NIX on Mix 06

Mix06 is NOT Web2 despite Microsoft attempting to portray it that way.

Here's a list of the sessions and my interpretation:

Artificial Intelligence: Using Amazon Mechanical Turk and .NET To Create New Breed of Web App

For anyone who has worked with AI, this isn't AI. It's not Web2 either unless one is under the impression that using Web Services magically transforms an application into a Web2 application.

Building Great Browser Toolbars and Extensions

The browser is NOT the focal point of Web2, nor in some upcoming scenarios is it necessary.

Building Interactive Applications using Windows Live Robots, Activities, and Alerts

Be a lackey for Microsoft and TOTALLY miss out on understanding Web2.

Building Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) Applications for the Browser

Sorry but Microsoft is not the centerpiece of Web2.

Build Your Own Search Engine

Why?

The Business of RSS

More non-news from the Johnny-come-lately gang at Microsoft. What we really need is a standards committee for RSS.

Coding Living Room Apps for Windows

This is being driven by the Microsoft Media Center team and has NOTHING to do with Web2.

A Designer's Overview of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)

Not Web2! Only for Microsoft lackeys.

Designing a Better User Experience with AJAX

AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript And XML) is hot right now. PASCAL was hot in 1990. No one language or mix of languages and technologies will drive Web2.

Designing for Television and Large Screen Display

STILL not Web2, and STILL being brought to you by the Microsoft Media Center team.

A Developer's Overview of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)

Another session where Microsoft hopes to suck any loose dollars out of future Web2 applications.

Developing a Better User Experience with "Atlas"

Microsoft continues to troll for those elusive Web2 dollars.

Digital Rights Management: Technology Overview

DRM is an aspect of downloading or using copyrighted material but its NOT Web2!

Extending Your Experience to Mobile Devices

My experience? They must mean the experience of my site. That will be very feature dependent and not a universally acceptable situation within Web2.

Extending Your Experience to the Desktop using Windows Sidebar

Web2 is ONLY for people who buy Windows Vista? WRONG! The Windows Sidebar is such a cheap non-feature it is beneath discussion unless you are 10 years old. (Sorry if I offended any 10 year olds.)

Extending Your Experience to the Living Room

Another Lets-Beat-A-Dead-Horse session brought to you by the apparently desperate Microsoft Media Center team.

Extending Your Experience to the Office Suite

Office 12 and Web2. Is Office 12 shipping? Want to wait until it does to use it with your Web2 application?

Introduction to InfoCard and the Identity Metasystem

Microsoft hawks up the SmartCard AGAIN and hopes no one will notice.

Making Your Site Look Great in Internet Explorer 7

Instead of doing that, make your site look great in W3 industry standard browsers like Opera or Firefox. The only thing the IE team should bring to Mix06 are their resignations for having sat on their asses for FIVE YEARS within putting ANYTHING innovative into IE.

The Opportunity Beyond the Browser

Yes! There are significant opportunities beyond the browser. I doubt you will encounter them at this session though.

Powering eCommerce with PayPal

Not Web2!

RSS Beyond Blogging: Developer Challenges

The non-standard RSS goes beyond blogging? Maybe. Then again, maybe not.

Using Web Services in your Gadget/Widget

More Windows Vista sidebar crap!

Needless to say, I am NOT going to Mix06 unless Microsoft is picking up all of my expenses. Ha!