SQLServerCentral Editorial

Three Days and a Notebook

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This is a short week of work for me, really just today before heading off to attend Microsoft Build 2017. I'll spend the rest of the week watching Microsoft show off their latest tools, ideas, technology, and more at the developer's conference. I'm not speaking (I think) and am looking forward to three days of learning, watching, and getting excited about building software that for the most part depends on data in some way. I'm not sure what will be presented, as the schedule hadn't been posted as of the time I wrote this, but I'm sure there will be plenty of Azure and SQL to go with all the Windows and .NET sessions. I'm especially interested in ways that DevOps is making its way into the Microsoft stack and looking forward to seeing the creative solutions out there.

I haven't attended Build since it was the PDC many years ago. It's been since the early 2000's when I went to a few of these events as a software developer. I first saw Microsoft showcase XML tools in the late 90s and tablets a few years later.  I always enjoyed these shows and after a few years off was looking forward to going back. Then they cancelled the event before it was reborn as Build. I've been trying to schedule a trip for the last 4 years, but scheduling keeps getting in the way. I know, it's a hard life, and I'm not complaining. It's been disappointing for me.

Last year I was actually offered the chance to go speak on behalf of Redgate at a session, and I did go, but with volleyball trips planned with my daughter, I was in San Francisco about 24 hours, saw 1/2 of the keynote and part of one session (besides my own) and then left. Not much of a Build event for me. I didn't even have time to go through the HoloLens line and give it a try. However, I had a few days with my daughter, so I can't complain at all.

This year I didn't have anything scheduled for May and got the chance to register early. I plan to try and leave my computer in the hotel room and work little. Instead, I'll walk around with my notebook, jot down ideas, and just think a bit about software, my career, and where Microsoft is going. This will be my thinking time for the week. Actually, I haven't had much thinking time this year, so I'm looking forward to the break.

I rarely attend any events or training without having some sort of commitment or responsibility these days. I try to fit in a few sessions or a pre-con here and there, but training time and focused time on something other than work is rare. For the first time in many years, I'll actually going as an attendee and doing the things many of you do at SQL Saturdays, SQL Bits, the Pass Summit, and other events. I'll be learning, focusing, racing from session to session, networking, and hopefully overdosing on new technology.

I'll try to summarize notes in a few blogs, and maybe even give a short recap as an editorial one day, but this should be a fun technology week for me.

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