From the early Sunday morning 5K Run/Walk to the end of the Closing Ceremony, it was another great Common Conference.
The Common Cares 5K is a great way to start the conference and this year was no exception. The brisk California morning air was perfect for the fun run and a great way to help Common contribute back. For this year they raised some funds for the Habitat for Humanity of Orange County. It was great to see some of the same faces as last year as well as a sizable group of newcomers to the event. If you didn't make it out this year, add this as a must for next year. This 5K is for everyone! Whether you’re a seasoned 5K’r, just looking to stretch your legs, want to make new friends, or care to cheer on the participants, come out and take part in this 5K charity event and kick off to the conference. A special thank you to one of our partners, Fresche Legacy, for sponsoring this fun and worthwhile event.
As usual, Surround was in the Exposition Hall showing off our newer development and modernization solutions as well as our tried and true ones. It was great to see a stronger all around interest in modernization as well as such an increased interest in Microsoft .NET solutions. This is the first year that we did not hear any push back or clamoring that Microsoft is the evil empire. Quite the opposite actually. There were a number of attendees that were actively seeking out .NET solutions and many others that were openly curious about it. We were more than happy, of course, to demonstrate the great unity between .NET and the IBM i that is possible and how it can be used as a great modernization technology. Have a look at the Slide presentation that was looping in the background and give us a call at (239) 405-8427 or drop us a note for us to show you the demos.
The Educational Sessions presented by the most respected, skilled and knowledgeable presenters are always the mainstay of the conference. And this years selection was no exception. With over 300 educational sessions, labs, and all-day workshops, this Conference offered plenty for everyone. I have to point out two shortcomings though, I miss having a bit more than just coffee between sessions like we used to a few years back and I would like to see some educational sessions that incorporate technologies like Microsoft .NET.
We had the opportunity to present a couple sessions of our own this year as well. A special thanks to the attendees that made it out for the early 8:00 AM Wednesday session. If you were not able to catch our sessions, have a look at The Top 7 Pillars for Accelerating Mobile, Web and Windows Software Development Slide Deck and Creating Software Your Users Will Love - The Top 8 Keys to a Productive UX on Windows, Web and Mobile Slide Deck and please drop us a note or give us a call, (239) 405-8427, if you want more information.
The Disneyland Closing Ceremony was a fun ending to the conference, well, that is, after that long walk against the tide of exiting park goers. It was great to relax with friends, listen to some music, dance a bit and then take in a few Disney rides. While the 2 rides that were open to just us after closing hours were good, it was a bit more fun getting on the other rides just before, especially when the cast members saw our bracelets and sent us up to the front of the line. Too bad the Matterhorn was under construction!
If you would like to check out some more news and photos of the event, got to the Common User Group Facebook page.
Already looking forward to the Fall Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL and next years Annual Conference in New Orleans.
