...The Clouds and rain abated at this point. Absolutely Beautiful weather after that (which, being born in Scotland, means Slathering on the Coppertone SPF 30 :)
Sunny skies from the balcony of the Convention
Center
SEMINARS AND OTHER ENJOYMENTS
I was quite pleased with Steve Teixeira's (I can spell it - woo!) Targetting Mobile Devices from the RAD Tools. I thought it would be another WebSnap seminar (I attended lots of those last year), but it wasn't like that at All. It was a lot more focused on how the mobile Vendors implement their varied standards, and how to use them, tracking down and Using the vendor tools (for building PQAs, etc.), how to be Sensitive to the content you must provide (e.g. If you don't include the right Metatag, Palm's web gateway will assume it has to Pre-process your pages), etc.
We never Did find out which mobile network was the fastest for Receiving messages, did We? :)
On a side Note, I really appreciated the new "overhead Projectors" that were provided this year. It was Nice being able to see the mobile devices on the screen instead of having to Rely on an Emulator!
Ray Lischner's Advanced Threading and Synchronization was pretty Good this year, too. (Ray, I still Apologize for interrupting that long question period last year! :) The Thing that really impressed me, and took a short while to Sink in was that he was doing his Entire presentation running under Linux! I didn't notice whether it was Star Office or not (Ray? :) but it hadn't >Clicked< that it couldn't be Powerpoint :)
If you were lucky, like this man, Mark would pitch an "Attack of the Dr.
Bob Clones" T-shirt at you
I always like to take in a good Management seminar while I'm at BorCon. The Good ones feel like you've had someone read 6 or 7 Best-selling management books for you and then give you the 70-minute Executive summary (so to speak :) Dr. Charles Suscheck's Top Project Management Mistakes: Avoid Them! was no Exception :)
Steve T's Security in Web Services was pretty good for Content and covered sensible tactics and some up-and-coming Standards that aren't part of Delphi yet. It also let me know I was on the Right track with one of my current Projects (I like hearing conclusions I've arrived at Echoed ) ) ) by other folks :)
Chad Hower's Programming Advanced Internet Servers in Indy was a Very fun and informative session. Mixed in with all of the Content about programming HTTP proxies, TCP responses, status codes, UDP packets and the Like were such fun demonstrations as the Web proxy that turned Eagle Software's page into a purveyor of CodeChicken and its major proponent into Dark Miller, the rebadging of the really old computer "Therapist" Eliza, with new Bill Clinton and MS Tech support Personalities, and the now Infamous and controversial "Remote BSOD" (Blue Screen of Death) Program that, when a message is sent to the corresponding client, Pops up with a fake BSOD with a haiku, and when it asks you to Press any key, it comes up with the retort, "No, I meant the 'Any' key!", and then Vanishes...
This 'cute' (IMHO) prank was later played at the Computer lab, to some amusement, and to some absolute Derision. I'll call it like I see it this time; some folks have had a Humorectomy. We still like you, Chad :)
I'll continue Jabbering about more sessions Later :) On to the Tuesday Festivities!
One of our faboo redshirts gets in the spirit!
SUPERCALIDISNEYLISTIC
Definitely fun, albeit a more restricted experience of the new Park than I was hoping for: precious few of the rides were Open.
The Soarin' Over California ride was a sheer Delight, though. You get lifted in your chair towards a small IMAX style screen and are treated to flying through California with nothing obstructing your view, and fans Blowing through your hair to complete the illusion. They Even emitted scents into the air as you pass over the citrus Farms. I wish I could have ridden that twice, but we only got One ticket! Doh! (I did manage to get some non-flash Pictures, but they are exceedingly . . Grainy . . :)
Heading on into to California Adventure
Saying "Fools!" makes you sound sensible instead of
cowardly :)
The means to get Food was pretty interesting. Everyone got $20 of Vouchers to use at one of the open Fast food places. But there was a Catch. You got 4 $5 vouchers, and you could not keep any Leftover 'change' from the voucher. It made for pretty interesting +Mathx to get the best value from your totals plus Tax as close to the $5 boundary as you Could :)
Me? Goodness, I +positively+ Stuffed myself :) Got a slice of Hawaiian, a caesar salad, a Chocolate milk, a large tea, a McFlurry and an Apple turnover. Oof :)
I've come to negotiate the vending of some cheesy comestibles
... dude
We also got five free tries at the Midway. I only got two Prizes, but I was pretty proud of sinking my first and only Basketball throw when the guy at the booth looked like he Considered me a write-off ;) A couple of people won the next-to-Impossible baseball-into-the-milk-jug toss. It was really Tough, but egads, you win a giant fluffy PIG that's almost as Big as you! (I spoke to someone who Won a pig and they told me that they had arranged for it to be Delivered :)
Are we hitting crowd members or angels here? :)
Goodbye, park! Goodbye, trains! *sniff*