Reader nominations open for SD Times 100

It’s that time again! The editors of SD Times are beginning their deliberations, choosing the leaders and innovators who had the greatest impact on software development during 2008. SD Times subscribers are invited to participate by offering up their nominations.

Now in its seventh year, the SD Times 100 recognizes the top companies, organizations and individuals in the software development industry. We’ll be honest: It’s subjective, a value judgment by the editors of SD Times and some of our closest industry advisors.

Unlike other awards programs, we don’t benchmark application servers. We don’t count defects in operating systems, or consider annual sales values, or ask companies to submit flattering essays about themselves and their customers. The SD Times 100, in fact, isn’t a product award or a marketing award.

Instead, we work hard to identify – and highlight – where the “buzz” is. What are development managers thinking about? What are the talking heads talking about? What are competitors sweating about? What is the industry focused on? That’s the SD Times 100.

You are cordially invited to nominate the companies, organizations or individuals that you believe were the trend-makers and thought-leaders during calendar year 2008. You can submit your nomination by visiting our Web form.

We’ll ask you to identify your nominee, and to help us categorize the nominee’s area of leadership. The form also asks you to briefly describe what the nominee did during 2008 that demonstrated exceptional innovation and leadership in the software development community. What got everyone talking?

Reader nominations for the SD Times 100 will be accepted through March 13, 2009. After that, the judges really knuckle down to the hard task ahead. The SD Times 100 list will be published in the June 15, 2009, issue of SD Times, and on that date on SDTimes.com.

Last year’s SD Times 100 list is available to read online. If you’d like background about the SD Times 100, that info is available too.

Thank you for your nomination, and for participating in the SD Times 100!