More than 700 developers and systems engineers gathered Oct. 1-3 at The Scottsdale Princess in Scottsdale, Arizona, for DevCon 1999 and SQL DevCon 1999. The two concurrent conferences offered an excellent opportunity for attendees to learn how to leverage Microsoft Office, Visual Basic, and SQL Server in enterprise development projects. SQL DevCon attendees were admitted to the DevCon show at no additional cost. The two concurrent conferences offered an excellent opportunity for attendees to learn how to leverage Microsoft Office, Visual Basic, and SQL Server in enterprise development projects. SQL DevCon attendees were admitted to the DevCon show at no additional cost. Preconference workshops presented by Micro Endeavors addressed the basics of SQL Server administration and database development. Microsoft vice president Tod Nielsen presented a keynote address about Microsoft's development projects and new features in Shiloh, the next release of SQL Server. In another address, Stuart McKee of StarWave, which provides content for the Go network (Disney.com, ABCNews.com, ESPN.com, NFL.COM, NBA.COM, and the Fantasy Baseball and Football Web sites), described how the company uses SQL Server as its primary data platform. He dispelled myths that SQL Server is less scalable or less robust than other database platforms. According to McKee, although StarWave maintains many servers and databases, its support staff has remained small. The conference featured 45 SQL Server technical sessions in three tracks--SQL Server administration, database development, and data warehousing. An international corps of speakers provided focused sessions that were heavily spiced with real-world experience, tips-and-tricks, and keen insider perspectives on getting the most out of the SQL Server investment. "Attendees commented that the sessions were not only free of marketing hype, but also contained immediately useful, real-world solutions and content," says Shirley Brothers, a coproducer of SQL DevCon. "More than 96 percent of attendees said they would return." International TechCon LLC, the producers of SQL DevCon, will bring the next conference, renamed SQL Connections 2000, to the Sheraton Hotel in New Orleans, May 14-17, 2000. For more information, call 800-899-5325 or visit the conference Web site at http://www.sqlconnections.com.