Read them all here: http://tommymaynard.com/extra-powershell-summit-north-america-2015-0-2015/

When the second day was done and over, I simply didn’t have the energy to do much more than get a shower and watch 30 Rock on Netflix. Yes, 30 Rock — I still have a couple seasons to go. But, just because I didn’t write, didn’t mean I didn’t have another rewarding day. On day two, I attended sessions such as as Dave Wyatt‘s, Keeping Secrets… session, and the combo, two-part session by Jeffery Hicks and Lee Holmes. Each of those were great. Not only do they explain the how in everything, but they explain the why — I think that’s an important distinction, and a requirement for working with Windows PowerShell at the 400-level.

I also got to hear Jim Christopher explain SeeShell and Mike F. Robbins discuss PowerShellGet. They both had a well-thought-out flow to their topics. I recommend these two, without question. I’m looking forward to that future moment when I suddenly remember SeeShell while working on that future project. As well, I can’t wait for WMF 5 to be out of preview, and be ready for down level versions of Windows. PowerShellGet, and especially the PowerShell Package Manager — previously OneGet — are going to make a huge impact on desktop administrators — mark my words.

The final two sessions of the day were quite legendary. First, we heard Don Jones discuss what he knows about — and his predictions for — Nano Server. This was followed up by a QA session with Jeffrey Snover. Yes, that’s as cool as it sounds — especially on a stage this small.

Speaking of Jeffrey Snover, I didn’t get to sit with him again during lunch, but our table did have a second best guest. Don Jones decided to sit with us since “all the spots were taken at the cool kids’ table.” Of course, he was kidding — that’s at least what I’m telling myself. During the conversations with Don, he explained some of the differences between using the Microsoft Campus for the summit and what they had done in the previous year. He indicated that next year’s summit will be back in Washington, and as of now, is tentatively scheduled for the 4th, 5th, and 6th of April, although those dates were actually mentioned on day one. I’m hoping to be there next year, and look forward to venue where everything is in walking distance.

Consider how amazing this event is for a moment: In two days’ time, I sat and ate lunch with Jeffery Snover and Don Jones. The likelihood of that at a big conference is next to zero. Besides all the great PowerShell content, there’s this possibility to actually have conversations with some of the community’s most talented and influential members.

You can watch most, if not all, of the sessions here — seriously, do it, it’s worthy of your time. I’ve been somewhat vague about the session content because my intention is more in line with convincing you to attend — to work on your PowerShell knowledge and skills daily, to be a member of the PowerShell community, and to come out and meet the rest of us. I think I heard Jeffrey Snover say it twice now: it’s his favorite conference. If you’re not going to take my advice, fine, but you’ve got to take his. He’s the inventor of PowerShell; he’s the one that’s been telling us to learn PowerShell — that we’re going to need it (think: Nano Server). We’re System Administrators learning DevOps skills; we’re developers that are thinking operations. We’re blurring the lines, and moving to the front of the line.

One of the most memorial parts of the second day was the evening out. While I could have packed up and easily sat in my hotel room for the evening — I mean, I am a geek; I have a computer — I instead took the offer from Stephen Owen to head out for dinner with a handful of other enthusiasts. Best decision of the summit. I had a great time! I sat at a table at some hip and trendy joint with Warren F, JC, Paul, and Josh Atwell, and had one of the most entertaining conversations, with fellow IT people, in a long time. Never mind that we didn’t talk that much shop, but we laughed our asses off. Josh has to be one of the funniest people I’ve met. If you’re at the summit, do your best to get a seat next to him outside the conference. I also gathered he’s a smart guy, and an author — you go, Josh. Here’s the thing with this conference: everyone is smart. This was an elite group of people. Don’t let that scare you off though — I was there, too.