Entries for Ian

PDC Glitch [PDC Glitch]

Ian — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:17:39 GMT

Just checked out the home page at http://www.microsoftpdc.com/ and am seeing the following:

Are you ready for the PDC?

It’s no secret that the nature of software development is radically changing. Come to PDC2008 to experience Microsoft’s vision for cloud computing and building applications that seamlessly bridge the gaps between PC, Web, and phone, and be the first to see the full range of advances in Windows 7, the next major version of the Windows client operating system.

Keynote presentations by

I Am using IE6 6.0.3790.3959 (SP2) - Its a corporate machine. Looks fine in IE7.

(Would love to go by the way)

in reply to PDC Glitch

Sideshow for Windows Mobile [Sideshow for Windows Mobile]

Ian — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:17:43 GMT

One of the guys on the Windows mobile stand at TechEd showed me this today. Seriously cool - especially liked the ability to remote control Powerpoint Demos - I've seen a Mobile remote for this before - but now the Powerpoint screen also appears on the phone! and yes, I know that's probably not of any real value but damn, its' impressive!

Check it out:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=79f19684-f862-4e02-a2b0-0003b4565f34&DisplayLang=en

Brief Description

Windows SideShow for Windows Mobile is an application for Windows Mobile 5 and 6 PocketPCs and Smartphones that allows you to use your Windows Mobile device as a Bluetooth SideShow device. Installation instructions are below. This is a beta release.

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TechEd 2008 - Anyone else make it? [TechEd 2008 - Anyone else make it?]

Ian — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:06:44 GMT

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Scott Guthrie Backlash [Scott Guthrie Backlash]

Ian — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:05:10 GMT

I suppose it had to happen sometime:

(
That would surely stifle an awful lot of goodness?

Lets be careful out there.

in reply to Scott Guthrie Backlash

Google is your friend [Google is your friend]

Ian — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 10:07:49 GMT

One of those gadget related tasks that I have avoided to this point was to upgrade ny unlocked iPhone to the laterst firmware (I was on 1.02 and hadn't seen anything that really made the upgrade a must up to this point). Anyway, to cut a long story short, part of the upgrade process involved instaling Java - no problem in theory. What did erk me though was that I also got an unexpected free install of the Google toolbar with my Java install. So I probably should be posting this on a Google forum sonewhere with a message like 'cmon guys, this just isn't on ..'

Does anyone from Google read this forum?

in reply to Google is your friend

SQLBits Registration just opened. [SQLBits Registration just opened.]

Ian — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:34:43 GMT

Registration just opened for SQLBITS II (The SQL) at Aston University Lakeside Conference Centre. on March 1st.

The first event last October was excellent (brief write up on my training blog) so this day comes highly reccomended!

Register here:

http://www.sqlbits.com

in reply to SQLBits Registration just opened.

VS2008 Install under bootcamp [VS2008 Install under bootcamp]

Ian — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:36:13 GMT

I am running VISTA on a MacBookPro under the Leopard Bootcamp (I know) and getting a wierd message when I try and install VS2008:

"Setup has detected that this computer does not meet the requirements ....

Then under "software and requirement prerequisites":

Windows XP service Pack 2 Update Information

You must install this service pack to complete installation ....

Is anyone at MS aware of this issue? is there a workaround under VISTA? What setting is the setup checking that it is returning XP?(Needless to say that I don't want to try and install XP SP2 under VISTA!)

in reply to VS2008 Install under bootcamp

Zumobi [Zumobi]

Ian — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:04:52 GMT

These guys look to have something interesting.

http://www.zumobi.com

Could be an interesting subject for a Channel 9 video?

in reply to Zumobi

iPhones [iPhones]

Ian — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:23:53 GMT

Just about every 4th person at this weeks SOA conference sems to have one of these.

How about a poll of 9ers along the lines of:

Do you have an iPhone?

Yes
No
No intention of purchasing
Havn't got round to purchasing yet
On my Christmas list

Anyone else curious?

in reply to iPhones

Microsoft "OSLO" [Microsoft "OSLO"]

Ian — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 03:20:49 GMT

Having a great time at the SOA conference in Redmond this week (as only a geek can) Big news from the keynote this morning was OSLO - more information here:

http://rd3d2.spaces.live.com/

or the more official version here:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/soa-bpm/materials.mspx

Interestingly, having largely abandoned UML and Rational, Microsoft is embracing the concepts behind these with this new strategy. BPEL was mentioned alongside a modeling language capable of handling SOA concepts and feeding into a new execution engine - a future version of Biztalk!

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Microsoft SOA & Business Process Conference 2007 [Microsoft SOA & Business Process Conference 2007]

Ian — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:05:34 GMT

Is anyone else going to this next week?

http://www.mssoaandbpconference.com/

Great opportunity to consolidate knowledge on BizTalk (ie SP2) and WCF.

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Star Trek 2008 Prequel [Star Trek 2008 Prequel]

Ian — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:54:57 GMT

Sven Groot wrote:
Actually, forget about Star Wars and just watch Star Trek.

OK, as you brought it up here is one for you.

For the 2008 prequel would you rather see:

1) New actors that look a bit like young Kirk and Spock?
2) CGI versions of young Spock and Kirk voiced (and overseen) by Nimoy and Shatner?

I quite fancy the latter ...

in reply to Star Trek 2008 Prequel

123456 or 456123? [123456 or 456123?]

Ian — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 11:58:30 GMT

I thought it was about time I watched Star Wars again* (this time with the kids who have never seen them) .

Gut feeling was 123456 but then I'm not sure I would want to know that Darth was Lukes' Dad so early on! So now I am thinking 456123.

Any thoughts?

* I believe necessary in order to avoid 'lapsed geek' syndrome.

in reply to 123456 or 456123?

WS-I WSDL Interoperability Question(s) [WS-I WSDL Interoperability Question(s)]

Ian — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:11:35 GMT

Does anyone know if there is a tool, or tools that will provide:

(1) Information on WS-I compliance for a WSDL file
(2) Information on MS.Net compliance (in terms of its capability to automatically generate a proxy from the WSDL)

I really want to take some WSDL, run it through a tool and get the following output:

(1) This WSDL (is / is not) compatible with WS-I standards (with reasons)
(2) This WSDL (is / is not) compatible with Ms.Nets ability to generate a proxy (with reasons)

I work in a heterogeneous environment where we are expected to consume WSDL from various JAVA environments (mainly Websphere). At present this often means generating http handlers and getting 'down and dirty'with the XML - I want to push back on this expectation and establish a Corporate standard that also allows Visual Studio to automatically generate proxies.

So in addition to the two questions above, I would also ask for a general opinion on whether this seems like a sensible (and reasonable) course of action?

in reply to WS-I WSDL Interoperability Question(s)

9'ers Silverlight Hosting [9'ers Silverlight Hosting]

Ian — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:14:37 GMT

With the free 4gb Silverlight hosting available at https://silverlight.live.com I thought it might be cool to start a list of 9'ers 'sandbox' sites that have made use of it.

I'll start with my own (I finnally figured out the manifest file requirements yesterday : )

http://webservicesuk.com/Remix.html

Its just a copy of the 'SilverlightSurface' demo that has been doing the rounds, using some photos I took when I attended the Remix event in Spain last month.

Anyone else doing things with Silverlight Streaming?

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Building 20 - Platform Adoption Center [Building 20 - Platform Adoption Center]

Ian — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:14:45 GMT

Has anyone here spent any time in building 20?

I am looking for any 'personal tips' that might help me maximise my trip over next week - places to eat, places to avoid, things I should definitely do (Home of the future?) etc.

It's going to be a busy week but I am really looking forward to immersing myself in all the latest stuff:

LINQ
ORCAS
WPF
CIDER
SILVERLIGHT
VSTO
WCF,RSS,REST,AJAX
WWF

I am staying at the local Homestead (15805 NE 28th Street) - looks close enough to be able to walk to Building 20 - can anyone confirm?

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PDC Rescheduled ... [PDC Rescheduled ...]

Ian — Tue, 29 May 2007 07:43:15 GMT

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/events/bb288534.aspx

Hope they consider Florida again for the rescheduled event.

"We are currently in the process of rescheduling this fall’s Professional Developer Conference. As the PDC is the definitive developer event focused on the future of the Microsoft platform, we try to align it to be in front of major platform milestones. By this fall, however, upcoming platform technologies including Windows Server 2008, SQL Server codenamed “Katmai,” Visual Studio codenamed “Orcas” and Silverlight will already be in developers’ hands and approaching launch, which is where we’ll focus our developer engagement in the near term. We will update this site when we have a new date for the PDC that is better timed with the next wave of platform technologies."

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How to Manage Geeks [How to Manage Geeks]

Ian — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:30:57 GMT

Enjoyed this article so thought I would bring it to your attention:

http://www.fastcompany.com/online/25/geeks.html

in reply to How to Manage Geeks

XSLT Design Tool [XSLT Design Tool]

Ian — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:25:16 GMT

I want to encourage our design people to take an XML file as input and produce their HTML designs using XSLT

Can anyone reccomend a good design tool (with a WYSIWYG design surface) for taking an XML file and producing HTML?

Thanks.

in reply to XSLT Design Tool

VISTA Office 2007 launch at Reading [VISTA Office 2007 launch at Reading]

Ian — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 22:31:31 GMT

Anyone who attended had any notification regarding the free Vista Ultimate or Office 2007 Pro yet?

in reply to VISTA Office 2007 launch at Reading

Expression Web on MSDN? [Expression Web on MSDN?]

Ian — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:21:31 GMT

I can't find this on my MSDN subscription (a search only shows me the Jan Orcas download?)

Does anyone know whether this is excluded from MSDN (certified partners)?

NB A trial version is available from here:

http://www.microsoft.com/products/expression/en/Expression-Web/default.mspx

in reply to Expression Web on MSDN?

Wii-mote and nunchuck as a games interface [Wii-mote and nunchuck as a games interface]

Ian — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 16:17:37 GMT

This is such a logical extension to current games interfaces that I can't see it being long before we get a 360 and PS3 equivelant (I know the PS3 already goes some way towards this).

Its a no-brainer having tried it out, I just wonder what the timescales will be?

What do others think?

(Might be an idea to mention in your responses whether you have had the opportunity to try the Wii interface hands on)

in reply to Wii-mote and nunchuck as a games interface

XML DataSet Compatibility [XML DataSet Compatibility]

Ian — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:07:39 GMT

As we have probably all learned, in general any sensibly formatted XML can be read into a dataSet and manipulated.

My question surrounds a sensible name for this compatibility? Is there one already?

Clearly a 'standards type' name that is not technically linked to Mirosoft would be of benefit?

Anyone have any thoughts?

in reply to XML DataSet Compatibility

DevReach - Bulgaria [DevReach - Bulgaria]

Ian — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 02:20:47 GMT

http://www.devreach.com/

Anyone else going to this?

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MOKA 5 Live PC Engine [MOKA 5 Live PC Engine]

Ian — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 09:49:18 GMT

Has anyone played with this?

http://www.moka5.com/products/getstarted.html

It apears to be someone taking advantage of the free VMWARE player, I wonder whether there are any licencing restrictions around this sort of thing?

in reply to MOKA 5 Live PC Engine