OK, so what can Tech.Ed first-timers expect when they get to the event, and how do they get the best value fort their hard earned dollar and enjoy themselves enough to come back year after year? This is my Tech.Ed survival guide:

1. Team Up
   If you're going to Tech.Ed alone don't fret. There are 2,000 odd attendees at Tech.Ed Australia. 2,000! This is not the time to be shy. Pick somebody out on the first evening that you think you could tolerate spending some more time with and introduce yourself. Then, whenever you see them during the event, hop on over and catch up on what sessions you've been too, who you've met, what free stuff you've scored, where the best coffee is, etc. Having others to share the experience with is nice..
   
2. Network, network, network
   Following on from point number one, once you've introduced yourself to one person, find another, and another! If you see a bunch of people standing together, introduce yourself to them all at once to achieve a bonus score! Well maybe not, but you get the idea. There is no other event where you'll get this sort of chance again so don't waste it.
   
3. Business cards
   You can be the geekiest geekified tech-head geekzoid in the world and have the best, fastest, easiest to use mobile device for capturing all those tid-bits and new contacts you're going to make but at the end of day nothing beats the simplicity of exchanging business cards. Make sure you have a bunch of business cards with you. It's better if they have a blank side so that you can write notes on them too. If you don't have business cards get some made up. It'll only cost you a few bucks and will make it so much easier for other people to remember who you were and that interesting thing you were telling them about!
   
4. LinkedIn
   I'm going to try something new this year. I recently set myself up with a LinkedIn account and am very impressed with the service and the site. Any new contacts of interest I make this year I'll invite into my LinkedIn network and hopefully they'll do the same to the people they meet. The more people do it, the bigger and better my network gets and I'll know where to look for the details of that person I met at Tech.Ed!
   
5. Don't be shy
   It's already been said more than once, and by the others too, but don't be shy! If you're in a session and there's something you don't understand ask a question. It's better to be embarrassed for a moment than ignorant for a lifetime.
   
6. Coffee
   If you drink coffee (I mean the real stuff) then do yourself a favour and buy it before you get to the centre each morning. Last year there were massive queues at the few coffee carts inside the venue and I saw plenty of people actually missing their sessions to get their morning fix. Find somewhere you can buy a takeaway coffee en-route each morning and save yourself the line up.
   
7. Pace yourself
   You've heard the event is big. You've heard about the parties. You've seen the exspansive session list and may have seen the exhibitors list too. Try to pace yourself. Wiping yourself out the first night only to miss 3 sessions the next morning ain't the best way to go. Likewise visting every booth in the exhibition hall on the first day will probably just make you sick of it by day two. If you want to get the most from all aspects of the event then try to start out on the right foot by getting good sleep in the nights leading up to it..