24 May 2004

Biztalk Server WSE 2 adapter available for download. Biztalk Server WSE adapter available for download Scott Woodgate mentions in his blog that there is a WSE 2 adapter for Biztalk in public beta and available for download. If you are into Biztalk you can find out more information about it and how to download it at Scott's blog http://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/archive/2004/05/24/140500.aspx 8:26:45 PM    comment [] MSF version 4 integrated with Visual Studio 2005, and Agile MSF version 4 integrated with Visual Studio 2005, and Agile! I've been something of a fan of Microsoft's solution framework for some time. Although at first sight it looks like a huge paper mountain and return to the front-loaded design methods of old, it's actually not. MSF can be used as a menu of templates and techniques that should be selected from and applied to projects as is most appropriate to the project in question. MSF version 4 is apparently even better, incorporating a lot of agile development methods as well. More than that though Visual Studio.NET 2005 is actually going to incorporate MSF version 4 in the ide, including work item tracking, some project management aspects and a whole lot more besides. You can find out more about it at the link below. http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnvsent/html/vsts-msf.asp 8:04:17 PM    comment [] Visual C# 2.0 Language Specs available now! C# 2.0 Language specs are available now! No sooner had I posted up news to Edenbrook's internal mailing list that WSE 2.0 was available for download, than Eric Gunnerson made a startling revelation in his blog over at http://blogs.msdn.com/ericgu/archive/2004/05/24/140402.aspx . The C# 2.0 Language specs (yes that's the very same language included in Visual Studio 2005) are available online. At last you have accurate information to start swotting up on everything you need to know about generics and co. Find the specs at http://msdn.microsoft.com/vcsharp/team/language/default.aspx     7:11:15 PM    comment [] MVP's announced!!! Microsoft have announced the 2004 MVP list As the title says, Microsoft have announced the MVP list for 2004. These are individuals which contribute voluntarily an outstanding level of commitment to the Microsoft community through newsgroups, books, articles, speaking etc etc. The full list is at http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-gb;mvpaward&style=toc My very very special congratulations go to Peter Blackburn (who helped edit my ADO.NET Novice To Pro book from Apress), Alex Homer and Dave Sussman (both former Wrox authors, both 'software legends' and both generally all round nice chaps to know and have a drink with), Trevor Dwyer ( a former colleague at Avalaugh, sorry Avanade), Graham Parker (organiser of VBUG UK and again an all round nice chap), Karl Moore (I remember hours of fun shooting down ideas liek the MVP program back in the day on the Compuserve VB forums, you sneak you), and Richard Grimes (a former Wrox author again, and a chap I have had many heated discussions with online, but for whom I still hold a great deal of respect).  Although I don't know him, I have to say congratulations to Jonathon Holmes, MVP for Microsoft Games - what amount of dedication did he have to display to get that one ;) And me? Well, always a bridesmaid... ;)     3:40:24 PM    comment [] LONESTAR - The next version of tablet PC Jeff Van West previews Lonestar As we move closer and closer to the release of Lonestar (the next version of Windows Tablet PC - please don't make me type the whole name in again) the Microsoft publicity machine has moved into a higher gear. Jeff Van West, author of Microsoft Tablet PC Quick Reference has put up a quite comprehensive look at the new features and in particular the new Tablet Input Panel (TIP) over at http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/expertzone/columns/vanwest/tabletpc.asp. I'm drooling already. Hey Microsoft - where's my beta? Sheesh.   11:46:49 AM    comment [] Introducing "GEEKMAN" Geekman action figure, available now! Hey, if Tom Hanks can make friends with a basketball for 2 hours in Castaway, there's nothing wrong with having an action figure on your desk, surely!? Thank god then that GeekMan has arrived, the very first Geek action figure. Forget ActionMan, GI Joe and Transformers - Geekman comes with his very own laptop, coffee cup, PDA and fantastic dress sense. Guaranteed to repelled people of the opposite sex and to be immune to the effects of soap and water (no, Water is not a code word for the next Microsoft RPC standard - dork) Geekman has to be the ultimate programmers idol. Check it out at http://www.happyworker.com/products/default.html   11:13:31 AM    comment [] TechEd Bingo TechEd Bingo If you're going to a TechEd this year and want something other than reams and reams of invaluable technical discussion and training to keep you occupied at the event, then the Datagrid Girl, Marcie Robillard, may just have the thing for you. In her most recent blog entry Marcie points out there that is a TechEd Bingo site now up where you can print of Bingo cards for commonly used and abuses words and phrases ("performant" anyone?). She's also encouraging shouting out BINGO during speaker sessions if you manage to fill your card and the speaker in question won't be too offended. This year's TechEd looks like it's going to be a great laugh. Check out TechEd Bingo  at http://www.techedbingo.com/techedbingo/. 10:06:50 AM    comment [] The Pragmatic self publishers... The pragmatic self publishers If you're not an attendee at some of the big industry events like TechEd etc you probably won't know the names of Dave Thomas and Andy Hunt. However, these guys are great speakers. More than that though they are also great writers and have started to self publish a series of books they call The Pragmatic Programmer (http://pragmaticprogrammer.com/). On the developer side of the site you'll find ebooks on version control and unit testing and the latter in particular comes highly recommended. I haven't taken a look at it yet, but from the reviews on the site it certainly looks well worth a long hard look; there are versions for both Java and C# as well.   10:01:38 AM    comment []

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