Entries for irascian

Silverlight 2 Tutorials from ScottGu [Silverlight 2 Tutorials from ScottGu]

irascian — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:55:34 GMT

Has anybody actually worked through these? If so, care to share how you got to the end?!

I don't know what's more annoying: the complete lack of quality control (again! clearly nobody tried working through them before they were posted) or the mindless fanboys who all rushed to post "Great news! Some great tutorials from ScottGu" blog entries without actually trying them.

The third tutorial has a whole bunch of errors in it. If you read through all the many comments appended to that tutorial blog you will at least find fixes to get you through to the end, but this isn't the way a tutorial should work (especially when there's so little else around by way of documentation).

The fourth tutorial has comments too - mainly from people complaining that moving styling out into a central file (the subject of that specific tutorial) does nothing other than break the app. One guy has posted a "solution" (the whole of his app.xaml file) which clearly can't work - the compiler gives a very explicit "Data:DataGrid is not a valid TargetType" and yet magically he seems to think it works for him? I think not!

It would be really nice if just for once Microsoft released something which lived up to the hype that their "passionate" advocates blogged endlessly about WITHOUT it turning out to be yet another case of Emporer's New Clothes, really it would!

in reply to Silverlight 2 Tutorials from ScottGu

Blowdart's DotNet Rocks episode is up! [Blowdart's DotNet Rocks episode is up!]

irascian — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:21:55 GMT

Why not download it to listen to on your way to the UK launch event tomorrow?

http://www.dotnetrocks.com/default.aspx?showNum=325

If you're lucky he won't have had a chance to hear it himself by then and you can giggle and point at him knowingly telling him you've just heard the show and can't believe what they said about him ;)

in reply to Blowdart's DotNet Rocks episode is up!

MSDN Magazine on ALT.NET/CSS Sculptor for Expression Web [MSDN Magazine on ALT.NET/CSS Sculptor for Expression Web]

irascian — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:59:42 GMT

March edition. "End Bracket": "In no way does Microsoft or the .NET community have a monopoly on good software design"

Now waiting for hell to freeze over, or MSDN editor to get fired. At this stage, I'm really not sure which is more likely!

And in other news, Eric Meyer's "CSS Sculptor" for Expression Web has been released by Microsoft details here. According to Eric's blog this was announced at MIX on Wednesday. Curious thing is that nobody I know who was at MIX heard anything about it. Guess it somehow slipped through the cracks.

in reply to MSDN Magazine on ALT.NET/CSS Sculptor for Expression Web

MIX08 Hands on Labs... [MIX08 Hands on Labs...]

irascian — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:00:58 GMT

... unfortunately come in the form of a program "SmartHOL Player". Why not just give us the word documents and leave it at that?

Alas, there's nothing "smart" about this hands-on-labs player. When started it throws an exception:

"String was not recognised as a valid date/time".

Stack trace below.

You can click "Continue" but then you get an installation list that shows no entries available to be installed.

And, no, I haven't tried changing my O.S. to US instead of UK - why should I have to?!

Stack Trace (in the highly unlikely event someone reading this is interested or can do something about the problem) is as follows:

************** Exception Text **************
System.FormatException: String was not recognized as a valid DateTime.
   at System.DateTimeParse.Parse(String s, DateTimeFormatInfo dtfi, DateTimeStyles styles)
   at System.DateTime.Parse(String s)
   at SmartHOL.Forms.FormMain.LoadInfo(String xmlFileName, String location)
   at SmartHOL.Forms.FormMain.LoadLabs()
   at SmartHOL.Forms.FormMain.FormMain_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files/SmartHOL%20Player/SmartHOL.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Web.Services/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Web.Services.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
    Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
jpdixyje
    Assembly Version: 1.0.8.0
    Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
    CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files/SmartHOL%20Player/ICSharpCode.SharpZipLib.DLL
----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.

For example:

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

in reply to MIX08 Hands on Labs...

IE8 Beta1 Downloads page has appeared [IE8 Beta1 Downloads page has appeared]

irascian — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:44:28 GMT

Unfortunately the download links don't work yet, but I'm guessing they will after the MIX08 keynote has been delivered in a few hours time.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/ie8/readiness/Install.htm

I'm blogging from MIX08 over at http://www.dailydotnetshow.com and also hope to be on twitter (wireless permitting) as announcements are made (irascian account)

in reply to IE8 Beta1 Downloads page has appeared

Expression Studio 2 in April [Expression Studio 2 in April]

irascian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:19:16 GMT

Now ScottGu's references to a "Blend 2.5" in a blog post a few days back start to make sense. Personally I hadn't expected version 2 to go RTM so quickly.

Laurent Bugnion (LBugnion) is tweeting from some sort of Microsoftie pre-MIX08 conference session and has blogged all the details.

Will be trying to keep track of all the announcements on my own web site (gratuitous plug: http://www.dailydotnetshow.com ) but since things are pretty manic here there are no guarantees I'll keep things totally up to date.

If you're interested I'd recommend following LBugnion on Twitter for announcements as they happen.

Ian

in reply to Expression Studio 2 in April

Las Vegas Strip by Helicopter [Las Vegas Strip by Helicopter]

irascian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:58:10 GMT

If you're in Vegas for MIX08 I highly recommend the helicopter tour of the Las Vegas strip at night.

USD75 (plus tax) gets you not just an awesome 15 minute flight, but also a glass of champagne and pickup/return from The Venetian (or any other hotels on the strip)

Bargain!

Alas, I did the trip to try and get some footage for a title sequence for my MIX08 video podcasts - and from that point of view it was a disaster. You don't get to choose where you sit in the helicopter. Two seats in the front next to the pilot get excellent views, but alas I was allocated the second row in the back which meant constant heads and other cameras in the way. Plus my shoulder-mounted camera was too big to really move (and I hadn't done my research in working out which hotel was actually The Venetian when seen from the air).

So a bit of a disaster from that point of view (scoff at the footage here: http://www.vimeo.com/751514 - but I recommend you click on the HD icon to turn it on, otherwise it looks like a REALLY BAD YouTube effort). Nevertheless well worth going on when you're in Vegas.

in reply to Las Vegas Strip by Helicopter

Friday Chuckle: Optimus Prime performs "Evolution of Dance" [Friday Chuckle: Optimus Prime performs "Evolution of Dance"]

irascian — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:28:57 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtGQgSY9Nn4

Enjoy!

in reply to Friday Chuckle: Optimus Prime performs "Evolution of Dance"

Know where I can find a decent sized MIX08 logo? [Know where I can find a decent sized MIX08 logo?]

irascian — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:25:16 GMT

I'm trying to pre-prep some video podcast titles before flying to Vegas tomorrow and need a decent sized MIX08 logo.

Know where I can find one?

I'd ask on twitter but of course it's broken big time for me at the moment, and has been all morning. Those guys really need to sort their stuff out as the service has become extremely intermittent and totally unreliable. Complaints have been rumbling for several weeks now and I sense some other company may just come, steal their initiative and grab their market share pretty soon.

in reply to Know where I can find a decent sized MIX08 logo?

VS2008 Launch: So who do YOU believe? [VS2008 Launch: So who do YOU believe?]

irascian — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:58:27 GMT

From an article on the Visual Studio 2008 launch:

"...it's a lot of stuff to take in all at once.

"There are so many new and upgraded features in VS 2008 that it's hard for enterprise developers to assimilate them all," notes Jennings. "I think it's going to result in more specialization in enterprise-level developers, because no one can be an expert now in all of these different technologies -- WPF, WCF, WF and the new LINQ-related features."

Jay Roxe, Microsoft's group product manager for Visual Studio, sees it differently: "The amount of technology that people need to learn has gone down dramatically because we now have these great designers," he says, adding that Microsoft is releasing a lot of educational content in terms of presentations, demos and white papers. "This will be something that's integrated into all of our launch efforts and will be available from all of our Web sites, and that's when we'll start tying together the various technologies."

Personally I find it very worrying that the group product manager's opinion seems so completely at variance with that of all the developers I work with. I'm definitely with the first guy, so is there anyone here who's drinking the same KoolAid as Jay Roxe and seriously think that "the amount of technology that people need to learn has gone down dramatically". WTF!

In other news has anybody managed to go to the HeroesHappenHere virtual Launch and NOT get user-unfriendly SIlverlight errors when clicking on the "Join in now" button. I've seen a lot of reports that it's broken so went to have a look myself and yup sure enough "Silverlight error message ErrorCode 2202 ErrorType:RuntimeError Message: AG_E_RUNTIME_FINDNAME MethodName txtLoginBackgrounElement4c01".

Oh well, it's only the "biggest launch event Microsoft are going to have this year".

I like Microsoft and the people I've met who work there, and get annoyed constantly trying to defend them left, right and centre. But too often there are times like this where frankly it just seems like they can't organise a you-know-what in a brewery. The "Vista compatible" farce looks like it's going to totally blow up in Microsoft's face given the recently leaked emails and experiences like the launch web site don't instill any kind of confidence at all.

Do you agree, or am I just being too cranky again?

I want to believe Microsoft, I really do, but for pities sake sort your wretched QA out!

EDITED TO ADD: Link to original article here

in reply to VS2008 Launch: So who do YOU believe?

Niner Questions for Video Interviewees [Niner Questions for Video Interviewees]

irascian — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:35:43 GMT

One of the requests that comes up a lot here is that niners be allowed to submit questions for Microsoft folks to answer in the videos that are produced for Channel 9.

Next week at MIX08 (assuming the camera gear and laptop get through customs undamaged!) I'm going to be doing a bunch of video podcasts and, touch wood, interviewing some of the folks whose names have come up in the past whenever this subject of "Niner questions" has come up.

Time will be limited and I've got a whole bunch of my own questions I want to be putting to interviewees on top of quick "sound bite" summaries of whatever news/announcements come out of MIX but if you've got burning questions you'd like me to put forward please post them here as responses to this post and I'll do my best in the time I've got available.

So who am I likely to interview?

I've provisionally got agreement from Scott Guthrie (who I want to talk to about Silverlight 2, MVC framework, "Unity" Ioc and the perceived Microsoft movement to support ALT.NET developers as well as the traditional MSDN.NET developers), Scott Hanselman (who I want to talk to about MVC Framework and his whole ALT.NET philosophy) and Adam Kinney (who I want to talk to about Silverlight and perhaps Channel 9 too if I don't get to interview Jeff).

Hopefully more interviewees will follow (I'm also gunning for Chris Wilson but have absolutely no guarantees yet that I'll get to talk to him.) and if there's anyone you REALLY REALLY want to hear from that you know will be at MIX08 let me know.

So.... there's been a lot of whinging in the past about not being able to submit questions ahead of time for interviewees so now's your chance and I'll see what I can do. Between the C9 team working the event and myself we'll hopefully get the answers to questions you guys say you've been wanting to ask.

Cheers,
Ian

in reply to Niner Questions for Video Interviewees

Favourite JavaScript Libraries? [Favourite JavaScript Libraries?]

irascian — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:55:57 GMT

Are you using a JavaScript library, and if so which one (and why?)

I'm a but late to the game with these and there seem to be so many around. Thought Microsoft's AJAX library was good but then someone pointed me at Prototype and Script.ac.ulous which seemed so much better (until someone pointed out how much it memory leaks).

Over the last few weeks I've been playing with JQuery and really like it - seems more elegant and concise than Prototype.

Is there a better library out there that I'm missing?

in reply to Favourite JavaScript Libraries?

SQL Server 2008 "delayed" by "six months" [SQL Server 2008 "delayed" by "six months"]

irascian — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 10:13:10 GMT

Betanews are reporting that Microsoft have been embarrassed by having to announce a 6 month delay despite going ahead with the "official launch" of SQL Server 2008 next month.

Is this really true?

I remember when I first heard about the "big event" planned for the official launch for VS2008, SQL Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 that it was clear this was just a cost-saving exercise for Microsoft - rolling three "Launches" into one with one of the launches (VS2008) being much too late, and the other (SQL Server 2008) being much too early.

I didn't see any way SQL Server 2008 could be ready for launch given the long testing cycle SQL Server goes through and the relatively late announcement of the first CTPs.

So I just assumed that SQL Server 2008 would be getting some form of public beta handout at the event and that would be it until RTM at the end of the year.

Did I assume wrong, or are Betanews.com just making up a story where there is none?

in reply to SQL Server 2008 "delayed" by "six months"

FeedDemon (RSS Reader) is now free [FeedDemon (RSS Reader) is now free]

irascian — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:26:40 GMT

I paid for my copy and thought it worth every penny and now they've made the latest version free for all.

You can download it over at newsgator.com

It's my favourite RSS reader (and I've tried a few).

Ian

in reply to FeedDemon (RSS Reader) is now free

Common Sense Prevails: Silverlight 2.0 "Go Live" license for MIX08? [Common Sense Prevails: Silverlight 2.0 "Go Live" license for MIX08?]

irascian — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:12:13 GMT

Scott Guthrie's blog indicates that common sense has prevailed and that Silverlight 1.1 will now be called Silverlight 2.0, with a beta with "Go Live" license ready "1Q2008".

Not sure what this "Go Live" license stuff means since I thought there were already sites out there running 1.1 Alpha (my bad?)

Given the way things have been announced/launched around MIX for the last couple of years I am guessing that this will all become available at the beginning of March 2008 to coincide with MIX08.

UPDATED TO CHANGE INCORRECT DATE (1Q2008 not 1Q2007 as originally posted. Doh!)

in reply to Common Sense Prevails: Silverlight 2.0 "Go Live" license for MIX08?

VS2008 Training Kit: FFS Stop the naming madness [VS2008 Training Kit: FFS Stop the naming madness]

irascian — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:14:27 GMT

So I've just started looking athe first presentation in the VS2008 Training Kit and what can I say, someone should be fired for the complete mess of naming that Microsoft seems to have become involved with. As if things weren't bad enough with .Net 3.5 (should be 4.0) and Silverlight 1.1 (should be 2.0)

One slide says that VS2008 now 'fully integrates with Expression Interactive Designer ("Sparkle")'.

Will SOMEBODY at Microsoft make their wretched mind up as to whether the product is called "Expression Blend" or "Expression Interactive Designer". Everyone was happy with "Sparkle" but no, you had to rename it. How the hell is anybody supposed to follow what the Microsoft story is and how one product sits with another when Microsoft insist on several different names for the same thing?

People are ALREADY confused as hell as to the difference between the four Expression products without adding completely to the confusion by calling them different names in different places, seemingly on a whim. Developers are confused, and God help the guy who's saying "Microsoft products are too complex. Can't I just stick with Adobe and DreamWeaver?"

I've just finished a contract where a very expensive Microsoft consultant gave a report to the project manager (not a techie) who wanted to know what the hell half the report meant because it referred to "Atlas" instead of ASP.NET AJAX and "Whidby" instead of Visual Studio 2005!

Most depressing slide for me was the Windows Server 2008 story. As developers we try and convince our clients that .NET 3.5 isn't high risk. That the development IDE that targets it is now RTM and shipping even though it won't be purchasable in a store until Febuary 2008.

So what's the story with Windows Server 2008 when it ships in February 2008? It ships with .NET 2.0/SP1 out the box and only installs .NET 3.0/SP1 when the "Application Server" role is selected.

So in early 2009 when most enterprises finally get around to deploying Win Server 2008 they'll be looking at having to install .NET 3.5 SP1 as a Windows Update!

Didn't Microsoft already make this mistake by shipping XP without .NET runtime even though it had been available for several months, causing endless pain and grief for developers trying to deploy applications?

Sheesh!

in reply to VS2008 Training Kit: FFS Stop the naming madness

TFS (workgroup edition) 2008 Removed from MSDN Subs? [TFS (workgroup edition) 2008 Removed from MSDN Subs?]

irascian — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 12:08:52 GMT

After a lot of campaigning about the lack of Team Foundation Server Microsoft included a 5-user licence "workgroup" edition in MSDN Premium subscriptions.

With TFS 2008 has this option been (silently) removed? I can't see it in my "MSDN Premium" downloads area and will be WELL pissed off if they've just decided to withdraw it without telling anybody.

in reply to TFS (workgroup edition) 2008 Removed from MSDN Subs?

Let the hammering of the MSDN Servers Begin (VS2008 Team Suite RTM) [Let the hammering of the MSDN Servers Begin (VS2008 Team Suite RTM)]

irascian — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:07:06 GMT

Title says it all. Apparently VS2008 RTM Team Suite is now available on MSDN.

Can't check it myself as I'm still waiting for Microsoft to activate my MSDN subscription.

I suspect downloads may be a bit slow for the next day or two.

So who wants to bet that blowdart can't resist the urge and we'll have a DDD6 demo on Saturday run on VS2008 RTM (along with cussing and swearing that he shouldn't have done it) ;-)

in reply to Let the hammering of the MSDN Servers Begin (VS2008 Team Suite RTM)

Microsoft Premature Expiry Dates - Will they never learn? (VS2008 VPC Beta 2) [Microsoft Premature Expiry Dates - Will they never learn? (VS2008 VPC Beta 2)]

irascian — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 08:15:17 GMT

I've lost count of the number of times I've gotten screwed by a beta timing out mere days or weeks after being installed and Microsoft then having to rush out an apology and try to get a rescue re-release together.

Looks like it's happened again! :(

VS2008 Beta 2 Expiring On November 1st

in reply to Microsoft Premature Expiry Dates - Will they never learn? (VS2008 VPC Beta 2)

Booking for UK DDD6 (Saturday Nov 24th) is now open. [Booking for UK DDD6 (Saturday Nov 24th) is now open.]

irascian — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:41:57 GMT

It's free. It's got a ton of great sessions. It will fill up fast.

You can register here

in reply to Booking for UK DDD6 (Saturday Nov 24th) is now open.

Anyone here bought Community Server?.. [Anyone here bought Community Server?..]

irascian — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 19:08:05 GMT

... if so. How the **** do you purchase an upgrade?

Tried Telligent's online "email me upgrade price" option. Twice. Not a thing.

Tried their "Contact us" form and asked why they weren't replying and could I please have a quote (I paid for free upgrades for a year but the year expired before I got around to downloading the 2007 release).

One week later still no reply (and yes, I've checked my junk mail folder).

What a way to run a business.

Time to just get on and write my own stuff I guess!

in reply to Anyone here bought Community Server?..

Re: Damning report: TigerSolv [Ho-hum]

irascian — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:08:30 GMT

leeappdalecom wrote:
Have you been 'promoted' to the sales team now

Well it would make sense - after all, he's not technical enough for Microsoft, so why should he be technical enough for anybody else? [6]

in reply to Ho-hum

The Con of Certification "Offers" or "Promotions" [The Con of Certification "Offers" or "Promotions"]

irascian — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 08:28:53 GMT

Microsoft currently have a "second promotion" offer on their certification exams running worldwide until January 31st. Basically if you register with the scheme you get a voucher number which if entered when you book the exam means that if you fail you are allowed a free re-take.

They also have special offers on their training kits to encourage you to buy from Microsoft Press rather than their competitors - a 15% exam discount voucher that is one of those scratch card things.

Con #1: You can only use one of the offers when booking an exam ie you either get a discount or you get a chance to retake if you fail - not both together.

Con #2: In my case if I try and use the 15% discount I'm told "that voucher has already been used and can't be used again". Excuse me! I've only just removed the grunge hiding the voucher number so how can I possibly have already used it?

Anbody know who to go and rant at to try and get this mess changed?

in reply to The Con of Certification "Offers" or "Promotions"

Sandcastle [Sandcastle]

irascian — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 07:51:09 GMT

Is anybody else as disappointed with the progress of Sandcastle as me. It seems like forever since the first CTP was announced, and here we are with yet another CTP. We're told that this is what Microsoft use internally - so why so long to get the wretched thing to RTM status?

It's a great tool for agile environments, encouraging good documentation at the time of writing the code and automating large parts of the process, but as the recent signal=0 noise=lots DotNetRocks broadcast on it embarrassingly showed: for a product that is aimed at improving developer documentation its own documentation sucks big time. It's hard enough to get developers to document their code without being so late and documenting so poorly aimed at improving documentation!

If you can take the pain of installing the various bits in the right order and downloading the GUI and producing the right sort of XML comments in your code it's a great product. But please get on and get the wretched thing out already. How long is it it since we "lost" the ability to produce documentation within Visual Studio. Wasn't Visual Studio 2005 (which withdrew the feature) released around TWO YEARS ago?

RTM the damned thing already (and with a decent GUI so that developers might actually use it).

in reply to Sandcastle

Mix UK - No Comments? [Mix UK - No Comments?]

irascian — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 12:47:49 GMT

Surprised not to see any comment on the UK Mix07 event last week, given that several niners attended (or indicated they were attending) here.

For me the event was well worth the time out and ticket price, but still felt slightly disappointing after recent WebDD and Developer! Developer! Developer! events - had expected more of that sort of vibe (and enthusiasm) rather than the "old school MSDN event" vibe which I felt it largely portrayed.

Of course much of that is down to the attendees as much as the speakers/organisers. This seemed to me to be very much a "couple of days out of the office" for company developers rather than the usual user group enthusiastic crowd (most of whom are of course also full-time developers working for companies).

The Windows Live stuff was the thing that surprised me most and it was good to get a heads up on all that. VS2008 was better done I felt at WebDD (this time around it felt much more like a canned demo - see Visual Studio 2008 Quick Start to see which canned demo it was, and Scott struggled with questions outside his normal comfort zone which were around CSS and UI issues rather than LINQ) and the SilverLight talk was at a very basic level (a very quick "how to" about XAML for the most part). Disappointing to hear it has no UI controls yet, and that a refresh release seems to be some way off (next milestone is apparently "internal plumbing" and so unlikely to be publicly launched).

Was good to swap stories with other folks (if only to get nods of sympathy from people who'd previously used Infragistics web controls), and to embarrass the people on the Infragistics stand about how shoddy I thought their product was (even if they had sponsored the conference, and elicited a mention from Scot G lecturing from under a big banner with their name on) - having spent over a grand of my own cash on this stuff before taking my current contract I took some pleasure in ignoring the fixed grin marketing type assuring me that she will "Pass my comments on to the development team" while desperately trying to cut me short mid-rant and have me move on for fear of being overheard by potential customers.

The free stuff (retail editions of Vista Ultimate and the entire Expression suite) was superb (and I won a Bambu tablet from Wacom in a raffle) so that was all good.

What did everyone else think (about MIX not Infragistics)?

in reply to Mix UK - No Comments?