So I was asked recently if there was a place to find the Twitters of RD's. The answer was no…. until now. I have collected the Twitter aliases of the RD's I know have a twitter account.

Here you go… (In no particular order – Well, actually, in the order that I found them - 29 so far) I have also included a link to their RD Profile on the Region so you can get to know your RD's a little better.

Daniel Egan – Long Beach Ca

Twitter:     http://twitter.com/dotnetdoc
RD Profile:     http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1375

David Yack – Colorado Springs, Co

Twitter:     https://twitter.com/davidyack
RD Profile:     http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1330

Michael Palermo – Phoenix, AZ

Twitter:     http://twitter.com/palermo4
RD Profile:     http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1260

Steve Smith – Kent OH

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/Ardalis 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1322

Bill Evjen – St.Charles, Mo

Twitter:     http://twitter.com/billevjen 
RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1203

Brian Noyes – Alexandria, Va

            Twitter:     http://twitter.com/briannoyes 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1203

Michele Leroux Bustamante – Bonita, Ca

            Twitter:     http://twitter.com/dasblonde 
            RD Profile:      http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1204

Derek Hatchard - Moncton, NB, CA

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/derekhat 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1204

Andrew Brust – New York, NY

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/andrewbrust 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1163

Damir Tomicic – Fuerth, Bavaria, DE

            Twitter:     http://twitter.com/Damir  
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1274

Rockford Lhotka – Eden Prairie, MN  

            Twitter: http://twitter.com/RockfordLhotka  
            RD Profile: http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1245

Mark Dunn – Cumming, GA

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/MarkDunnDTC 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1333

Mark Michaelis – Spokane Valley, WA

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/MarkMichaelis 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1380

Mauro Sant'Anna – Sao Paulo, SP, BR

            Twitter:    https://twitter.com/msantanna 
             RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1136

Ken Spencer – Greensboro, NC

            Twitter:     https://twitter.com/kspen 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1142

Gill Cleeren – Tienen, BE

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/gillcleeren 
            RD Profile    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1376

Rob Howard – Frisco, TX

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/robhoward 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1305

Scott Stanfield – Richmond, Ca

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/seesharp  
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1089

Sondre Bjellås – Oslo, Olso, NO

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/sondreb/ 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1334

Edgar Sanchez – Quito,Pichincha, EC

            Twitter:   http://twitter.com/EdgarSanchez 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1119

John Alexander – Lees Summit, MO

            Twitter:    http://twitter.com/johnalexander 
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1154

Carl Franklin - New London CT

         Twitter: http://twitter.com/carlfranklin   
         RD Profile:  http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1175

Richard Campbell– Coquitlam, BC, CA

            Twitter:   http://twitter.com/richcampbell
            RD Profile:    http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1238

Bill Wagner - Ann Arbor MI

            Twitter: http://twitter.com/billwagner
            RD Profile: http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1209

Jonas Follesø - LAKSELV, CA, NO

           Twitter: http://twitter.com/follesoe
            RD Profile :  http://www.theregion.com/profile.aspx?rd=1340

The Pictures came back from the Bill Gates Lunch so I thought I would post them. (Just in case you didn't believe me ;)  )

So I am at Tech Ed 2008 in Orlando and just finished a very long, and very satisfying day. The highlight of which was my lunch with Bill Gates....  The lunch was and Influencer Roundtable with a group of my fellow community leaders (about 15 in all) and Bill Gates. We started off with a group picture (will post soon) and then moved in to start lunch. It was a very casual lunch and we were able to ask him any questions we would like (Within reason, I am sure.) But it centered mostly around what he will be doing after his official retirement and how passionate he is about education. As we took turns asking him questions I was surprised at how casual and open the atmosphere was. Although we did head down some serious discussion topics, there were many times that the room was caught up in laughter after Bill ( yes... I just called him Bill) made a quick witted joke. I found him to be very personable and open and enjoyed the the opportunity to meet and talk to him immensely.  I, of course, made sure that that at the end I made my way over to him to introduce myself one on one and shake his hand. (Actually, I was surprised more did not do this).  I will add the picture to this post when I get it.

Anyway, I have to run. Another big day at Tech Ed tomorrow. I'm having dinner with Steve Ballmer tomorrow  (OK.. I).

Doc  - Daniel N. Egan

In an effort to better support User Groups worldwide, Microsoft is rolling out UGSS User Group Support Services. We at INETA have been, and will continue to be, working closely with this team to better serve the user group community…

Consistency and scale in the services we provide to User Group Communities has been a challenge and a source of consternation for all of us over the past years.

Microsoft is pleased to announce that as of last month's User Group Leadership Summit and based on global feedback, we have a model that delivers progress that can be universally appreciated and used by your local User Group Communities.  Our pilot, User Group Support Services, launches today May 8!

The pilot emerged from community feedback, efforts from UC and Windows and from work led over the past 2 years by the US Subsidiary with their rollout of Codezone in the US.  Thanks to their work and bolstered by the great feedback from the community, we have taken on the commit to build and sustain UGSS as a part of our global offering.  The pilot is available at this time for English speaking regions – but stay tuned as in early H1 FY09 we will have additional language offerings. If you wish to be among the first to pilot this program in your region, please contact mfleming.

WHAT IS USER GROUP SUPPORT SERVICES?

First of all, User Group Support Services (UGSS) does not replace local engagement and local investment. These tools enhance corp-to-user group engagement and have the capability to enhance your engagement with your local Microsoft field. UGGS is a  platform with an underlying framework which drives consistency in how we engage UGs across our Technical Audiences and enables the community to participate in a direct dialog with Microsoft.  The focus of this platform is on providing a process and a portal that helps improve the quality of content available to User Group Leaders for their events and tools that help them manage their groups.

This platform has two distinct offerings:

1. Access to content built specifically for User Group events by Microsoft Product teams
   UGSS has partnered with Microsoft product teams to provide content built specifically for User Group events (demos, discussion presentations and other content). This content will be free to User Group Leaders and available through the UGSS Connect portal. In the future, User Group Leaders can access community led launch event content as well as explore other Beta Connect program opportunities.

• How do I know what's available to me? A user group specific content editorial calendar is available through two interfaces:
  • Public planning interface for Developer through Codezone
  • Public planning interface for ITPRO Culminis – JUNE 2008
• Where can I go to download the content? UGSS Connect portal (user group content download center) is accessible from:
  • MSDN
  • TechNet
  • Codezone
  • Culminis (ITPRO) – planned release for JUNE 2008

• Online user group tools wrapped in a consistent UI
  UGSS framework offers a free set of tools specific to user group management. In the pilot, these services continue to be surfaced through: Codezone (Developer & INETA supported), and for ITPRO will be released through Culminis – planned for JUNE 2008. These services include:
  • Speaker's repository
  • Sponsorship Repository
  • Event management & attendance tracking
  • Member management and communication
  • Consolidated User Group Management Interface
  • User Group Kits: Available in supported regions
  • Study Groups

ADDITIONAL USER GROUP BENEFIT

• Free Live Meeting Accounts for User Group Leaders (contact Culminis, INETA or your local Microsoft evangelist for more details)

Some asks of you..

Because this is a new program from a global perspective, we are looking for your help.

• Evangelize these services in your region.  This includes: Event content, Speaker's Bureau, Sponsorship Repository, and UG Leaders resources
• Help to localize User Group Event Content for your region and offer this for download through the UGSS Connect portal.
• Help to localize the regional feedback into English for Corp to consume and act on

We will…

• Advance the tools/framework based on your feedback
• Provide new content from Product Groups based/impacted by your feedback
• Aggregate your feedback from the interface to participating subsidiaries and product groups
• Maintain UGSS as the one place from which to access all Microsoft content for Community Led Launch Events

FY09 Corporate Deliverables (planning)

• Community Led Launch event kits/cycles:
  • Virtualization Deep Technical / H1/H2
  • SQL Deep Technical- H1/H2
• Days to produce localized versions based on field commitments (plan in place July 15, 2008)
• Editorial calendar detailing content to be delivered (see above)
• New features, to include reporting functionality for User Group leaders, among others. The full set to be communicated in JUNE 2008.

THANK YOU!

We'd like to say a huge "THANK YOU" to you all for moving this effort forward, especially the following User Group Leaders:

• Graham Jones
• Lee Benjamin
• Kaliyan selvaraj
• Bill Wolff
• Brendon Schwartz
• James Johnson
• Eric Selje
• Matt Rigling
• Michael Steinberg
• Robin Edwards
• Shawn Weisfeld
• Stephen Swienton
• Tim Rayburn
• Mike Wells
• Christopher Reed

We are hosting a FREE day-long event at the Microsoft Irvine,CA office all around SQL Server 2008.  We are trying something a bit new in that we'll be providing content for both Developers and for ITPros.  If you are interested in attending, please register at http://www.firestarterevents.com/ as we have limited enrollment capacity.  Also, pass this along to your DBA and ITPro friends who are interested in learning technical information about SQL Server 2008.  We are adding session information to the FireStarterEvents sites daily, so check back for frequent updates!

Depending on the success of this event, we are considering future events like this - that is around a product or technology, with both ITPro and Dev content provided.  If you have time, take the super-short survey on the FireStarterEvents site to tell us which topics you are most interested in.

Fire Starter Events > Home

If you are looking for good overview of LINQ and how to implement it in an ASP.Net application you can check out my LINQ presentation which was recorded at a User Group meeting in Florida. Follow the Link (pun intended) below to watch the video on INETA LIVE. A new interactive companion website to the new main INETA website.

Enjoy.

Doc (Daniel N. Egan)

I wanted to thank everyone for attending my talk on the Past, Present, and Future of ASP.Net AJAX. You will find both the PowerPoint slides and the sample code below. If you have any questions be sure to drop me a line.

Happy Programming

Doc (Daniel Egan)

A PDF Version of the Presentation : LaunchVS2008PDF.zip (1.57 MB)

The Main Project website for the presentation : Launch2008MainProject.zip
Required for Project :
Visual Studio 2008 or Visual Web Developer 2008 Express (FREE)
Downloaded and installed ASP.Net AJAX Control Toolkit

The project showing the Ajax History Injection :History1.zip
Required For project :
ASP.Net Extentions Preview

Don't Miss it!!! Code Trip is coming to your town. I was able to attend both the LA and Irvine Code Trip events and a great time was had by all.

Tim Heuer Woody Pewitt and Jason Mauer (Microsoft DE's) are roaming around the country on a bus to spread the word.

Check out the site and where they will be next at http://thecodetrip.com/

The site is a cool combination of LINQ, Silverlight, Virtual Earth, and other cool MS goodies. If you have time find a location near you and check it out.

Doc