Joel From Canada

Will it be possible to data drive all aspects of our GUI at runtime?  Need to read more…

Reading Readme files needs to be more of a habit.  Now I can look forward to re-installing all of VS.NET 2002 this fine evening.

I just attended a session on Real World Innovation – from Idea to Product.  This panel session, comprised of Phil Fawcett (moderator), John Lefor, Lili Cheng, John Breese, Jeff Erwin, Katie Drucker, and  Renee Labran – focused on how new ideas are integrated into Microsoft both internally and externally in products and additional offerings.  I have a special interest in this particular session, so I jumped on it when Steven Forte asked me to cover it.  

Well, there were 6 or 7 RD panelists (with more RD’s in the audience) – but only about 25-30 attendees.  Not bad if you consider the free beer available during ask the experts and the others who skipped out to go to the Lakers game right next door).  Tim started the session with one question – “What is a smart client.”   The esteemed Mr. Hollis gave the first answer: “A client that stays out of my way and lets me get my work done”.  We then discussed this very question for the remainder of the time.  Very fun though – lots of people with lots of opinions and experiences. I think that this session truly represented a good BOF session – very interactive, very open, and most of all, very fun.  I’ll post some pictures tomorrow or the next day.

Turns out I was way wrong on my take of Monday’s key note.  The keynote was very entertaining and it went sooo smoothly (besides looking like all the code was nuked at that one point)  that I felt it was scripted.  Apparently it just wasn’t.

Ok… are all BOF’s getting as hostile as this one?  Do all sessions have people yelling?  Um, I sure hope not, since I’m supposed to help out tomorrow night.

This is my first post at the PDC – not my fault.  The communication network provided at the LA Convention Center didn’t work until late this afternoon.  Nothing – zippo.  I was grumpy.  Soo much to say, especially after today’s Key Note.

 Always like hearing Bill talk – don’t know why though.  Actually, it will be Bill Gates and Jim Allchin doing the key note.  Should be good.