Following a well-established pattern both Google's and Microsoft's Developer Conferences will take place in May. While Google I/O will be mostly virtual, with just a small audience present at its Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California.  Microsoft Build will take place in Seattle as a live, in-person event. 

You only have to turn the clock back by four years or so to find a time when developer conferences were exciting. Registration would open, tickets would be snapped up like hot cakes and nobody minded standing in line at the event itself to gain entrance to keynote speeches or to fireside talks.

It was the pandemic that interrupted the established order and introduced us to the idea of virtual events. From the organizer's point of view these have plenty of advantages. You can reach a global audience and have none of the problems of travel and accommodation. However, for attendees, virtual events lack the excitement and, of course, the freebies. Google in particular used to reward attendance with the latest tech. 

Google was the first to announce the date for I/O 2023. It is scheduled for May10 and developers are urged to:

Tune in to the livestreamed keynotes, then dive into technical content and learning material on demand. Registration begins March 7 and is free of cost.

Attempting to make a virtue out of being virtual, the I/O website states:

One of the exciting things about a digital experience is the opportunity to reach a global audience. Content will be provided on demand and in different languages to serve everyone. 

Microsoft has now announced two ways to attend its Build conference which is scheduled for May 23 - 25 - in person and digitally. The cost for a Seattle In-Person Full Access Pass is $1,525.00 and is promoted with:

Be in the room for live keynotes and advanced sessions and demos covering the latest technologies and developer tools. Take advantage of exclusive connection opportunities that make it easy to find and meet with experts and peers.

According to Scott Hanselman, the experience is going to be:

 "just like the old day's - but better!

You are also invited to add a Pre-Day workshop on May 22. This will cost another $225.

The alternative, free way to attend Build is digitally. You need to register for a Digital Access Pass which will enable you to watch live keynotes, attend question-and-answer sessions, and join other interactive experiences.

While participating in the virtual event won't have the same wow factor as being in the Seattle Convention centre in person, it will be a convenient way for developers to hear about the latest Microsoft technologies.

More Information

Google I/O

Microsoft Build

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