Day one at Microsoft Remix UK 08
Firstly I should state that I come from a Microsoft background, developing both Windows and web based solutions using a variety of their products, attending their conferences, doing their qualifications etc etc etc. However over the years I have come to think that although their products are very impressive, my experience has shown that in many cases the bells and whistles their products are launched with are soon followed by disappointment and frustration as you start to use them.
That said it was with an open mind that I attended Remix UK yesterday in Brighton UK. This event, aimed predominantly at designers has 4 tracks covering developer, design, business and usability topics. It was interesting to see Microsoft trying to engage with the design community, which before the launch of their Expression range of products, they generally ignored.
The main Microsoft presentations still had the feel of being preached at in church but the topic range was very good, with two presentations providing an introduction to Silverlight and a technical overview of the new ADO Data services available in .NET. Bill Buxton gave two talks and sat on a design panel, where he discussed the importance of design and the use of sketching in this process. For those familiar with user centric design this approach won’t be new but it was interesting to see an influential Microsoft employee raving on about it.
There was a good mix of presentations from individuals who had no affiliation with Microsoft, with Brendan Dawes being one of the highlights. So day one was pretty good, with products such as Expression Blend looking like they have a lot of potential for integrating designers into developer teams. I’ll hold off on my final verdict until day two is complete
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