Category Archives: Community Cheerleading

Raj Das from Magenic has a blog

Community Cheerleading

I spent a lot of time chatting with Raj about many common topics while at Web Services Edge East earlier this month. We have both been working on Tablet PC apps. But the thing that was really engaging was to find out that he was also having an awful time with leveraging the application deployment block. I finally got past the “i guess I’m just too stupid to use this” phase to “my needs are too complex for this”. With help from Chris Kinsman, I finally deployed a solution, but apparently it’s broken again (I mucked a LOT with what Chris gave me…so I know I messed it up) and we are back to thumbdrive updates until I can focus on it again. So it was nice to know that it’s not just me who has been battling with web server based updates for over two years now!

Oh and Happy Birthday Raj!

http://www.AcehAid.org

It’s a GIRL! – new MSDN Community Champion

Community Cheerleading

I just got an email from Susan Wisowaty, a local Burlington woman who is a developer and a professional trainer – okay, a geek – just like the rest of us. Susan has just become the newest MSDN Developer Community Champion. She joins the ranks of folks like Joe Stagner, Russ Fustino, Bernard Wong, Rory Blyth and others around the country who do presentations at the MSDN Events and more. Lucky for us Vermont geeks, she doesn’t have to move, although her territory will be in the midwest – so she’ll be doing a lot of travelling. Don’t be surprised if she shows up on her motorcycle. She’s one cool chick. I’m completely thrilled about this.

http://www.AcehAid.org

I LOVE Betsy Aoki’s new VS column for newbies

Community Cheerleading

This is an awesome way to teach. It’s just like you are sitting there with the person and talking to them. Talking to a real person. I love love love it. Hooray Betsy for throwing off the chains. The title is priceless “Don’t Freak out about Visual Studio“. We know she is living the lesson here, too. So it makes it even better. She is not an expert talking to a newbie, but a newbie saying – “I have been there and I have done that … I know just how you feel!”

The article has this disclaimer, which is important: This is the first installment of the Visual Basic Newbie series written by MSDN staffer Betsy Aoki to help first-time programmers and “Visual Basic Newbies” get accustomed to the concepts and the environment provided by Visual Studio. The series is no substitute for formal study, a book, a good developer-friend, or perusing the MSDN Library, but is meant in a kindly way.

http://www.AcehAid.org

TechEd 2005 Birds of a Feather Sessions!

Community Cheerleading

The BOFS are live! INETA will once again be sponsoring and managing the Birds of a Feather sessions at TechEd 2005. This year we are being helped by Culminis, who works with IT Pro groups. Stuart Celarier is our supreme BOFologist* as he is heading up the entire effort of organizing them.

So you can start submitting sessions and voting, too!

Remember the key concept of the BOF’s – these are NOT presentations, they are discussions that are led by one or more people. Everyone who attends the BOF is invited to participate in the discussion. Don’t even think of asking for a projector to show your powerpoints. 😉

*coined by Dave Noderer

http://www.AcehAid.org

TechEngage Boot Camp in North Carolina in March

Community Cheerleading

TechEngage is aimed at unemployed or underemployed developers. Connie Marthinsen, who runs the big .NET user group in that area  – TRINUG (hey, how did they get Brad Abrams as a speaker for March??? 🙂 ) and is our INETA liaison for North and South Carolina is heavily involved in setting this event up. (She is also involved with the upcoming Raleigh NC Code Camp) TechEngage Boot Camp is a very interesting concept. You can read more here.

http://www.AcehAid.org