Archive for March, 2006
Mix 06 happened in Vegas from March 20-22 2006.
A lot of upcoming technology was discussed- from Atlas, AJAX to MS Expression, WPF etc.
For the ones who are interested to download the presentations and HoLs of the MIX you can do so from:
http://content.mix06.com/ or
https://content.mix06.com/content/sessions.aspx
now isn’t this cool 🙂
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This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Bluehat events are held to discover how hackers and security penetration experts work and tools they use. The invitees to the event are hand picked and the presentations also not publically available.
IMHO, the idea is to integrate the security best practices in various MS Products and Services.
Here’s a blog that would be of immense interest to people working in security area from the bluehat team:
http://blogs.technet.com/bluehat/
Category: microsoft , technology
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This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
I recently saw the ticker on CNN – IBN that talked about a security contest called “Security Shootout” that was giving away a Scorpio as its first prize. WOW! this was cool.. and i set to investigate the contest..
Some cool things about the contest:
1. The contest is being run and sponosred by Microsoft India.
2. The contest is geared towards the Microsoft developers. Almost 50% of the questions can be attempted by anyone in any technology but the rest of them need deep knowledge of the Microsoft Development using .NET
2. The total worth of prizes for this contest is almost INR 45,00,000/- … contrast this with the Code Jam Contest (http://www.topcoder.com/pl/?module=Static&d1=gicj06&d2=overview) being run by Google that has its prize money as mere INR 14,60,000/-..
currently the contest is open for Ist phase and i cudn’t resist participating in it (though i am not eligible for the same!)… Phase I gave out 30 questions for me to attempt.. the questions were of easy to medium difficulty.. i am told that the competition is only going to get tougher in the next rounds..
i don’t know my score yet as it doesn’t tell you the score before the close of the contest. there is an option of retaking the contest before the contest closes its First Phase on
The cool thing is that this set of 30 questions is different for everyone and comes from a set of 300 questions that feed the first round.
MY TIP: Read “Secure Code” book and know inside out of CAS implementation in .NET 1.1 and .NET 2.0..
MY QUESTION: What level of CAS implementation was available in .NET 1.0?
MY COMMENT: if your answer was “Don’t know”, please DO NOT attempt the contest. if your answer is “No CAS implementation in .NET 1.0”, you have a chance…
Read the book and get yourself the Scorpio 🙂
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This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
I have been running Windows Live Custom Domains BETA for sometime now. for all the domains that i create, i also get some invites for Windows Live Mail. I had converted my domain’s MX record for Live Service and finally was upgraded to the Live Mail BETA.
The Live Mail BETA looks very similar to the Outlook Web Access (OWA) and currently delivers a raw look (it is BETA!)…
the good thing is that it is open to accepting feedback from the community as you can see here: http://join.msn.com/mailbeta/feedback .
Some new features that are available include:
Contextual menus that open when you right-click an item.
Automatic updating of your inbox as new messages are received.
A preview pane that allows you to read and respond to mail without leaving the inbox.
A lighter, cleaner look and faster performance.
Hope by the time Live Mail is launched it incorporates the requested features.
P.S.: I have recently seen Yahoo Mail doing their BETA as well but haven’t received the invite from them yet!
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This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
There was a internal competition within Microsoft for providing pictures for Windows Vista. I missed sending any. Here is my entry (unofficial of course!):
There are rumors that the ship dates of Vista and Office have slipped.
Office and Vista teams are co-ordinating their release dates. From what i have come to understand, there are 2 waves of releases:
- Launch for Volume Licensing Partners (essentially RTM – when product is ready)
- Launch for Retail customers and OEM (wide availability)
Vista:
RTM and Volume License Customer – Late October 2006 (probably around Oct 25th)
Retail & OEM – January 2007.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/mar06/03-21WindowsVistaDeliveryPR.mspx
Microsoft Office System 2007:
RTM and Volume License Customer availability in October 2006.
Retail & OEM availability in January 2007.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/mar06/03-24OfficeTimingPR.mspx
The Beta 2 of both the products should also be forthcoming around June 2006.
Keep watching!
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This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
This is the reason why Kashmir is the heaven on earth !
I was there from 18 March to 26 March.. a truly unforgettable journey..
from snowfall, high mountains, lakes, snow covered hutments, fresh water streams, green forests -the sheer beauty overwhelms your senses…
My tip – “Make it to Kashmir!”
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This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
In Microsoft each product release is preceded by controlled Betas and early adopter programs. there programs provide the development teams with loads of feedback and help focus on issues most critical to customers. The major drawback here is that these programs are more reactive – you have to take a finished product and comment on it. the engagement with MVPs is much deeper where the engagement might begin right from drawing board stage.
Here is the guide to the early adopter programs available from MS:
Technology Adoption Program (TAP)
TAP provides depth support, labs and training for a select group of few companies that are already well advanced in developing using particular technology. TAP commences and will runs until RTM.
It is focussed on enterprises, ISVs and VARs.
It might contain more specific programs focussed on user experience, app compatability within the larger TAP.
Enterprise GO
Enterprise GO enables companies to experience the value of Microsoft’s next generation technologies firsthand. Enterprises look for proof that new technologies provide the value and quality they need for their business solutions. Enterprise GO delivers customer evidence by providing deep-engagement benefits for enterprises building solutions on new technologies.
ISV Ascend
Ascend is a program targeted at Managed ISV’s world-wide. Partners are invited into the program either by a Microsoft ISV DE or for Global accounts, through their Microsoft BDM/TE. The goal of this program is to build a strong ecosystem of ISV products ready to go live in the market at RTM + 90. This program ensures that the ISVs have everything from training to support to build a successful product on new technology.
ISV Touchdown
Touchdown is designed to drive field-managed ISVs to build solutions on the Microsoft Platform. The Touchdown program is supported through content, budget, and infrastructure by Corporate, but delivered by the field. The essential program offerings are: 2-3 days of deep training delivered by selected CPLS partners; Application compatibility labs; and access to support through Beta One Services. The goal is field managed ISVs completing solutions on a specific Microsoft product by RTM + 180 days.
Apart from this you will also hear about Airlifts that are training sessions conducted anywhere in the world for partners.
Every technology wave is free to define its own set of early adopter programs, the above being most common and prevelant today for Vista/ WinFX Suite of technologies.
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This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Here is something that has been on back of my mind and i am glad to find some data for the same..
the thing is whether .NET has been adopted within MS or not? largely for platform products the language of choice still remains C/ C++. However, tools on the products e.g. reporting tools, websites, MMC etc can be built on .NET. As an illustration of how deep is .NET in MS products, here are some hard facts:
o Visual Studio 2005: 7.5 million lines
o SQL Server 2005: 3 million lines
o BizTalk Server: 2 million lines
o Visual Studio Team System: 1.7 million lines
o Windows Presentation Foundation: 900K lines
o Windows Sharepoint Services: 750K lines
o Expression Interactive Designer: 250K lines
o Sharepoint Portal Server: 200K lines
o Content Management Server: 100K lines
Of my personal experience, working on BTS Rosettanet and Financial Services accelerator, quite a bit was .NET (almost 90%). one time we had to consider COM was when writing MMC that was still not available in .NET version then. Today you have MMC 3.0 that you can use .NET to code in.
Now, WinFX technologies are another scene altogether. Not much can be seen in public built on the same. But i think, we can see some cool apps coming out in future on the same…
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After being tormented by FireFox for almost a day, I have gotten my IE 7.0 back … what a relief!!
Well I just used the utility available (IE Fix) on http://windowsxp.mvps.org/IEFIX.htm and reinstalled IE 6.0. Once this was working I just started the IE 7.o Beta 2 Preview installer that set the IE 7.0 back to its full glory!!
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This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
After the whole day of trying to activate my windows unsuccessfully, i took the last resort of again installing Windows over the current install. this did start activation properly and retained my data on the machine.
However, following things are broken:
- Hindi LIP reverted back tin English. Reinstalling and restarting the machine worked fine.
- Windows Upate located appropriate updates and upated the system.
- Office 2003 broke. The installation CD provided an option of Detect and Repair that repaired the office installtion. though it took some lengthy minutes checking if any PST file got corrupted.
- Here’s the WORST of them all – My IE 7 got corrupted beyond recognition. clicking on the IE EXE returns the error – “the procedure entry point InternetGetSecurityInfoByURLW could not be located in the dynamic link library WININET.dll”
So I got stuck with no Internet Browser on my machine and did what any information worker would do – found an alternative. this time it is FireFox!
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This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.
when technology is a part of the whole! 