Firefox OS Apps Event Plan

Firefox OS App Days

Background

• The focus of events for the second half of 2012 is on generating apps for Firefox OS. But without test hardware or a great emulator, these events have limited success for delivering apps to Marketplace, although they have been effective in generating developer excitement around FFOS.
• We need to build developer excitement pre-Firefox OS that translates into Open Web Apps for the Marketplace. We also need to be able to showcase our impact in the Firefox Marketplace and share this at MWC.
• We have been talking about doing a big developer event for a while but wanted to wait for product.
• The number of events we are participating in, producing or supporting this year is draining and the impact (mindshare) is hard to measure.
• A rolling thunder, multi-region series of events, happening simultaneously or in a sequence branded Firefox OS/Mozilla Developer Network could have huge mindshare impact. If it's after hardware and tools are available, it could have a large impact on number of developers working on apps.

Goals

• Explore ways to showcase and highlight developers of the best apps that come out of our outreach activities.
• Create a "rolling thunder" series of educational & celebratory events as the culmination of the highlighted apps and get a compelling collection of new apps in Q1 2013 ahead of MWC
• Showcase the best apps at MWC (tentative) via demo stations or on-going tutorials in the stand
• Get the REMO and Mozilla Communities involved

Format

• Developer Engagement to drive the creation of a webcast and technical training video to be shown at each event
• Contributors and community members, with the support of paid staff would set up the events in their region
• A combination of training and hacking during the day. Networking and celebration in the evening.
• Attendees could range from 50-500 people
• Detailed Plan

Invite-Only Porting HTML5 Apps to Firefox OS Events

Developer Engagement is hosting two events prior to the Firefox OS launch targeting developers who already have an existing HTML5 app to train and encourage them to migrate their app to Firefox OS. The content of the training would focus on hurdles specific to HTML5 app migration, including incorporating good off-line behavior.

Incentives include:

• Travel and accommodation near a MozSpace (London, Mountain View)
• Firefox OS devices to keep
• Training and skill building
• Networking and mentoring opportunities

The current plan is to hold the first event in Mountain View on 4-5 January, and the second event in London on 18-19 January. The detailed training outline can be found on this agenda page.

Apps Hack Days

MDN Hack days are typically 1-day events comprising of morning sessions of short tech talks from Mozillians on Mozilla projects or products & open web technology, followed by an afternoon of hacking and collaboration. At the end of the day, hackers have a chance to get up and demo their hack. Participants should show up ready to code on wifi-capable laptops, and hosts should be able to handle or appropriately direct questions from participants in order to enable the hacking.

Many participants at our past couple Hack Days in Brazil have expressed interest in having a 2-day hack day format - a day of sessions, team building & ideation, followed by a day of coding and demoing what's been built.

Ingredients for successful Apps hack days:

• working wifi
• comfortable seating and standing options
• whiteboards
• plentiful power options
• mobile devices to test with and access to tools
• snacks & caffeine
• resident hackers with knowledge of apps and apps tools to help people

Weekend Hack Days: Structure of the Event

• Moz Space & Prime Locations: North America, Europe, Asia, Latam
  • Venues
  • Owners
  • Required sessions
  • Staffing
  • Sign-up and follow-up mechanisms
  • Schwag plan

• Community-driven Hack Days

• Local Apps Celebrations
  • Lighter weight than a weekend hackathon
  • Self-organized by community
  • Funded, staffed by REMO
  • Phone & app demos

• App Feedback Jams

MDN Calendar of Other Events

2012

October

• JSConf EU, Berlin, Oct 6-8
• Latinoware, Foz do Iguazu, Brazil, Oct 17-19
• TDC Goiania, Brazil, Oct 20-21
• Sprint Developer Hackathon, San Jose, Oct 23
• JSEverywhere, San Jose, CA Oct 26-27

November

• MozFest, London, Nov 9-11
• JSEverywhere, Paris, Nov 16-17
• MDN Developer Meet Up, Malaysia, Nov 13
• MDN Developer Meet Up, Singapore, Nov 15
• MDN Evangelism Reps Training and Doc Sprint, Singapore, Nov 16
• MozCamp Asia, Singapore Nov 16-18
• WebRTC Conference, San Francisco, Nov 27-29

December

• T-Mobile Hackathon, Warsaw, Dec 5

2013

January 2013

February 2013