Microsoft has tapped open source advocate and Web 2.0 evangelist Tim O'Reilly to join Bill Gates in kicking off its first MIX conference in March. As previously reported, MIX is designed to showcase the company's renewed investment in the Web through development of new technologies and programs.

Windows Live, Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Vista will all play a central role in the conference, which is targeted at both the entrepreneurs, or strategic thinkers, and the "implementers" -- a group that includes developers and designers.

In addition to O'Reilly interviewing Gates after his keynote, Dean Hachamovitch, head of the Internet Explorer team, will speak about the future direction of IE. Microsoft corporate VP of the eHome Division Joe Belfiore is also on the list of speakers for MIX.

"For the content, we've posted the two main scenarios that most sessions at MIX will be focused on, which are Next Generation Content & Commerce and the User Experience Beyond the Browser," explained Microsoft evangelist Jennifer Ritzinger.

Notable session topics include Windows Live Robots, Windows Presentation Foundation, applications for the living room, digital rights management, the Windows Sidebar, InfoCard, RSS and blogging.

Ritzinger also clarified whom the $995 conference in Las Vegas is targeted at.

"Developers will have the opportunity to attend sessions where they can dive deep on content and geek out (in a good way!), designers will learn about the new Expression tools and how to create richer user experiences, and business professionals will be able to mix-n-mingle attending sessions on the Windows Vista and Internet Explorer roadmap, and learning how to further monetize their web offerings by hearing from Microsoft and other industry leaders."