On the Taking Notes podcast that Bruce and I recorded yesterday, we talked again about the whole issue of Notes developers learning Java, and specifically about learning Eclipse.

I know there's been a lot of discussion around that subject recently, and I don't want to rehash it again, but I don't necessarily want to let it die either. So, a few more references for you:

• First, Mikkel Heisterberg has started a good series of articles about learning Java in general.

• Second, I recently ran across some slightly older articles on developerWorks called Java access to the Domino Objects that looked promising.

• Third, and probably most importantly, I saw that there is an IBM Technical Briefing called Making the most of Eclipse that is being offered this month. Unfortunately, it's only being offered once... in California.

The IBM Technical Briefing looks very interesting, and I really wish it was being offered more widely. Here's part of the event description:

Over the last five years, one of the most significant breakthroughs in the world of Java development has been Eclipse. Donated to the open source community by IBM in 2001, Eclipse has since grown to be an independent project endorsed by over 100 software companies worldwide, including industry leaders such as Oracle, BEA and Macromedia. Most important, tens of thousands of Eclipse developers worldwide are continually improving and extending the platform. The extremely active Eclipse community means that Eclipse skills will be valuable in the marketplace for many years to come.

This briefing will help you make the most of Eclipse. The focus is on three groups of developers:

• Programmers who want Eclipse to fit the way they work
• Academic users, including professors who want to tailor Eclipse for their students
• Programmers who want to extend Eclipse with their own features and plug-ins

Wow! That sounds perfect. Any ideas on how to make that either (A) a Technical Briefing that is available in a lot more locations, or (B) something that can be available as a webcast? Or both?