June 2007 - Posts

Digital Experience

I attended Digital Experience on Thursday evening in NYC as the thunderstorm rumbled and heavy rain fell outside.
 
Saw some incredibly sleek and powerful new laptops from the big three GM, Ford and Chrysler.... HP, Dell and Lenovo, but if you go to their websites you'll find they all have too many makes, models and accessories. Every laptop they sell should have the date it was released and the time line of upgrades listed as they were added.
 
I'm in the market for a laptop with a Cor 2 Duo, the Santa Rosa chipset now called Merome and a Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2400 XT, or the GeForce 8600M GS. An 800mb front side bus with high speed DDR2 RAM, are not accessories they are necessity's for software developers and designers. Also IntelTurbo Memory an internal Flash cache technology to reduce boot-up time and increases system responsiveness and save power.
 
I had a nice talk with Suranga Chandratillake of Blinkx, their the second best video search after Yahoo, but their listening and improving every day.
 
I can't forget the memory people Seagate, Western Digital and SanDisk, they're all creating more storage in smaller and smaller form factors that are amazing to behold.
posted Friday, June 29, 2007 11:21 AM by paul with 0 Comments

NYC REMIX07

Yesterday at Microsoft's NYC office we had a REMIX07 Event. Our old friend Bill Zack kicked things off then Bob Familiar from Microsoft's New England office did his best to teach us about AJAX and Silverlight.
 
Bob has build a Silverlight site to showcase his music, check-out Sounds Familiar.
 
posted Thursday, June 28, 2007 10:27 PM by paul with 0 Comments

Data Platform Vision

Ted Kunnert Microsoft's VP of Deta and Storage made a video to let us know about SQL Server 2008. Click on the photo to see and hear his data platform vision.

  

posted Tuesday, June 26, 2007 3:45 PM by paul with 0 Comments

MEDC Europe

MEDC Europe 2007 First Day

I wish I was in Berlin this week for the very last MEDC as Paul has so many friends in Germany that he hasn't seen in a long time.

It would have been cool to circumnavigate the globe with the Windows Mobile and Embedded Teams and blog the story. 
 
I might have done a few videos as well.
 
 
 
posted Monday, June 25, 2007 3:30 PM by paul with 0 Comments

People Make The Difference

Buying their voices

For me the most amusing aspect of the latest blogging scandal is that nether Arrington or Malik could answer the simple question - what does People Ready Buisness mean?

In an era where some see technology as a force that promises to make people subservient to highly structured or automated processes, Microsoft sees a better way to unlock the potential of every person. Systems can only create efficiency: It is people who create value.

People Make the Difference

Arrington and Malik's audience consists of Silicon Valley wannabees, CIO's and CEO's don't read PR Bots and gossip blogs.

The only way for Microsoft to attract new business is to enable their Partners to become so successful on Windows Server and SQL Server that all the Silicon Valley wannabees will begin to build their companies on Microsoft's platform and prosper.
posted Sunday, June 24, 2007 7:39 AM by paul with 0 Comments

Windows Vista Security

 Windows Vista Security at 180 Days

Windows Vista just passed the 180 day mark since it was deployed by business customers.

Jeff Jones, a Microsoft Director from the Trustworthy Computing group and frequent blogger on security topics, has done a comparison of vulnerabilities discovered in Windows Vista versus other operating systems in their first 6 months of availability.   Windows Vista holds up well in this comparison, showing a significantly improved vulnerability profile over its first 180 days of availability compared to Windows XP and the other operating systems that were examined.   It’s interesting to note that Windows Vista is being subjected to a greater level of scrutiny than its predecessor, as tools used by security researchers have become significantly more sophisticated since Windows XP was released.

I have yet to see or hear about any vulnerability with Windows Vista, let's hope Windows Server 2008 proves to be as secure.
 
At TechEd I had a chance to have breakfast with Michael Howard we had a good discussion about Microsoft's commitment to security and all that has been accomplished over the past three years thanks to his diligent Team.
posted Friday, June 22, 2007 1:18 PM by paul with 0 Comments

Silverlight Tutorials

Check-out this new site built on Silverlight and dedicated to helping you build your own site with Silverlight.

Nibbles - snack tutorials for hungry developers. Not sure if they'll send you a donut upon completing the lesson, see their blog, let then know you followed a link from Paul and they might send me a donut.
posted Thursday, June 21, 2007 2:07 PM by paul with 0 Comments

Acropolis Videos

Acropolis at TechEd 2007 Videos

The sessions on Acropolis at TechEd 2007 were recorded on video, and are now available at the links below.

David's talk: Introducing the "Acropolis" Client Application Framework

Kathy's talk: Building Rich Client UI with the "Acropolis" Framework     

Be sure to check-out Kathy's blog and the Acropolis Team blog.

posted Wednesday, June 20, 2007 5:53 PM by paul with 0 Comments

Community Kit for Sharepoint

Community Kit for SharePoint 2.0 Pre-Release announcement

The Community Kit for SharePoint (CKS) 2.0 effort has released a couple of editions and components to the community for evaluation and feedback. The CKS along with over 50 other active SharePoint oriented projects on CodePlex provide a very positive indicator of the power and extensibility of the SharePoint platform.

 

posted Tuesday, June 19, 2007 1:38 PM by paul with 0 Comments

SQL Server 2008 CTP

Do you have passion for technology? Do you want to make a difference? Then try out a SQL Server 2008 Community Technology Preview (CTP). The SQL Server development team uses your feedback from CTPs to help refine and enhance product features.

For me one of the highlights of TechEd 2007 was getting the SQL Server - Code name Katmai CTP disk.  Now everyone can download the bits and see for themselves a  more reliable, manageable data platform that enables developers to create new applications that can store and consume any type of data on any device

NJ SQL Meeting tonight - Sql Server Monitoring and Troubleshooting with Alec Lazarescu.

posted Tuesday, June 19, 2007 11:04 AM by paul with 0 Comments

Microsoft Mediaroom

Microsoft Mediaroom IPTV and Multimedia Platform Debuts

Microsoft is renaming its IPTV platform Microsoft Mediaroom to better reflect the broader set of new connected entertainment experiences made possible today and the types of experiences anticipated in the future. In addition, the Microsoft Mediaroom name and identity are designed to be used by service providers as an ingredient brand to create a powerful competitive differentiator to support their consumer marketing activities.

Building upon existing Microsoft IPTV features, such as enhanced digital video recording, video on demand, high-definition television and instant channel zapping, the Microsoft Mediaroom platform introduces the following:

•  Personal media sharing. This enables consumers to easily listen to digital music and view digital photographs stored on PCs elsewhere in the home on the best screen in the house: the television.

• Multimedia Application Environment. The environment offers richer support for Web services and applications, enabling service providers to deploy advanced features such as dynamic video-on-demand portals, casual games and interactive TV services.

• Enhanced MultiView capabilities. These allow consumers to see multiple channels, programs and camera angles on one screen.

Will Microsoft be offering Partners access to their Mediaroom service soon? Many of us are producing videos now and distribution into so many homes would be incredible.

So now ISV's need to start writing  compelling applications to run on the platform as we also create content that people want to see.

posted Monday, June 18, 2007 6:36 AM by paul with 0 Comments

Ubuntu Bobo

No negotiations with Microsoft in progress

My goal is to carry free software forward as far as I can, and then to help others take the baton to carry it further.

It's true, Microsoft does have a few software patents, but IBM has lots more and HP does too. This game won't be over till the fat lady sings and by fat lady I mean the company that developed UNIX at Bell Labs in Murray Hill New Jersey, AT&T.

posted Sunday, June 17, 2007 7:37 PM by paul with 0 Comments

VB.Net Labcast

Start learning Visual Basic.Net today! Register for on-demand Labcasts.

Visual Basic 2005 gives you the tools you need to take on today's epic development challenges. With the Visual Basic 2005 Labcast Series, you can hone your development skills with hands-on practice right at your desk. Meanwhile, our Visual Basic experts are available to provide real-time, one-on-one assistance in a convenient, virtual environment.

Attend the Visual Basic 2005 On-demand Labcasts and find out how you can use Visual Basic 2005 to:

• Simplify installation and maintenance of Visual Basic 6.0 applications.

• Add new data-bound forms to Visual Basic 6.0 applications.

• Introduce simple background threading to Visual Basic 6.0 applications.

• View and edit Microsoft SQL ServerT data.

• Create data-centric Web applications with your Visual Basic desktop development skills.

• Keep Microsoft Word documents in sync with your database.

posted Friday, June 15, 2007 5:45 PM by paul with 0 Comments

Linspire Interop

Microsoft and Linspire Collaboration Promotes Interoperability and Customer Choice

Microsoft and Linux desktop provider Linspire aka Lindows announced a broad interoperability, technical collaboration that also includes intellectual property assurances. The agreement promotes customer choice and strengthens the bridge between the Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems.

Delivering interoperable solutions for our customers is an important priority. Through our ongoing collaborative relationships with commercial open source companies, we are demonstrating our commitment to delivering the value and increased interoperability customers want. Covering features from document formats to instant messaging and digital media, our announcement today with Linspire is an important step for our mutual customers. - Bill Hilf, GM Platform Strategy at Microsoft.

Another one bites the dust, but interoperability is so important in our connected enterprises we need more agreements and less lawyers.

posted Thursday, June 14, 2007 9:54 AM by paul with 0 Comments

Windows Home Server RC1

Release Candidate goes live!

Windows Home Server Logo

We have just reached a new milestone, Release Candidate 1!

DOWNLOAD NOW

posted Wednesday, June 13, 2007 12:48 PM by paul with 0 Comments

Splog Reporting Form

More Ways for You to Give us Input

How about a Splog Reporting Form? My RSS Feed is earning many Sploggers and their Partner in crime Google a handsome profit.
 
I have brought up this topic again and again with Google, there is no form or email address where we can report sploggers. Will bloggers need to begin a Class Action Lawsuit to stop Google from aiding and abetting the splog industry?
 
CMP Media also redistributes my feed throughout their network without my permission, I am one of their most prolific writers and they have never paid me a dime.  O'Really Media use to hijack my feed for their News Wire, again without ever acknowledging it.
 
If Google were to stop supporting sploggers with ad revenue that industry would wither and die.
posted Wednesday, June 13, 2007 6:48 AM by paul with 0 Comments

Silverlight How 2's

Silverlight Screencasts

  • Using Silverlight Brushes for Color, Gradient and Video
  • Using the Silverlight Downloader Object
  • Basic Keyboard Input with Silverlight
  • Adding Ink Support to a Silverlight-based Application
  • 2D Geometries in Silverlight
  • Building Video Overlays with Silverlight
  • Creating a Video Scrubbing Control with Silverlight
  • Using Silverlight for Full Screen Experiences
  • Silverlight Event Handling with JavaScript
  • Animating and Clipping Video with Silverlight
  • Creating Vector Art for Silverlight with Expression Blend
  • Animating Vector Art for Silverlight with Expression Blend Part I
  • Animating Vector Art for Silverlight with Expression Blend Part II
  • Animating Raster Art for Silverlight with Expression Blend
  • Using Expression Blend to Control Silverlight Media Playback
  • Delivering Parameterized Silverlight Content with ASP.NET
  • Delivering Parameterized Silverlight Content with PHP
  • Delivering Parameterized Silverlight Content with Java
  • Using AJAX to Dynamically Update Silverlight Content
  • Creating a Video Playlist with Silverlight and ASP.NET
  • Overlaying HTML and Silverlight Content
  • Real-Time Data Update with Silverlight and Web Services
    • posted Tuesday, June 12, 2007 5:53 PM by paul with 0 Comments

    My Searches?

    How Long Should Google Remember Searches?

    I don't think Google is asking me question, because my data is their data now.

    We have a legitimate interest in retaining search server logs for a number of reasons:

    • to improve our search algorithms for the benefit of users
    • to defend our systems from malicious access and exploitation attempts
    • to maintain the integrity of our systems by fighting click fraud and web spam
    • to protect our users from threats like spam and phishing
    • to respond to valid legal orders from law enforcement as they investigate and prosecute serious crimes like child exploitation; and
    • to comply with data retention legal obligations.

    I am constantly questioning as to why they partner with splogers who swipe my feed and split the profit from my content with Google.

    posted Tuesday, June 12, 2007 10:38 AM by paul with 0 Comments

    Safari Shot Down

    I watched Steve Jobs WWDC Keynote on a tiny little QuickTime screen early this morning.

    It began with the Windows guy doing a good Fake Steve, big news about Harry Potter available on a MAC and OSX gets a downloads file! 

    George Washington and Steve Ballmer make cameo appearances as did the Windows XP Bliss screen shot and solitaire. The big news was about Safari for Windows, but that was exploited before Steve got out his iPhone.

    posted Tuesday, June 12, 2007 9:33 AM by paul with 0 Comments

    Target Google

    Google Bad On Privacy? Maybe It's Privacy International's Report That Sucks

    Google remembers everything you ever searched for, but is the sum total of all your searches who you are?
     
    I don't like the fact that Google retains so much information about me, so I log-off my GMail account after checking my messages. Google isn't selling or giving access to that precious information to anyone, so to say they have a bad record on privacy is a misnomer.
     
     
    Information about you and me is being acclimated in data bases scattered throughout the world by Visa, Master Card and many other questionable corporations. The day the NSA, FBI or IRS needs to find out more about you, they only need a Judges signature to assemble it all.
    posted Monday, June 11, 2007 9:16 AM by paul with 0 Comments