TechEd 2006 - Weeks Recap of Sessions, Exhibitors and etc.

So, I was kept very busy this week and didn't get much time to blog. So, I'll wrap it all up with this one entry (and hope it's not too big).

Sessions
Attended sessions on Vista, security, migrating Notes to Microsoft products, the future of processor technology, malware, and WSUS. They were all very good sessions and the usual great speakers (Mark Russinovich, Mark Minasi, and Steve Riley were all entertaining as well as eduational. It always help with the knowledge retention if the presentation is one that really is alive, speaks to you and is enjoyable to watch as well as listen to. One speaker really captivated his audience but offering give-aways to people who asked really good questions. He said he had boxes of raisins, oatmeal to go, a few books and a shirt to give away. When the first person that asked a good question was asked what he wanted as his prize, he asked for the shirt. The presenter then proceeded to unbutton his Microsoft dress shirt, remove it and toss it to the winner. Luckily for us, he had another shirt underneath.

Exhibitors
The exhibit booths were very interesting. Some had interesting swag to give away and some had cool gadgets, trickets or other items that techies would love to have. One booth (Surf Patrol) had a model dressed up in a wet suit and they gave away a surf board pen drive in a drawing every so often (didn't win one but I think Dean won two). Sunbelt-Software gave away an enormous amount of t-shirt when you said phrases like "Hit Spyware Hard" and pumped your fists or "Spam Sucks" and even when you responded to the phrase, "Hack my network and...." the audience would then yell, "Die!!!". On Thursday they gave away the 25,000 home theater system they had in their booth and unfortuneatly I did not win (I may never get a flat panel, wide screen TV). Microsoft had many items that were given away. I got hats from Mobile Computing (in an attempt to win a Windows Mobile enabled phone) and from TechNet (one for answering a question and one for showing my MCP card). AvePoint (I think that was the name) gave out boxer shorts (a new one in the trade show swag for me). Altiris gave out umbrellas. Itel gave out t-shirts and if you answered a question during their presentation you got a cool flashlight. Those are the key ones that stick out in my mind. The only other one that a lot of people picked up and carried around were the Microsoft posters in tubes (one was a Sharepoint poster I think).

Etc.
So, the etc. section. I'll just comment in genereal on various subjects.

The bathrooms were tiny and always had lines in the mens room (now we know what it's like for you ladies when you go to a large event and have to wait in line to use the restroom).

The food was typical for a huge catered event. The snacks were ok (I didn't get many since I'm on the Body for Life program and they didn't have protein bars or shakes). Teh drinks were well done with the soda and water bottles in fridges all around and easy to get.

The walking distance was better this year. The convention center was as long as the Orlando center last year but the sessions were on the sides instead of on the ends like last year. My feet and back still are sore though. I did do a bit of walking in the evening with my peers and at the ballpark. Once night we walked from my hotel to the Cheers bar (Bull and Finch pub) to have dinner and walked through a beautiful park next to the Commons. The other smaller parties that I blogged about I wasn't able to attend (either because I couldn't get an invite or pass or because not everyone in our group qualified - the MCP, MVP, MCT part). I did stop in at the Jam session the first night and it was ok (they were playing what sounded like a county song when I walked in and that type of music just isn't my style).

So, I'll be glad to get home and rest, see my family and relieve my wife from the terror known as my 5 year old. I would wrap this up by saying it was a successful conference and well worth coming. I will be anxious to look at some of the tools and products I was shown here and see how they can help me and my company out.

Until next time (or next year's TechEd if I get that lazy). So long from Boston (where I didn't park the car but did have some chowder - use your best Boston accent immitation when you read that part).