What your mother doesn't want you to know about TechEd

For starters, I'll be there.

Something else is that we're having weekend certification events, if you know what I mean.

Developers: weekend exam cram

On Saturday, June 7, during the weekend in between the two TechEd 2008 events in Orlando, Florida, we'll be hosting cram sessions to help developers (those attending the event, and those who can get there even if not attending) prepare for 70-536 and 70-562--the combination of which will earn this:

ASP

The format will probably be 1-2 hours of guidance for each exam, led by an MCT to review and prep you to pass. This is not intended to be a beginning course on .NET development--is a brush-up, tips and tricks for the exams, etc instead. This is very good, face to face help from certified trainers who have taken the exams--then you can go right over and take it while everything is still fresh.

You can come to just part of it. For example, if you already have any of your .NET 2.0 certs you already have 536 covered... so you can just come to do the 562 part. Alternately, if you want to go for one of the other .NET 3.5 MCTS tracks, you can just come to the 536 part (which is the first step to any of the new certs--2.0 or 3.5).

  • Focus: prep for exams 70-536 and 70-562
  • Audience: Open to the public - experience with ASP .NET application development - see prep guides for more information
  • Cost: Zero to you (+$50 to take exams at the event)
  • Time/Room #/Registration: TBD

MCSA/MCSE: weekend upgrade bootcamp

On Sunday, June 8, we'll be hosting a full day, free upgrade bootcamp for MCSA and MCSE 2003. You don't have to be a TechEd attendee to go--anyone who can get themselves to Orlando is welcome to attend. We are arranging for space at the convention center, MCTs to lead the sessions, lunch and snacks, all the training materials, etc--then you go pay your $50 to take the exam right on site before you go home.

  • Focus: exams 70-648 and 70-649 to earn two or three MCTS on Windows Server 2008 as described here
  • Audience: MCSA and MCSE on Windows Server 2003
  • Cost: Zero to you ($50 per exam on site)
  • Time/Room #/Registration: TBD

In other news, we made some hats to give out to you certified people at TechED. Black hats. Very street. I'm so hooooooooooooood, in my little Microsoft Certified cap. Drinking a latte, skimming a pamphlet about software in-a-cloud.

FedEx

Mama said knock you out!

The slogans were your top four choices (if you were the first to suggest it long ago, send me an e-mail and I'll send you some, as promised). Actually, they were your 1,2,3 and 5th choices. I implemented a Marketing Override and had Smart As* made instead of allthat+chips, because I liked it more. That's right. I'm not afraid to flex a little muscle.

I say WHEN, I say HOW.

I say... when.