help.net

This was originally published at:
http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/012302-1.shtml

Personally, I find the DeveloperFusion layout hard to utilize for reading articles.

Also, if you are into learning more about XML Serialization, check out the presentation I gave on it for a class I taught on XML in .NET:
http://datawebcontrols.com/classes/xmlfornet/Session3.zip

Thanks to Scott Mitchell

Regarding the PDC, read also Phil Scott and the comments. Excellent arguments !

One problem: there can only be one PDC. Why? Because the PDC only happens when Microsoft is going to unveil a big new platform. Or, in the case of this year's PDC, three new platforms (new VS, new SQL, new Windows).

Also, what makes the PDC the PDC? Microsoft employee participation. Do you realize that every Microsoft employee has to justify attending to their boss (and their boss has to pick up the cost?)

Turns out we're not expecting to make a profit on the PDC, even with Microsoft paying for employees to attend.

For a Microsoft employee, it's already hard to justify going to a conference like this. If you add in a 19-hour flight somewhere, it'll be even more difficult. And, there can only be one PDC, not a series. So, no matter where we put it, people are gonna gripe about having to fly 19 hours to come to it (if it's in Europe, Asia, for instance, would have to fly, and most of America). If it's in Asia, then everyone else won't come. It's a real hard problem.

When I planned the VBITS conferences we held them all over the world, but the ones in San Francisco were always better than the rest (and demonstratably so). Why? Most of the world's Microsoft developers live within a five hour flight of San Francisco. Our European and Asian conferences were always about 1/5th the attendance, and not as good technical content.

Good article by  Anthony Hart on serialization with some examples.

Pundits are still predicting an uncertain future for VB, showing a complete misunderstanding of the issues that make a programming language popular and ignoring the very spirit of VB itself. 

If somebody need an easy weblog to setup, check this link

I know it's not .Text, but for people without SQL, it could be an option.

Apparently someone read my previous post.

Now in the oldies family, we have the grand father ... Asteroids.Net (gotdotnet) !