It was a bold move to leave Microsoft without knowing what would be next, but it was also a great experience. I was impatient to write a blog post about my new role, and that day has come as I accepted an offer yesterday! I’m thrilled, and very excited to announce that I’m joining the Websites and Developer Engagement team of Mozilla as a Senior Technical Evangelist with a primary focus on Firefox OS.
My new role
As a Technical Evangelist, I’ll focus on the new Firefox OS that Mozilla is working on. It will be a good way to continue to make the Web more Open, and give an opportunity to the Web developers to use their existing skills to be successful, and reach a new market. What people need to understand is that Firefox OS is not competing with iOS or Android. It’s an Open platform that will give an opportunity to emerging markets, where there is no devices available like the iPhone or places where people can’t afford them. It will be a chance to go from features phone, to a full fledged quality smartphone.
Part of my role will be doing conferences, hackathons, and workshops. It will imply, of course, travelling, and my audience won’t be restricted to Canada only. At the beginning it will be more in South America, and Eastern Europe, then everywhere else. It will also imply online work like being on social media, writing blog posts, doing code demos, presenting at online events, and helping people on technical forums. At the end, it’s what I’ve been doing for a living since the last 2 years, and a half, but worldwide instead of just Canada, and on Firefox OS as on the Open Web. What is also great is that I’m leaving a team of smart people, for another team of smart people! I’m happy to be able to work with friends like Christian Heilmann, and Robert Nyman.
Microsoft, and now Mozilla, it’s weird
It may, but think about it, I was talking about the Openness of Microsoft. For the last 2-3 years, my main topics were around Open Source, Web Standard, Open Data, and Interoperability. Now, I’ll talk about the Open Web, and continue to share my passion about Web technologies. As for the mobile part, I developed on iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and since I joined Microsoft, I evangelize about the Windows Phone platform, so talking about a new product, like Windows Phone or Windows 8 is part of what I was doing day to day. I can’t wait to show the awesomeness of Firefox OS to developers.
It’s still about people
Being an Evangelist is all about people: helping people to be successful, and learn new things is what drives me day to day. Even if I’ll travel a lot, like I was doing at my first half at Microsoft, I’ll stay in Montreal. That means I’ll still be there to help you, and support the local community. On top of that, whether you are in my hometown, or everywhere in the world, if you are a Web developer or a mobile developer, I want to hear from you. We’ll, together, make that amazing platform the best out there.
My first day will be July 15th. Until that day, I’ll continue to finalize some stuff at Microsoft, and I’ll take 2 weeks of vacations to be well rested, and ready to take on my new challenge at Mozilla. I’m super excited, and can’t wait to start!
