Rick Heiges

It's Official, today!

We have a party for SQL Server 2008 in LA!  The product may not be shipping, but that won't stop us from having our party.

Seriously, Today marks the beginning of a more useful Launch than the 2005 launch.  What am I saying?  The Launch Events will probably be more educational for you this time around because there hasn't been as much focus on having a lot of events on 2008 as of yet.  Signup today for a launch event near you!

In the latest PASS Community Connector, there is a call for Speakers for this year's summit in Seattle in November.  If you have never been to Seattle in November, it really makes you want to learn more about SQL Server in the breakout sessions. ;-)   But seriously, it is a great venue to meet other SQL Server professionals and meet the MSFT who actually write the code for SQL Server itself.  You know that since MSFT is located in nearby Redmond that the place will be very accessible to MSFT developers and managers.

 Also, did you know that the abstracts that are submitted are reviewed/selected by a committee of PASS Volunteers just like you? 

Join other industry professionals and help build the SQL Server community as a 2008 PASS Community Summit speaker in Seattle, Washington, November 18-21.  Act now and submit an abstract by the March 28^th Deadline.

All speakers receive:

• Complimentary registration to the 2008 PASS Community Summit
• Industry recognition
• Networking opportunities with thousands of attendees

Microsoft employees are encouraged to submit presentations using the online submission website.  Please note that any Microsoft submissions will be reviewed and abstract status will be determined by Microsoft.

For more information, please visit our Call To Speakers website at  http://calltospeakers.sqlpass.org/ or e-mail any questions to calltospeakers@sqlpass.org.

3 weeks from today, the launch party for SQl Serve 2008 will be on!  If you are in Southern California, you will be in the "happening" spot.  Enjoy!

Why have a launch without the release of the product?  SQL Server 2008 is more of an incremental release.  There are some great new features in the product, but the bulk of the change was going from 2000 to 2005.  From my point of view, there were many more events and opportunities for education on SQl Server 2005 than 2008.  I was at the Launch of SQL Server 2005 in San Francisco.  It was a great time, but the content at the launch was not new (at least to me).  The content at the launch events over the next few months will most likely be more useful than the content at the 2005 events.  If you are like many folks who still have 2000 in your environment and have some servers running 2005, these launch events will be useful.  If you haven't seen it already, there will be opportunities in your area to sign-up for a launch event.  Another great source of information on SQL Server 2008 will be the local user groups across the nation and worldwide that will be involved in launches.