Are rivals banned from attending future Microsoft conferences?

press events and conferences, Redmond is putting up some really good shows lately. Whether it is attributable to the change in management, or the quality or products, is up for debate. But each Microsoft event draws lots of interest from consumers, partners, enterprises, and even rivals. Yes, rivals, because it appears that competing organizations are no longer allowed to attend future Microsoft events, including the upcoming Worldwide Partner Conference. The software titan has quietly banned a few of them, so that their employees are not able to register for a pass. A bit drastic, or something long overdue? You have your say. This report has a Microsoft spokesperson confirm that representatives from some companies are not eligible to attend the event, without going into details why Microsoft changed strategy here. And yes, companies like Amazon and Google are not on the list. Amazon, in fact, was banned from attending Microsoft events earlier this month, along with a few other companies, but Redmond seems to have expanded the list to include other names. Just for the record, this year’s Worldwide Partner Conference takes place in Washington, D.C, July 13 to 17, and although Microsoft it yet to finalize this year’s agenda, the company plans to continue its focus on trends that represent the most profitable models for partners. Cloud, Big Data, Mobility & Devices, Enterprise Social, and Leadership, Sales & Marketing are expected to be the highlight of this upcoming show.]]>