Countdown to PDC09: The Client Track Unplugged

The Discussion

• 

  Why is the audio so quiet and distorted during various points? Come on guys either put microphones on or get a decent microphone to record the session. I have to turn the volume up to ungodly levels just to be able to make out what you are saying. Then, after I do that, there's clipping going on during some of what you are saying...

• 

  Here's a link to the file you'll need for this week's Hard Hat Challenge. Good luck!

• 

  I wonder if it's possible to get a heart attack or at least clogged arteries just by looking at this week's Hard Hat challenge?

• 

  Probably... Where is the surgeon general when you need him... oh wait...

• 

  The Clue

  Insignificant Jellybeans, A Game of Tag and the answer is the name of the old book.

   

  First thoughts was about the jellybeans and though of the Microsoft Tag technology.

   

• 

  I think the Windows 7 Bootcamp is a great idea.  But I'm disappointed that it overlaps with the other pre-conference topics.

  My main goal for attending PDC is to gather relevent information that can be used in the short term, and in the long term.

   

  Windows 7 bootcamp is a great way to gather a lot of information that can be applied immediately.

  The pre-conference track on Microsoft's roadmaps seems like the best way to start planning directions for the future.

  The fact that these two presentations are in direct schedule conflict poses quite an issue.  I really want to do both!

   

  I understand that the Bootcamp content will eventually be available online, but it's just not the same as actually sitting in a live presentation.  It is also difficult to find the time to sit down and watch a day's worth of presentations online.

   

  Any chance we can have the individual bootcamp sessions presented a second time, during the PDC's normal session schedule?

• 

  Is the answer "Structured Programming", by Dahl, Dijkstra and Hoare?

   

   

  Doubt it is but worth a shot.

• 

  Sorry about the double post thought the first failed

• 

  Sorry, but that's not the correct answer, DaleRoss. Keep trying!

• 

  Ok, I see people are trying to figure out the answer. But what is the question? LOL

  What would you like us to do with this picture? It looks just fine.

  Or finiding a question is also part of the problem?

• 

  Insignificant referes to the lowest 2 bits of every pixel.

   

  If you extract them into a new image:

   

  Bitmap image = new Bitmap(@"c:\Users\Markus\Downloads\PDC09 Hard Hat Challenge 2.png");
  Color pixel;
  for (int y = 0; y < image.Height; y++) 
  {
    for (int x = 0; x < image.Width; x++) 
    {
      pixel = image.GetPixel(x, y); 
      image.SetPixel(x, y, Color.FromArgb((pixel.R & 3) * 0x3f, (pixel.G & 3) * 0x3f, (pixel.B & 3) * 0x3f));
    }
  }
  image.Save(@"c:\Users\Markus\Downloads\HardHat.png");
  

   

  Then you get this:

   

  

   

  Unfortunately I have no clue what book that is....

• 

  The jellybean is very reminiscent of the Microsoft TAG technology.

   

  Tag Not found: (Note: its hand translated from phone, so it may have errors)

   

  7j%2BAxcGwzc4Cewj3t2h%

  2BoURhFDyKNyBMIWjwwGn%

  2BW8NsBfrlzTV4MOp3PaVZAN3qK678osdoJyU86Q5b5r9lXFAnEe7pvFTewX610z1TEE3rvxUtW

• 

  Nice work, Tokter. You guys are getting close!

• 

  Thanks adam for the link, I installed the app on my phone and the tag led me to:

   

  Steganographia (Secret Writing), by Johannes Trithemius, 1500.

• 

  And with that, we have a winner! Congratulations, Tokter! Great job solving the Challenge. Drop us a line at pdc09 (at) microsoft.com, and we'll have the poster and shirt sent to you.

• 

  Nice work Tokter, congrats!

• 

  Congratulation on deciphering the image.

  I was the right track but I couldn't get a the tag to work for the original image.

• 

  @Kurt, thanks!

  @Adam, it took me like a dozend tries before the tag reader app on my iPhone accepted the picture. I think up side down finally worked.