Yes - I've finally reached double figures in this series! Today we meet Nathan Mercer, an IT Pro DPE from Kiwiland.

  1. Who are you, and what do you do when you aren't doing things for TechEd?
    I am Nathan Mercer - a Wellington, Microsoft New Zealand based IT Pro Evangelist
  2. What's the secret location of this year's party?
    The party is stumbling distance away from the venue and hotels!
  3. What track(s) are you running? What sort of things do they cover?
    Windows Client track, so Windows Vista, .NET 3.0, Gadgets, Mobility, Media Center, Tablet PC - all the fun stuff
  4. What else are you involved with this year?
    Making sure the New Zealand event executes well for everyone involved, including attendees and speakers. I'm also presenting a session called Windows Vista Nuggets in both TechEd New Zealand & Australia
  5. No really, you can tell me. Where's the party going to be?
    Better than that, we have a web page!
  6. Why should I go to your track(s) and not a different one?
    Because I have some great Windows Vista content and my session is full of demos
  7. If I couldn't make it to TechEd this year, is there any way I'd be able to get my hands on some of the information presented on your track?
    Yes, and more details to follow after the event
  8. Why should I even go to TechEd at all?
    To learn new things, network with speakers and attendees, have a great time, catch-up with colleagues and acquaintances
  9. How many TechEds have you been to before? Which one was the best?
    This is my 7th TechEd in New Zealand, my most memorable was TechEd 1998 in New Orleans.... IIRC
  10. Why is this years going to be the best one yet?
    Because of the numbers of speakers, attendees, Hands On Lab machines we have. This year is going to rock, especially since TechEd New Zealand sold out weeks ahead of the event
  11. There's a lot of new stuff coming out in the next 12 months - Vista, Office, .Net 3.0, Expressions, and more. Which one are you looking forward to the most?
    Windows Vista in particular, looking forward to demoing the latest and greatest builds to people with my favourite demos

Thanks Nathan. It's just not as fun when the secret party isn't even a secret anymore :)