What I am most looking forward to at Driver DevCon...
On This Page
Don Burn: ...is learning about the coming changes in the Windows Driver Development environment, and networking with my fellow Windows device driver developers.
I can think of no time in the last ten years that the Windows Driver Development is changing as radically as it will in the next year or so. The introduction of plug and play and the Windows Driver Model pale in comparison with the impact the current Microsoft efforts will bring.
First, we have the Windows Driver Foundation (WDF); this is first truly new driver model since Windows NT. WDF will fundamentally change driver development providing new capabilities and eliminating much of the drudgery while improving quality. Further, the various driver teams in Microsoft are adopting WDF, so we will finally see a single core interface set for driver programming.
If WDF is not enough, the DDK is undergoing a major transformation to the Longhorn Driver Kit (LDK). The kit is changing from a pure development tool to an integrated development and testing environment. Besides the LDK, there is the promise of new tools such as Static Driver Verifier and significant improvements in previously released tools such as PREfast.
Most important to me is the chance to interact with other driver developers at Driver DevCon. Getting to know the experts from Microsoft and elsewhere is incredibly valuable to any Windows driver professional. Going to feedback sessions and giving input to the Microsoft developers on their efforts can make a difference. Listening to problems and solutions my peers have struggled with has given me new insight in my driver development efforts. Meeting face to face with the experts in our field can start relationships that can help your work for years to come.
Thomas Divine: ...is that it is one of the few events that I consider "the real deal" for Windows driver developers.
Of course one thing that I look forward to is the presentations, handouts, DVDs and yet another souvenir backpack. :-)
But the thing that actually makes DevCon worthwhile are the hours "in the back room" in relatively small specialized breakout sessions under NDA. At past DevCons almost the complete Microsoft development team was present - along with a bunch of other developers who are significantly brighter than yours truly. The dialog was frank and meaningful throughout the room and everybody was listening. The agenda wasn't set in concrete. Instead it "evolved" and adapted to fit the needs of the developers who were actually present.
For a Windows driver developer it would be difficult to find a room filled with brighter people that actually speak your language (at your IRQL).
Another thing that I am looking forward to at the next DevCon is information concerning Windows Longhorn. Longhorn has been under development for the past few years and "tastes" of it have been provided to developers in past WinHEC and DevCon conferences. I believe that at this DevCon we'll find out "what's in" and "what's out" and have a little better notion of "when" we need to be ready to support it.
I certainly hope to see you at DevCon!