ToolBook User's Conference / e-Learning Authoring Conference 2008 Resources

The tenth year of The ToolBook User's Conference and the third year of The e-Learning Authoring Conference (June 13 - 18, 2008) was quite an event. Overseas attendance was at an all-time high, with developers from South Africa, Israel, Denmark, Australia, and the UK all in attendance. They joined developers from around the U.S. to see previews of ToolBook 9.5, learn ToolBook and Flash tips, get introduced to Silverlight, pick up some management tips, meet fellow members of the ToolBook List, and much more. Here are some initial comments:

• After learning a lot, spending time with friends, enjoying the official reception, banquet, music, and the non-official Phantom-Canyon gathering, I feel refreshed and energized.
• I just wanted to drop a note and say how much I enjoyed the conference! I think one of the best parts of the conference was the opportunities to network and establish contacts with experienced ToolBook and Tracker.Net users.
• I thoroughly enjoyed the conference. I made some good contacts and was very impressed by the cooperation exhibited by attendees, both individuals and vendors. It's quite a refreshing change from some experiences in the past.
• It was another great TBCON!!!!

Here are a few highlights:

• The 2008 Archives for Attendees application.
• TBCON 2008 Group Photo

SumTotal Systems ToolBook Design Awards

Congratulations to these design award winners:

• Best Content in Healthcare - Ian Minderman, Humana, Inc.
• Best Content in Manufacturing / Hi-Tech – Margie Grande, Malt-O-Meal / Iris Peceny, Goodrich 
• Best Mobile Learning Content - Tom Hall, TCC Publishing Inc.

Thanks go to SumTotal Systems for sponsoring this contest. Sheri Miller did great work judging all the excellent entries and hosting Show & Tell sessions that featured both the entries and other notable applications!

Hack Ack

The topic this year was Olympics. Mauro Rech and Lee Jay Karns (aka Mr. Peabody) incorporated some old video by Andrew Gould into a funny "blast from the past." Dane Williams created a hilarious Olympic showcase with special events from below the Mason-Dixon Line. Lucy McKain chimed in with an excellent Olympic animation. Despite two rounds of audience judging led by Bob Culver, there was no clear winner. So we all agreed that all three entries tied for 1st!

Jeff Rhodes got things started with TBCON Olympic winners for attendance at TBCON: Bliss Bignall and Tomas Lund (7); Tom Hall, Peter Hoyt, Jamy Krulikowski, and Simon Price (8); Denny Dedmore (9); Tim Barham, Lee Jay Karns, Mauro Rech, and Jeff Rhodes (11 including TBCON Europe in 2001). This was followed by SumTotal Olympics with prizes given for correctly answering Asymetrix/click2learn/SumTotal questions. A highlight was Brad Crain knocking over a water pitcher when tossing a T-shirt to a "lucky" winner:). 

• I thoroughly enjoyed the conference. I made some good contacts and was very impressed by the cooperation exhibited by attendees, both individuals and vendors. It's quite a refreshing change from some experiences in the past.  (2008)
• All of the sessions were very informational.  (2008)
• My favorite part was the preconference hands-on sessions.  (2008)
• I loved it all!! Excellent sessions, nice people, good food. Very well organized!!!  (2008)
• The conference cost is extremely low for its value. I paid much more just for the tickets.  (2008)
• Best were the dinners, get-togethers, and meeting the other folks.  (2008)