Windows Live Platform: Services for Building Community-Driven Applications

asehmi — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:30:25 GMT

There is just so much going on in in the Windows Live Platform that it's never too too late to tell you about the exciting work going on. The development team has come up with a series of technical training Webcasts that can help you get up to speed. You will learn about authentication through Windows Live ID, Silverlight Streaming, Storage and Sharing services, Presence APIs, Virtual Earth integration and more. There's also a few sample applications on CodePlex for you to download.

The Web has evolved and user expectations right along with it. The Windows Live Platform enables developers, designers, and enthusiasts to quickly and easily create compelling Web applications with open and easily accessible APIs. By combining your imagination with the power of Microsoft web services, building on the Windows Live Platform will help you deliver rich, innovative and memorable experiences across the Web.

Learn It

Discover how the Windows Live Platform and Microsoft web services can help you create personal and engaging websites. Watch our 5-Part Webcast series - Windows Live Platform: Services for Building Community-Driven Applications.

(Register to get follow-up e-mail with related content, updates, new ideas and other valuable information from the Windows Live Platform Team)

Get It

Create vibrant communities and make better connections with your Web visitors. Download the Windows Live Platform Quick Applications (QuickApps) and get a customizable out-of-the box solution to create specific Web scenarios.

Session 1 – Windows Live Platform Technical Overview (200 Level) [Originally Aired on Nov 20, 2007]

Get a broad look at the Windows Live development platform and discover the various ways you can integrate Windows Live APIs and controls into your applications and deliver rich web content in exciting and innovative ways.

Session 2 - Windows Live Platform Technical Drilldown, Part 1 (300 Level) [Originally Aired on Nov 27, 2007]

Find out more about user authentication through Windows Live ID and how Silverlight Streaming by Windows Live and Microsoft Expression Encoder can help you create more exciting web content.

Session 3 - Windows Live Platform Technical Drilldown, Part 2 (300 Level) [Originally Aired on Dec 4, 2007]

Learn about the Storage and Sharing services from Windows Live to help you build more vibrant online communities. This session covers integration with Windows Live Contacts API, Windows Live Spaces APIs and the controls for user sharing.

Session 4 - Windows Live Platform Technical Drilldown, Part 3 (300 Level) [Originally Aired on Dec 11, 2007]

Find out how you can improve your website’s Communications and Connectivity services through integration with Windows Live Messenger and Presence APIs and Windows Live Alerts.

Session 5 - Windows Live Platform Technical Drilldown, Part 4 (300 Level) [Originally Aired on Dec 18, 2007]

Discover how to deliver more interactive and engaging Find and Locate services through integration with Windows Live Search and Microsoft Virtual Earth.

Say Jambo to Tafiti!

asehmi — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:25:36 GMT

If verticalized search is on your wish list check out this new way of doing it. It requires Silverlight and works in a variety web browsers.

Tafiti is built with Windows Live Search and SilverLight. The tree view and ability to store and share custom search collections is pretty cool stuff. Jackson Fish - a new company in the delightful Pioneer Square in downtown Seattle - worked on the project with my good mate Marc Mercuri in our Platform Incubation team.

Jackson Fish describe Tafiti as follows:

Named for the Swahili term for research, Tafiti acknowledges that the search experience is going to get more specialized. Tafiti focuses in particular on people using search engines to do research. With built in facilities for making stacks of hand chosen web results, viewing them, and sharing them with others Tafiti starts to explore that space. There’s even a “passive search consumption feature” or as we like to call it “a screensaver” that lets you explore a set of results deeply “hands free”.

Go to www.tafiti.com and enter your search query.

Channel9 Podcast: http://channel9.msdn.com/Shows/Microsoft_Conversations_with_Jon_Udell

On10.net video: http://on10.net/Blogs/larry/first-look-microsoft-tafiti/

P.S.With a few more application patterns added to this solution it could become an even better and excellent example of a Software + Services application. I'm thinking of integration with on-premise (enterprise) search, a smart client and a device client. Imagine what you could do with this concept if you hooked it up to the BDC and PerformancePoint!

Sehmi-Conscious Thoughts : UX