SSWUG and PASS
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Hi all,
are there any members of PASS and registered users of SSWUG out there?
Is it something worthwhile?
Cheers,
Frank
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Frank Kalis
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url] -
I'm a member of PASS, although not very active during the last couple of months. What I found really worth the money are the annnual conferences (PASS Summit). No better place to learn and meet other SQL Server Pro's. The webcasts and chats are also pretty good, though the times are somewhat inconvenient for us Europeans.
Anyway any European SQL Server DBA is more than welcome since they try to get more active around here and maybe organize another big event in Europe.
[font="Verdana"]Markus Bohse[/font]
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The PASS conference is very worthwhile. Not as sold on the value of the web site - but I might be biased!
SSWUG - again, I'm biased, but I see little value there.
Andy
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quote:
The PASS conference is very worthwhile. Not as sold on the value of the web site - but I might be biased!the only problem I see is to convince my boss, that being a member of PASS is essential for my full time job.
I like the idea to go on conference to America
Here in Europe M$ seems to like holding conference in Barcelona. That should also be worthwhile.
Cheers,
Frank
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Frank Kalis
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url] -
Not sure about SSWUG (biased as well).
PASS conference is a good place to learn and meet people, not sure about the added value of the association.
Steve Jones
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I'm a member of SSWUG. I'm not renewing my membership. I don't like the site and haven't used it in the last 6 months. I've never gotten an answer to ANY of my posts. Yet I have no trouble getting responses at this site and the other tech site I use.
I think SSWUG might be great if you want to attend conferences, etc. But I'm going to give it a pass. I got a free subscription to SQL Server Magazine as a member, but it'll be cheaper to just renew my subscription rather than renew my membership and get the mag for free.
-SQLBill
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quote:
Here in Europe M$ seems to like holding conference in Barcelona. That should also be worthwhile.I've been to TechEd before and must say it's more about Windows and Exchange. If you're looking for SQLServer stuff PASS is definetely the better choice. TechEd is also a lot more expensive even if you have shorter trip. If I remember well, just the conference fee is more than twice the money you pay for PASS.
quote:
the only problem I see is to convince my boss, that being a member of PASS is essential for my full time job.Don't we all have this problem? I'm lucky that my boss is always willing to invest in training and education.
[font="Verdana"]Markus Bohse[/font]
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I went to Teched this year, about $1200 if you signed up early (they have have an MCP discount). Lots of developer topics, very well managed conference, worth attending in my view. Not as tightly focused as Pass, but it has a different goal. If you were debating VBITS vs Connections vs Teched, I'd say Teched if travel wasn't a factor. Haven't been to PDC so can't say how it ranks.
Andy
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Well, I'm biased too, but I'll try to explain a bit about the differences between PASS/SSWUG.
PASS is really quite focused on their outstanding conference, and rightfully so. The conference is solid, a great place to learn and network. Very cool.
SSWUG ISN'T about conferences, though we do help sponsor SQL Server Magazine's conference. SSWUG is about supporting the online community. We have a daily newsletter, weekly newsletter, articles on SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, XML and more topics coming. In addition, as someone mentioned, we do buy you a SQL Server Magazine subscription free with your annual membership (making SSWUG something like $6/yr. in cost). We also send out shirts for domestic members.
We have full-time staff looking for articles from around the world, working with authors for original content and doing reviews in our labs.
In addition, we financially support local user groups, and we help them with speakers, software for giveaways, promotion of their events in the online calendar and newsletter, etc...
Just wanted to toss my (biased) two cents out there.
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Stephen Wynkoop, Founder
THE SQL Server Worldwide User's Group
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Hi
Im an SSWUG member, its pretty good as a general portal and cheap- main thing i get from it is the daily emails re key events and happenings in 3 core spaces im interested in (oracle,sql,xml), so it saves me a bunch of time in that respect. My forums in SSWUG dont work and never have, and the book reviews are all amazon links, which I cant stand personally has its purely used for income gen for the site and not really benefiting me in terms of more focused comments etc. The benefits from SSWUG are pretty good as well in terms of discounts etc.. give it a go! 🙂
Cheers
Ck
Chris Kempster
Author of "SQL Server 2k for the Oracle DBA"
Chris Kempster
www.chriskempster.com
Author of "SQL Server Backup, Recovery & Troubleshooting"
Author of "SQL Server 2k for the Oracle DBA" -
Hi,
thanks to replies, though they didn't make a decision easier
I had my subscription to SQL Server mag, before I was aware of SSWUG.
BTW, is there a better mag than this?
As for Markus.
There is no problem getting money to spent on training and education if it's somehow job-related, but if you look in my profile and see what I'm doing full time you'll know what I mean.
Cheers,
Frank
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Frank Kalis
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url] -
Pass conference (november) is very good. Almost no sales-blabla. Very good technical presentations and THE place to meet your peers and exchange ideas and experiances. Hope to go back this year, but I'll have to prepare a suitable and acceptable prospect for my boss, so he'll approve.
Johan
Learn to play, play to learn !Dont drive faster than your guardian angel can fly ...
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I spend more time on this web site then SSWUG. The two sites serve different purposes so I do both.
As to PASS vs. TechEd I think PASS every year and TechEd every other year works for me. I am more production focused then I am a developer. Spend more time supporting developers then coding...my take is if you do signficant coding you are unavailable for signficant periods of time for support and meetings. It is hard to do both--one or the other tends to suffer.
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I'd love to go to PASS, but conferences are considered part of our training budget, hence the reason I've never gone.
But every time Brian, Andy, and Steve come back from PASS, there are some really juicy details. As far as SSWUG is concerned, I get the newsletter every morning and scan it. I may not see an article I want to look at every time, but it's enough to keep me signed up.
Also, keep in mind that both represent organizations that are directly related to SQL Server, and hence, resume builders. This shouldn't be the primary reason you pick either one, but it is a small side benefit.
K. Brian Kelley
http://www.truthsolutions.com/
Author: Start to Finish Guide to SQL Server Performance Monitoring
http://www.netimpress.com/shop/product.asp?ProductID=NI-SQL1
K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley -
Hi jamyer
quote:
I spend more time on this web site then SSWUG. The two sites serve different purposes so I do both.although I'm a registered guest with SSWUG, I haven't looked to deeply at the site.
Can you elaborate more on 'different purposes'?
Cheers,
Frank
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Frank Kalis
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Webmaster: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs
My blog: http://www.insidesql.org/blogs/frankkalis/[/url]
But every time Brian, Andy, and Steve come back from PASS, there are some really juicy details. Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
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