners of the Titan Awards.
  

Larry and Oracle Announce the HP Oracle Database Machine

With a big dramatic "tah-dah", a new machine for the uber-geeks to fawn over was revealed. It was maybe a little silly, but the well timed revealed startled most of the crowd that had been slowly slipped into a false sense of security. He eased into a non-threatening drone and then Larry yanked the rug, while the lights flashed on, the 300x20 foot video wall flashed and the audio kicked into high gear. In the swirl of the big bang of lights and sound appeared a rather unasuming black box appeared with an X on it.

Quiroz on Green Conventions

I was very impressed to see Oracle Open World embrace environmentalism and design activities and alter their usage of materials and packing to help reduce our overall carbon footprint. Also, they catered to an impressive variety of dietary needs. We identified, Vegetarian, Lacto-Vegetarian, Vegan, Halla, Indian, Gluten-free, Low sodium, Lactose intolerant and Kosher. All of the food was packaged in recyclable or compostable materials and there were special recepticals to separate the waste. Oracle claims to be saving tons of waste that won't go to land fills. Also, they had stations where you can plug your laptop into a generator that is powered by stationary bike to recharge your laptop or cell phone. They claimed 15 minutes of pedaling should generate enough power to run a laptop for an hour.

Also, paper waste was addressed by reducing the size of the conference guide and encouraging attendees to use digital documents as much as possible.

Quiroz on Vertigo Inducing Escalator Rides

Does this seem unusual to anyone in any way. This is one big honking escalator. I'm glad I am not acrophobic, yet I still get uneasy on these escalators. They don't out do the escalators that take you down into the subway in Wachington DC. I would love to get some pictures and comments on other escalators. Please hold on to the handrails while on board.

Quiroz on Boudin Bakery, a San Francisco staple

I can't believe it, but it's been two days and I have yet to bite into an original piece of fresh out of the oven Boudin Sourdough bread. I could just hail a cab and be at their famous location in the Fisherman's Wharf if it wasn't for this hectic schedule. Tantilizing the taste buds since 1849, the Boudin Bakery has developed into a visitors must stop with a museum and a full service restaurant. I associate 1849 with the Gold Rush, the 49ers and Boudin Bakery. Now if only I can find some time to get out there.

The ODTUG and OAUG sessions are fine and definitely informative. I have almost no objections except for CTI (Chris the intern, our allstar intern at interRel and soon to be consultant when he graduates) was thanked by the OUAG for his creative assistance with graphics and then accidentally employeed by another Oracle/Hyperion partner. That's the way things go sometimes.

Off to find that elusive sourdough bread...

Quiroz on Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat

I know this is silly and doesn't have anything to do with the original intent of this blog, but I am compelled to admit something I do everytime I arrive in San Francisco. It happens just after the captain announces that we are minutes away from landing. I try not to think about it as the jingle slowly gets louder and louder and there is only one way to stop it. I have to confront it head on. The music begins to blare and the impluse to sing along kicks in. I've tried to ignore it. I've tried to fight the urge by writing Essbase calc scripts in my head or calculating block optimal sizes for multidimensional cubes, but it only makes things worse. Once, it played in my head for 3 days until I finally gave in! Rice A Roni, the San Francisco treat, Rice A Roni, the flavor can't be beat...!

Damn you Quaker Oats Company! (since 1956)