So it's been a couple of weeks.  I can honestly say that my workload has been CRAZY these last couple of weeks.  What's interesting is that the excitement and momentum within Microsoft is really starting to pick up.  I think everyone is looking forward to an awesome event and of course that means that everyone has questions about the event, how to sign up, how they can help out etc.

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The New Website - Did you spot the mistake?

Our new website went live 3/17.  It had a thorough face lift to improve the flow and discoverablility of information based on feedback from some of you.  Thanks!  In that whole revamp, an error got introduced.  Did you spot it yet?  Yup, the keynote isn't at the same time as the Pre-Cons.  Thanks to Sean, Dwayne and a number of others who pointed that out.  The website agency have been asked to fix that ASAP.

The Keynote!

I had a meeting with the production team today.  We discussed things like stage layout, what equipment we'd use, the backdrop and all sorts of interesting stuff.  Of course, being the first time I've been responsible for a keynote of this size my main criterion are a) Does it look cool? b) Will it cost a small fortune.

I also got a mail from Bill's speech writer inviting me to run him through the demo plan for the keynote.  Fortunately, we've been working on that for a number of weeks but it still makes it all seem a little more real.  I'm certain I'll be more prepared for that meeting than I am for most.  What?  Me turn up for meetings with zero preparation?  Never.  Of course, at some point after that we'll have to run through the demos with "The Big Man" himself.  Should be interesting.

Sessions

We'll have the abstracts up soon!  I extended the deadline I'd set for the speakers to finalize them by a week because in the original plan they only had a week to think about it which didn't seem reasonable.  The session levels are also queued up and ready to roll, they should appear sometime early next week.

You should find the session list is mostly complete.  There's a few sponsor sessions I've yet to upload but apart from that, it's all there in it's glory.  In the past, we've held off on some of the "new" stuff until we get to the conference but we thought we'd just put it all up there so you can see some of the exciting things we're going to cover.

Other Stuff

Did anyone see "The Code Room" (http://www.thecoderoom.com/) pilot that MSDN made a couple of months back?  For those that didn't, it's a reality show based around giving developers a tough problem to solve and a time limit to do it in.  We thought it was such a good idea that there's another one in the making and guess where it's being premiered?  That's right, at MEDC!  You'll also be able to watch last year's "The Developer" as well as "The Code Room" Pilot (if you haven't already seen it).  Next week, we have a group of crack MSFT developers who are going to try the challenge to check that it's possible.

 

I think that's all for now.  I'll be back next week, assuming I'm not too swamped again.  Oh, and before I forget.  Hi Josh.  I never get a chance to talk to you in real time so I thought a HI through the blog would keep you going in the mean time!

James