Microsoft axed its Fall Professional Developers Conference (PDC), and it's got the blogosphere all a-twitter with speculation about the reasons. If they accepted the reasons that Microsoft gave--developers already have access to what they'd get at PDC--there wouldn't be any controversy. Microsoft is right: Developers don't need PDC '07, and there's a fair argument to be made that developers don't need PDCs, per Microsoft axed its Fall Professional Developers Conference (PDC), and it’s got the blogosphere all a-twitter with speculation about the reasons. If they accepted the reasons that Microsoft gave–developers already have access to what they’d get at PDC–there wouldn’t be any controversy. Microsoft is right: Developers don’t need PDC ’07, and there’s a fair argument to be made that developers don’t need PDCs, period. One major reason to attend PDCs past was to nab the CD packs containing preview releases of Microsoft’s developer tools, OSes and Windows Server System components like SQL Server and Exchange Server. Those previews are no longer hot property. Everyone with broadband access can download pre-release Microsoft products and trialware of its shipping software. Where PDC as a learning, networking and hobnobbing experience is concerned, Microsoft’s Communities bring it all together, and you can birds-of-a-feather without making yourself presentable. You needn’t be sheepish about bailing out of a lame session five minutes in, and nobody cares what’s in your other browser window. Micrsoft still throws one show worth attending. Deep knowledge of OS fundamentals, server performance scaling and system administration, which every Windows developer should have and which is harder to acquire on-line, is the domain of Tech-Ed. That’s always been true. Tech-Ed ’07 starts next week, but airfare is cheap, registration is still open, there are lots of hotel rooms and I’m sure you can talk your boss into it. PDC ’07’s euthanasia does bring the pain to one group. PDC gives third-party vendors of Windows development tools, books and libraries a shot at a captive audience under the Microsoft big top. There are lots of non-Microsoft Windows dev shows, and banner ads and Ad Words are cheaper than booth rental. This gang, too, will get by. The greatest disappointment voiced by developers is that they’ll miss their yearly fix of Microsoft swag. Fear not; it can be replaced. Never let it be said that I don’t have my finger on the pulse of the Windows enterprise developer community. Technology Industry