We get asked a lot of questions via Social Media, our website and email about upcoming Micro Focus #DevDays. Jackie Anglin is now a seasoned #DevDay Veteran having presided over 25 of them to date aross North America. We’ve summed up the most common questions and here are Jackie’s answers to help you plan your day!
Where do I register and how far in advance should I let you know I will be going?
We do our best to make sure everyone has a great seat and a great view. Registering early is key and the best place to find the schedule is the #DevDay hubpage Plan to arrive before the morning session begins because these events are growing.
You’ll see from the photos there are very few spare seats and a some delegates show up on the door on the day too. Register early to help us find the right space, cater correctly and get the logistics right. If there isn’t a #DevDay scheduled near you then simply fill out the form to at the bottom of the #DevDay hubpage to request one and we’ll see what we can do.
Are the #DevDay events only aimed at COBOL or Mainframe COBOL Developers?
Think about bringing a COBOL sceptic or two! Your whole development team is welcome, COBOL developers and non-COBOL developers alike! It’s been really interesting to watch developers who haven’t been exposed to COBOL see how easily they can work with the language using modern Visual Studio or eclipse IDEs. It’s all about taking what works today and ensuring it will still work in years to come – we’ve covered some of this in a previous #DevDay blog. Don’t forget that a #DevDay only costs your time so the business-case of expanding the invitation to a wider team may not be as difficult as you think. Being there together might just lead to a light bulb moment of cross team developer efficiency!
Do you provide lunch and drinks?
We like to feed our guests well, blame it on my Southern American upbringing, but no one leaves hungry. I highly recommend everyone stay for the networking reception afterwards, and invite your local colleagues (and maybe even your boss or manager) to join us. Our techies let their hair down (or not, in the case of Mike Bleistein) and like to talk even more about the COBOL community, the old days, the future and answer your tough questions. A designated driver or public transport might be a good idea! If you are travelling in why not get in the mood by downloading our #COBOLRocks playlist to your Spotify account. 
What do you mean by ‘Stump the expert’?
It’s the last and my favourite part of the day!! It’s your chance to ask our panel of experts your hardest questions specific to your environment or related to your current and future projects and development challenges. I want our know-it-all experts to get stumped. If you stump them, make sure you boast remorselessly about it on Twitter to let the world know! As far as I know they’ve never been defeated with any COBOL or Mainframe AppDev challenge……
Can I find the events online too?
These events buzz as much online as they do in the room, we’re very passionate about social media if you can’t tell by the hashtag in our event name. We seriously love it and our large developer community talks regularly via Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. In fact, I get pretty giddy when I meet a fellow tweeter…so much so that I may have to take a selfie to tweet. If you do tweet about #DevDay you’ll be in line for a reward and quickly find out how many likeminded Developers there are out there! Details of prizes and awards with will be announced on the day.
What do I need to bring with me?
While we love the stories about Derek Britton back in the day at past Developer Conferences, I love hearing the stories about the cool applications powered by COBOL out there. Please bring your real world stories to share. You could also bring a laptop if you’re involved in a Product Trial. There aren’t many opportunities these days to get up close and personal with the Principal Product Architects and Managers so use the opportunity for your own advantage!
Don’t hesitate to find me on Twitter and point out what I’ve missed from the list if you’re one of our #DevDay alumni. Hopefully see you there in person at a North American #DevDay soon! If you can’t attend one of our North American events, you can find a location near you or request one at the hubpage.
