Entries for Mark Brown

Cannon PI - To Catch An Eagle

Mark Brown — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:49:00 GMT

Welcome to Episode #1. In this episode watch Cannon PI, and his sidekick "Jim" as they help two developers get their web developer platform setup and ready to go with the applications they need using the Web Platform Installer.

PS: There is a reference to "The Wizard of OZ" in this episode. See if you can find it in this video. Good luck :)

New Mini Video Series, Cannon PI [New Mini Video Series, Cannon PI]

Mark Brown — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:18:11 GMT

The MS Web Platform Team has created a new short web video series, Cannon PI. We have the show's title sequence up on Channel 9. Take a sec to check it out and have a few laughs, you may recognize a couple of folks in the intro. I'll be posting episode one tomorrow.

http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/Mark+Brown/Cannon-PI-Introduction/

(btw, what's up with this editor? :) )

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Cannon PI - Introduction [Cannon PI - Introduction]

Mark Brown — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:07:00 GMT

There comes a time only maybe once in our lives where a true hero for the web developer emerges. They are daring problem solvers but may be a little rough around the edges, drive fast cars from the 80’s, drink a bit too much and sometimes are misunderstood.

Well the time has come and a new hero joins us and brings help to Web Developers everywhere. I’d like to introduce you to the, fast driving, hard drinking, moustache wearing, Hawaiian shirt loving, and problem solving, Cannon P.I.

Enjoy our short series and have a few laughs and over the series see if you recognize a few people you may know.

in reply to Cannon PI - Introduction

Multi-Channel Virtual Earth Viewer

Mark Brown — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:53:00 GMT

At the PDC Showoff tonight the ACE Lab at Carlton University in Canada led by Jon Wade, submitted a video that showed an incredible multi-channel version of the Virtual Earth control that provides a 180 degree view of Virtual Earth 3D.

The screen is created using 8 high-end full 1080p projectors. The code is a modified version of a sample project with a custom camera class to property adjust the FOV and camera offset for each projector and some code to synchronize the camera positions across the network. In all it took them roughly 10 hours of coding to build this viewer.

You must check this out. FREAKING AWESOME.

For best results, I suggest viewing the high-quality WMV.

Latest version of Virtual Earth is released! [Latest version of Virtual Earth is released!]

Mark Brown — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 03:54:30 GMT

We have released the latest version of Virtual Earth 6.2 as well as version 1.0 of our new Virtual Earth Web Services. Let's dig in shall we? :)

Maps for Mobile Devices. Develop mobile applications with rich imagery optimized specifically for mobile devices, including the iPhone. The new mobile-optimized features are supported in the new Virtual Earth Web Services.
Geocoding and Reverse Geocoding. Get the most accurate locations around the world through integration of multiple geocoders and datasets with MapView, Reverse IP, and Culture to provide the most relevant and accurate results. And find the closest street address based only on latitude and longitude coordinates from a GPS or other geospatial device.
International Geocoding. Your customers can now find international addresses with reverse geocoding, available anywhere Virtual Earth has routing.
Localized Directions. Get localized driving or walking directions in 15 languages.
Localized Map Tiles. Create better connections with your global customers. Provide localized maps in U.S. English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian in Western Europe.
Extended International Parsing Capabilities. Users will experience better match rates for addresses in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
Expanded Number of Rooftop Views. Provide more detailed maps to help users find locations with rooftop accuracy. Virtual Earth now offers 85 million unique addresses—more than 70 percent of all rooftops in the U.S.
Near-Matching Capabilities. using alternate and similar spellings, resulting in a more relevant search experience.
Imagery Metadata. Users can now find out the relative age of a given aerial image. This level of detail will help them assess if the imagery is relevant to their needs.
New Virtual Earth Web Services. Developers can now take advantage of the new Virtual Earth Web Services API, which offers static map images (.gif, .jpeg, and .png), direct map tile access, one-box search functionality, geocoding, reverse geocoding, and routing.
One-Click Directions. From your Virtual Earth Web application, allow your customers to get directions in one click, choosing from route options by shortest time, shortest distance, or traffic flow. With one-click directions, users instantly get directions without having to enter a starting address.
Pushpin Clustering. Provide customers the ability to zoom in on a map to better visualize a cluster of points. When many locations exist in a dense area, the pushpins can be clustered or hidden from view at smaller zoom levels.
Landmark-Based Routing. Provide customers in the U.S. and Canada with turn-by-turn maps that feature such familiar landmarks as gas stations and fast-food restaurants by name.
Multipoint Routing. Optimize travel schedules and improve driver efficiency by implementing the Virtual Earth trip planner and multipoint routing.
Weather Integration. With 3D view, get near real-time weather and cloud formation data.

Get more information:

We have two webcasts coming up next week for you to learn more and get started.

See Chris Pendleton’s Blog Post on his Launch Webcast on October 2nd at 9AM.
Mark Brown’s Blog Post for his Technical Webcast the next day on October 3rd at 10am.

Finally, if you haven’t already get out to http://dev.live.com/virtualearth (not updated yet at the time of this posting so do check back) and check out our updated Virtual Earth SDK and Virtual Earth Web Services SDK. Plus we’re also going to be publishing a bunch more content out on http://dev.live.com/virtualearth including a whole new round of white papers and other community created content. There’s tons of more options now for building your applications with Virtual Earth so this site should be your one-stop shop for everything Virtual Earth related.

Enjoy.
Mark

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Behind The Maps - Flying the UltraCam

Mark Brown — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:51:00 GMT

In this second episode of Behind The Maps we go to Philadelphia to see the UltraCam in action. One of our partners, Keystone Aerial Surveys, shows us the next step in the process where the UltraCam is used to capture imagery for Virtual Earth.

This is a little bit of a long episode because there are three interviews in one video, but really fun to watch and TONS of great information on the next step in our journey on how we bring Virtual Earth to life.

Virtual Earth ASP.NET Control Released (CTP) [Virtual Earth ASP.NET Control Released (CTP)]

Mark Brown — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:28:41 GMT

Hey folks. Just released our Virtual Earth ASP.NET Control as a CTP on the web.

Here's my blog with deep details, a screencast on C9, links to download, provide feedback and more, http://blogs.msdn.com/markbrown

PS: I'm on the road taping the second episode of Behind the Maps so I may not be able to post any replies for a day or two but I'll try if I'm in my hotel. But if you do have feedback and we want your feedback please shoot it to the feedback link provided on my blog entry.

Enjoy.
-Mark

in reply to Virtual Earth ASP.NET Control Released (CTP)

Virtual Earth ASP.NET Control - CTP Release

Mark Brown — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:28:00 GMT

Finally at long last we have released the Virtual Earth ASP.NET control (CTP Release). I spent a few minutes with Angus Logan from the Windows Live Platform Team to show off the control and give a quick demo to get you started. Go get the control from http://dev.live.com/tools, download the Windows Live Tools July CTP Release then watch the video and go build some maps. -Enjoy.

New Video Series - Behind the Maps [New Video Series - Behind the Maps]

Mark Brown — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:59:26 GMT

Hey everyone. So I've just finished my first video for a new video series I am creating called, Behind The Maps, The Technology of Virtual Earth. The concept behind this video series is to go and meet all of the people who work on the Virtual Earth product, checking out all of the cool technology they work on that brings Virtual Earth to life. For this series I am basically following the path that the data and imagery take on its way from creation to delivery to your browser.

In this episode I started in Graz, Austria where we manufacture the UltraCam high-res digital aerial camera. There I met the inventor of this camera and also and the creator of our UltraMap software which is used with this camera.

So feel free to check it out.
http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/Mark+Brown/Behind-The-Maps-UltraCam/

btw, for my next episode I am going to go fly with this camera to see it in action.

I sincerely hope you all enjoy.

-Mark

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Behind The Maps - UltraCam

Mark Brown — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:30:00 GMT

Welcome to the inaugural episode of a new video series called, "Behind The Maps". In this series we'll explore all of the technology that makes up Virtual Earth and meet the scientists and engineers who bring Virtual Earth to life.

In this episode we go to Graz, Austria and meet Michael Gruber who invented the UltraCam aerial camera and Bernhard Reitinger who created our UltraMap software. We'll spend some time getting the details on this camera and software and get an up close look at both.

Hanging in London & Graz [Hanging in London & Graz]

Mark Brown — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:09:19 GMT

Hey everyone. So I was hanging out in London this past week meeting up with customers at our offices on Victoria St. London is great. Never stayed in London for anything longer than a layover at Heathrow before. I have to say that I really enjoy those hand pulled ales. Yummy. Awesome Indian food too. Its also nice that I can go to nearly any location and watch the EuroCup matches with others who enjoy it to. Not too many places in Seattle I can do that.

Yesterday I took a plane to Graz, Austria. Graz is the home of the Microsoft UltraCam and our UltraMap software. I came over here and did a video interview with the two inventors of these technologies. Freaky super smart guys. I'll be sure to post it up here in a week or so after I sleep off my jet lag :) I'm doing a whole series of these videos to give developers a look inside all the cool technology in Virtual Earth.

Anyhoo, I'm heading out of here tomorrow going back to London for a few more days and attending a Developer Mashup event at the Alley Pally (sp?) at the BBC Backstage. Should be fun. If anyone is going to it you can find me hanging out at the Multi-Map / Virtual Earth booth there along with some of the product team engineers from both products.

For a blow by blow of my misadventures in Europe feel free to follow me on twitter @markjbrown.

Cheers :)

in reply to Hanging in London & Graz

Microsoft's 216 Megapixel camera [Microsoft's 216 Megapixel camera]

Mark Brown — Sun, 25 May 2008 00:33:23 GMT

Not sure many people know this but Microsoft manufactures the most advanced digital aerial image camera in the world. We use this to capture much of the imagery you see in Virtual Earth. It also supplies the imagery and data we use to make 3D models.

Check it out:
http://blogs.msdn.com/markbrown/archive/2008/05/23/cnet-article-on-google-capturing-3d-data.aspx

I'm actually flying to Austria here in about 2+ weeks to go interview the scientists that invented and make this thing. I'll be sure to post the video either up here on C9 or on Silverlight Streaming and post a link here.

Enjoy.

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Virtual Earth v6.1 Released [Virtual Earth v6.1 Released]

Mark Brown — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:46:16 GMT

Hi everyone. Just wanted to let you know that we just released v6.1 of Virtual Earth. Don't let the minor point update number mislead you. This was a massive update for us and there are TON's of new features and improvements.

Steve Lombardi has a comprehensive post on this over on spaces, http://virtualearth.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2BBC66E99FDCDB98!14129.entry

Spend a few minutes and check out all the new features he covers.

Enjoy :)

in reply to Virtual Earth v6.1 Released

Anybody running Vista on Leopard Macbook Pro? [Anybody running Vista on Leopard Macbook Pro?]

Mark Brown — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:03:38 GMT

Hi everybody.

I'm in the market for a new laptop. I've always heard lots of good things from my designer friends and other fake turtle-neck wearing mac users about the Vista experience on their MacBooks. Many said its fantastic.

But I'd like to get some more data on this so I'd like to see what your experience has been with that setup and hear the good as well as the bad about how well it has worked for you.

Thanks.

in reply to Anybody running Vista on Leopard Macbook Pro?

Job Opening in Scott Guthrie's org [Job Opening in Scott Guthrie's org]

Mark Brown — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:12:47 GMT

In case anyone is interested in working for one of the best team's at Microsoft. Location is in Redmond.

http://blogs.msdn.com/joestagner/archive/2008/01/17/come-join-me-and-work-at-microsoft.aspx

in reply to Job Opening in Scott Guthrie's org

Re: This Just In [Re: This Just In]

Mark Brown — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 09:23:52 GMT

Can anyone say, Cognitive Dissonance?

Appears shooby is lashing out to help reinforce the apparent disconnect between what he wants to believe, "Linux is Better" against what he knows, "Windows is Better".

I kill me ;)

in reply to Re: This Just In

New Office Developer V-Labs [New Office Developer V-Labs]

Mark Brown — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 20:59:59 GMT

Hey folks. Just wanted to let you know that we've released three brand new virtual labs on Office and Office System programming. Get in there and test drive for your self.

btw, the V-Labs team is running an X-Box 360 giveaway for a few lucky participants. See here for offical rules.

New Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Programmability
The objective of this lab is to introduce you to some of the new programmability features that Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 provides. The following exercises will demonstrate programmatically extending Office Outlook 2007 to provide custom functionality.

Building InfoPath Forms that Run as Both Rich Client and Browser Applications
In this lab you can get more familiar with browser-based scenarios for Office InfoPath 2007 forms and dig into how to create these useful forms.

Getting Started with the Business Data Catalog in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007
In this lab you will learn to build the metadata file that will connect SharePoint Server 2007 to the SQL Server 2005 AdventureWorksDW database and also how to then register the AdventureWorksDW metadata file with SharePoint Server 2007.

The Business Data Catalog is a pretty cool feature to allow you to connect just about anything up to Share Point. From there you can search on any of that data or you can build Office client add-ins where you can integrate your business data right into Word, Outlook, Excel applications.

For a complete look at all the Office System Virtual Labs check out http://msdn.microsoft.com/virtuallabs/office/default.aspx

Enjoy,
Mark

in reply to New Office Developer V-Labs

Updated Anti XSS library released [Updated Anti XSS library released]

Mark Brown — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 20:27:25 GMT

Hey folks. Brand new update to our XSS library. Great tool for web devs. If you haven't heard about this I encourage you to check this out.

Anti-Cross Site Scripting Library

Introduction

Cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks exploit vulnerabilities in Web-based applications that fail to properly validate and/or encode input that is embedded in response data. Malicious users can then inject client-side script into response data causing the unsuspecting user's browser to execute the script code. The script code will appear to have originated from a trusted-site and may be able to bypass browser protection mechanisms such as security zones.

These attacks are platform and browser independent, and can allow malicious users to perform malicious actions such as gaining unauthorized access to client data like cookies or hijacking sessions entirely.

Simple steps that developers can take to prevent XSS attacks in their ASP.NET applications include (see How To: Prevent Cross-Site Scripting in ASP.NET in the patterns & practices series for more detail):

Validating and constraining input
Encoding output

For defence in depth, developers may wish to use the Microsoft Anti-Cross Site Scripting Library to encode output. This library differs from most encoding libraries in that it uses the "principle of inclusions" technique to provide protection against XSS attacks. This approach works by first defining a valid or allowable set of characters, and encodes anything outside this set (invalid characters or potential attacks). The principle of inclusions approach provides a high degree of protection against XSS attacks and is suitable for Web applications with high security requirements.

Download

Microsoft Anti-Cross Site Scripting Library V1.5 Download

Tutorial

How to Use the Microsoft Anti-Cross Site Scripting Library V1.5 to Protect the Contoso Bookmark Page

Discussion Forum

Anti-Cross Site Scripting Library Discussion Forum

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SQL Server 2005 security: 1 year out [SQL Server 2005 security: 1 year out]

Mark Brown — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 20:12:49 GMT

Jeff Jones is one of my favorite MS bloggers. He always has interesting and encouraging posts about how Microsoft is turning the corner on the security in our products.

The Secure Development Lifecycle is something every shop should take a hard look at. While its designed primarily for ISV's, the processes and techniques can be applied for anyone who creates software.

You certainly can't argue with the results :)

http://blogs.technet.com/security/archive/2006/11/07/sql-server-2005-1-year-and-not-yet-counting.aspx

Regards,
Mark

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Announcing Visual Studio Orcas September CTP is Here [Announcing Visual Studio Orcas September CTP is Here]

Mark Brown — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 20:03:09 GMT

Hi everyone. We've released the Orcas September CTP. Check it out.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=82243606-d16d-445c-8949-9ee8c10cda2e&DisplayLang=en

We've released this CTP as a VPC image so you don't need to flatten any machines to check it out. Additional details in the link above.

Enjoy.

in reply to Announcing Visual Studio Orcas September CTP is Here

New Microsoft Office System 2007 V-Labs [New Microsoft Office System 2007 V-Labs]

Mark Brown — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 21:32:14 GMT

Hi everyone. The Office Team has been working to create some new V-Labs to show you many of the cool new features coming out in the new Microsoft Office System.

Some great new features including full ASP.NET 2.0 support in Share Point Server, Windows Workflow integration so you can create rich workflow enabled applications with little or no code at all.

Tons of great features. Go check out our new V-Labs and see for yourself.

Try 2007 Microsoft Office System Virtual Labs
The 2007 Microsoft Office System delivers an entirely new level of programmability and extensibility to Office client applications and new scenarios via Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. The guided hands-on Virtual Labs online takes seconds to get started and don’t require downloads or installations.

in reply to New Microsoft Office System 2007 V-Labs

Contest Announcement: Develop Without Borders [Contest Announcement: Develop Without Borders]

Mark Brown — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 00:30:12 GMT

I just wanted to let you know about an exciting new contest that Microsoft has just launched with support from HP. It’s called the Develop Without Borders Challenge and it encourages developers and architects to submit a solution design that helps a non-profit organization. The concept is simple: Developers choose a charitable organization that they would like to help, understand the business challenges that it faces, and propose a solution based on the 2007 Office system that addresses one or more of those challenges. The solutions that make the most impact on the organization and that best utilize the Office system technologies can win up to $50,000 to help pilot or implement the solution.

It’s a great chance to do something good for the world while you learn about the platform abilities of the new 2007 Microsoft Office system. I encourage you to visit the site and take a look.

www.developwithoutborders.com

Get involved.

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