The annual Tech•Ed conference has always been a prime opportunity for software developers and IT professionals to interact directly with Microsoft officials. At Tech•Ed 2003, Microsoft shares the spotlight with a diverse crowd of technology-industry luminaries who specialize in helping customers, students and end users implement and use Microsoft technology.

Microsoft .NET technologies - which have rapidly captured the interest and imaginations of developers, academics and consumers - are prominently featured in Tech•Ed 2003.

The 11th annual gathering, which starts Sunday and lasts through June 5, kicks off with a set of pre-conference tracks, presented by industry thought-leaders from a range of partner companies and academic institutions. The tracks are intended to help attendees gain objective insights into developing and deploying solutions using Microsoft technologies. In the process, these industry leaders can show their wares to a large audience of potential customers.

"These featured presenters include leading book authors, seasoned systems integrators, influential academics and incredible software developers who have a ton of knowledge to share," says Eric Ewing, a senior product manager at Microsoft.