Meetings as Battles

I was in a meeting recently that had some quiet tension to it, at least two different sides represented and everyone waiting to see if it would be quietly worked through or would turn into a thing. Out of nowhere as I’m thinking about the situation I thought of the old Battle Chess program and […]

Checkers, Chess, and Politics

There are few games that don’t have some kind of strategy, from tic-tac-toe on up. Sometimes we take the time to master (or try to) the strategies, sometimes it’s enough to just play. If you just play though, and then decide to play against someone that takes the time to learn the strategies, odds are […]

TechEd 2011

TechEd will be in Atlanta next year, May 16-19, 2011 at the Georgia World Conference Center. I went this year to the one in New Orleans and would like to go again in 2011, though the one wrinkle for me is that it’s the week immediately following SQLRally. I’m expecting SQLRally to be an intense […]

TechEd 2010 – Wednesday

My final day at TechEd. Packed up and checked my bag at the hotel, off to the bus. Noticed that no transportation person there managing things today – whether that’s because we’re fully trained on riding the bus now or just someone calling in sick I don’t know. Arrived just in time to miss breakfast, […]

TechEd 2010 – Afternoon

Noticed that they have ‘overflow’ rooms where they are broadcasting sessions that max out attendance, very nice. Wonder how much they get used? Lunch was BBQ, chopped brisket (not pulled I think – more Alpo’ish), pork. Not as good as yesterday, but not bad. I requested an interview with Torsten Grabs to learn more about […]

TechEd 2010 – Interview With Herain Oberoi

Herain Oberoi is a Group Product Manager for SQL Server and spent 30 minutes with me talking about StreamInsight and BI in general. AW: StreamInsight seems like a specialized in memory db? HO: No, it’s a stream, though it would be fair to call it a specialized use of memory – in memory DB is […]

TechEd 2010 – Tuesday Morning

Leisurely morning, leaving for the convention center about 8 am. Bus service has been great, they have a staff person at each stop managing things, very short wait for a bus. Light breakfast again in the press room while reviewing plans for the day, asked if I could interview Torsten Grab from the StreamInsight presentation. […]

TechEd 2010 – Monday Afternoon/Evening

After the keynote went back to the press room to write up notes (which I posted already), check email, eat lunch (cajun meatloaf) and then off to wander the Expo area. Lots of vendors, though of course not many of the SQL specific, saw Red Gate/Idera/Solid Quality/Confio/Pragmatic Works, maybe others? Big area in the middle […]

TechEd 2010 – Monday Morning

One of the nice unplanned parts of the trip was walking out the front door of the hotel to realize that there was a TechEd bus stop right across the street at the Intercontinental. Saved the $6 taxi fee (or the .9 mile walk). Arrived early at the convention center around 7:45 am, looked around […]

Teched 2010 – Sunday Part 2

Checkin at TechEd was fast, people were moving through very quickly. Photo ID required, get your badge, and then down to a different set of people to get a backpack and shirt. From there grabbed a taxi back to the hotel, enough walking for the afternoon. Cooled off for a few minutes, went through the […]