Windows 10 is right around the corner, and the MVP community has been out in force helping developers, IT pros, and the next generation of game developers get ready. Here are highlights from some great recent global initiatives:
• Windows 10 Developer Readiness – Powered by MVPs! This series of live webcasts delivered first-hand guidance on how to leverage the new Windows 10 development model. Thousands of developers in nearly 30 countries tuned in to learn the foundations of Universal App Development in Windows 10 from local MVPs presenting in their own languages. If you—or someone in your community— missed a session, you can find them all on Channel 9. Just search for “Windows 10 Readiness” and look for your country.
• Microsoft has just wrapped up its BUILD Tour, which brought highlights from Build 2015, insights into the Windows 10 developer platform, and coding sessions for app and web developers to 26 cities around the globe. Well over 300 MVPs participated in the events, providing technical expertise at every event of the tour. Sharepoint Server MVP Doug Hemminger helped staff the “Ask the Experts” table at the Chicago event and reported, “It was a fantastic event with outstanding content and speakers. During breaks and over lunch we had a lot of attendees stop by and ask questions and strike up conversations. For example, I had an in-depth conversation with one person who was trying to evaluate and understand the various app development options for SharePoint on-premises and online. Another person I talked to wanted to understand ways he could better leverage Azure for his custom app. I think I got just as much out of the whole event as the attendees did.”
• The final hackathons for Microsoft Imagine Windows 10 Game Jam happen this week, where the next generation of game developers have come together in cities around the world to learn about how the Windows 10 Universal App Platform unifies gaming across PCs, phones, and Xbox One. MVPs hosted 17 Game Jam events—nearly 40% of the total events—helping students kick off their game projects and connect with a great gaming community. In Seville, Windows Platform Development MVPs Javier Suárez and Josué Yeray Julián served as speakers and mentors, providing some technical sessions on the first day and supporting the 38 attendees during the hackathon that stretched over the next two days. You can see demos on Github.
If you participated in one of these events, let us know what you thought!