For those interested in Cloud Computing, especially those interested in Cloud Computing using Microsoft Windows Azure, there are some events in the Boston/Cambridge area which you can attend in person – one in late November, the others in December – and for FREE (though Cloud Camp Boston offers the option to make a contribution).

Here are the four I know about, in the order they will happen.

1. Windows Azure Firestarter

Tuesday 30-Nov-2010
8:00-4:30 PM
at Microsoft Waltham
More info: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jimoneil/archive/2010/10/07/azure-firestarter-events.aspx
Register: https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032463590&Culture=en-US

2. Boston Azure User Group

Monday 13-Dec-2010
6:00-8:30 PM
at NERD in Cambridge
More info: www.bostonazure.org
Register: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e35km93ff6271cc6&oseq=

3. Boston .NET Architecture Study Group

Group meeting focusing this month on Azure

Wednesday 15-Dec-2010
6:00-8:00 PM
at Microsoft Waltham
More info: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/boston_dotnetarchitecture/

4. Cloud Camp Boston

Thursday 16-Dec-2010
3:00-8:00 PM
at Foley Hoag in Waltham
More info: http://www.cloudcamp.org/boston
Register: http://cloudcamp-boston-2010v3.eventbrite.com/

I may see you at all of them!

Around 25-30 of us gathered together on November 18 to talk about Azure. What else would you expect us to do at a Boston Azure User Group meeting?

1. The featured talk led by Chander Khanna and Nazik Huq asked the provocative question Why choose the Azure cloud? and (not surprisingly!) spirited discussion ensued. The slides are available (see link at the bottom of the page), and there is a blog post titled “Microsoft in the Clouds with Windows Azure Platform?” from Chander which considers some of the same material.

2. An Azure 101 talk was led by Mark Eisenberg. This is a challenging topic to cover, since the cloud has so many interesting concepts, and the audience at any given Boston Azure meeting always includes new faces. More Azure 101 to come at next meeting, Dec 13, 2010.

3. Several members discussed the Boston Azure Project. The most recent build includes some instrumentation changes made by Arra Derderian (part of which reused some code from Jason Haley).

4. After the meeting around 10 of us went down to the Muddy Charles Pub for a beer!

Follow me on twitter (@codingoutloud), follow the Boston Azure User Group on twitter (@bostonazure), join the low volume Boston Azure User Group email list, and come join us at an upcoming Boston Azure meeting such as our SPECIAL NIGHT FOR DECEMBER as we meet on Monday December 13, 2010 for a night of Azure-packed goodness!

As always, to see what’s COMING UP in Boston Azure meetings, check out our Azure-hosted web site at www.bostonazure.org – meetings beyond what is on the home page (if known) are listed on the Upcoming Events page.