What's in this issue
The APAC .Net Channel
.Net User Groups in APAC
Australia
Bangladesh
China
India
Malaysia
New Zealand
Singapore
Sri Lanka
If you would like to include your user group in this list, please drop the editor an email.
Newsletter Team
Darren Sim
About INETA
INETA is the next evolution in user group communities—a non-profit, independent organization, chartered with supporting all user groups interested in the Microsoft .Net platform.
INETA is run by a Board of user group leaders, elected by their peers, and supported by Microsoft Corporation and other sponsors. |
Happenings around Asia Pacific
User Group Support Services is now LIVE
The following announces the release of User Group Support Services to the Developer and ITPRO technical user group communities. This release officially retires the Codezone branding and launches the UGSS mission: to support Developer and IT Professional User Groups worldwide in their success! Please ensure your local user groups are aware of this and encourage them to register at www.ugss.codezone.com!
Some benefits includes getting Extra $ for Your Events, getting People at Your Events, getting Great Stuff to Show, and much more!
The Microsoft MVP Award Program Blog
The Microsoft MVP Program has recently launched The Microsoft MVP Award Program Blog, showcasing some of the amazing and inspiring contributions of Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professionals! With a fresh new post each day, learn how MVPs are helping technical community watchers like you to find information and share knowledge with a global audience. Take a look at the blog, be inspired and tap into the rich knowledge and connections of our awesome community! The blog is currently in English but we do feature non-English content.
Free TechNet Plus Direct Subscription
In recognition of the tremendous work done by technical user groups around the world, and in particular the Culminis, INETA and PASS associations, Microsoft would like to offer each user group a free one year subscription to TechNet Plus Direct. Each subscription will be for a specific named individual, but of course that person can then use the subscription to help the user group members as appropriate within the terms of the license.
One member of your user group will be given a one year TechNet Plus Direct Subscription. TechNet Plus Direct is a premium yearly subscription that offers access to a comprehensive set of resources and tools designed to help IT Professionals evaluate, deploy, and support Microsoft products. During the subscription year, the chosen user will have access to the following TechNet Plus Subscription Benefits:
- Evaluation software: Download and install over 70 titles of full version Microsoft software, without any time limits, for evaluation and proof of concept purposes
- Pre – Release Betas: Get access to selected Betas before release to general public
- TechNet Technical Library: Download the updated Microsoft Knowledge Base to your device, and have access to security updates, service packs, resource kits, utilities, technical training, and product documentation eLearning Courses: Each subscriber has the opportunity to take three selected (recently released)
- eLearning courses: every quarter. A total of 12 for each subscription year.
- Managed Newsgroup Support: Receive a reviewed response to any query posted on a TechNet Newsgroup within 24 hours
- Online Concierge Chat: Access 24/7 instant message chat support with an online search professional that can help you locate specific resources.
- Technical Support Incidents: Access two Technical support incidents per subscription year, and a 20% discount on additional support.
- TechNet Magazine (availability varies by region)
Please note that this offer is valid during 2009 and is restricted to one subscription per user group. If your user group is a member of Culminis, INETA and PASS you are still only entitled to a single subscription, not to three. In order to take advantage of this offer you will need to provide Microsoft with the contact details for your user group and for the member who will hold the subscription. By providing this information you grant Microsoft the right to contact you regarding this offer and other user group related matters. You also grant Microsoft the right to pass your contact information to the Culminis, INETA or PASS associations in order to validate your membership.
To register your user groups free TechNet Plus Direct subscription, please complete the form at https://connect.microsoft.com/UGSS/Survey/Survey.aspx?SurveyID=7794&wa=wsignin1.0. Once this form is completed, the subscriber will receive an email with details of how to register their account within a few days, at which time they will also be able to select a language option for their account.
Collaboration with Toastmasters
A collaboration had been formed between Microsoft, PASS, INETA and Culminis, to help members build their presentation skills. Click here to download the ToastMaster Microsoft User Groups Letter
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Sanjay Shetty,
President, INETA APAC sanjay.shetty@ineta.org
| Editor's Note |
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As we usher in this new year, we're faced with a deepening global recession, resulting in massive job losses across the globe. Asia has not been spared as well. As governments have been pouring in various resouces in the economy, it's also a good time for us to gear ourselves with some new skills.
Darren Sim
Editor, INETA APAC
darren.sim@ineta.org
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Usergroup/Community Activities around APAC |
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Indonesia
- Indonesia Mini TechNet “Unified Communications (UC) In A Box”
Mini TechNet “UC In A Box” kicked off at the Microsoft Innovation Center (MIC) at ITB, Bandung, West Java, reaching out to 25 attendees. This event was specially organized for the Microsoft User Group Indonesia (MUGI) Bandung community, for whom many were very passionate to watch the live demo from start to finish. 5 speakers comprising of MS Indonesia IT Pro Evangelist, 2 MVPs (10% participation) and 2 MUGI community member demonstrated live deployment of Unified Communication in the following areas:
Singapore
- Singapore MVPs Gathering & ‘Lou Hei’
Laughter rang forth from Bobby’s @ Chijmes on Jan 21st, but it wasn’t the pub scrumptious food that made the patrons chuckle in delight. The symphony of joy came from 26 energetic folks comprising of MVPs and Microsoft folks who were gathered in Bobby’s @ Chijmes to reconnect with one another. Organized by the SEA MVP Team, 18 MVPs (54% participation) and 9 Microsoft Singapore local office folks comprising of the DPE/Local office and SEA MVP Program Team gathered for the quarterly Singapore MVPs get-together, to kick off the New Year and to welcome the Year of the Ox with the traditional ‘Lou Hei (tossing of Yu Sheng)’. At this gathering, the new SEA MVP Lead Windy Teo and 2 new January MVP awardees were introduced to everyone and MVPs took the opportunity for professional and personal networking. Deepest appreciation goes out to the 18 MVPs (Alvin Lau, Boon Tiong Lim, Chester Chen, Dennis Chung, Darren Sim, Eugene Tan, Jay Paloma, Loke Kit Kai, Mohammad Choirul Amri, Mohd Nizam, Maung Maung Phyo, Riwut Libinuko, Pom Figueroa, Shaji Firoz, Stephen Monteiro, Steve Sofian, Tian-An Tan & James Ronald McCutcheon) and also to the DPE/local office team (KC Phua, Chris Oh, Chewy Chong, Eugene Fabian, Keith Kok, Jocelyn Villaraza and Apurva Lawale). May the Year of the Ox be a bullish year for all!
India
- Jaipur .NET UG Community Event
On the 27th December 2008, the Jaipur .NET User Group conducted a community event, which covered an Overview of SQL Server 2008 and WESS Overview, PowerShell demo, IE8 Beta demo, targeted at IT Pros, Developers and Students.
- devCONNECT
The MaduraiDotNet Student User Group organized Launch Event of SQL Server 2008 on 4th and 5th January 2009 at K.L.N. College of Information Technology. Sessions covered includes Evolution of Windows 7 Desktop, Visual Studio 2008, Live@Edu & DreamSpark, Microsoft Robotics Studio, Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Building RIAs with AJAX and Silverlight.
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