If you weren’t able to attend TechEd New Zealand 2012 you can view the recordings of the sessions here
TechEd New Zealand 2012 (Channel 9)
Well it’s just been a little over a week since I got back from TechEd and I thought I would take a moment to reflect on my time at TechEd NZ 2012 as an attendant and as a Speaker.
First up, I would like to call out the session that I found the most inspirational, the one that reminded me why I find Programming to be such a great profession, and why I am lucky to be in this line of work.
Azure, the Platform for Internet of Things Applications Presented by Bryn Lewis
So what was so special about this presentation? Sadly the final demo step didn’t actually work (the demo gods were not kind to Bryn), but the idea that Bryn had, what he was trying to accomplish was at the heart of what technology should be about, making the lives of people better and safer while at the same time having fun doing it. His idea is to use off the shelf components for the .Net Micro Framework and Azure data bus such that it would allow for early earthquake shake approach warnings for people in their homes and businesses. Open sourced and free is his goal, and I continue to applaud his effort and hope I can help him with it some day.
The second most interesting thing to me was that the Opening Keynote, while it had the requisite “marketing”, was mostly NOT marketing and dare I say, even Microsoft Free. Jer Thorp gave a talk about data and the world and looking at his slides, his art, his work, I’m guessing he probably doesn’t use Microsoft software or even regular PC’s much in his daily affairs (I’d be willing to bet pretty big, his personal machine is a Apple). His talk was inspiring, thought provoking, and made me go “aaawwww” then on deeper reflection “ooohhhh”; As Jer himself hoped it would.
While I have been a speaker many time for lots of groups this was the first time that I was a presenter at a “real” conference, with big sponsors, big bucks and big audiences. I have been to many conferences as well over the years, but attending a conference as a speaker is a completely different experience. The first thing you have to know is it’s really COOL being able to go into the “private” areas. The speakers lounge with hard wired networking, drinks and biscuits and fruit and food with no crowds, comfortable chairs and nice large tables is a definite Perk! A place for us important people to retreat from the rabble… LOL.
But it is the “rabble” that made the conference so much fun, all our inner geeks and nerds hanging out on full display.
Oh yes and since I was a speaker I guess I should give you a link to view or download my presentations. Here then is Live Tiles, The Good, The Great and The Ugly
I actually did two presentations, but the first one was a dog's breakfast! The attendees REALLY didn’t like it, and I can’t say I blame them in the slightest, it just didn’t live up to TechEd standards! I would recommend that you skip it if you find it on Channel 9.
But the one I linked to above (Live Tiles, The Good, The Great and The Ugly), was very well received and I’m actually rather proud of it. I certainly learned a lot in the process of putting it together and am really looking forward to doing Metro Development. I enjoyed myself enough that I’m going to start working on my TechEd 2013 submissions NOW and hope to see you all there next year.