Microsoft commitment to OpenSource

Microsoft has launched a new site to narrow the gap between Microsoft and OpenSource community, have a look.

AJAX and SilverLight confused?

It's a nice article discussing AJAX and SilverLight similarities and dissimilarities.

Rock it!

TeamPlain goes official as Microsoft Team System Web Access

Great tool! one of the major missing component from Team System is there now!

throw vs throw e

A major difference, beware!

Generics type full name representation

Folks,

Just got to know how generics are represented internally, you might need it while using reflection or with WCF proxy generation or whenever you need to know your custom defined generic type.

List as
System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.Int32]]

Dictionary> as System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2[[System.String],[System.Collections.Generic.List`1[[System.Int32]]]]

The weird '1 shows that it expects 1 parameter and '2 it expects 2 parameters, isn't it bizarre.

Rock it!

Cool checkin policy

Nice idea for controlling methods comments.

Have Fun!

Serialization in WCF

WCF has made possible to transmit IList, IDictionary etc which was not possible in WebServices. Its a nice article discussing WCF Serialization in detail.

Google Maps gettings better and better and better

The new drag n drop your route is awesome, whenever you drag particular road to other it automatically calculates the directions for you.

Using NMock

A nice article on using Mock Objects...

Microsoft eScrum

Microsoft has just released the Scrum Process Template for TFS. I also heard that it's better then the famous Scrum Template from Conchango, so do find yourself.

What's new in .Net Framework 3.5?

I don't think so, once again there's that much to release a whole new version of .Net Framework. Anyway here you go.

At last MS Project linked with TFS

That's a wonderful news but not that big for me as i really suffered in implementing MS Project tasks as TFS WorkItems in past. It's available as source code from codeplex website. I can't use it as working on a different project now. Will play with it later on. Enjoy!

Playing with SQL Server DATETIME

Morning all, was working on some date comparisons in SQL, this entry really helped me out in understanding few of the datetime internals. Have a look

Entered in to the world of portable music, podcasts blah blah

At last I convinced myself to start using genuine MP3 player as I’ve started commuting for around 2 hours everyday, so I thought why not to get something which can play some nice music and of course podcasts as well. As usual did some thorough research and under my budget got settled on Sony NW-A1200 with Senehizer CX-300 headphones. It's a nice looking 8GB portable device and sounds really awesome. Anyway the most good things I like about this device, it helps me in organizing all of my music via SonicStage software (not that good), allowing to play podcasts etc. It perfectly suites my requirements as I’ve got around 10GB of songs and after doing little filtration it's been reduced to 8 GB, so now all of my songs are few clicks away. But I must say listening to podcasting is a great way to utilize your time.

Enjoy!

Touch Table

Well I know it's been around from a while but at least now looks like it's going to be in production. I'm talking about new touch sensitive computer developed by Microsoft called Microsoft Surface. No need for keyboard & mouse, you just need your hands to work around on the massive screen which you can treat like a table. Checkout the amazing videos.

Regards
Faraz

Social Bookmarking

Yet another service from Microsoft called Tagspace and once again is a kind of service everyone needs. We explore internet on daily basis and come across with some useful information but never had time to read everything or you want to save it for future reference or you want to share it with your friends blah blah. Tagspace will manage all of your favorites on the web, so you don't have to worry about in moving them from computer to computer. etc. Microsoft has assigned a proper team to it, so it does do lot more than that.
Do explore now!

Best Practices for TFS

At last Microsoft has released the best practices for Team Foundation Server. It's a must have resource if you are facing problem in organizing team projects, source control etc. Go and start reading.

Enjoy!

Cool Idea

It seems everyone trying to release add-ons for TFS, here's the one from SnagIt and a nice one. It can take screen shot and create Bug work item in TFS. Isn't it cool? Making life easy for testers.

Microsoft enters into Social Networking

Orkut, MySpace, Youtube etc all from Microsoft competitors, so where's Microsoft in the world of Social Network? No disappointment whatsoever they're here as well in the form of brand new Popfly. Popfly is something not similar to others in fact it takes social networking to the next level by introducing set of tools for non-professionals to build their personal web presence all online. User can create and share web experience by using latest Microsoft web tools & technologies like mashups, gadgets, blocks, silver light, visual studio etc

Enjoy!

Microsoft vs Apple

An example of war among giants

Are you a eFamily?

As technology is advancing our lives getting digitized and the emotions are coming along with it as well. Our life is stored in our personal computers in the form of music, videos, pictures & documents etc, of course no one can afford to lost them. On the other hand we all always worry about data synchronization among all our laptops, desktops and PDAs etc and of course the availability of all the data whenever and wherever you need it.

How it is, if one box can solve all of your digital problems and gives you easy and peaceful life? Well that’s all Microsoft is saying about the new addition in the family of their servers i.e. Microsoft Home Server, sounds interesting & exciting? But we'll see, will it reduce your burden or increase it?

Related story
http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/25/microsoft-turns-xbox-rol-into-prototype-windows-home-server/

Centrino again? No there's Duo with it!

I was pretty confused after reading top headings of CNET that Intel has launched a revolutionary platform for mobile computing called Centrino Duo because the way they are mingling the product names and updating their products so quickly. Anyway thats correct as they have released a new platform which consists of bunch of components like processors (up to 2.4GHz), integrated graphics of large size, faster wireless N-Draft, longer battery life and faster performance with 800Mhz Bus which was previously called Santa Rosa. As rightly said by CNET its not a break through advancement in Intel platform but what you can do? of course nothing, its same like Vista by Microsoft not something revolutionary but still they've managed to sold 40 millions copies in the first 100 days. would you believe?

Some Centrino Duo & Pro based laptops reviews
http://reviews.cnet.com/4321-3121_7-6572180.html?tag=prmo1

Enjoy!

Debugging SQL!

Just found an excellent blog of working on SQL Server with Visual Studio .Net, especially how to debug SQL etc.

Keep Rocking!

BindingSource and BindingList

Just got hands with BindingSource & BindingList classes, they are really good especially the ability to detect changes in the binded list. For some practical examples refer to the link.

Something unique & exciting!

I think now everybody knows about Second Life, so far it was the total virtual place still it is but now some real world things entered in to this virtual world. Yeah thats true Microsoft and others participating in the Job Fair going to be hosted in Second Life, isn't it cool?

Moving on...

Gents, so sorry for not being in touch from a while , well lot happend in the last 2 months. First of all i was on vaccations to Pakistan, then there was a deployment of my current project related to MIIS and above all i'm in the phase of switching my job. Yeah I'm leaving GamCom Solutions Ltd on 30th April,07 and going to start my career as a Contractor, let see how it goes. So these days pretty busy in doing arrangments for the contracting matters. Believe me contracting is a whole new world, trying to know everything will get back to you on this topic. Keep rocking...

The 50 most important people on the web

Some nice collection of most important people around World Wide Web, interesting to know some new people having some major contribution in the improvement of web... check it out...

New PowerToys for Team Foundation Server

As we all know MS TFS lacks lot of features, tools etc but no need to worry about. There are so many guys like me who are continuously working to improve TFS. So check some great tools here...

Microsoft Identity Integration Server (MIIS)

I know its been around a month I'm away from blogging and today my post is all about the reason for that. I've been assigned to new project in one of the major bank in UK. Here we go,
As we all know in big organizations like banks there are so many disparate systems out there and every system have their own way of keeping User Information like credentials, profile etc. So big organization like banks its a nasty process to add, update or remove a user from all of the systems, here MIIS comes into the picture. It sits in the middle and get connected with all of the systems and does sync of user information among all systems, so you dont have to worry about updating all the systems, just update one and relevant information will be synchronized with other systems as well saving your time and money. The version (2003) I'm using is the latest one though its quite old now. Microsoft has just announced the beta version of new server called Microsoft Identity Lifecycle Management (MS ILM). Anyway, will keep posting some technical details as well.

Software Factories

It seems Software Factory domain is booming... as 1000s of software factories started coming in the market. Have a look!

Useful Team Foundation Server Commands

Check it out!

Immortal computing

Do we need this kinda work?

Enhanced Remote Desktop Connection

An excellent work of improving RDC client, it supports higher resolution, tabs for multiple sessions etc..

Apple launches iPhone

Stunning look n feel, Stunning features, Gorgeous! A Revolutionary idea?

Time to Rock Microsoft!

A nice place to show your hatterd against Microsoft and guess what its been hosted by Microsoft... So here we go..

Cow's flying kick: From my town the one & only, Karachi

Something real from my city, at least i found something to remember those old days, Enjoy!

IE Addin for webpage testing

Excellent addin which can retrieve all the information even with the screen shot on the page where error happend and send it to TFS as a Bug work item. Good stuff!

Enterprise Library 3.0 CTP released

MS EL is continuously getting stable and new features making it more usable for the new projects. Have a look on upcoming version!

5 Technologies to watch in 2007

Its time to have some previews... enjoy!

Back: First post of 2007

So i'm back after long break, had lot of fun and entertainment. Keep watching something new in the brand new year...