Summer 1995: Jim Morey, a grad student at the UBC Mathematics department, wins the grand prize for Sun Microsystems' first Java Programming Contest.

Spring 1996: Several members of the UBC Mathematics department enter the Sun Microsystems' JavaCup Programming Contest.

April 1996: Djun Kim, a Ph.D. student at the UBC Mathematics department, decides to try to apply for a grant from Sun Microsystems, to further the development of interactive mathematics resources on the WWW.

May 1996: Jim Morey and Djun Kim both (independently) win in Sun Microsystems' JavaCup Programming Contest.

November 1996: Djun sends initial grant proposal to Sun Microsystems.

March 1997: Bob McCartney of XSM, Sun Microsystems' indepentdent reseller in Vancouver, contacts Djun with request from Sun to re-apply for an Academic Equipment Grant/SunSITE status.

April 1997: Revised grant proposal (SunSITE application) sent to Sun Microsystems by Djun Kim and Bill Casselman.

June 11, 1997: Academic Equipment Grant approved by Sun;

June 15-30,1997: Much paperwork and running around to various administrative departments on campus to sort out legal and tax issues of donation. Start researching related stuff on the Web.

July 10, 1997: Meet with Roy Tennant, Manager of Berkeley SunSITE.

July 25, 1997: Hardware and Software arrive from Sun.

Aug. 1, 1997: Start setting up SunSITE equipment, in between the usual turmoil of start-or-term. Discover that we have a Sparc Storage Array but no Host Fibre-channel adaptor... Begin with preliminary graphic design for WWW site.

Sept, 1997: Start to talk informally with co-location partners. Finish basic set up (installation of benches, power, network infrastructure) of Java lab. Try to sort out intricacies of DHCP booting over different subnets. Try to find authors and referees for electronic journals.

Oct, 1997: Start to talk informally with co-location partners. Write press release. Talk with people from National P.R., Sun's public relations firm. Start writing some of content.

Nov, 1997: Start mirroring software ftp archives. Official launch of site delayed because VIPs could not fit it into their busy schedules. New launch date planned for mid-January, 1998.

Email: sunsite(at)math(dot)ubc(dot)ca
Bill Casselman
UBC SunSITE Director
Department of Mathematics, UBC Phone: 604-822-4516