Demos Happen {Here} Competition

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Are you worthy of the title Australian Demo God 2008?

Do you have what it takes to demonstrate complex technical techniques simply, efficiently, enthusiastically?

Do you want to be celebrated for your technical prowess at TechEd08 in Sydney later this year?

Are you confident enough to win an all expenses paid trip to TechEd09 in Los Angeles?

Then you may be just the person we're looking for:

From thre 1st of April until the 31st of  July, we're running the Demo's Happen {Here} Competition as part of the Heroes Happens {Community} Launch.

Full terms and conditions are available upon request, simply email OzHero08 or download them from the Community Tab on the Australian Heroes Happens {2008} Website.

Entry details below:

  • Demonstrate one (or more) of the Launch Technologies: i.e. Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008, SQL Server 2008 in your Community Group
  • Video this demonstration using a web cam, Live Meeting, a video camera, or a screen capturing utility (e.g. Camtasia)
  • Upload your video to https://silverlight.live.com
  • Register your demonstration, with a link to the uploaded video at the Heroes Happens {2008} Website
  • Check out all your competition, not to mention the cool videos of other demos (for inspiration) at the Heroes Happens {2008} website

You have two ways of getting to the State Finals:

  • Your Community Group can nominate you as the best demo god of the group, and your leader will register you as the entrant.
  • For Community Groups that haven't submitted enough demos (at least 3 from at least 2 different entrants) or because we just think you're that great, Microsoft judges will nominate up to 30 wild card entries to the State Finals

Besides great prizes for being nominated, the winners of the State Finals get all expenses trips to Sydney to participate in the National Finals at TechEd08.

This Grand Final will take place in front of the audience at TechEd08, and the national winner will be crowned Australian Demo God 2008. Their prize includes an all expenses paid trip to TechEd09 in Los Angeles next year.

Other prizes include: Bluetooth USB Presenter Mice, Media Centre Extenders with DVD Players, Subscriptions to MSDN etc.

What is my Community Group?

Simply put any IT Usergroup, University Computer Club, Corporate Internal Community of Practice, lunchtime meeting at a MCT training centre, Special Interest Group of the ACS, or any group where like minded geeks meet to boast

Where can I get content to demonstrate, like Virtual Machines, software etc?

Speak to your Community Group Leader. We have distributed over two hundred 80GB USB HDD's packed with content for them to share with you.

Is the quality of the video important?

Nope, a webcam or even mobile phone video will do just fine. We're looking for quality of demonstration, not video. State nominees will be demonstrating to a live audience at the State Finals.

Can I enter more than once?

Yes, but not with the same demo.

What about other technologies? Other than Microsoft even?

Absolutely!! As long as your demo contains just one of the launch technologies, you're eligible. You're welcome to demonstrate multiple launch technologies in the same demo, or integrate with other Microsoft technologies (e.g. Windows Mobile, or Sharepoint Portal Server) or even better show us how you can get PHP running on IIS7 or Linux machines connecting via NAP into Active Directory.

Remember, keep it short, keep it compelling, but don't limit yourself.

How will my demo be judged?

We really want this to be a community based event. So each group is free to judge demo's at their discretion. However, we do have judging criteria which will be used for all wildcard entries, as well as at the State and National Finals.

Anyone can get a copy of these criteria by emailing OzHero08. We recommend that Community Groups use these to help them judge the best demo objectively.

Where can I get help?

Speak to your Community Group leaders, email OzHero08, speak to your local Microsoft Evangelist, or if all else fails, email me directly. We've loads of resources, and people who are more than happy to work with you to get a demo up and successful.

When can I start?

Now!

However, please note that the Competition Guidelines, Terms and Conditions, and registration website will be going live over the week-end. Still, if you have a video of you demoing a launch technology, that's less than 10 mins, then get it uploaded to https://silverlight.live.com in the meantime.

The only thing left to ask is if you have what it takes? Are you the Australian Demo God of 2008?