We are running the First 30 Fast Start program in a variety of different countries.  The first WebsiteSpark members who deploy a Windows Server 2008 site will win – each country has slightly different terms and conditions so please review them carefully.  The steps are super easy. All you have to do is report the URL you created!

Any questions please comment or contact your local Developer Platform Evangelism representative.

Good luck and we are excited to see your creations!

Saudi Arabia

Win the most luxurious prize – 300 SR gift vouchers

United Arab Emirates

Win free 110Dhs shopping vouchers at the Mall of Emirates just for reporting Windows Server 2008 websites

Lebanon

Win Shopping Vouchers!Report a Windows Server 2008 site in exchange for a shopping spree.

South Africa

WinshoX mini speaker – share your music wherever you are!

Turkey

WebsiteSpark Üyelerine Çok Özel Kampanya!  Win gift certificates worth 50 Turkish Lira!

Windows Server 2008 kullanın, daha çok kazanın!Free music or templates for one year!

If not a member, please visit http://www.websitespark.com and click "Join the WebsiteSpark "
to continue the enrolment process.

Beyrouth, Liban. American University of Science and Technology. Mars 2011. La semaine dernière, j'ai prononcé un discours pour plusieurs dizaines d'étudiants en informatique sur l'impact des médias sociaux sur la stratégie marketing. Comme un morceau de matériel bonus, j'ai également fourni 7 carrière renforcer conseils de cette session. S'il vous plaît télécharger la présentation des ressources gratuites pour les étudiants ci-dessous (merci à mon collègue, Sekna Khanafer, pour mettre ca ensemble)

Beirut, Lebanon. American University of Science and Technology. March 2011.  Last week I gave a talk for several dozen marketing and computer science students on the impact of social media on marketing strategy.  As a piece of bonus material, I also provided 7 career enhancing tips in this session.  Please download the presentation, and review some free resources for students below (thanks to my colleague, Sekna Khanafer, for putting these together). 

FREE Microsoft Certification for Students

Microsoft is offering FREE certification exams for students.  Get a head start on your IT career!  Hurry, this offer is available on DreamSpark only while supplies last.

Hear what other students are saying about being certified in today’s competitive job market and how it can make the difference in getting that dream job.

PluralSight is a Microsoft partner that is now offering access to high-quality online training solutions for Microsoft .NET developers and its FREE for students!  Click here to find out more.

Announcing YallaApps

Yalla Apps is the new Windows Phone 7 developer portal for the Middle East and Africa region.  You can start right away by unlocking WP7 phones for testing and then submit your applications to Windows Phone Marketplace.  Now you have the opportunity to actually earn money from the apps that you develop and registration is free for students!

Contests and Competitions

Dev Unplugged - IE9 Developer Contest invites web developers to submit amazing web applications and games using HTML5 – a world without plug-ins!  There will be a total of 9 featured prizes and 9 honorable mentions. 

Grand Prize winner is featured on the front page of the Beauty of the Web, receives $9,000 USD and a fully-loaded VIP package to MIX 2011 in Las Vegas. 

The MEA Windows Phone 7 Challenge is a special opportunity for students to design and develop applications compatible on Windows Phone 7.  Students are required to submit applications to compete.  Prizes include a trip to Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, netbooks, notebooks and more!  There is a competition held every two months, with the last round ending May 31, 2011. 

You didn’t have to be in Istanbul to enjoy the largest Microsoft event of the year! Watch the Turkish Cloud Summit(Microsoft Bilişim Zirvesi) online now!   The keynote sets the stage, and all technical breakout sessions were recorded including the Cloud Computing Talk with my colleagues, as well as my first ever Turkish presentation about Turkey’s web story. Hopefully with time my Turkish can only get better!