Mort at the PDC (Updated)

I'll be there. Although some folks think that Mort doesn't go to conferences, I've always felt that going to the PDC was essential. The PDC is important for two reasons, from a Mort perspective. First, Mort needs to know where the Microsoft is platform is going because there's really no other mainstream platform for Mort (except for those of us who are still doing COBOL on the mainframe which despite what the industry cognoscenti would have you believe is still very much a mainstream platform). VMS and DECBasic are dying off. Java never had a place for Mort. The Linux community is virulently anti-Mort. Apple's always focused on ease of use for the non-programmer (not that there's anything wrong with that, it just doesn't make it a good platform for Mort). Morts know that the Microsoft platform is our natural home. When they start planning on major renovations, we need to be prepared.

 

Second, Mort needs to be at the PDC to remind the product teams how important we are for the success of Microsoft's platform. With the exception of the Visual Basic team, most of the product teams at Microsoft don't understand Mort. The PDC is our chance to let them put a few faces on that persona. Most Morts don't have the time to blog, speak at conferences, or talk to the industry press. We really prefer to deliver value to our employers and spend time with our families. The PDC is our best chance to provide direct feedback to Microsoft on what we really need from the platform.

 

<ShamelessPlug>If you're a Mort (or think you might be … I really need to do the Jeff Foxworthy thing for Morts), join me for a BOF session to discuss whether this year's PDC will have a real impact or not.  <Update> This session was accepted. Join me at 9 PM on Thursday, September 15th. I'll update again when I know the room.</Update></ShamelessPlug>