The Windows Template Library (WTL) is now available on SourceForge. If you're not familiar with this library, it extends ATL and it's great for building Windows applications. A couple of things to note about the WTL. It requires ATL, so you'll need to be running at least the standard version of Visual C++ to get that. Here's the link:

Project: Windows Template Library (WTL)
Windows Template Library (WTL) is a C++ library for developing Windows applications and UI components. It extends ATL (Active Template Library) and provides a set of classes for controls, dialogs, frame windows, GDI objects, and more.

The Code Project has a great WTL Page that has tons of examples.

Members of the Visual C++ team are in Cabana 5/6 answering questions about Visual C++. Stop by if you're here at TechEd in San Diego and say hi.

I had the pleasure of meeting Kate Gregory in person down in San Diego. She's written an interesting blog posting today commenting on upcoming language changes to Visual C++:

What do the language changes really mean for C++ people?
Friday morning at Tech Ed I was talking to some folks on the C++ team about the language changes that are coming for C++ and what they really mean. I don't mean that “ref class” means a class whose memory is managed by the runtime. I mean “what is the importance to a language of its syntax, and of changes to that syntax?“ How does changing a language affect the community of people who are using that language?

I'm looking forward to the upcoming CodeGuru colum that she mentions. The complete list of her columns at CodeGuru can be found here.

I'll be at TechEd all next week. The show is sold out, but if you're going and you're a C++ developer, you'll want to check out Kate Gregory's talk on Monday:

DEV331 - Visual C++: Using the .NET Framework in Win32/MFC Applications
Are you a MFC developer confused about the Microsoft roadmap for Visual C++? Do you want to learn how you can enable your MFC applications with new features using the .NET Framework? (Did you know that was even possible?) Attend this session and learn a variety of techniques for extending and reusing your tried-and-true MFC applications and components with the .NET Framework. Become your own Upgrade Wizard and take your MFC code into a new era.

and you'll want to check out Herb Sutter's talk on Friday:

DEV333 Visual C++ 2005: The Language of Choice for Native and .NET
Visual C++ 2005 introduces an improved C++ language design for taking advantage of the .NET Framework without leaving behind any native features. Hear from the lead architect of the new language design and see how it brings C++ language strengths like deterministic finalization and templates to .NET development...

There are a number of other good C++ talks scheduled. I'll try to get as much information about these out over the next couple of weeks as I can. I'll be blogging from the conference, and I'll probably do a little moblogging from there also. If you're at the show, you'll probably find me in the cabanas, or feel free to drop me a note at brianjo@microsoft.com. I'd like to get some feedback and ideas from customers about the future direction of the Visual C++ Developer Center.

Yesterday, we updated the Visual C++ Toolkit 2003 articles with the name of the author, Kate Gregory. We also added a link to her excellent book, Microsoft Visual C++ .Net 2003 Kick Start to each of the articles so you can read more from Kate.

Eric Fleegal of the Visual C++ team recently started a Weblog. If you're a regular visitor to the Visual C++ Developer Center, you'll recall Eric's excellent article, Microsoft Visual C++ Floating-Point Optimization. Here's a link and a blurb from his first blog entry:

Eric Fleegal's WebLog
I work for the Visual C++ group at Microsoft where I am responsible for determining the quality of floating-point code generation. My interests include validated numerical computing and generative programming. My most recent research involves validating floating-point optimizations using interval-analysis.

We're currently tracking the Sasser worm and we're posting updated information on Microsoft.com as we get it. Check out the following page for information related to this worm:

What You Should Know About the Sasser Worm
Microsoft teams and law enforcement authorities are investigating reports of a worm, identified as W32.Sasser.worm, that is currently circulating on the Internet. Microsoft has verified that the worm exploits the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) issue fixed in Microsoft Security Update MS04-011 on April 13, 2004.

We're linking to the TechNet page on the MSDN Developer Centers

Last week we posted the Windows XP SP2 Platform SDK RC1 image on the download center. You can use the image to get the header files you need to build projects specific to this service pack. Here's the link and a blurb:

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Platform SDK RC1
The Platform SDK – Windows XP Service Pack 2 Release Candidate contains the information you need to develop applications for Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Release Candidate 1. Use this SDK to ensure that you have the latest documentation, samples, and SDK build environment (header files, libraries, and tools) for the RC1 release of Windows XP Service Pack 2.

We'll headline more XPSP2 stuff this week, so keep an eye out.

Jesper Johansson's latest column on TechNet. The title says it all:

Help: I Got Hacked. Now What Do I Do?
Let’s just say you did not install the patches like we discussed last month. Now you got hacked. What to do?

After you read that, go back and look at Oh Patch How I Hate Thee; Let Me Count the Ways.

Tony Goodhew has been publishing a Weblog about Windows XP Service Pack 2 that I wasn't aware of. Tony knows more about the changes that XPSP2 brings for developers than anybody else on the planet. So this is a must subscribe for developers who are tracking and keeping ahead of the changes that this service pack is going to bring:

Tony Goodhew: Windows XP Service Pack 2
My name is Tony Goodhew and I'm the Developer Division Product Manager for Windows XP Service Pack 2.

What is Windows XP Service Pack 2?

With Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), Microsoft is introducing a set of security technologies that will help improve Windows XP-based computers' ability to withstand malicious attacks from viruses and worms. These technologies include:

Network protection
Memory protection
Improved email security
Safer browsing