Barcelona Pictures

The light around here is fantastic. So I've taken some pictures.

Cute Sunshades

I think it is called "contre-jour"

Lovers of Tony Hawk on the PS2 should beware

Another tree picture

The TechEd Universe

Earlier this year I was lucky enough to go to the Imagine Cup finals. These are organised by Microsoft and provide a great opportunity for students from all around the world to take part in the finals of a whole bunch of different electives. At the time I reflected that when you were at the finals you were effectively at "Planet Imagine Cup" where normal rules don't apply and we could all revel in fun technology.

I'm presently in the TechEd universe. This setup is huge. Everything is bigger this year, from the venue (there is a huge extra building I've not even been in yet) to the number of sessions. They have crammed an extra day's worth of material and have provided a big thick book with tear out pages to keep track of what is going on.  All the sessions are being recorded, and delegates can view the ones they missed.

I was here last year, and they seem to have found a way to make it even better. Wonderful stuff.

Micro Framework Fun and Games

Today Dave Baker and I strutted our Micro Framework stuff in front of our TechEd audience. Someone had rather kindly told Dave that "He must be mad to present with Rob". If I had a pound for everyone who has said that.....

We had some very nice toys to show off

The talk went very well, in spite of the fact that I told my favourite and second favourite jokes. I'm saving my third favourite for the talk tomorrow. We gave away a bunch of T shirts, a copy of the book and a complete development kit, so there were some very happy delegates. We had loads of questions, which I reckon is a good sign.

At the start of the Dave and Rob show

After the talk I headed off to "Ask the Experts" and spent a happy ninety minutes admiring all the new .NET Micro Framework platforms that seem to have appeared since I last looked, and meeting up with Roger and Colin, who had come al the way over from Seattle to run some porting classes and talk to delegates.

The way that Microsoft are prepared to send over the people who actually make their stuff always amazes me. Delegates can actually talk to the programmers who actually make the products they are working with. It must be hugely expensive in time and effort, but I'm jolly glad they do it.

Sunny Barcelona

Had a nice flight out to Barcelona this afternoon. Paid the "Tall Persons Tax" to get a seat with leg room and the flight was fine.

This isn't Spain, I took it at the airport in Leeds

The conference starts tomorrow. We are on at just before tea.

Long Lens

I bought a long lens for the SLR today. It wasn't expensive, but it seems to work quite well. Of course it is unlikely that I will encounter anything worth photographing, but if I do, and it is in the distance, and I have time to do the lens swapping thing, I'll post the pictures.