SouJava
| Company type | Nonprofit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Technology, Software development |
| Founded | September 1999 |
| Founder | Bruno Souza, Einar Saukas |
| Headquarters | São Paulo , Brazil |
Area served | Brazil |
Key people | Bruno Souza (JavaMan), Einar Saukas, Jefferson Conz (Floyd) |
Number of employees | 0 |
SouJava is a prominent Brazilian Java User Group founded in September 1999 by Bruno Souza (also known as JavaMan) and Einar Saukas, with the purpose of advancing the Java language and supporting open source projects. It holds the distinction of being the largest Java User Group worldwide, boasting a membership of 40,000 individuals, and functions as a nonprofit entity driven by volunteer efforts.
History
The official registration of SouJava took place in October 1999 with Sucesu-SP, an association representing Brazilian technology organizations. The group's name is an abbreviation for "Sociedade de Usuarios Java" ("Java Users Society") and simultaneously translates to "I'm Java" in Portuguese.
Initially operating under a flat organizational model, SouJava adopted a more structured governance approach as its membership expanded. By November 2004, the group had attained Non-Governmental Organization status, counting nearly 18,000 members. In 2011, SouJava became the first Java User Group to receive a nomination for the Java Community Process Executive Committee and subsequently won the Java Community Process Member/Participant of the Year award in 2012.
SouJava has been instrumental in hosting numerous Java-related conferences throughout Brazil and has significantly influenced the Brazilian government's adoption of open source technologies. The organization spearheaded initiatives promoting open standards and contributed to projects such as Javali at FISL, collaborating closely with Brazil’s Federal Government Information Technology National Institute. These contributions were pivotal in Sun Microsystems' decision to release Java as open source.
In partnership with the London Java User Group, SouJava co-developed the "Adopt a JSR" program aimed at fostering greater community engagement in JSRs.
Based in São Paulo, SouJava also maintains active chapters in Campinas, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasília.
Leadership
Leadership positions within SouJava are voluntary and unpaid, with appointments made through board elections. Notable officeholders include:
- 1999–2003: President Einar Saukas, Vice-President Jefferson Conz (Floyd), and Technical Coordinator Bruno Souza (JavaMan).
Honors and awards
- Java Community Process Member/Participant of the Year 2011: Nominee
- Java Community Process Member/Participant of the Year 2012: Recipient recognized for efforts supporting the Adopt-a-JSR initiative and aiding Java developers.
- Outstanding Adopt-a-JSR Participant of the Year 2013: Honored for significant contributions to the Adopt-a-JSR program.
- Java Community Process Member/Participant of the Year 2014: Nominee acknowledged for leadership and motivating increased activity within JUGs.