Microsoft IT Community Day

On Friday, March 16, 2007. Microsoft Pakistan held Microsoft IT Community Day at GCU Lahore. The main objective was to build a synergy amongst the various Microsoft communities. Another objective was to help the particants of Imagine Cup 2007 to compete more effectively by telling them about the tools and techniques available.
Being an MVP I was requested to give a welcome address at the occassion, and I happily did that. One of the speakers reported a couple of days before the event that he'd have a night duty at the office and might be unable to deliver his presentation. So, I was requested to do it in his place. I agreed.
It wouldnt look good, though, to see too much of me on the stage, so alternate arrangements were made. Unfortunately, the backup speaker couldnt make it either due to late night at the office, so I was requested at the last minute to do the session. I noticed that the only other speaker who was present was delivering a session on SOA using Web Services. The session I was supposed to backup for was on Web Services, too. So, I decided to make late breaking adjustments and delivered a session on Windows Vista, XAML and WPF instead.
We started more than an hour late due to late arrival of the coaster from Islamabad which was bringing some Imagine Cup 2007 participants and the other speaker. I made a quick welcome address, invited the Dean Faculty of Sciences to the stage for a few quick words. Followed by that, I delivered a very quick presentation on Imagine Cup 2007 so that we finished in time for juma prayers.
After the prayers, Rizwan Ahmed delivered a session on SOA, followed by my own on Windows Vista, XAML and WPF. Vaqar Khamisani from Microsoft Pakistan was there close to the end of my presentaiton and had a few quick words with the participants. This was followed by lunch and departure to the Bowling Alley at Fortress Stadium. I followed in my car but before reaching the Alley, I had to divert because I had to go to LUMS.
In the end, it all worked out, OK. I helped bring a delayed event back on schedule. I gave out some giveaways to the audience and joked with them to ease them out a little. Overall, they had been very quiet all day.