Java Reading Club BOF is a voluntary group that holds reading and discussion sessions themed on the programming language Java. The club selects highly technical books for participants to deepen their understanding of the book contents and consequently to acquire the sophisticated expertise introduced in the books.
More than 10 years have passed since Java entered the field of software development, but it is common for a programmer to face obstacles while learning Java skills. It is never easy to self-learn Java skills particularly when there are no Java experts around to consult with. Although an abundance of technical books and Web publications on Java makes it easy to obtain necessary information, understanding and acquiring them as one's own skill require some basic knowledge and effort. It is more so for the masterpieces and quality books that hold higher technological values.
The club holds monthly sessions mostly on the third Saturdays (10:00~17:00) in meeting rooms at public facilities. A technical book on Java is selected and read through from the beginning to the end over several sessions. At each session, a participant is appointed to record discussions. Rest of the participants will take turns in reading out a section from the book and soliciting questions and opinions for free discussions. The active discussions by diverse participants, from beginners to experts with various operational experiences are the main attraction of the club. Innovative and daring opinions presented at our sessions often amaze us. Such enlightenment hardly happens if reading by oneself.
Our technology talks flourish not only during the sessions but also during lunchtime and "after party" drinks.
Meeting notes and information are distributed and shared through the Java Reading Club BOF mailing list, and the session announcements, meeting notes, activity details, and past mailing list log are posted publicly on the web(in Japanese, sorry) .
In its 16-year history, the Java Reading Club has held over 190 sessions and read through 28 books. In some of the sessions, the books' authors and translators themselves participated. The following is the list of all books read in this club with most recent first.
Our activity continues to offer a place for continuous learning of Java skills. Added to the regular monthly session, a camp event has been held annually since 2009.
We are also planning reading sessions themed on other technologies than Java.
If interested in Java Reading Club BOF, please visit the following Web site;
http://www.javareading.com/bofDigesting high-level technical books by oneself poses difficulty, but group reading can lower the barrier. Participants in remote areas can also benefit from our discussions through the mailing list. Join us and brush up on your skills!
Source: IPSJ MAGAZINE Vol.52 No.4-5(Apr. 2011):448.
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