Now that I have been back for a couple of days and had a chance to digest the summit, I have some observations. I made some of these observations and promptly forgot about this blog post. So I am finishing it up and publishing it in early 2025.
I worked for a great company that didn’t have the resources or desire to send folks to training. For about seven years, I didn’t get to go to any conferences or training. Once I switched companies and was able to start attending training, I really focused more on traditional training. In particular, courses offered by SQL Skills were my preferred route to learning.
The PASS event really appeared on my radar a few years ago, but between COVID and some scheduling logistics it wasn’t an option until this year.
What I Really Liked.
An Old Dog Can, In Fact, Learn New Tricks.
One of my concerns about PASS was the overall depth of technical knowledge. Having looked at the session descriptions in the past I was concerned that it wouldn’t have enough technical depth. It turns out that during most session windows I was able to find sessions that were technical and advanced enough to keep my interest. I came home with knowledge that I can use today to deal with issues.
Not Everyone Is in Love with the Cloud.
Based on conversations I had with folks over lunch at a couple of other meals, the attendees are not as on board with moving databases to the cloud (Azure or something else) as the marketing seems to indicate.
Based on what comes out of vendors, and yes, I understand they are trying to sell stuff, I was starting to wonder if I was the only person not rushing to move all my databases to the cloud.
It Wasn’t Too Insider.
A while back, it might almost have been 6 or 7 years ago. I went to a Postgres event, and I have to say it was a well-run community event. There were a couple of things. It was in Canada (not a problem), but it overlapped with a Canadian holiday, so Hotel rooms were hard to find. I ended up staying in a dormitory where the elevator only stopped on every other floor.
There was one thing: there was almost a constant insider reference to individuals deeply involved in the Postgres community by first name with inside jokes and references. I was new to Postgres then and was missing all of it. The people were helpful and inviting, but the references to the insiders gave the impression that it was a club that I was not a part of.
I have more familiarity with the SQL Server community, so I might have just not noticed it. But insider references, where mostly at a minimum.
What I Would Have Liked To See More Of.
I want to start this section by saying that I realize I have no idea of the challenges of doing what I am about to suggest.
More Sessions
I wished there were more sessions, like one or two more options per time slot.
More Vendors In The Tradeshow Area.
I understand these numbers went down post-COVID and have been going up since then. I also understand this isn’t PASS deciding not to make money.
It would be nice to have had the opportunity to see more of the tools available for the space.
