Jim O'Neil's Blog : Massachusetts

Data Camp v2.0 – Call for Sessions Ends 12/31

joneil — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:18:56 GMT

Below is a reminder from Adam Machanic, organizer of New England Data Camp v2.0 (AKA SQL Saturday #34) – fast approaching on January 30th. I’d like to second his encouragement for first time speakers…if you don’t have a New Year’s resolution set up yet – how about making one speaking at a Code or Data Camp! I just submitted my session and hope to see you there, as a speaker or attendee.

Our second New England Data Camp event is starting to shape up quite nicely at this point. We already have 20 fantastic session submissions, and--hopefully--more to come.

I'm sending this e-mail to remind you of two things:

First and foremost, our call for content is still open through December 31st. If you've ever considered giving speaking a try, this is a great opportunity to do so. The Data Camp is a laid back event with a casual atmosphere, and we encourage new speakers to use the opportunity to give it a shot. If you need any help coming up with a session or abstract, drop me a line--I will be happy to brainstorm with you and answer any questions you have about how to develop a great session. Every one of you on this list does interesting work; why not share it with others?

Second, I would like to remind you that registration is open. This is a free event, we have great content, and so it will almost certainly fill up. I highly recommend registering as soon as possible.

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns. Looking forward to seeing you on January 30!

Sincerely,

Adam Machanic

Parallel Programming For Newbs: F# User Group 12/7

joneil — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:03:00 GMT

Developing applications for multicore machines is no longer an “if”, but rather a “when”, and the “when” is fast approaching (some would say it’s now). Those of you following Visual Studio 2010 through its CTP and beta cycles are aware of the functionality being added to .NET 4.0 and the IDE to better support you as you code parallel constructs in your choice of languages. You may also be aware that Visual Studio 2010 marks the debut of F# as a bona fide .NET language, and that F# (and functional programming languages in general) are focused on abstracting complexities like parallel application development.

So it’s a perfect storm of sorts as co-leader Talbott Crowell leads an interactive meeting of the New England F# User Group tonight (December 7th) from 6:30 to 8:30 at the New England Research and Development (NERD) Center in Cambridge.

Bring your laptop, so you can actively participate in the discussion, which will focus on the following goals:

Tackling many-core programming the easy way
Providing a way to parallelize tasks without the heavy lifting
Deciding which F# constructs are appropriate for various scenarios

Data Camp v2.0

joneil — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:28:00 GMT

Shake off the winter chill, and join your fellow data geeks for the second edition of Data Camp (aka SQL Saturday #34), being organized by Adam Machanic of the New England SQL Server User Group and Grant Fritchey of the Southern New England SQL Server User Group.

New England Data Camp is a free training event for people who work with data--particularly in the Microsoft space. This event will feature content for SQL Server DBAs, .NET developers, and business intelligence professionals. Applications are only as good as the data that backs them; if you are a software professional working in any of these
disciplines then you are a data professional and this event is for you.

Date:	January 30, 2010
Location:	Microsoft Office 201 Jones Road, Suite 600 Waltham MA 02451
Cost:	FREE!
Registration:	register here

The call for speakers is open through December 31st, and you can view the list of sessions as they are submitted.

The organizers are also looking for sponsors to help defray the costs of this free community event. It’s a great way for companies, recruiters, and other organizations to tap into the best and brightest data professionals in the area.

Bring a Friend, Get a Book

joneil — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

As you know, Chris and I are in the middle of our Fall/Winter 2009 Northeast Roadshow, with four more stops scheduled for early December:

Now there’s even more incentive to attend! In addition to the WIN7 code referenced in my previous blog post, we’re incorporating a “Bring a friend, get a book” promotion for the rest of our venues (our colleagues down the East coast are doing the same, by the way). Here’s how to take advantage of the offer:

Follow the registration link above for the desired venue
For the referral code, enter the name of the friend you’re bringing along, OR if you’ve already registered, have your friend enter your name when she or he registers (see below).
When you check-in at the event, we’ll hand each of you a copy of Laurence Moroney’s Introducing Microsoft Silverlight 3.

Obligatory Fine Print:

Government employees are not eligible for promotion
Both parties must be present to win
If onsite supply runs out, books will be mailed to recipients

Northeast Roadshow: 3 Down, 4 to Go

joneil — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:52:58 GMT

Thanks to the folks in Burlington, Vermont, and Troy and Rochester, New York, for coming to the latest edition of the Northeast Roadshow last week. Given the timing (PDC this week and the Thanksgiving holiday next week), Chris and I are on a short break before we resume the series on December 3rd. There’s still room at all the remaining venues, AND we’ve got a special deal for you:

If you’re among the first seven at each venue to register with the code WIN7, we’ll hand you a copy of the MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-536) Microsoft .NET Framework Application Development Foundation, Second edition at the event!

Given what I heard just today -- and PDC hasn’t officially started yet -- we’ll have a lot to talk about at the upcoming venues (I’m already contemplating a few updates to my presentations and demos!). You can get the full agenda here, but the topics we’ll be discussing include

WCF
Model-View-ViewModel with Silverlight and Expression Blend
Avenues to get technical help on Microsoft technologies
LINQ fundamentals
ASP.NET Web Forms and Ajax

NEW! Boston Business Intelligence User Group

joneil — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:52:18 GMT

I have yet another new user group to announce! The Boston Business Intelligence User Group – starts meeting TOMORROW, Tuesday, November 17th, at 6:30 p.m. at the Microsoft Office on Jones Road in Waltham. Thanks go out to Slava Kokaev, a familiar face in the local developer and BI community, for the initiative to establish and lead the group.

Here’s the group’s charter, shamelessly lifted from the group’s website:

Welcome to BOSTON BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE User Group.
We have regular face-to-face with hands-on meetings including guest speakers. We located in the Greater Boston area. We meet first 3 Tuesday's of each month. This is a FREE study group for everyone interested in learning the latest Microsoft Business Intelligence Platform technology and tools and Languages as well as Client Side Data Analysis Applications.

To kick off the group, Brian Knight, SQL Server MVP and BI specialist, will present a remote Live Meeting session on an introduction to Business Intelligence.

User Group Happenings East and West and in Between

joneil — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:59:00 GMT

I’m pleased to announce we have THREE new User Groups starting up, stretching from the extreme east to the extreme west edges of the Northeast!

The Cape Code XNA User Group is kicking things off this Friday, Oct 23rd, with a discussion of the pre-production and design of a game.

Closer to Boston, the Boston Azure User Group hosts their inaugural meeting on Thursday, Oct. 22nd, at the New England Research and Development Center (NERD) in Cambridge. Start time is 6:30 p.m., and the featured speaker is Brian Lambert of Microsoft, who will step through building an ASP.NET MVC application for deployment to Windows Azure.

On the opposite fringes of our Northeast District, the Western New York Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) is being re-formed! Their first meeting is on November 5th, at 6 p.m., in Lewiston. The speaker is John Kerwin, owner of Buffalo Web Labs, Inc., who will be discussing using XML with SQL Server.

Beantown .NET Northeast MSDN Roadshow

joneil — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:42:00 GMT

The Beantown.NET User Group and the Microsoft New England Research and Development Center (aka NERD) are teaming up to bring you a special community edition of the Northeast Roadshow featuring your favorite Developer Evangelists, Chris Bowen and myself.

Here’s the details:

When:	Monday, Sept. 28th 1 – 6 p.m.
Where:	Microsoft NERD (Horace Mann Room) 1 Memorial Drive Cambridge MA
How:	Register here!

It’s the same great content, as you can see below, just a different host and registration process.

12:30 - Doors open for registration

1:00 - Essential Patterns, Practically Served

Design patterns, they’re important but often presented with unappetizing formality, like getting only the oat bits from a box of marshmallow cereal. We’ll sample a small set of key patterns, but also show you how free frameworks and tools (such as Enterprise Library, Prism, Unity, Velocity, and others) put each of those patterns directly into practice – so you can too. You’ll leave with a mind full of practical technology and a healthy understanding of how to turn underlying patterns into recipes for success.

2:15 - 7-Up(grade) Your Applications

Refresh your existing applications by pouring in some the new features of Windows 7 via the managed-code Windows API Code Pack. We’ll quench your thirst for how to incorporate the Taskbar, jumplists, and Libraries by taking the cap off an existing Windows Forms application and adding new capabilities, all the while retaining compatibility for your XP and Vista users. We’ll have you bubbling with excitement, able to give your applications that extra pop.

3:30 - Silverlight Snacks that Satisfy

There’s a generous amount of delicious ingredients in Silverlight 3 and we’re going to focus deeply on some of the most enriching. We’re going beyond the standard fare in this code-heavy session to create an application that leverages the new out-of-browser and offline execution features, local and remote connections, local data storage, and more. You’ll see that Silverlight 3 applications can be fortified with features so they can go well beyond being eye candy.

4:45 - Chips off the .NET Block

As seasoned developers, we know there’s a mix of options on the trail to implementing requirements. From staples like value types vs. reference types, interfaces vs. classes, Strings vs. StringBuilder, to other more exotic ingredients you may have yet tried, this session will dip into ways to leverage .NET, offering a taste of the impact they have on code execution, performance, and extensibility.

5:50 – “Check Please!”

We’ll box any leftovers, collect your comment cards, and distribute an array of giveaways.

6:00 – Impromptu Geek Gathering at nearby watering hole

Declarative Database Development @ NE SQL Server Group

joneil — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:16:00 GMT

The New England SQL Server User Group is kicking off its 2009/2010 season on September 10th with a topic spanning the developer and DBA audience. Special guest, Gert Draper, a software architect from the Visual Studio Team System Database Edition team in Redmond, will be presenting an alliteratively-titled session focusing on:

Models everywhere! The drive towards more model driven development technologies such as LINQ to SQL and Entity Data Model, can also be applied to how one manages and deploys its database schema, through a model instead of via a physical implementation script. The Visual Studio Database Edition product is the first major step towards a true declarative database development environment. This session will cover the pros and cons and future directions around this topic, including how you can use VSDB to automate the deployment of your database schema and integrate in to your own "database setup".

The event will be held at the Microsoft Office, 201 Jones Road, Waltham MA, on September 10th from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You must RSVP to the event, and the easiest way to do so is sign up for the group’s mailing list and then respond to the event notice that will come your way on Tuesday, September 8th.

Thanks to SQL Server MVP Adam Machanic for organizing this special event as well as for all his work in the SQL Server and developer communities!

Northeast Roadshow and More!

joneil — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:05:00 GMT

Get those calendars out! Chris and I will be hitting the road again this September bringing you the latest and greatest developer topics from Microsoft. It’s the Northeast Roadshow: Food for Thoughts Tour, the same brand you know and love with a few twists…

We’re visiting more venues (seven in all), including a return to Albany/Troy, NY and new stops in Manchester, NH and Warwick, RI.
For four stops we’re piggybacking off of the TechNet Unleashed: Game On Tour, meaning great IT Pro content in the morning (courtesy of your IT Professional Evangelist, Dan Stolts) , followed by the developer content that is the Northeast Roadshow!

Note, TechNet Unleashed and the Northeast Roadshow are two distinct events, so if you want to attend both, be sure to sign up for each event separately. The dates, venues, and registration links are right below, followed by the Northeast Roadshow agenda and then the TechNet Unleashed agenda.

City	Date	Event	Registration Link
Manchester NH	Sep. 10	1 – 6 p.m.	Northeast Roadshow
Rochester NY	Sep. 18	10 a.m – 3:30 p.m.	Northeast Roadshow
Troy NY	Sep. 22	8:30 a.m. – noon	TechNet Unleashed
Troy NY	Sep. 22	1 – 6 p.m.	Northeast Roadshow
Waltham MA	Sep. 23	1 – 6 p.m.	Northeast Roadshow
Augusta ME	Sep. 24	8:30 a.m. – noon	TechNet Unleashed
Augusta ME	Sep. 24	1 - 6 p.m.	Northeast Roadshow
Farmington CT	Sep. 29	8:30 a.m. – noon	TechNet Unleashed
Farmington CT	Sep. 29	1 – 6 p.m.	Northeast Roadshow
~~Warwick RI~~	~~Oct. 6~~	~~8:30 a.m. - noon~~	~~TechNet Unleashed~~
~~Warwick RI~~	~~Oct. 6~~	~~1 – 6 p.m.~~	~~Northeast Roadshow~~

[Updated 8/1: Due to venue logistics, we’re unable to visit Warwick on this edition of the Roadshow, but we’re hoping to add it to next quarter’s series.]

Northeast Roadshow: Food for Thoughts Tour

After a long summer, you’re probably hungry for more tools and techniques to feed your development efforts. Touring the northeast this fall for the tenth Roadshow, road and code warriors Jim O’Neil and Chris Bowen have cooked up a select menu of sessions that are sure to please the heartiest of appetites. From current tools and technologies to practical insights, there is plenty to digest!

Reservations are required, so register today for a seating at these free and relaxed technology events.

You’ll see how Chris and Jim handle the heat of the demo kitchen, dish out knowledge, and pepper guests with half-baked humor, all the while being grilled by audience questions.

The Agenda – A Four Course Meal for the Mind

(Rochester attendees, note that program starts at 10 a.m.)

1:00 PM – Essential Patterns, Practically Served

Design patterns, they’re important but often presented with unappetizing formality, like getting only the oat bits from a box of marshmallow cereal. We’ll sample a small set of key patterns, but also show you how free frameworks and tools (such as Enterprise Library, Prism, Unity, Velocity, and others) put each of those patterns directly into practice – so you can too. You’ll leave with a mind full of practical technology and a healthy understanding of how to turn underlying patterns into recipes for success.

2:15 PM – 7-Up(grade) Your Applications

Refresh your existing applications by pouring in some the new features of Windows 7 via the managed-code Windows API Code Pack. We’ll quench your thirst for how to incorporate the Taskbar, jumplists, and Libraries by taking the cap off an existing Windows Forms application and adding new capabilities, all the while retaining compatibility for your XP and Vista users. We’ll have you bubbling with excitement, able to give your applications that extra pop.

3:30 PM – Silverlight Snacks that Satisfy

There’s a generous amount of delicious ingredients in Silverlight 3 and we’re going to focus deeply on some of the most enriching. We’re going beyond the standard fare in this code-heavy session to create an application that leverages the new out-of-browser and offline execution features, local and remote connections, local data storage, and more. You’ll see that Silverlight 3 applications can be fortified with features so they can go well beyond being eye candy.

4:45 PM – Chips off the .NET Block

As seasoned developers, we know there’s a mix of options on the trail to implementing requirements. From staples like value types vs. reference types, interfaces vs. classes, Strings vs. StringBuilder, to other more exotic ingredients you may have yet tried, this session will dip into ways to leverage .NET, offering a taste of the impact they have on code execution, performance, and extensibility.

5:50 PM – “Check Please!” – We’ll box any leftovers, collect your comment cards, and distribute an array of giveaways.

TechNet Unleashed: Game On Tour!

After a long summer, you’re probably ready to get your game on with some tools and techniques to speed up your IT strategy. Touring this fall, the East Region TechNet team of John Baker, Dan Stolts, Blain Barton and Yung Chou are bringing you a game plan of sessions that are sure to spike your productivity. From current tools and technologies to practical insights, there will be plenty of action for everyone!

Reservations are required, so register today for a seat at this free and fun technology event.

1st Down: Migrating Windows XP to Windows 7: Get it Done with the Microsoft Deployment Tools
You've gotten the handoff on upgrading your desktops from Windows XP™ to Windows 7™ and you know there isn't a direct upgrade path, so what’s the best strategy? This session will give you the answers and tools that will make your migration from Windows XP to Windows 7 an easy touchdown. First we’ll discuss standalone migrations using standard methodologies. Then we’ll explore large scale migrations with the Microsoft Deployment Tool Kit 2010 technologies, covering the "Lite-Touch” Installation (LTI) method leveraging User State Hard-Link Migration which will minimize network traffic and get the migration done in a timelier manner. What tools will we use? The User State Migration Tool (USMT) in the Automated Installation Toolkit (AIK) has everything you need to kick off the migration and deploy Windows 7 without a single fumble.

2nd Down: DirectAccess™ With Windows 7: No More VPN!!
Looking for ways to save some money and enable better employee productivity on the road? Tired of being unable to VPN from certain remote locations? Then DirectAccess is the solution you’re looking for! What is DirectAccess? DirectAccess provides secure, seamless, always-on networking and represents a fundamental shift in the way network boundaries are defined and how access is managed. It provides a consistent experience regardless of location, device, or network topology. It “just works” and accommodates today’s flexible “offices” and requirements for remote connectivity. Not only does it give an “always on the corporate network” experience for end users, but it also provides administrators the ability to manage remote machines through the DirectAccess connection. That's right, if it’s connected to the Internet, it’s connected to the corporate network… SECURELY, and therefore the manageability of remote resources is greatly improved. This session will explain in detail what DirectAccess is and will demonstrate how to configure both the client and server components of DirectAccess.

3rd Down: Optimizing Your Environment with Remote Desktop Services™ and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
You’ve been successfully using Terminal Services for some time now and have enjoyed the ability to centrally manage your remote desktop environment. But there have been challenges in Terminal Services. Interference issues such as printer drivers, applications that take resources away from other users, and users wanting to remote to a desktop instead of the server. Windows Server 2008 R2 represents a paradigm shift in remote connectivity. Come and see how the next generation of terminal services, now called Remote Desktop Services (RDS), can take you to the next level. RDS has been expanded to include Hyper-V integration for deploying virtual machine-based desktops in addition to the standard session-based remote connectivity. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is an emerging desktop optimization vehicle and delivery architecture to centralize the storage, execution, and management of desktops in a data center. In this session we will examine the architecture, essential services, and user experience of RDS and VDI while walking through deployment scenarios based on business requirements.

4th Down: Score!
We’ll call it a day, collect your surveys, and you just might score one of the day’s giveaways.

Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology

joneil — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:41:17 GMT

I just got word via the Software Association of New Hampshire (SwANH) about a series of five workshops being run by WEST, a non-profit organization focused on women in science and technology. Unfortunately, three have already been held, but the other two are next Monday and the following. Here’s are the topics (copied from their registration site):

CORPORATE SAVVY

Monday July 13, 2009
5:30pm-9:00pm Cambridge, MA

A three-hour interactive, participatory workshop in which you will learn how to navigate corporate cultures in order to succeed. Workshop leader is Sandra Glucksmann PhD, Senior VP of Research and Business Operations at Cerulean Pharmaceuticals.
MORE INFO & REGISTRATION

MENTORING: HOW TO FIND (AND BE) A GREAT MENTOR

Monday July 20, 2009
5:30pm-9:00pm Cambridge, MA

This workshop addresses the fundamentals of good mentoring relationships, from both the perspective of the mentor, and the mentee. Learn how to find mentors, and how to be a great mentor yourself. Workshop leader is Joanne Kamens PhD who is Director of Discovery at RXi Pharmaceuticals, frequent speaker on this topic, and has implemented successful mentoring programs.
MORE INFO & REGISTRATION

These events have a charge associated with them and are being held in Cambridge at 1 Main Street, which should be right across the street from the Microsoft NERD Center.

Happy New Year!

joneil — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:36:00 GMT

Yes, you’re still recovering from Fourth of July festivities, and, no, I didn’t get too much sun over the long weekend. July 1st indeed starts a new year, a new fiscal year, at Microsoft, and with that comes some intense planning for the coming 12 months – budgets, sales quotas, annual reviews, etc. For us, the Developer Platform and Evangelism team (DPE), specifically it’s a time for planning out our various events and road shows as well as fostering community activities like code camps and ‘firestarters.’

So what’s the best way to keep on top of all these happenings during the upcoming year?

MSDN Flash – subscribe here and enter your ZIP code to get localized content from Chris Bowen and myself in the Northeast. Our colleagues in other regions likewise add their own local flair to the bi-weekly newsletter.
Community Megaphone – on my blog’s sidebar is a feed showing the events in the Northeast district, but you can visit the main site and see what’s going on around the country.
Follow your evangelists’ blogs. Well, you found mine and the rest of the members of the East region developer evangelist family are listed in my blog’s sidebar.
Get involved in a User Group. In the Northeast, we have nearly three-dozen active groups focused on various aspects of Microsoft technologies, and there’s many more independent groups focused on complementary topics like JavaScript, Web technologies, and user experience as well. There’s no better way to hear about activities than being part of those activities yourself. It’s a double-win: you stay abreast of technology, and you meet some great people in the process.

Architect, Your Career?

joneil — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:02:41 GMT

The Microsoft New England Research and Development Center (NERD) will play host to a unique event, The Architect Factory, on June 2nd. Co-sponsored by IASA New England, {Code Right}, O’Reilly, and Microsoft, this 1/2 day event will provide insight and guidance for senior developers who aspire to take their technical careers to the next logical step, that of an architect.

When	June 2, 2009 1 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. (followed by dinner)
Where	NERD 1 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA
Register	arcfactory.eventbrite.com

Notable area architects will cover three sessions in each of three tracks: Architecture in Action, Leadership, and Head in the Clouds.

The complete agenda is as follows:

1:00	Meet and Greet
1:30	Keynote: Becoming an Architect, Rob Daigneau
2:45	Break
3:30	The Dangers of Over-architecting Solutions, Bryan Tuttle	The IT Architect and Technology Leadership - where are we and what next?, David Leonard	How the Cloud Pattern is Changing Enterprise Architecture, Todd Bremner
4:15	Break
4:30	Establishing Developer Practices, Dennis Perlot	Working with Business Stakeholders, Ian Dicker	The Architect and the New Identity Paradigm, Curt Devlin
5:45	Break
6:00	Architecture of Collaboration Systems, SB Chatterjee	Using LAAAM to Make Good Architectural Decisions, Fast!, Jeromy Carriere	Application Patterns for the Cloud, Igor Moochnick
7:15	Evening Dinner Event

NERD to Host XAML Fest - May 27th - 28th

joneil — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:04:53 GMT

My colleague, John Pelak, is bringing another edition of the XAML Fest series to the Boston area, this time to Microsoft’s New England Research and Development Center (aka NERD) in Cambridge. The past several sessions in this area filled to capacity quickly, and like those sessions we’re limiting attendance to provide an effective hands-on learning experience… in other words, don’t delay in signing up!

By the way, this is revamped content in light of announcements at MIX 09, so content now includes Expression Blend 3, Silverlight 3, and other cool features that were announced in March. John has all the details, agenda, and a FAQ at his blog post, but here are the particulars on registration and venue.

Date:	Wed. May 27 and Thur. 28, 2009
Time:	9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Place:	Microsoft NERD 1 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA
Cost:	Free (vouchers available for on-site parking)
Register:	e-mail xamlfest-boston@live.com (include name and e-mail of attendees)

If you can’t make the live edition, then you’re still in luck. XAMLFest online, a combination of live and recorded content, hits the airwaves from June 1st through the 5th. You can read more about the scheduling and registration here.

2009 Summer Northeast Roadshow

joneil — Sun, 03 May 2009 06:04:51 GMT

Chris, Bob, and I are hitting the road again in June to bring the developer and architect community another all-day, free event – this time covering topics including Windows 7, ASP.NET MVC, WPF, Silverlight, and more.

We’ll be visiting five locations across the region; just click the site link below to register.

Wednesday, June 10	Williston, Vermont
Friday, June 12	Rochester, New York
Tuesday, June 16	Waltham, Massachusetts
Thursday, June 18	Augusta, Maine
Wednesday, June 24	Farmington, Connecticut

The Agenda – Jim, Bob, and Chris in “Client Side Story”:
Tales of Browser, OS, and Application Technologies

8:00 – Bypass the ticket booth, grab a coffee and a seat (but of course you’ll only need the edge…)

8:30 – Windows 7: A “Dev Story”
“Windows 7 means never having to say you’re sorry…” There’s a lot to love in Windows 7, and in this session we’ll take a look at the foundation of any enduring relationship – compatibility. As you move on from your days with Vista, you may be surprised at how comfortable Windows 7 is; you don’t have to completely reinvent yourself (or your applications) just to get along. Of course, the newest OS on the block also brings with it the allure and excitement of new features – multi-touch, jump lists, and the scenic ribbon – and who doesn’t want to show that off! Leave your tissues at home, we promise a happy ending to this one.

9:50 – “Desperately Seeking Silverlight” – Developing with Silverlight, Today and Tomorrow
Searching the newspapers for something new to spice up the day-to-day life of your applications? Silverlight is that cool jacket your applications can wear to attract a new world of interest. In this session, we’ll take a brief look at what you can accomplish in today’s world with Silverlight 2 development using .NET and XAML for a great client experience. Then, it’s time for a sneak preview of the coming attractions of Silverlight 3, including out-of-browser support, new graphics to video options, productivity and performance improvements. We’ll also take a look at the very cool features coming in Expression Blend 3. Answer your customers’ want ads with Silverlight, and get ready for a mob of new followers!

11:10 – “Data Quest” – Pinning Down Approaches to Data Access
Your applications are growing up, and it’s time to graduate from DataReaders and DataSets. Want to get your applications in shape, but wrestling with the concepts of multiple data access options like ADO.NET, LINQ to SQL, and Entity Framework? This match session will pull you back from the lunatic fringe by going to the mat with these data technologies and helping focus a vision for your application’s data requirements

12:00 – “Nightmare on IE Street” – Adding IE8 Web Slices and Accelerators to Your Web Site
The reality is that supporting multiple browsers can be a nightmare. In this session, we will review how to handle browser compatibility and how to take advantage of IE8 Web Slices and Accelerators. A Web Slice enables users to subscribe to content directly within a Web page, without requiring a separate RSS feed file. Accelerators are contextual menu options that can quickly access applications or Web services from any Web page. Not all slicing needs to be the stuff of terror, and understanding IE8 will make your web pages a dream for your users, while striking fear into your competition.

1:00 – “20,000 Leagues under the MVC” – Diving into ASP.NET MVC
Setting sail on the web can be an uncertain proposition. Tales of peril abound of sites that have sunk and never been seen since. ASP.NET with WebForms has always been a trusty vessel, worthy of the voyage, but a new design has just left dry dock. Now officially released, ASP.NET MVC 1.0 is a new option for creating web applications that makes it easy to have fine-grained control over how pages in your web application are generated, encourages separation of concerns, and fosters testability. In this session, we’ll focus on learning to build a new site with ASP.NET MVC, while sharing advice to help you decide when to choose MVC or WebForms. MVC’s fine-grained control and implementation flexibility can be keys to navigating what can be a turbulent sea of changing requirements and market demands. Captain a site with ASP.NET MVC, and you may find that it’s not monsters under the surface, but hidden treasure instead.

2:10 – “The Coding of WPF 1 2 3” – Ribbons, Grids, Threads, and More
When the stakes are high, you don’t need to be held hostage by the old ways of doing things. Jump on the WPF train and break free of those UI bonds. In this code-heavy session, we will demonstrate the power of WPF with the new Office/Windows 7 Ribbon Control, the new WPF Grid Control, and how to leverage background threads to make your user interface scream. When having the richest client experience is a non-negotiable requirement, you can be the hero, saving the day with WPF.

3:30 – Wrap-up, giveaways, and the mad dash for the exits!