Anthony Borton just sent me this (I notice it's also on his blog - and Chuck's)
Windows Server 2008 Developer Essentials This two-day technical readiness event is designed to introduce developers to many of the new features of Windows Server 2008. As Microsoft prepares to release the most advanced version of their server platform ever, now is the time to start learning how to use many of the great enhancements in the applications you write and deploy. Learn how Windows Server 2008 provides a compelling application foundation and makes huge leaps forward in the area of Microsoft’s DSI (Distributed Systems Initiative) and DFO (Design for Operations). Topics: During this 2 day course, developers will cover get hands on experience in the following areas; · Introduction to the Windows Server 2008 Application Platform · How to leverage the many new features and improvements in Internet Information Server 7.0 · Developing custom modules and handlers for Internet Information Server 7.0 · How to use Microsoft Management Console 3.0 to create standard administrative interfaces for your application · How to use the new Transactional NTFS capabilities in your application · Creating custom cmdlets for PowerShell · Improving your application’s reliability · Windows Eventing 6.0 & Performance Counters · Windows Communication Foundation · Windows Workflow Foundation · Windows CardSpace Venues/Dates Sydney 10-11 Sep 2007 Melbourne 13-14 Sep 2007 Brisbane 08 -09 Oct 2007 For more information visit https://www.local.microsoft.com.au/australia/events/register/home.aspx?levent=188499&linvitation Register Now! This event is being held at the following venues: Saxons - SydneyLevel 1010 Barrack StSydneyNew South Wales 2000Australia Windows Server 2008 Developer Essentials10 Sep 2007, 8:30 AM to 11 Sep 2007, 5:00 PM AEST Saxons - Melbourne500 Collins StMelbourneVictoria 3000Australia Windows Server 2008 Developer Essentials13 Sep 2007, 8:30 AM to 14 Sep 2007, 5:00 PM AEST Cliftons - Brisbane288 Edward StBrisbaneQueensland 4000Australia Windows Server 2008 Developer Essentials08 Oct 2007, 8:30 AM to 09 Oct 2007, 5:00 PM AEST
Windows Server 2008 Developer Essentials
This two-day technical readiness event is designed to introduce developers to many of the new features of Windows Server 2008. As Microsoft prepares to release the most advanced version of their server platform ever, now is the time to start learning how to use many of the great enhancements in the applications you write and deploy. Learn how Windows Server 2008 provides a compelling application foundation and makes huge leaps forward in the area of Microsoft’s DSI (Distributed Systems Initiative) and DFO (Design for Operations).
Topics:
During this 2 day course, developers will cover get hands on experience in the following areas;
· Introduction to the Windows Server 2008 Application Platform
· How to leverage the many new features and improvements in Internet Information Server 7.0
· Developing custom modules and handlers for Internet Information Server 7.0
· How to use Microsoft Management Console 3.0 to create standard administrative interfaces for your application
· How to use the new Transactional NTFS capabilities in your application
· Creating custom cmdlets for PowerShell
· Improving your application’s reliability
· Windows Eventing 6.0 & Performance Counters
· Windows Communication Foundation
· Windows Workflow Foundation
· Windows CardSpace
Venues/Dates
Sydney 10-11 Sep 2007
Melbourne 13-14 Sep 2007
Brisbane 08 -09 Oct 2007
For more information visit https://www.local.microsoft.com.au/australia/events/register/home.aspx?levent=188499&linvitation
Register Now!
This event is being held at the following venues:
Windows Server 2008 Developer Essentials10 Sep 2007, 8:30 AM to 11 Sep 2007, 5:00 PM AEST
Windows Server 2008 Developer Essentials13 Sep 2007, 8:30 AM to 14 Sep 2007, 5:00 PM AEST
Windows Server 2008 Developer Essentials08 Oct 2007, 8:30 AM to 09 Oct 2007, 5:00 PM AEST
Call me unusual, but I like doing the MS Certification exams. First, some history.
My first exam was way back in 1999, when I participated in the beta program for the (then) new Visual FoxPro exams, 70-155 (Designing and Implementing Distributed Applications with Microsoft® Visual FoxPro® 6.0) and 70-156 (Designing and Implementing Desktop Applications with Microsoft® Visual FoxPro® 6.0). These were awarded when the beta program for those exams finished on 09 Feb 2000. All of a sudden I was an MCP.
I was hooked. Soon afterwards I followed up with the compulsory 70-100 (Analyzing Requirements and Defining Solution Architectures) and the optional 70-029 (Designing and Implementing Databases with Microsoft® SQL Server 7.0) exams and by April 12 that year I was an MCSD (although not MCSD.NET - this was in the Win32 timeframe).
I haven't hyperlinked any of the exams above, because they've since been retired and are no longer listed on the MCP exam site. Some time passed after this as I hadn't moved to .NET (I was still working a lot with VFP), and there were no new exams that seemed relevant.
That changed in 2004 when I accepted this role at MS, and in August 2005 I passed my first .NET exam: 70-305 (Developing and Implementing Web Applications with Microsoft® Visual Basic® .NET and Microsoft® Visual Studio® .NET). I sat the exam at our internal technical conference, TechReady and I found that sitting exams at a conference made a lot of sense. It was time that was already out of band for me, I was half-way across the world, immersed in the technology and I wasn't likely to get distracted by the day-to-day events that seem to sap your time for doing "optional" things.
The next year (2006) at TechReady, I really went for it. I sat and passed 4 exams in a week (in chronological order) - 70-431 (TS: Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005 - Implementation and Maintenance), the foundation 70-536 (TS: Microsoft® .NET Framework 2.0 - Application Development Foundation), 70-528 (TS: Microsoft® .NET Framework 2.0 - Web-based Client Development) and 70-526 (TS: Microsoft® .NET Framework 2.0 - Windows®-based Client Development). This gave me a new certification in the new generation of certifications. I was now a MCTS three times over (2 in .NET and one in SQL 2005).
This year I took the same approach. I sat and passed another 4 exams in a week: one TS; 70-529 (TS: Microsoft® .NET Framework 2.0 - Distributed Application Development) and three PRO; 70-547 (PRO: Designing and Developing Web-based Applications by Using the Microsoft® .NET Framework), 70-548 (PRO: Designing and Developing Windows®-based Applications by Using the Microsoft® .NET Framework) and 70-549 (PRO: Designing and Developing Enterprise Applications by Using the Microsoft® .NET Framework). This gave me an additional MCTS (.Net Framework 2.0: Distributed Applications) and also certified me as a MCPD three times over (Web Developer, Windows Developer and Enterprise Application Developer)
My impression of the certification program and the exams is very positive. Each time I study for and sit an exam I feel that I learn more and more about the breadth and capability of the product or technology I'm studying. Being forced to explore all of the parts means that I discover areas I may never have come across day-to-day, but that prove useful as I go about my job. It also helps me build an overall picture of (in this case) the framework and how its parts fit together. Finally, it gives me a tangible set of achievements to which I can point my manager (or a potential employer). Having passed these exams demonstrates a base level of knowledge and at least some interest in furthering my understanding of the tools I'm using. Note that I'm not saying that this is the only way to further one's understanding, indeed it's not the only way I use, but it is something that is easily demonstrated. I only need to point interested parties at the Transcript Sharing Page and tell them to use TranscriptID 735419 and Access Code AndrewCoates.
If you've got to the end of this rather long post and you want more information about Microsoft Certifications, there's the official site, but you can do a lot worse than to subscribe to Trika Harms zum Spreckel's entertaining blog (although, if you get a chance to meet Trika in person as I just have at TechEd, you won't be at all surprised that her blog is so entertaining). Local MVP and certification junkie Rob Farley also often posts great information.
Nick, Zak and Steve worked tirelessly at Tech.Ed on the Gold Coast recording interviews and generally inhabiting the Fish Bowl that was the home of Virtual Tech.Ed.
I don't know where she found the time (I'm pretty sure she's on a plane over the Pacific even as I type this), but I got a note from Zak today:
Hello Andrew, The keynote is posted in the featured spotlight on the vte home page. We will also begin adding the fish bowl video's this week.
Hello Andrew,
The keynote is posted in the featured spotlight on the vte home page.
We will also begin adding the fish bowl video's this week.
Check it out (and keep your eye out for more)
Those guys at Readify are at it again. I got this in the inbox from Greg Low today.
Hi Folks, Many of you that were at TechEd will have heard about the Readify Developer Network by now. For those that haven’t, I’ve spelled out most of it in this blog post: http://msmvps.com/blogs/greglow/archive/2007/08/06/announcing-the-readify-developer-network.aspx In essence, these are free, high quality, developer events running in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, starting in October. There are two events (the same) in each city each fortnight. Each event normally includes both primer level material and a more advanced level session. There is a PDF of the brochure that was handed out at TechEd here: http://readify.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=hVr6kpx1hdQ%3d&tabid=288&mid=1354 We hope to see as many of you as possible along to these events and hope they’ll become part of your calendar. If you’d like to be notified of the events, please just email rdn@readify.net with a name, email address, city and preferably a contact phone number. We’re mindful of your email inboxes. Each month, you’ll just get one email telling you about what events are on for the month and if you register, another one a day or so prior to remind you. Enjoy! Regards, Greg
Hi Folks,
Many of you that were at TechEd will have heard about the Readify Developer Network by now. For those that haven’t, I’ve spelled out most of it in this blog post:
http://msmvps.com/blogs/greglow/archive/2007/08/06/announcing-the-readify-developer-network.aspx
In essence, these are free, high quality, developer events running in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, starting in October. There are two events (the same) in each city each fortnight. Each event normally includes both primer level material and a more advanced level session.
There is a PDF of the brochure that was handed out at TechEd here:
http://readify.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=hVr6kpx1hdQ%3d&tabid=288&mid=1354
We hope to see as many of you as possible along to these events and hope they’ll become part of your calendar.
If you’d like to be notified of the events, please just email rdn@readify.net with a name, email address, city and preferably a contact phone number.
We’re mindful of your email inboxes. Each month, you’ll just get one email telling you about what events are on for the month and if you register, another one a day or so prior to remind you.
Enjoy!
Regards,
Greg
What, with this initiative, local User Groups (more here), Code Camps (more here) and Office DevCon (stay tuned) ... I love this community!
I've been talking about VSTO v3 and OBA in my TechEd sessions in Australia and New Zealand, but there have also been lots of questions about OpenXML. Wouter Van Vugt has written a great book called OpenXML Explained and I've been giving out copies in my session and in the TechEd Australia Expo Hall (thanks Doug). I've got a box full left, so while stocks last, if you drop me a mail (via this blog's contact page) I'll ship you one (Australian and NZ addresses only).
If you're happy with a soft copy, I've been waiting for Doug to host it on www.OpenXMLDeveloper.org, but I can wait no longer. I've attached it to this article uploaded it here and I'll take it down from here when it goes up there.
Update - Doug's just announced that it's now up on www.OpenXMLDeveloper.org, see http://openxmldeveloper.org/articles/1970.aspx and it has all of the sample docs available for download too. I've still got a few hard copies left.
My OPML is full of many of Australia's top technical people, but there are also a few non-technical people that I love reading (Dilbert's Scott Adams is always great value for example). Here are a couple of new ones I've added:
Michele Connolly's How To Be Happy blog (as pointed out by Craig Bailey) is a wonderful read. Subscribed.
Update - Michele's moved her blog. It's now at http://www.happinessstrategies.com/blog. Subscribe at http://feeds.feedburner.com/HowToBeHappy.
Steve Herzberg (consultant and ex-First Class cricketer) has just started a promising blog with tips on how to sell, both yourself and your product. Subscribed.
Remember to fill out your Evaluation Forms after each session so we can continue to improve our event, and you'll go in the draw for an XBox 360 every time you complete a form - so don't miss out. Fill out your Eval form now!
We’d like to advise that the session titles, recordings and PPTs are correct on the DVD you have in your delegate bag, however the session descriptions do not align to the sessions. A corrected online version is being posted to CommNet and will be available from Thursday morning. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
This came through on an internal list today. The author, Asli Bilgin, warns that this is "BY NO MEANS a comprehensive list", so if you've got more, leave them in the comments here.
VSTO Resources bits & bytes Get Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the 2007 Microsoft Office System Visit the Visual Studio Tools for Office Forum Visit the VSTO Developer Center Get the OBA/VSTO Starter Kit v. 1.0 Try the O2 OBA Challenge Visit OBA Central Webcasts MSDN Webcast: Visual Studio Tools for Office Straight from the Experts: Ken Getz (Level 200) MSDN Webcast: Visual Studio Tools for Office Straight from the Experts: Robert Green (Level 200) MSDN Webcast: Visual Studio Tools for Office Straight from the Experts: Tim Huckaby (Level 200) MSDN Webcast: Visual Studio Tools for Office Straight from the Experts: Paul Ballard (Level 200) Blogs The nicest man at MSFT (and he plays a mean guitar too): Mike Hernandez Blog Paul Stubbs – Senior Program Manager VSTO2 blog Best of VSTO blogs Brian Goldfarb, Group Product Manager – he can demo a fetching VSTO Chris Castillo's WebLog John Durant Tim Huckaby Ken Getz blog Kathleen McGrath Paul Ballard Tech talks VSTO and security – Eric Lippert, VSTO team, senior software dev engineer Scope of VSTO Martin Sawicki, program manager VSTO Why a VSTO Runtime? Thomas “TQ” Quinn – Principal Architect & Christin Boyd – Customer Program Manager (she KNOWS things, just ask her) demos Video Demo: VSTO and VBA Interop How Do I Videos VSTO demo Catherine Heller, Technical Evangelist – Windows Live Extend VBA with .NET Eric Schnepp, Principal Program Manager in the VSTO team labs MSDN Virtual Lab: Building Custom Office Applications Using Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office Part 1 - Data Binding with Word Content Controls MSDN Virtual Lab: Building Custom Office Applications Using Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office Part 2 - Create an Outlook Add-in with a Form Region MSDN Virtual Lab: Building Custom Office Applications Using Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office Part 3 - Build an Excel Add-in with Ribbon and Custom Task Pane Integration MSDN Virtual Lab: Building Custom Office Applications Using Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office Part 4 - Create a SharePoint Workflow