This title seems like a click bait, but I'll try and show you that this is actually possible. (Especially if you act fast).
A pass to both conferences is not a cheap item, and with training budgets shrinking you might be running into problems getting approval to expense this to your company. But here are a couple of tricks you can use to get free access to OOW/JavaOne. Some would get you a full pass and some will get you into specific areas and sessions.
Be a Speaker
Well we are a bit late to the call for papers at this point, but you might still be able to become a co-speaker if you have a good customer story to tell that shows how you are using the product/technology that a talk is about. Oracle is always looking to feature customer stories in our sessions - it is always better when a customer shares their real live success. Look up the content catalog and locate sessions on products that you are successfully implementing - ping the speaker and they might want to add you as a co-speaker.
Apply for the Awards
We are late for getting in this year, but keep an eye for this for next year. There is an Oracle Excelence Award where winners get a free pass to OOW. Details here. There is also a Duke's Choice Award where you get passes to JavaOne - Details.
JavaOne Special Discount
Right now you can get 50% off your JavaOne ticket price if you use this code DJFS2017. Register here https://www.oracle.com/javaone/register.html (oops - turns out that promotion ended last week)
Other PassesSo full pass might be hard to get for free, but you can get in on a big chunk of the action for free using
The Discoverer pass
A Discoverer pass lets you into the exhibit halls and various keynotes. Getting into the exhibit hall is great if you want to meet product managers and learn about the latest versions (and upcoming versions too). Most of the PMs are going to do shifts at the Oracle Demoground in their product pods - so hang out there and you'll be able to chat with us.
Usually a Discoverer pass is $75 - but since you are reading this blog, you can get one for free - use the code CDFR2017. Register here.
Oracle Code
Want to get into some technical sessions - this year we are bringing Oracle Code back to San Francisco during OOW - and you can get into this part of the conference for free. Reg here:
https://developer.oracle.com/code/sanfrancisco-oct-2017
See you at the conference in a couple of weeks.