<rant>Ok. Let me start by saying this article went through a couple of revisions to actually tone things down because it was truly a “rant” in the Dennis Miller/Lewis Black style. So, in advance, let me absolve my company, my managers, my clients and my co-workers from any and all implications that they might have anything to do with anything. Let’s just say that my rant really is to those whiners who I don’t know at all who complain about lost training budgets and opportunities. Rats, I think I still offended people! Oh well … flame on then!
It is true I run into many people complaining that they do not know about the latest advances or even the best-est practices in .NET from the 3.5 stuff through MVC through the Cloud or Silverlight or even SharePoint. Name something new and there is a whiner whining about not getting a chance to learn about it at a conference or trade show in Vegas or Orlando. Awwww. Yes, I was once addicted to Tech·Ed and their exotic locations (I missed Boston!) and really felt that I, too, was missing out on keeping up with things by suddenly not going due to budgets and busy client work. But I got over it …
Why, because, believe it or not, just about anything you can get from a trade show you can get from just going to your local user group! And if that is not enough, you there, user group leader, make it possible for yourself AND your people! Down on the Cloud, request a speaker! Silverlight out of sight, go to some other user group in the area that might be covering it or, for heaven sakes, do a webinar which are so popular and way better technology-wise than they have been in the past. Can’t get your user group venue going because of budget then go to FREECONFERENCECALL.COM, get a number then download SharedView from Microsoft and do small 15-person meetings at a time with live demonstrations that your audience can “touch” if you want (you can turn off the annoying mice images if your people are precocious but if they are like that then they must have energy to really get into it, right?)
In short no more whining especially if you are running your own user group … and if you are not, JOIN ONE (assuming someone who would like you to join them probably forwarded this to you somehow … hey, they are only trying to help you, ok?) With training and travel budgets down, we really should be seeing busier and more frequent User Group meetings, right?
Right! </ rant>
All that said, if you are able to take advantage of any of the conference discounts or other events included in this newsletter or the training offers on the User Group Members Offers page, take advantage of those as well as all your local groups have to offer.
-- from the INETA NorAm February 2010 Newsletter