Day 1

There's no disguising it, Tech*Ed has got smaller. The number of attendees is only slightly down (5250 to 5000 or so) but...
*comnet (although pleasingly spread about the conference space) is much poorer. No office, no outlook (OUCH!), feedback much more laborious, only 90Mb link
* transport - this year no transport from the airport. It only cost us 4.05 euros each, but when you don't get your metro T10 until the venue that adds another 1.30 to get to conference in the morning.
* exhibiton is much smaller. Disguised by placing in between the 2 halves of a split dining area, and a smaller comnet space, it's probably only 1/3rd the normal size
* dining - for a few days it's a pack up not a full sit down hot meal
* hands on labs - reduced in size, hidden away at the top of the conference venue - but at least it's well away from the cigarette smoke!
* some key speakers (external) are missing - Rafal, John and Sally on AD

Hmmm

Content seems to be holding up so far