The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) today announced three keynote speakers for ApacheCon Europe 2000, the first European conference and exhibition for Apache-related and open-source software. Prominent keynote presenters include:

• Dr. Kristof Kloeckner, Vice President Business Integration Development and Director, IBM's UK Hursley Park laboratory.
• George Paolini Vice President of Technologies Advocacy and Community Development, Sun Microsystems.
• Douglas Adams, bestselling author of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and founding Director of h2g2 Ltd the award-winning digital media and Internet company.

Sponsored by Covalent Technologies, IBM, Sun Microsystems and Oracle, ApacheCon Europe 2000 is taking place at the Olympia conference centre, London from 23-25 October, 2000. ApacheCon Europe 2000 offers a European focus for the open-source developer community, enabling participants of Apache and key technology vendors from around the world to meet at Europe's first event dedicated entirely to open-source followers.

On Tuesday, October 24, George Paolini will present the opening keynote address of ApacheCon Europe 2000. At Sun Microsystems, Paolini is responsible for the adoption and marketing of emerging open technologies including Java, Jini and XML. The objective of his role at Sun is to drive the adoption of such open technologies to capture developer mindshare and provide a level playing field.

On Tuesday, October 24, Dr. Kristof Kloeckner will present IBM and Open-Source - A software agenda. Apache alongside Linux, is probably the strongest example of cross-fertilization between the open-source movement and commercial software development. IBM applauds such accomplishments of open-source, participating both as a recipient and as a contributor - Kloeckner's presentation will discuss IBM's involvement with open-source and examine IBM's agenda for enabling e-business.

The keynote address sponsored by Covalent Technologies on Tuesday, October 24, is presented by international bestselling author Douglas Adams. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy began as a BBC Radio 4 series in March 1978, it has since been transformed into a series of best-selling novels, TV series, record album, computer game and stage adaptations. The book is a number one UK bestseller and is currently under development as a Hollywood film. Douglas Adams' h2g2 ltd is currently building an online guide www.h2g2.com - the Earth Edition of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, offering unconventional wisdom to a growing global community.

Freeware and Apache-related exhibits, speaker sessions, informal birds of a feather sessions plus these major keynote addresses make ApacheCon Europe 2000 the only European event this year where open-source innovations can be truly explored.

Registration for ApacheCon Europe 2000 is still available online at http://www.apachecon.com/, where a complete list of session speakers can also be viewed. Conference registration provides access to all keynotes plus sessions and tutorials for the selected day and free entry to the exhibition area.

Limited sponsorship opportunities are still available -- for further information contact Jeff Wainhause on +1 212 251 0006 ext. 11 or by email at [email protected].