TechEd Split in 2008?

Brian Marble asks if they should split TechEd!91B9647DD75C91F9!299.entry back into separate IT Pro and Developer events. If this were up for a vote, I’d vote yes.

The first Microsoft Conference I attended was MEC back in 2002 which just happened to be the final year for that conference. In 2003 they moved to a consolidated TechEd, and while every TechEd I’ve attended since has been a great experience, an event that focused solely on IT Pro topics would be welcome. As it stands, now half the keynotes, half the vendors, half the breakout sessions are simply of no interest to me. I’m not a developer, and while some exposure to what’s new in that world is useful, I can pick that up online. If I’m going to be out of the office for a week, halfway across the country, I want the event to focus on the topics that are important to me. Topics like Exchange Server, Windows Server, SMS… Oops, I mean System Center Configuration Manager. (C’mon Microsoft, is that the best name you could come up with?)

Of course the downside of a split would be fewer opportunities to go to Orlando, which means a decrease in opportunities to visit Walt Disney World. Hopefully it would be balanced by opportunities to visit Anaheim again so I can visit Disneyland.

Seriously though, I hope Microsoft seriously considers this and makes it happen for 2008.