May 2005 - Posts

TWSUG June 2005 User Group Meeting - Leveraging Installer Technologies
31 May 05 10:14 PM | jld | with no comments

The Toronto Windows Server User Group is proud to host an event with Wise Solutions. If you are in the Toronto area, be sure to drop in on a very technical presentation on Windows and Wise Installers! Here are the details:

June 14, 2005 6:30 PM - June 14, 2005 8:30 PM
Welcome Time: 6:00 PM
Language: English

Microsoft Canada / Events Entrance
1950 Meadowvale Boulevard
Mississauga, Ontario Canada
L5N 8L9

General Event Information
Products: Windows Installer, Wise Installer
Recommended Audience: IT Professional.

This session will provide an in-depth look at Windows Installer Technology, including an explanation of what the Windows Installer is and why it is important, as well as a delineation of the inherent benefits available within this technology. The discussion will focus on how installations, patches, and application conflicts impact organizations, and how to identify and overcome issues that can lead to installation errors.

The session will also include a repackaging demonstration utilizing the Wise Package Studio, as well as a comprehensive explanation of software packaging best practices.

Meeting Agenda:

6:00 - 6:30 - Registration and Dinner
6:30 - 6:45 - TWSUG Announcements
6:45 - 8:30 - Technical Presentations
8:30 - 8:45 - Draw for prizes & Future events

* We will be giving away several prizes including:
One copy of Wise Package Studio Pro!

To sign up for the event, click here: http://www.twsug.com/Default.aspx?tabid=84

Filed under: TWSUG

WinFX Beta 1 RC Discoveries: Part 2
26 May 05 02:15 PM | jld | 1 comment(s)

To follow up to my previous blog entry, I found a new list of WinFX Beta 1 RC features. Tim Sneath has posted a sneak preview of his MSDN article entitled "A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the May Avalon Beta 1 RC Release". You can download the source document here: http://www.sneath.org/downloads/b1rcguide.doc

Here are some of the highlights from the document:

- Avalon now supports a new Express application model. It uses ClickOnce and sandboxing to create a safe execution environment. AIM (Application Impact Management) is the underlying security model that makes Express possible (you can learn more in this MSDN article). It's nice to see some of the PDC03 features finally emerging from the product. If you happen to be around at TechEd, be sure to drop by my Birds of a Feather entitled "Avalon/XAML vs WinForms".  We will definitely be discussing the impact of Express applications during the session.

- Metro documents: the current WinFX build supports Metro, a new document printing specification for the Longhorn client. By digging around a little, I found out that Metro is referred to as Document Packages in the WinFX SDK (the WinFX API namespace is System.IO.CompoundFile). The WinFX SDK has a few basic XAML samples. This is a feature I'll definitely have to find the time to test out. Another interesting tidbit I got from the article is that Metro doesn't require Avalon - it also works on Win32.

- Avalon now supports Adobe Compact Font Format (CFF). Roger Kay (an analyst from IDC) (and others) seem to think that Metro is a "PDF Killer". This will be a topic on the roster for the BOF. I think it's too early to tell but Microsoft has taken an interesting step incorporating Adobe specifications into WinFX. 

- Avalon Expander and Status Bar controls. The article contains a nice screenshot of the Status Bar control. It looks great!

I'll be posting later on about the changes in store for WinFX Beta 1 RC based on observations from the API and Tim Sneath's article.

Filed under: XAML, Windows Vista (formerly "Longhorn"), TechEd 2005

WinFX Beta 1 RC Discoveries
23 May 05 11:56 PM | jld | 7 comment(s)

Last Friday, Microsoft released the first WinFX Beta1 Release Candidate. If you haven't downloaded the build yet, here are direct links for the redistribuable and the SDK in ISO format.

WinFX Beta1 RC
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/0/2b02bca5-1df1-46fd-ae8a-b87dc4d2bf2f/en_avalon_indigo_redist_beta1_RC.iso

WinFX Beta 1 RC SDK
http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/4/0/5407D6E4-740E-413E-8E91-EF7AC53A478A/en_winfx_sdk_beta1_RC.iso

While reading the release notes and system requirements, I learned quite a few interesting details about
the build. Namely:

- According to the release notes, WinFX Beta 1 RC supports Visual Studio 2005 Beta 2 and works on Longhorn
Beta 1! This is significant since WinFX (Avalon/Indigo) is the most interesting part of Longhorn from a development standpoint.

- This build supports Infocards (Microsoft.InfoCards namespace in SDK). The Release Notes explain how
to launch the Digital Identity control panel applet (very cool). If the Digital Identity window does not appear
after you install WinFX Beta 1 RC, then type the following at the command prompt: net start "InfoCard Service"

- WinFX Beta 1 RC contains a new speech framework called SpeechFX.  You can learn more about it on
Robert Brown's weblog: http://blogs.msdn.com/robertbrown/archive/2005/05/23/421085.aspx

- This new build supports video (as outlined in the Release Notes). So far, it can render WMV (encoded
using Windows Media Video 8 or higher) and WMA. AVIs, MPEGs, JPGs and WAVs may or may not work
(I'll have to test it at one point - if anyone beats me to it, be sure to reply to this blog entry).

- Beta 1 RC breaks some of the Avalon naming conventions. However, Valentin Iliescu was quick on the gun
and managed to update his XAML chess application at lightning speeds. Nice work Valentin!

- According to Lori Pearce posting in the windows.developer.winfx.avalon newsgroup, the online WinFX SDK will be updated within the week. Here is a direct link: http://winfx.msdn.microsoft.com/

* Update: Drew Marsh is maintaining a Beta 1 RC Change Log Commentary.

* Update: Tim Sneath has posted a document on the new features of Beta 1 RC.
   http://www.sneath.org/downloads/b1rcguide.doc

If anyone has any other information about new features in the build, be sure to post a comment!

Filed under: XAML, Windows Vista (formerly "Longhorn")

TechEd 2005: Top 10 Fun Things to Do at TechEd
08 May 05 07:18 AM | jld | 3 comment(s)

I just finished my schedule for TechEd. It was incredibly challenging trying to narrow down what sessions to attend, what time slots to staff the Author/Publisher Community Lounge and bookstore and my BOF. There is such a huge selection of great topics to choose from and so little time to see it all (that's probably why they send each attendee a set of DVDs!)

In the process of planning, I came up with a top 10 fun things to do at TechEd (in reverse order):

10) Community Cabanas: Chat with the MS Product Teams and MVPs face to face
     Details: http://www.microsoft.com/events/teched2005/communitycabanas.mspx

9) Authors’ Reception and Book Signing: Get your Tech Books signed, meet famous authors and win prizes!
     Details: http://www.msteched.com/content/events.aspx         

8) TechEd Store: Buy MS and TechEd merchandise
     Details & Hours: http://www.msteched.com/content/agenda.aspx

7) TechEd Jam Sessions: Watch illustrious developers/authors/bloggers sing and play instruments! 
     Details: http://www.msteched.com/content/events.aspx
     Preview: Don Box singing at PDC03 - http://www.developers-association.org/review.aspx?f=donboxshow
 
6) CommNet: Surf and blog anywhere at the conference!
     Details: http://www.msteched.com/content/faq.aspx#12

5) Birds of a Feather: Chat and debate informally with your peers (plug: be sure to visit BOF013  
    XAML vs WinForms for an engaging chat on Avalon and the future of Windows Forms!)
    Details: http://www.msteched.com/content/sessions.aspx

4) See SteveB speak: He is quite an entertaining and dynamic speaker
     (you can look at pictures I've taken of SteveB on my website)
     Details: http://www.stormpixel.com/news/msphotos/
                 http://www.msteched.com/content/speakers.aspx

3) Microsoft Virtual Labs: Try out tons of MS software over lunch.
     Over 100 hands on labs!
     Details: http://www.msteched.com/content/sessions.aspx

2) PC Gaming on souped up AMD PCs: Tournament or Solo
     You can win an Alienware Gaming Box!
     Details: http://www.msteched.com/content/events.aspx

1) Universal Studios Attendee Party: Free rides, free food and drink.
     Details: http://themeparks.universalstudios.com/orlando/website

Filed under: XAML, General, Windows Vista (formerly "Longhorn"), MVP, Speaking, TechEd 2005

Visual Studio 2005: FTP Functionality
06 May 05 02:29 AM | jld | 10 comment(s)

One of my biggest pet peeves about Visual Studio 2003 (as an ASP.NET developer) is the lack of FTP support. To compile and upload a solution, you have to go through no less than 8 separate steps: Save, Build, Copy Project, Confirm Overwrite, Open External FTP Client, Connect to Website, Copy Files and Confirm File Overwrite. Rinse and repeat. Sure, it's possible to copy files over to a remote server using FrontPage Extensions...but no one I know likes using it.

Visual Studio 2005 has added a new Publish option which can be accessed by clicking: Build > Publish:

You can then specify what server you want to access, remote directory, username, password and a few other options.

There are still a few kinks to be worked out of the client. For example, there is no ability to stop the transfer after you click OK. Your IDE will freeze up and you have to wait until the connection times out! Other than that, the integrated FTP client is a nice enhancement.

Filed under: General

TWSUG May 2005 User Group Meeting - Sharepoint Services
03 May 05 12:13 AM | jld | with no comments

The Toronto Windows Server User Group will be meeting next week on the topic of Sharepoint Services! If you are in the Toronto area, please feel free to sign up (the details are below):

May 10, 2005 6:30 PM - May 10, 2005 8:30 PM
Welcome Time: 6:00 PM
Language: English

Microsoft Canada / Events Entrance
1950 Meadowvale Boulevard
Mississauga, Ontario Canada
L5N 8L9

General Event Information
Products: SharePoint Services
Recommended Audience: IT Professional

Session 1 - Enabling Business Collaboration using Windows Sharepoint Services
Speaker(s): Jeff Laughlin and Elliot Steele (TWSUG)

This session will look at how Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) can help enable successful collaboration between large, medium and small businesses in Canada. Click for more details...

Session 2 - Securing SharePoint Sites and Portals
Speaker(s): Michael Herman - President and CTO - Parallelspace Corporation
Website: http://www.parallelspace.com

Windows SharePoint Services and SharePoint Portal Server provide multiple layers of security In this talk, you'll discover what to secure and how to do it. You'll also learn how user authentication and access controls work in WSS and SPS.

Click here for more information: http://www.twsug.com/Default.aspx?tabid=81
Click here to register: Registration Link

Filed under: TWSUG