Isolated but not entirely forgotten - .NET Conferences Down Under.
One thing that we sorely lack in Australia is quality conferences for software developers. Yes it’s true we have TechEd but I find that many great presenters do not venture down under for this event. We have nothing that comes vaguely close to something like the Norwegian Developer Conference (NDC) which has been a wonderful event in the most recent past (just check out the videos). And whilst we can sit in the comfort of our own home and watch a plethora of video downloads from such events, the ambience and opportunity to meet likeminded individuals in the flesh is impoverished. One does not quite so much feel a mensch (the Yiddish meaning), sipping ones coffee on ones couch as one would in the company of an audience in some of software’s great theatres.
Conferences that I (think I) would most like to attend include:
Despite our geographical isolation due largely to the tyranny of distance and the ensuing expense, all is not lost. We do from time to time get some top shelf training events down under. Of course we have our User Group communities but is that adequate gap filler for the (apparent) vibrancy of the European and North American conference circuits; I’m Imagineering a little here because I have not yet experienced it.
What about an Australian Developers Conference – one to rival the quality say of the NDC? Would you come? Australia is a big place and it seems clear that it would not be practical for it to be held in every city, so I guess it would best be hosted in Melbourne or Sydney. How much would an Australian developer be willing to part with to attend, would your company put up the finance to send you?
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I’m surprised you didn’t mention PDC as well!
I’d love to attend an “ADC”. How much I’d be willing to depart with would vary depending on the length and quality of speakers. I’d say $300-$1000 would be reasonable depending on the the above. My employer financing my attendance is a possibility.
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@Michael
I was going to mention PDC and then I thought it seems to me to be a product development ‘check in’ by MS with developers. Kind of a ’see what we are up to’ event. I would love to go to a PDC too and I suppose I could have easily be swapped out for MIX or simply just included it - good call.
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