DevDays coming to your town soon!
DevDays, one of the premier Microsoft software developer is starting this month with events in Johannesburg and Cape Town and will be in Durban next month! Not only does it have great local guys presenting but Bart de Smet and Brian Keller will be there too!
Most importantly I will be there, just admit it you want to see me more than Bart and Brian ;), and will have prizes and giveaways at the BB&D stand!
To see the session list head over to: http://www.microsoft.com/southafrica/devdays/sessions.mspx and once you are sold signup at: https://secure.mseventssa.co.za/DevDays/Landing.aspx
I guess you have some valid points.
I am probably an 'Aplha' developer as I normally have either the Betas or RC versions of the new products on my machine and experimenting with them before they are released. (Currently VS2010)
I have found bits and pieces of value in the DevDays sessions before, but generally speaking anything below a level 300-400 session is mainly introductory. Your point on networking is well taken though.
Perhaps the audience profile in the Jhb event fitted in with the session profiles (Developers in training and Novice developers?)
It's just that Microsoft DevDays and other similar events have always been free in the past and we are still in the grip of an economic recession in South Africa.
It's not like Microsoft is a company that is struggling to make a profit...
So I honestly feel that although there are costs involved to hosting these events, Microsoft can afford to foot the bill and it is to their own advantage to promote their development tools to as wide an audience as possible.
Developers, especially the more senior variety, have a large influence on company policy with regard to which new or current technologies to adopt or trial.
There is competition for the attention span of developers on a number of platforms currently and new products under development by competitors.
I still think they did not think this through properly.
The DevDays events sessions are primarily of an introductory nature on new technology as well as a marketing event for Microsoft.
Like many other developers I have spoken to I will not be attending this event or any others in future where fees of this nature are charged.
Good luck with your event.
Seems your were in the minority as Johannesburg yesterday was a complete sell out - so people are willing to attend.
I do understand the cost vs. value discussion, for me personally there is very little in the session list that I found of value however the discussions in the passages and being able to meet up with MVP's, intl. speakers and Microsoft people is where the value for me personally comes from. That is a very single sided view, and it is because I am a "alpha" developer, i.e. the type who will see and play with new technology - I suspect you are too which is why the content isn't a draw card.
From discussions with attendees yesterday, who are not alpha developers many found it insightful and saw things they had never heard of before, some even commented that some of the level 100 sessions were too complex!
(FYI: Not my event at all, I have a speaker slot and man the BB&D stand but this event is run by Microsoft who I have no influence, say, control or anything else).
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