PDC - the comments
I seriously think that Microsoft generate more anger on this (non?) event than anything else.
We are all here supportive of their products, but it seems that Microsoft marketing strategy is not really coherent with the community.
I think it's a mistake to create some elite. In US, it works if you are rich, but for the rest of the world, we certainly have another idea about the word community.
Anyway, here we go with some comments I received with no particular order:
- On PDC location:
Robert Scoble
One problem: there can only be one PDC. Why? Because the PDC only happens when Microsoft is going to unveil a big new platform. Or, in the case of this year's PDC, three new platforms (new VS, new SQL, new Windows).
Also, what makes the PDC the PDC? Microsoft employee participation. Do you realize that every Microsoft employee has to justify attending to their boss (and their boss has to pick up the cost?)
Turns out we're not expecting to make a profit on the PDC, even with Microsoft paying for employees to attend.
For a Microsoft employee, it's already hard to justify going to a conference like this. If you add in a 19-hour flight somewhere, it'll be even more difficult. And, there can only be one PDC, not a series. So, no matter where we put it, people are gonna gripe about having to fly 19 hours to come to it (if it's in Europe, Asia, for instance, would have to fly, and most of America). If it's in Asia, then everyone else won't come. It's a real hard problem.
When I planned the VBITS conferences we held them all over the world, but the ones in San Francisco were always better than the rest (and demonstratably so). Why? Most of the world's Microsoft developers live within a five hour flight of San Francisco. Our European and Asian conferences were always about 1/5th the attendance, and not as good technical content.
Phil, believe it or not, this conference +is+ that expensive. Did you realize we're not expecting to make a profit on the conference? Even at a $1800 price tag. Translation: attendees will get a lot of value out of this event, even though the price is high.
Paschal
And Robert when you say attendees will get a lot of value out of this event, you are seriously thinking that a couple of DVD, a T-shirt 'I was at the PDC' and a bunch of pencils worth the money :-(
Robert Scoble
Paschal: no. I'm saying that having a relationship with the teams that are building the technology that your livelihood depends on, is worth the investment.
Um, we have 55,000 employees. 25,000+ of whom are employed in the Seattle area. Most of the major decision makers live here. Most of the execs live here. Most of the key teams are located here. Yes, we have R&D labs all over the world (we have a great face detection team in China, for instance) but most of it is here in Seattle.
Hey, I want a Mercedes Benz, too, but...
Sorry you can't be there. I couldn't attend Gnomdex for the same reasons (I couldn't afford it). We all have to decide what's important to us and our careers going forward.
- On PDC
Robert Scoble
How much can you afford? Did you realize that we're not making a profit on the show? Remove Comment 22794
Paschal
Robert I think 500$ would be a reasonable price but 2000$, no thank you.
I like Microsoft, but in my real world, my rela company don't pay for some fantasy like this one.
It's truely sad but that's the truth !
I wrote too much so I just posted it on my weblog: http://weblogs.asp.net/pscott/posts/22804.aspx
Paschal, unfortunately, it costs us a lot more than $500 per person to put an event of this size and quality on. Did you know that every Microsoft employee who attends has to pay too? And their group is being charged almost the entire full price.
Have you ever been to a serious developer conference before? (Ala VSLive, or PDC, or TechED?) It doesn't sound like it, since you're calling them fantasies. These are by far the best way to get technical details about bleeding edge technologies.
Robert, yes I was at many many conferences... in Europe !
OK maybe the word fantasies is a bit too much. I love all the technical events, but why not doing something outside the US, when MS pretend to be a worldwide company ?
I missed TechEd this year for the first time, and yes it was expensive too, but the ratio price content was more realistic.
It is a shame that conferences in general cost so much - not a reflection on MS, it's just a fact of life. Perhaps if there were small satelite conferences in Europe with live satelite links?
Ray Jezek
dont they just post a lot of the information from the conference on the site anyway after its over? Heck there were like 5 MSDN-TV segments from teched on architecture alone... i feel like i was there... so why pay all the $$? It's probably a nice place to be seen and what not but getting the scoop on a "futuristic" product isnt very useful.. unless your company adopts the technology in beta or the first week it comes out (which some people do.. especially those who build components as a business, etc...). I went to the PDC info site and was dissapointed to see the whole thing was on whidbey and yukon because that makes me thinks it's just a week long advertisement for these up-and-coming-cant-live-without products of the future. I would rather spend $$ on a conference that provided me with information that would be valuable using the tools i already made an investment in.
Thats the practical side... the other side of me thinks it would be really cool to be there and see all the new stuff...get a head start on the up-and-coming next wave, etc...
unfortunately the practical side usually pays the bills... ;)
- Some other comments:
Brian Graf
Unfortunately, there is no image that says: "My company doesn't have the budget for it and it is WAY too expensive for an interested developer to pay their own way."
I'm sick of hearing about all the great stuff I'm going to miss. I didn't go to the last PDC either. I survived. Missing this one won't kill me.
Thanks brady. I didn't intend on starting a flame war, I just want to be able to buy the DVDs with the sessions. If I recall correctly, in the past we've been able to buy the DVD for the teched sessions as MCTs. Pretty valuable stuff to dig through.
I was still in college during the 2000 PDC and I recall reading all the news as it trickled out about the PDC. And then the kicker: they all got compilers for .NET. And I didn't have it. I was like getting a glimpse at your christmas presents in November and sitting waiting knowing what was in store for you. Sure you knew it was cool, but you had to wait two months to get your hands on it.
brady gaster
yeah, but it's funny how what you think can sometimes inadvertently start a flame war, people choosing sides, yada yada.
and i can definitely tell you're a teacher - we rock at coming up with metaphors like that. excellent, simpson (to quote my cohort).
Charles Cook
The blog parody was spot on in many details but scanning through Scobleizer this morning one particular fragment of the Robert Scoble take-off came to mind:
... Career advice. Link to friends. Link to other friends. I love working at Microsoft. Come to the Professional Developers Conference. Link to friends. Link to other friends ...
I know Scoble is a now a MS evangelist but, please, I'd prefer not to be reminded what seems like every day that there is a conference called the PDC this October (for example). I'm unlikely to get sent there on a business trip in the current econmic climate and I'd be stretched to justify the cost of a personally paid trip to my nearest and dearest. I know it sounds like its will be a great conference with lots of exciting new stuff but thats precisely why I don't want these frequent reminders I will be missing out on it!
OK I stop there but a lot of not-be-there are still commenting on this, and Robert Scoble seems to be the MSFT White Knight on this.