Microsoft’s .Net message, rammed home at Tech-Ed in Auckland last week, seems to be getting through.
Developers at the three-day technical event quizzed by Computerworld were universally positive about Microsoft’s saturation approach to explaining web services.
“It’s reality; it’s a Microsoft world,” said Shane Wood, a director of Wellington Microsoft solution provider Information Power, after sitting through some of the 60 or so sessions on .Net.
“.Net is fabulous. It could have an impact on the whole development process.”
Wood says Information Power is already using XML and SOAP, two key features of .Net, for health sector projects.
Wood says he hasn’t attended Tech-Ed in the past; he compares it favourably with Hewlett-Packard and SAS Institute events.
“This one is at such a crucial time in the evolution of the technology.”
Aucklander Tim Muhundan, of 3-Tier Solutions, also raves about .Net.
“It’s fantastic.” Muhundan says the beta of Visual Studio .Net, which will be commercially released before the end of the year, carves days off the software development process.
“Creating an event in an event log using C++ used to take hours; now it’s a drag and drop process.”
Andy Williamson of Auckland company Wairua Consulting, who chairs the IS advisory committee at Unitec, was given free entry to the event, which costs most about $1300 to attend.
“It’s a useful opportunity for Microsoft to point everyone in the right direction,” Williamson says. The Microsoft slant of the event is inescapable, he says, but that doesn’t mean it’s not useful.
Phillip Lindsay, the IT manager at Mosgiel-based AgResearch, forked out for five staff, including himself, to attend, and found it worthwhile.