As an IT pro navigating the rapidly shifting terrain of Windows technology in a wheezing economy, you might be wondering whether you can afford to attend a conference (or, heaven forbid, a Windows IT Pro subscription) this year. If you're fortunate enough to have any T&E dollars to spend, consider investing them in the four-day Minasi Conference 2009, April 19-22 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The conference, now in its fourth year, is unusual among Windows conferences in that it's organized and presented entirely by members of the MR&D online community, all of whom volunteer their time and expertise at the event. Among the presenters this year are some well-known Windows IT Pro authors: Mark Minasi, who will present two sessions on Windows 7; Nathan Winters, who will talk about the future of email with Exchange and Online Services; Eric Rux, who will talk about merging two companies from an IT point of view; and Curt Spanburgh, who will speak on software as a service (SaaS) and hybrid solutions. (See Curt's article "Do You Drive a Hybrid?" for a preview of his presention topic.)
The conference costs $450 for 3 1/2 days of technical sessions; hotel, airfare, and meals are additional. (Conference entertainment is included, though--see photo below.)
Conference chair Eric Rux presents a gift to Mark Minasi at the 2008 Minasi Conference
For more information, go to http://web2.minasi.com/forummeet2009/forummeet2009.htm. You can register for the conference here.
Recent articles by Minasi forum members on Windowsitpro.com:
Mark Minasi
Hyper-V to the OS: Enlighten Me
Forfiles Processes Scripts--without Scripts!
Windows 7 Makes Vista Valuable
Eric Rux
Tool Time: Test Connectivity to Remote Email Servers with TestMX
Enterprise Random Password Manager 4.0
Adding a Global Group to the Local Administrators Group
Curt Spanburgh
Do You Drive a Hybrid?
SharePoint Backup Tools
Don’t Shoot the Application
Nathan Winters
Exchange 2007 Shortcomings
Backing Up and Restoring Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, Part 1
Exchange 2003 SP2's Direct Push Technology