In 2007 Microsoft  launched a new conference called “MIX” It was different from other shows like TechEd or PDC in that it tried to go beyond the usual Microsoft audiences. As a different touch, it took place in Las Vegas instead of the usual Microsoft conference circuit.

 

I was no able to attend It did seem to have attracted designers and some “Web 2.0”crowd. The show was sold out several weeks before and everybody I know that went liked it a lot.

 

Now Microsoft is preparing the next edition (http://visitmix.com/).

 

Microsoft also set up a regular podcast site at http://visitmix.com/blogs/TheSignal/ with news and preparations about the event.

I don’t know if I will be able to attend the event, but if you are involved in designing/development of web sites, I would definitely check it.

I am no enthusiast of the so called “US$100 laptop”, as I previously blogged about: http://maurosjungle.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!F3CEB0849B03B6CC!292.entry.

Today the NGO running the show is officially selling the laptop to the public at http://www.laptopgiving.org/en/index.php. This is the deal: you buy two for US$400 + S&H, get one yourself and the other one will “go to a poor kid in the third world”. Or at least one hopes that a third world official will sign a receipt for it. Or something like that, since any audit will involve several very unsavory destinations and suppliers all over the world. A shady arms deal would involve fewer jurisdictions.

I would say that the deal is more like this: “get one laptop plus the promise of another one being delivered to some godforsaken hole”. Pictures of the happy recipients using the product are already available at the site above. Oh, you’ll get a US$199 tax deduction.

I’ve always said that the cheap computer already exists: it’s called “used computer”. A used computer is:

 

Microsoft has now some licensing deals for companies refurbishing computers. It looks like an “OEM” deal, but cheaper since the original computer is less capable and supposedly already had Windows before, even if using a non-transferable license like corporations usually have. You can check at: http://www.microsoft.com/Education/Freshstart/FSSplash.aspx (charities) and http://oem.microsoft.com/downloads/public/seo/mar.htm (refurbishers).

 

Of course, one can argue that refurbishing a computer is more “environment friendly” than making a new one too.

Microsoft Just announced that it Will split TechEd’08 in two tracks: Developers and ITPros, following its usual internal and site division. More information on www.microsoft.com/teched.

 

Additionally during TechEd Europe in Barcelona today Microsoft made a series of accnouncements. The most important of all is that Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET Framework 3.5 will release to manufacture in November. That is, it’s ready!

 

Other surprising news is that Microsoft “will change licensing for Visual Studio to allow partners to target other platforms”. I am not sure exactly what that means. Is it MacOS? Some flavor of Unix? I will try to find out.