While we won't be able to announce the actual session descriptions until after the holidays, I thought I'd give you some more hints as to the sorts of discussions you can expect to find at MIX.

In general, just about all of the content at MIX is geared toward those who build, design and plan web sites meant to attract consumers. In a nutshell, MIX is about exploring the specific ways that Microsoft technologies can help you find, retain and upsell customers to such sites. The slate of specific technologies covered at the conference runs the gamut from IE7 to Atlas (our new cross-browser, AJAX framework) to Windows Vista to Windows Media Center & X-Box 360 to Windows Live! to our various server and infrastructure products.

Basically, we'll offer four types of presentations at MIX:

• General Sessions are big productions designed to be attended by almost everyone at the conference. Bill Gates' keynote, kicking off MIX, will be a general session. The two or three others will focus on broad scenarios of interest to just about anyone who does business on the web--how to offer richer content and commerce experiences, for example, or how to surface your existing content and services outside the browser on televisions, mobile devices and the Windows desktop.
• Breakouts are traditional lectures that will explore a particular technology or theme. Some breakouts will be geared toward developers, some toward designers and some toward business professionals--there will be plenty of content and activities at MIX for folks in any of these roles. Some breakouts will be presented by Microsoft personnel, but others will be presented by our partners. Sample breakouts might include--"An Overview of Atlas," "Designing Media-Rich Web Sites Using the Windows Presentation Foundation," "Coding For Multiple Browsers" and "Bringing Your Content Into the Living Room with Windows Media Center and X-Box 360."
• Roundtables will be organized much like breakouts and they'll cover the same sorts of topics, but they'll be smaller, more intimate and much more participatory. Generally, a moderator will open each roundtable with a few prepared remarks on the topic at hand, and then kick off a free-form discussion and whiteboarding session. The roundtables should provide an ideal forum in which to get to know your colleagues from around the industry and collectively explore the big issues.
• Finally, Hand-on-Labs will give developers and designers a chance to kick-the-tires on the latest technologies and tools.

See you in March!

R.

Tags: MIX06