INETA Home  |  Speakers Bureau  |  Find a UG Near You  |  Become an INETA Member 


*
* *
In This Issue
*
President's Note
Live!
Vista VIP
SWAG
New Services
* *
* * *
*

*
* *
Sponsors
*

Microsoft

Ivis

Telerik
* *
* * *
*

INETA Live!

TechEd 2006
*
* *
 Happenings Around INETA North America (NorAm)

Chris Pels Several times each year the members of the NorAm Board of Directors hold an in-person Board Meeting during a weekend to discuss and plan the services we provide our members, you the user group leaders. These meetings supplement our weekly conference calls. Two weeks ago we held our first meeting of 2006 which included discussions about the new academic speakers program, the start of INETA Live, the monthly meeting information survey, the Northeast User Group Leadership Summit on Sunday 6/11/2006, a number of new programs in the planning stages, and the business aspects of running this sizable organization.

In case you are not aware of our new academic speaker program, with the sponsorship of Microsoft Academic we are sending members of our well known Speakers Bureau to student user group meetings on college campuses. In addition we try to pair up the student user group with a professional group in the area. We feel it is critical to the long term viability of our developer community that we foster the students coming into the profession. Help us out by making any student user groups or colleges aware of this program. It's a great opportunity to add a new dimension to your user group as well. Contact our VP Speakers - Bill Wolff at bill.wolff@ineta.org.

The user group leaders in the Boston area are working together to plan the upcoming Northeast User Group Leader Summit on Sunday 6/11/2006 which is shaping up to be a great event for user group leaders to share their experiences with their peers. Even though it is called the Northeast Regional Summit anyone involved in leading or helping run a user group throughout the world is welcome and encouraged to attend if you are in town for TechEd. Contact Nancy Mesquita nancy.mesquita@ineta.org for details.

Arrangements have been made with the Hilton Garden Inn, 420 Totten Pond Road, Waltham, MA 02451 for a preferred rate of $89 for Saturday, June 10th (can extend date). Individuals will need to call in, provide their own credit card and ask to receive the preferred rate by mentioning INETA. Phone: (781) 890-0100 Online Registration. The hotel is providing shuttle service to the User Group Summit.

As user group leaders you are in a unique position and have a finger on the pulse of the developer community. We really want to hear from you about what your user group is doing, especially any unique events or activities. Did you hold a Code Camp? Did you work with a local charitable organization? Did you hold a special type of meeting? Please contact our VP Marketing - Scott Spradlin scott.spradlin@ineta.org and he will work with you to get the details. Upcoming newsletters will have stories featuring some of these events and activities.

Volunteers Needed If you would like to help INETA and your fellow user group leaders and members for one project or on a regular basis please contact Nancy Mesquita at nancy.mesquita@ineta.org.

As always please let me know if your have any ideas or feedback that we can use help the user group community.

Chris Pels, President, INETA NorAm chris.pels@ineta.org
* *
* * *
*
*
* *
 Web Casts Live from Redmond!
*
INETA Live! Introducing an exclusive new series of Live Meeting presentations designed specially for the community (even more specifically for members of INETA user groups!) by members of the Microsoft product teams - Live from Redmond! Below you will find the full list of the presentations in the Live from Redmond! series available exclusively for INETA user group members. This is a fantastic opportunity for your group members to get a special benefit because their user group belongs to INETA. Be sure to share the information about the presentations and the Live Meeting information for each of the meetings with your members. These Live Meetings have only been advertised to INETA user group leaders. If you don't tell your members about them, there's no other way they can find out.
Date Description
March 27th
8:30-9:30am
PST 		ASP.NET Atlas Introduction
Jonathan Hawkins

ASP.NET "Atlas" is a technology preview that makes it easy for developers to build rich interactive ASP.NET web applications. In the webcast ASP.NET PM Architect, Jonathan Hawkins will provide an overview and show some cool demos.

Join Meeting
Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join
Meeting ID: GQ9RX2
Meeting Key: XB<?)<9hB
April 4th
5:30-6:30pm
PST 		Web Application Projects and Web Deployment Projects
Bradley Bartz

The VS 2005 Web Application Project Model is a new web project option for VS2005 that provides the same conceptual web project approach as VS2003. The Web Deployment Projects provide additional functionality for building and deploying Web site applications that you create in ASP.NET 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005.

Join Meeting
Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join
Meeting ID: 8C97B3
Meeting Key: gX'5xwZ,G
April 12th
5:30-6:30pm
PST 		Crossbow - Building WPF and Windows Forms Hybrid Applications
Mike Henderlight

Wondering how to take advantage of the power of the next generation presentation technology, Windows Presentation Foundation while preserving your existing investments in Windows Forms? This talk discuss key scenarios for integration between the two technologies, and strategies for building hybrid applications that take advantage of Windows Forms and the Windows Presentation Foundation. We show integration from both application perspectives and demonstrate how each can augment the other.

Join Meeting
Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join
Meeting ID: Z3XWMN
Meeting Key: 4:Hz<\*Sg
April 20th
8:30-9:30am
PST 		Essential Tips and Tricks for .NET Compact Framework Application Developers
David Kline

Developing applications for the .NET Compact Framework is very similar to developing for the .NET Framework. There are, however, some important differences and considerations to keep in mind. From best practices to debugging and diagnostics, this session presents the essential tips and tricks for .NET Compact Framework application development, direct from the .NET Compact Framework product team.

Join Meeting
Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join
Meeting ID: FJ2G8J
Meeting Key: 3[6&;FSjX
April 26th
8:30-9:30am
PST 		Improving Your Web Application's User Experience with Atlas
Shawn Burke

Atlas allows ASP.NET developers to add great client-side richness to their web application using server-side methodologies using Extender Controls. Learn how the Agility Team is launching a project to leverage the power of the community to build a library of Extenders for all developers to use.

Join Meeting
Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join
Meeting ID: 54ZNTW
Meeting Key: fm:SM.6b7
May 4th
5:30-6:30pm
PST 		IIS7.0 as a development platform
Brett Hill

Discover a new world of opportunity for developers. IIS 7's capabilities are delivered via modules that you can load, unload, or replace at runtime. Using modules, written in native or managed code, you can implement entirely new capabilities for IIS 7 and the web applications it delivers. In this presentation, you will see how modules can change the client experience for all websites simultaneously without any modification to code on the site level. In addition, you'll see what IIS 7's .net integrated pipeline means for security, configuration, and integration of your applications into a truly extensible web platform.

Join Meeting
Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join
Meeting ID: ZTH9K9
Meeting Key: QZRXm9/wX
May 11th
8:30-9:30am
PST 		Using Cider to build WPF applications
Paul Kuklinski

Check out how the Windows Presentation Foundation Designer for Visual Studio (Cider) delivers a familiar experience for .NET developers building WPF applications. We’ll walk through basic form design scenarios, developer-designer workflow with the Expression Interactive Designer, and look at the design-time experience for some of WPF’s more advanced capabilities.

Join Meeting
Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join
Meeting ID: HWN763
Meeting Key: s<%5^WH=n
May 17th
5:30-6:30pm
PST 		Using ASP.NET 2.0 and SharePoint together
Mike Ammerlaan

This session will cover integration of Windows SharePoint Services v.3.0 and ASP.NET 2.0, and discuss how you can use ASP.NET web parts, master pages, and controls in your SharePoint sites to build powerful web applications.

Join Meeting
Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join
Meeting ID: 273WC9
Meeting Key: QXf6~m"5P
May 23rd
8:30-9:30am
PST 		An Introduction to WinFX AddIn's
Jack Gudenkauf

Have you ever wanted to have your application dynamically load and communicate with generic components at runtime? Interested in how to create independently versioning, mutually distrustful components, that work together? This talk will discuss how to address versioning and isolation utilizing the WinFX Add-in model.

Join Meeting
Meeting URL: https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/join
Meeting ID: XKR6RB
Meeting Key: BQ6s)p~wQ
* *
* * *
*
*
* *
 Your Invitation to Join the Vista Influentials Program
*
The US Windows Vista Client Team has created the Vista Influentials Program (VIP) for our technical audiences in the U.S. The goal of this program is to get Vista beta bits into the hands of our top-tier, valued customers early and often so they have the opportunity to work with Windows Vista prior to its release later this year. We are limiting the program to a very small portion of our audience.

The Windows VIP program includes the following:
  • All major Windows Vista CTP builds until RTM
  • IT Pro Guided Evaluation
  • Developer Technology Starter Block and Evaluation
  • Email communiqué with links to supporting guidance and references
  • Newsgroup support: Deployment topics
  • Private Newsgroups with 48 hour SLA
  • Windows Vista Forums: Development topics
  • Public Forums - Monitored by Product Group personnel but no SLA
  • Compatibility and deployment guidance
  • Other materials may be added over life of program.
We are offering access to this program to INETA members as you are extremely important to the community as well as your organizations. We want to make sure that you have access to the materials you need to evaluate and prepare for Windows Vista.

There is a small one-time charge for the program which covers the shipping and handling charges for the DVDs. The fee is $49.95 (US). There is also a download only version available at no charge; however, we do not recommend this option due to the size of the download files. Downloading the Windows Vista bits can take 5 to 6 hours over a high speed connection and if the connection is lost you must start from scratch. In addition, once the file is downloaded it needs to be burned to DVD to complete the installation process.

We have a limited number of subscriptions available and they will be filled on a first come-first served basis. To access the program go to the Windows Vista Influentials Program site (www.windowsvips.com) and register. You will be asked for a PIN code when you accept the Terms and Conditions. INETA members should use: F9UR663P3

If you are interested in this program we encourage you to sign up early. Once the slots are full the code will no longer be valid.

We look forward to having you in the program!

Brenda Pederson
Microsoft US-BMO Project Manager, Developer Audience
* *
* * *
*
*
* *
 From the Editor
*
Scott Spradlin People have been asking about the "Spring Thaw" box of SWAG that you've come to expect. The good news is we are activily working on completing that project RIGHT NOW!

Those of you from the midwest, have you registered for this FREE event Deeper in .NET? What a great way to hear a group of INETA Speakers Bureau speakers in one place. Look me up, I'll be there.

Archived newsletters are available on the INETA website at www.ineta.org/newsletters.

Scott Spradlin, VP Marketing, INETA NorAm scott.spradlin@ineta.org
* *
* * *
*
*
* *
 New Programs and Services For INETA NorAm Members
*
We have gotten some great ideas from our membership and put the finishing touches on several new exciting programs and services for our members during our recent Board meeting. A brief summary is included below and look for details in the next newsletter.

Cookies New Fundraising Effort
As a not-for-profit corporation INETA relies solely on funds from our sponsors and is always on the lookout for new sponsors. We are excited to announce that in partnership with the Girl Scouts of America we will be selling Girl Scout Cookies starting in 2007. This should be a win-win for both organizations since we represent an affluent, hungry population and the overall sales of cookies should increase substantially.

Tug Of War INETA-Culminis TechEd 2006 Event
As many of you know Culminis is an organization that serves the IT Pro community much like INETA serves the developer community. We have enjoyed working with Culminis on several joint events recently as well. However, that's not to say that we think Culminis is better than us and to prove that we have challenged them to a tug-of-war at the upcoming TechEd in Boston. The event will be held in the Community Center area during lunchtime and will feature a large pit of sludge left over from the Big Dig project in Boston in the middle of the two teams. The first team to pull the other team into the mud pit will be declared the winner. Each team will be limited to 100 people. Look for details on signing up in an upcoming newsletter.

Beer More Meeting Refreshments
A new partnership has been established with a major brewing company that will allow us to provide a keg of beer for every thirty (30) members when an INETA speaker visits your group. "We have been looking for ways to encourage interaction and get discussion going at user groups meetings and we think this will do the trick." says INETA NorAm President Chris Pels. We also hope this will increase attendance at user group meetings or at least make them more interesting.

If you have read this far we hope you realize this is our April Fools article, but in case not this story is a joke! (Everything else in the newsletter is true though.)
* *
* * *
*
Copyright 2006 by INETA
You are receiving this newsletter because you have expressed an interest in INETA by subscribing via our website or by being an INETA User Group leader.  Click here to read our privacy policy, located on our website.