I will try to publish information from each presenter as I noted it from the audience and then my scribbled notes.  I can't guarantee 100% accuracy, but the virtual even should show more of this information and the Partner Portal will have the presentations on them in a weeks time.

So... here goes:

Microsoft rarely does a launch even for it's partners 2 months before the "big event".  It is normally the night before.  Scott re-iterated that partners are "extremely important" to Microsoft as they are the feet on the ground talking to customers.  If partners have not seen / heard all the messages, technology, plans then how can they participate and recommend to customers?  It is also worth noting that we do not have a "Bill Gates" for the customer events - his insight was reserved for our partners!

Scott kicked off the day by suggesting that there were 4 areas we were concentrating on (more on these in coming posts):

• Secure Trusted Platform
• Virtualisation
• Next Generation Web
• Business Intelligence

As far as participation goes - there are many ways a partner can participate as highlighted in another blog post, however it will include the new social network community work the UK Partner Team have put together where you can form your own communities as a partner.  Scott showed the new roadmap information and forums / blogs / status information available.

Scott also pointed out (scarily) that the BBC had access to the event as they were following Bill's last year.  Sure enough three small business partners were caught and asked to comment!!

ttfn

David