[WinDays 2007] What's in a conference bag?

I've really seen a quite few conferences so far - from small INETA events at local pubs to large-scale Microsoft conference like the PDC in Los Angeles.

But every year I visit the Microsoft WinDays conference [1] in Croatia I'm really impressed.

Why I am impressed, you ask?

Maybe...

• ... because of the fact that a country with ~ 4.5 million residents organizes a 5-day Microsoft conference with 8 (and at some points 10 parallel tracks) and attracts more attendees than we usually have here in Germany (and the conference is mostly held in Croatian).
  
  
  
• ... it's held in Opatija [2] where other people (mostly older people, to be honest) go on vacation. Maybe that's the reason why WinDays attracts many international, well-known and top-ranked speakers like Rafal Lukawiecki [3], Damir Tomicic [4] and my Thinktecture fellow Christian Weyer [5].
  
  
  
• ... WinDays is probably the only Microsoft conference world wide which offers two warm meals every day to its attendees. First around 1 pm, and later at 7 pm.
  
  
  
• ... that there is a official Microsoft Party every day, accompanied by one or two sponsor parties (you would have loved the HP girls) and the famous Heming Way [6] pub down in the harbor right next to the see where you could find mostly all technicians and Microsoft officials until late in the night (and greet them at the conference at 8 am next morning).
  
  
  
• ... or was it "just" the conference bag? Indeed, the topic of conference bags doesn't sound too exciting. It has developed to a common for conferences to hand them out, so today a conference without it is unimaginable, but the contents is mostly very boring. Well, not at WinDays!

The conference bag

Yes, that's not the "usual conference crap", but an original, high-quality Samsonite laptop bag! The past two years I had one (got at WinDays 2005 obviously) and I'm very happy with it since it's very robust.

Contents of this year's conference bag

Some highlights (besides the amount of party invitations) include:

• Webcam & Headset
• 4 port USB hub with cup warmer
• sun cream (very important since the venue, Opatija, is located directly at the Adriatic see and we had sunny 24 °C)
• Survival Kit (containing coffee and juice)
• ... and more.

The speaker's gift

And the speakers got a handy USB Powered Vacuum cleaner:

The conference shirt

The shirt showing this year's WinDays motive (it's the 7th WinDays).

--

Summing it up, WinDays 2007 continues the tradition and will certainly remain exceptional: this conference is really different!

Thanks to Luka Abrus [7] & the rest of the WinDays team for organizing it and making it that different.

[1] www.microsoft.com/croatia/windays/english/

[2] http://www.opatija.hr

[3] http://www.projectbotticelli.co.uk/

[4] http://www.tomicic.de

[5] http://www.thinktecture.com/staff/christian

[6] http://www.discoseven.hr/hemingwaygallery/

[7] http://luka.dizzy.hr/

FW: Outlook 2007 Update Available

Forwarded this great news from the Official SBS Blog:

[Today's post comes to us courtesy of Mark Stanfill]

There is a new patch available for Outlook 2007 that fixes performance issues with large PSTs/OSTs.  We highly recommend applying this patch on all systems with Outlook 2007 installed.  If you are preparing a new installation, this patch should be applied in addition to the steps outlined in http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;926505 .

Direct Download:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c262bcfd-1e09-49b6-9003-c4c47539df66&DisplayLang=en

KB article:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=933493

Don't like the vshost.exe? You can turn it off!

Dominick [1] pointed me a great tip today how to turn of the hosting process (vshost.exe) [2]. This might be interesting for those of you who are debugging applications on Windows Vista with UAC manifests, which sometimes has strange side effects.

[1] http://www.leastprivilege.com/

[2] http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms185330(VS.80).aspx

You are looking for a not-too-expensive code-signing certificate?

I was looking for one recently and I found this:

"Comodo (www.instantssl.com - a great, cheaper alternative that has its root issuer already installed as a trusted root certification authority)."

Source: http://www.softinsight.com/bnoyes/CommentView.aspx?guid=78d107d1-3937-4d8d-81d9-73cb6ae18eee

Of course, Code Signing certificates are available from several other vendors as well.

Microsoft maintains of trusted third-party commercial certificate authorities at: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms995347.aspx

Happy signing!

-Neno

WPF/XAML in Action: Showcases

The powerful combination of WPF and XAML is finally showing up as real and quite useful applications. See a few examples I've found so far:

• Electric Rain STANDOUT
• OTTO-Store (German)
• "Doninoken" (found via scorbs.com...)
• British Library: Turning the Pages 2.0 (found via scorbs.com)
• The New York Times Reader
• DENOUNCE - Podcast Listener and Blog Reader
• NOSTALGIA - Yahoo! Flickr Browser and Photo Manager
• DA.CODE - Interactive Trivia Game
• HARMONY
• CINE.VIEW
• 90 Degree's Radius - Report Designer for SSRS (trial must be requested; found via Tim Sneath's blog)
• Interknowlogy C-ME (Collaborative Molecular Modeling Environment) (found via Tim Sneath)
• Interknowlogy 3D Collaborator (same as above)
• Notescraps (Shareware; found via Tim Sneath)
• FNAC (French online shop for electronics; found via Tim Sneath)
• TF1 (French television; found via Tim Sneath)
• Weather News (via Somasegar)
• iBloks (via windowsvistablog.com)

Know more impressing real-life-examples of WPF/XAML usage? Drop me a line.

Have fun exploring!

XNA: The new way of creating DirectX applications with .NET (2.0)

If you build DirectX applications or serious games using DirectX and want to use the benefits of the .NET Framework, then XNA is the way to go.

The XNA Framework is a class library built upon the .NET Framework 2.0. Right now only the Express Edition of the Developer IDE is available. XNA can target Windows as well as XBox.

(Note: the previous Managed DirectX class library was depricated by Microsoft.)

• Microsoft XNA Game Studio Express 1.0
  XNA Game Studio Express enables hobbyists, academics, and small, independent game developers to easily create video games for Windows and the Xbox 360 console. Requires an Express Edition of Visual Studio.
• Microsoft XNA Framework Redistributable 1.0
  The XNA Framework Redistributable provides game developers with the XNA Framework runtime libraries that they can include with their product for redistribution on Windows XP.

Multi-Tasking: Good or Evil? or: Do one single thing at a time!

Well, I guess we all knew it somehow that we waste time when working on more than one project.  Jeff Atwood has the proove and some interesting figures on his blog [1].

[1] http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000691.html

WPF: Build true 3D user interfaces

As Tim Sneath puts it [1], the WPF team made a very special announcement in their WPF3D Team Blog [2] and released the 3D Tools for the Windows Presentation Foundation [3] as a free, open-source download on CodePlex.

These tools allow you to create WPF applications with 3D user interfaces - where you can use the well-known controls like sliders, text boxes, etc. and hit testing, hovering etc. just works!

Hopefully people we will not get the same effect which appeared after the first version of Visual Basic where all buttons got pink just because all of a sudden it was extremly easy to specifiy a color for it...

So use the new feature set wisely and in a decent manner!

[1] http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2006/12/13/new-in-wpf-build-a-true-3d-application.aspx

[2] http://blogs.msdn.com/wpf3d/archive/2006/12/12/interacting-with-2d-on-3d-in-wpf.aspx

[3] http://www.codeplex.com/3DTools

Vista: Keyboard Shortcuts for more Productivity

Noah Coad [1] posted some new Vista keyboard shortcuts [2]:

New Vista Commands

• ALT + Up Arrow
  Move up a folder (to the parent folder)
• ALT + Left Arrow
  Move back in history
• ALT + Right Arrow
  Move forward in history
• Backspace
  Move back in history
  (was move up a folder in WinXP)
• CTRL+N
  Open new explorer (a file must be selected)
• ALT+Drag&Drop
  Link to item (creates a shortcut)

More Vista-specific shortcuts can also be found at [3].

[1] http://blogs.msdn.com/noahc/default.aspx

[2] http://blogs.msdn.com/noahc/archive/2006/11/14/vista-keyboard-shortcuts-for-windows-explorer.aspx

[3] http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/2503b91d-d780-4c80-8f08-2f48878dc5661033.mspx

Windows Vista: Keyboard Shortcuts for more Productivity

Noah Coad posted some new Vista keyboard shortcuts:

New Vista Commands

• ALT + Up Arrow
  Move up a folder (to the parent folder)
• ALT + Left Arrow
  Move back in history
• ALT + Right Arrow
  Move forward in history
• Backspace
  Move back in history
  (was move up a folder in WinXP)
• CTRL+N
  Open new explorer (a file must be selected)
• ALT+Drag&Drop
  Link to item (creates a shortcut)

More Vista-specific shortcuts can also be found here.

Wanna print this? A printable version can be found here.

Update (Aug 12 2009): All Windows 7 shortcuts can be found here.

At the horizon: What are Microsoft's plans for the next version of Visual Studio - code-named ‘Orcas’?

"Orcas" is the code name for the next version of Microsoft Visual Studio - "the next generation development tool for Windows Vista, the 2007 Office System, and the Web" as it says here.

What's planned for "Orcas"?

• VSTS Improvements in load & unit testing such as unit test for devices (as mentioned here)
• Version Control and Work Item Tracking Performance & Scalability Improvements
• Orcas Version Control Performance Improvements
• A new look for Annotate

So far all the content links to Brian Harry (MS)'s blog.

 

Want to try it early?

[Download CTP] (it's a VPC of the Visual Studio client)

FIX: .NET Framework 1.1, SendKeys and Windows Vista

Microsoft released an update for enabling .NET Framework 1.1 applications to use the SendKeys command under Windows Vista without experiencing the "Hook cannot be created" error message (as explained in this KB article).

• Download: Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 Update for using SendKeys under Microsoft Windows Vista

Download Tips: Do more with your Visual Studio 2005

Visual Studio 2005 is finally released, but there's more you can add to your Visual Studio for free to do be able to achieve even more.

Here are my findings so far:

• Visual Studio SDK
  This is the final release version of the Visual Studio 2005 SDK for use with the RTM versions of Visual Studio 2005. Includes the SDK as well as the Team System Extensibility Kit (with Team Foundation Server PowerToys).
• Refactor!™ for Visual Basic® .NET 2005 (by Developer Express)
  Refactor! is freely available to all Visual Basic .NET 2005 developers and offers a comprehensive suite of tools that enable you and your team to simplify and shape complex code - making it easier to read and less costly to maintain.
• Visual Studio Team System Customization Toolkit
  Used to graphically manage process templates, work item types, and global lists.
• Web Services Enhancements (WSE) 3.0 for Microsoft .NET
  The Web Services Enhancements (WSE) 3.0 for Microsoft® .NET is an add-on to Microsoft Visual Studio® 2005 and the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 that enables developers to build secure Web services based on the latest Web services protocol specifications.
• LINQ Project (Preview)
  The LINQ Project is a codename for a set of extensions to the .NET Framework that encompass language-integrated query, set, and transform operations. It extends C# and Visual Basic with native language syntax for queries and provides class libraries to take advantage of these capabilities.
• Windows Workflow Foundation Beta 1.2 for Office "12" (Preview)
  Provides developers with support for building Windows Workflow Foundation applications with release versions of .NET Framework 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005, as well as Office "12" (Beta 1).

Application Blocks & Samples

• Composite UI Application Block for .NET Framework 2.0
  This application block is [...] provides proven practices to build complex smart client user interfaces based on well known design patterns such as the Composite pattern, in which simple user interface parts can be combined to create complex solutions, but at the same time allowing these parts to be independently developed, tested, and deployed.
• Enterprise Library for .NET Framework 2.0
  The patterns & practices Enterprise Library is a library of application blocks designed to assist developers with common enterprise development challenges. Application blocks are a type of guidance, provided as source code that can be used "as is," extended, or modified by developers to use on enterprise development projects.
• Visual Studio 2005 Automation Samples
  These code samples show you how to build VSMacros projects, add-ins, and wizards to make your teams more productive and to customize Visual Studio 2005 to the ways you like to work.

IntelliSense XML Files

• IntelliSense XML Files for Visual Studio Tools for Office Developers 
  Adds summary descriptions of types, members, and parameters to IntelliSense ToolTips in code and in the Object Browser for Microsoft Office Word 2003, Microsoft Office Excel 2003, Microsoft Office Outlook 2003, and Microsoft Office 2003 Shared PIAs in Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 and Visual Studio 2005.
• SharePoint Portal Server 2003: IntelliSense XML Files
  This download includes updates of the XML files used to produce IntelliSense® information about the Microsoft® Office SharePoint Portal Server and Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services managed object models within the Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET integrated development environment (IDE).
• Windows SharePoint Services: IntelliSense XML File
  This download includes an update of the XML file used to produce IntelliSense® information for the Microsoft® Windows® SharePoint® Services managed object model within the Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET IDE.

Code Snippets

• Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office IntelliSense Code Snippets
  This download contains 71 IntelliSense code snippets for use with Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office.
• Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office Sample: Outlook Snippets
  This download contains IntelliSense code examples for developing custom add-ins for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003.
• 2007 Office System Sample: Open XML File Format Code Snippets for Visual Studio 2005
  Download this package to install open XML file format code snippets for use with Visual Studio 2005.

Language Packs

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the Microsoft Office System (VSTO2005) Language Package
  Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for the Microsoft Office System language pack contains translated text, such as error messages, for languages other than English.

Community Projects

• Power Collections 1.0 for .NET 2.0 RTM
  A Community Project to Develop the Best Public License Collection Classes for .NET.

This post will be constantly updated as new extensions are available.

Your Feedback requested!

Found a VS2005 extention you want to be mentioned here? Drop me a comment!

[TechEd: Developers 2006] Keynote Impressions

Certainly the most interesting statement by Eric Rudder [1] at the TechEd: Developers 2006 keynote [2] in Barcelona, looking from the developer's perspective, was the promise that all Microsoft server products will get web service interfaces. A clear step in the right direction!

Day 1 - Registration

Keynote speaker and 11-year-old MCP (2x) and MVP...

 

"Arfa Karim from Pakistan, is only 11yrs and Microsoft’s youngest MVP --- hear Arfa talk about how she got into technology and her passion for the subject..."

Office, Vista, and Exchange launched

Eric Rudder hold the keynote

Building Great Applications

".NET is the way to connect"

After all the discussion in the past months about why there is no managed code in Windows Vista and only a sample showing how to use the new API's from .NET, it is an interesting note, that Eric said ".NET is the way to connect": The Microsoft technology No. 1 when it comes to consume (web) services and offer own services to the rest of the world.

 

Next Step for Web Applications

.NET 3.0 [3] and an updated web site [4] were launched simultaneous

 

The Keynote Demo

       

[1] www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/ericr/

[2] www.microsoft.com/emea/msdnshowtime/sessionh.aspx?videoid=333

[3] www.netfx3.com

[4] msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio

[Virtual PC] Ever wondered why the Wireless Network Adapter is not recognized?

Wireless network adapter support is not turned on by default, but can be done by following a few steps outlined by the Virtual PC Guy  [1].

[1] blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2006/10/24/why-doesn-t-virtual-pc-2007-recognize-my-wireless-network-adapter.aspx