October 2004 - Posts

Limited or No Connectivity Error
29 October 04 04:57 AM | jld | 45 comment(s)

Today, I spent a few hours helping to clean up a friend's computer that hasn't been serviced in over 2 years. The first thing I did was uninstall the user's non-functioning antivirus program (the definitions had expired several months prior), booted into safe mode and removed a handful of virii using Symantec's Automated Support Assistant. I then installed Norton Antivirus and did a complete scan of the system.

Next step was to check and remove all unwanted startup programs in the registry, in the Startup folder and running services. Silent Runners does a great job of identifying and reporting all Windows startup programs (it's a small effective VB program that uses the WMI). I then installed two spyware removal tools, AdAware and Spybot Search and Destroy. I finished up by cleaning up the Temp and Temporary Internet Files folders and defragging the system using VoptXP (a very fast defrag utility - much faster than dfrg.msc).

After I was done, the internet connection stopped working and I started receiving a "Limited or No Connectivity" error. I tried a variety of strategies including re-installing the network card, checking the physical connections, ect. The culprit was corruption in Winsock and the TCP/IP stack (undoubtedly caused by the spyware). I used the Winsock XP Fix tool to do the repairs (it's actually a VB implementation of the information provided in Microsoft KB article 299357 - How to reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) in Windows XP).

Here is a link to the repair program:
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html

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Writing an n-Tier Windows Form application
22 October 04 12:56 AM | jld | with no comments

Earlier this week, Jason Beres presented a talk on Writing an n-Tier Windows Form application for the East of Toronto .NET User Group. Jason is the mastermind behind Infragistic's Tracker application (he is Infragistic's Chief Technology Evangelist). Before the meeting, we had a nice chat about book authoring and the MVP Program - Jason wrote several titles including the C# Bible, Visual Basic .NET Bible and Visual Studio .NET 2003 in 21 days.

One of the key value points I got from his talk was how to leverage Application Blocks (they are available on the Pattern and Practices website). He gave good code sample using the exceptionManagement block.

I'll be heading up a MCAD/MCSD certification group in about a month or so. If you are near the Durham region and would like to participate, please sign up here. Microsoft will be supplying each participant with a "MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Learning Kit".

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TechNet Canada - Windows XP SP2 Online Webchat
12 October 04 11:28 PM | jld | with no comments

Bruce Cowper  posted that the Canadian IT Pro team are holding a Windows XP SP2 online webchat on Friday October 15th @ 2pm (Eastern) - Duration 1 hour. This will be a refresher of the information most asked about during and after the recent TechNet presentations as well as a forum for you to 'Ask The Experts'. This will be available online and through a toll-free number.

In order to join in, simply email Bruce to receive an invite. Bruce will also post a link on his blog.

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GUIdebook
10 October 04 12:56 AM | jld | 1 comment(s)

If you're in the slightest bit interested in GUI design, this website is definitely worth bookmarking. It has a historical overview of Windows 1.0 interface right through to Longhorn. It also covers the graphical evolution of other operating systems such as the MacOS, OpenStep, Rhapsody and many others.

Here is the link: http://www.aci.com.pl/mwichary/guidebook/index

Canadian TechNet Fall Tour 2004
09 October 04 07:22 PM | jld | with no comments

The TechNet Fall tour is almost underway with stops in 11 major Canadian cities between October and December. IT Evangelists Bruce Cowper and Rick Claus will likely be taking part in the event. The Toronto Windows Server User Group will definitely be attending the Toronto tour stop on November 18th.

Here are some of the topics that will be presented at the event:

Session 1 - Deploying and Managing Windows XP Service Pack 2
In this session you will see how to plan and implement a successful Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) deployment. You will see how to prepare for deployment and learn best practices for testing mission-critical applications under SP2; how SP2 may be deployed through Systems Management Server 2003 and how to slipstream SP2 into new Windows XP installations; and how Group Policy can provide centralized and simplified management of SP2 components such as Windows Firewall and Automatic Updates.

Session 2 - Security and Risk Management Discipline
This session introduces the Security Risk Management Guide, which has been designed by Microsoft to help organizations establish a process for risk assessment, cost benefit analysis, and implementation of security countermeasures. The guide also provides information on establishing an ongoing process of security risk management. The session takes a qualitative approach to risk management, tying in best practices from both the industry as well as Microsoft?s internal IT Group.

Session 3 - Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 Technical Overview
In this session we will take a look at the next version of Microsoft operations management product, MOM 2005, which enables increased levels of service availability for Windows Server System. Learn how IT operations staff can use MOM 2005 to stay aware of issues, respond to these issues quickly and accurately, and demonstrate accountability to stakeholders, allowing them to more reliably deliver IT.

Session 4 - New Features of Windows Server 2003 Active Directory - Scenario Based
In this session you will learn how new Active Directory features can benefit you in specific management, deployment, and maintenance scenarios. This presentation is broken into four sections, each section specifies a scenario that addresses pain points from Windows 2000 Active Directory deployments, and shows how new features of Windows Server 2003 addresses those pain points and makes management, and deployment easier. The four scenarios are: Active Directory administration, connecting separate forests, deploying Active Directory at small and branch offices, and Group Policy Management. This session targets small, medium, and large organizations that have deployed Active Directory or have chosen to wait for Windows Server 2003 to deploy Active Directory in order to address specific issues covered in these scenarios.

Each attendee will receive a complimentary TechNet t-shirt, Security Guidance Kit CD, TechNet Radio CD, evaluation versions of Microsoft products and more! To sign up for the event, simply visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/canada/falltour2004/

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Back as an MVP!
03 October 04 07:23 AM | jld | 3 comment(s)

I just learned yesterday that I am a recipient of the 2005 MVP Award for Visual C#! Thanks Microsoft!  

The MVP program has had a very positive effect on my life: I'm writing articles and books (and a blog or two), speaking in public, getting involved in user groups, posting in technical newsgroups and volunteering. The interaction I'm having with Microsoft staff, my peers, my clients and the public has been nothing short of amazing. I've learned a great deal this year and it has made me a better developer (and business person). I'm looking forward doing a lot more in the coming year. :-)

On another topic...

Chris Sells recently posted that Don Box has devised a five minute description of Indigo. I think that's great. Don has a way with words with his unique ability to spritz up the driest material with the most colorful descriptions. Some of my favorites Box-isms include:

"I recently repaved my laptop."
"
I’ve been spending time with CF and am anxious for a chance to do some naked device coding in public."
"So, is XSD a type system? It certainly quacks like one."
"In my mind, APIs are the real lock-in, no matter how much standards pixie dust you sprinkle on them."

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NTT DoCoMo i-Mode Emulator Resources
03 October 04 02:18 AM | jld | 1 comment(s)

I recently got an email from someone interested in i-Mode application development. i-Mode is a platform developed by NTT DoCoMo for Japanese mobile phones. I wrote an extensive article on developing ASP.NET content for i-Mode phones right here entitled "Building i-Mode Websites using Mobile.NET" (requires membership to view).

I sent him a list of all the emulators I could find around the web (most of the pages are written in Japanese - you can use Babelfish to translate if you wish). If anyone cares to add to this list, please reply to this blog or send me an email. DevX has a listing of i-Mode tools - I'm primarily concentrating on offerings by DoCoMo or Access (makers of the i-Mode browser).

DoCoMo i-Mode Flash-based Simulator
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/p_s/imode/flash/tool.html
https://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/imode_sim/imodehtmlsim60pub_may0603.zip

Sun DoJa Emulator & NEC 341i Device Skin
http://www.imodeitalia.com/download/emulator20030303.zip
http://www.i-bestgames.com/Nec341i.zip

Java for i-Mode Tools
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/p_s/i/java/

NetFront SDK v3.2 for ITRON Trial
http://www.access.co.jp/english/products/nf_sdk.html

NetFront v.3.1 for PocketPC Trial
http://nfppc.access.co.jp/english/index.html

The retail version of Adobe GoLive 6.0 contains a really nice i-Mode NetFront emulator with several skins (please note that the trial version of the product does not have the emulator bundled in).

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