User Groups and getting connected
I recommend that .Net developers everywhere check out their local user groups. If there isn't one around you, start one up. You don't need 100+ people to run a successful group; in the first year, WeProgram.Net has gotten between 10 and 30 people to the monthly meetings. With the support of INETA, a user group is not the daunting task you might think it is. You do need a couple (we've got 3 at WeProgram.Net: Mark and Darrell along with me) committed individuals to keep the gears running, but once you get started, you'll find the group takes on a momentum of its own.
For example, WeProgram.Net has partnered with many technical book publishers for giveaways at meetings; there are component vendors who contact us about making presentations and giving away free copies of their components; late last year we learned that a leading figure at Wintellect worked in our area and we've forged a close partnership with Wintellect as a result. A user group can really take on a life of its own! If you need some pointers, just let me know and I'd be happy to help (INETA does a fine job of this too!).
If user group material is too basic for you (as some friends have complained to me in other cities), don't discount the networking opportunities that occur when you hang out, eat some pizza, and check out the latest developments in the programming community. I think WeProgram.Net might err on the side of too advanced in some cases!
There are other ways to connect with other developers. Go to a conference. They all aren't $2,000 bombs to drop on your managers. Devscovery is a steal at under $1,000 (coming to DC late in April!). Check out a newsgroup -- it's a very passive way to stay abreast of the challenges and solutions circulating in the .Net world. Heck, even subscribing to a magazine might surprise you in what you can learn. Besides a good article, I even know some technical types who subscribe to the magazines (like MSDN, CODE, etc.) just to see who is launching ad campaigns and what marketing direction others are taking (based on the advertisements in the magazines).
There was a time when mixing and learning with other developers was much tougher; now it isn't! INETA lists the member groups, so check out the list and get connected!
Happy .Netting!