TYPO3 and Québec? Old friends...
TYPO3 goes a longer way back in Québec than you might think. It began in 2003, when Patrick and others became interested in the TYPO3 project. Following Patrick's invitation in 2004, Kasper Skårhøj (founding father of TYPO3) presented TYPO3’s possible applications in front of Canadian government agencies. After that, dozens of web agencies began using TYPO3, and now, nine years later, more than fifty websites and intranets are using TYPO3 in the provincial government alone. A repository containing exclusively public TYPO3 websites from the Province of Québec shows currently more than 225 websites. Only public websites are listed there, no intranets and extranets can be registered on this website.Last chance to see Kasper Skårhøj?
Speaking of Kasper Skårhøj: He will be one of the three keynote speakers, along with Patrick Gaumond and Robert Lemke. Rumors have been spreading that Québec and T3CON12 Asia (August 2012) might be his last two T3CONs, as he has been slowly retiring from active involvement in the TYPO3 project for quite some time. This means that Canada might be one of the last two chances to see the man himself!
His visit underlines how strongly T3CONs in America are perceived, as they enable the American TYPO3 ecosystem to grow and gain visibility. Good old Europe, where TYPO3 is already the number one Open Source CMS, is giving lots of support, showing that the European community is determined to assist Americans and Canadians in making TYPO3 as a well-utilized tool on the other side of the pond.
Renowned members of the TYPO3 community, team leads of key project teams, and T3A officials will also give talks at the conference. Of course, FLOW3/Phoenix and v4/6 core members will be present--Robert Lemke, FLOW3/Phoenix team lead, and Steffen Ritter, release manager for 4.7 to name just two. Ron Hall and Marc Infield, two prominent members of the U.S. community, will also give talks. Jürgen Egeling and Gina Steiner will represent the TYPO3 Association (T3A) as board members. But speakers from outside the “TYPO3 world“--like John Dawson from Sony Entertainment--will also contribute to the discussion, making it clear that TYPO3 is reaching out into a global, professional public of enterprise businesses worldwide.
Broadening the scope: TYPO3 and the web
During three days in June we conference attendees will be presented with <link http: t3con12-quebec.typo3.org en sessions acceptedpapers.html>three tracks, each focusing on different areas like coding, best practices, communication & marketing, FLOW3/Phoenix, design, and TYPO3 integration with other systems. One track will unfold in French, while all keynote speeches and the two other tracks will be in English. With an exciting variety of topics and angles, T3CON12 Québec targets a broad range of potential visitors. Whereas European T3CONs have traditionally attracted a developer-centered audience, Patrick expects a higher percentage of clients and customers at T3CON12 in Québec (up to 50 percent more, he says). That is why TYPO3 Québec organizers specifically planned a broad range of topics and sessions to address the diverse crowd of attendees from. Finally for those who want to dig deep into the technical depths of TYPO3, the tutorials at T3CON12 will give a unique learning opportunity for attendees to work with high profile experts for three hours. Start building your first Phoenix (next generation TYPO3 5.0) website for example, or get your hands on FLOW3 with chief architect Robert Lemke. There will also be an opportunity to take the TYPO3 Certification exam at the conference.Should you go to T3CON12 Québec?
Of course! Why? Because it will be fantastic. But let's elaborate on that.If you hail from anywhere in North America then you are part of a vital and growing professional community in the new TYPO3 world. Québec will give you the opportunity to get in touch with the roots of TYPO3, get to know core developers, chat with key community personalities, and soak in all the latest news and trends. Meet makers and magicians and talk directly to some of the gals and guys who make TYPO3 the great project it is. Meet potential clients, network with TYPO3 professionals, learn what the Enterprise Open Source CMS can do for you, and how you can make your daily professional life richer and more successful with TYPO3. If you are from outside of North America, extend your network, your horizon, and your business overseas. Your next client, team member or business partner might be just a couple of time zones away, right? And what are time zones in an Internet that never sleeps? Either way, what about a vacation on top of the conference? Patrick Gaumond stresses how beautiful Québec and the Quebec City are, combining the laid back cool of modern Anglo-American life with rich history and French culture. Québec offers exciting ambiance, great bars, many museums, and beautiful parks, not to mention a city that’s over 400 years old. And even if it is the “French part” of Canada, all touristic areas are bilingual. All you have to know is “Merci” (thank you) and “S’il vous-plaît” (please) and you'll be good.
So, really now... What about T3CON12 in Québec?
The international TYPO3 conference in Canada expects about 125 participants. We encourage you to be one of them. For three spirited days in June, T3CON12 in Québec City will be an exciting opportunity to get in touch with the very heart of the TYPO3 community.Or, to put it a lot simpler: When your buddies come home from Canada and tell you ”It was fantastic! Why didn't you go?!“ don't say we didn't tell you!
Proof-reading by Cast Iron Coding - Portland, Oregon (TYPO3 edititorial team)