DevTeach Day 3

Went to Derek Hatchard's WPF talk first today - I found it easier to follow than YAG's talk yesterday. Maybe that's just me? Derek is also from New Brunswick, and I've been following his blog and PodCast.

Then back to the SQL Server side for a bit: Peter DeBetta, spoke on XML in SQL Server. Then Brian Noyes on the SQL Compact Edition.

Next, Julie Lerman's Hacking ClickOnce. The session stuck to unsupported fixes to common problems. Interesting stuff. But it got me thinking again about the old web app/smart client argument again.

Remember when people were arguing that ClickOnce solved the distibution problem, so we didn't need to deal with complex web apps anymore? The fact that we need a Hacks session shows that didn't really work out. So then everyone says that Ajax is the answer - sure, lets add more complexity to those web apps. Now SilverLight claims to bring those worlds together - we'll see. I'm not holding my breath yet.

Not that each of these things doesn't have it's place - clearly they each solve a different problem. But most of these things end up overpromising and underdelivering.

Julie said something about MSBuild, and I made a note to myself to read up on that. Then I looked at the schedule, and Claudio Lassala was talking about it in the next session!

Tomorrow I'll sit in on the SharePoint post conference session with Rod Paddock and Jim Duffy.