By now you all must already know that my favorite column in our daily newsletter is the ‘This week in history’ section that comes out once every week. So here’s some interesting tidbits about what happened in history this past week…

 In the world:

July 16, 1945 — The first atom bomb is detonated in the New Mexico desert 120 miles south of Santa Fe. The resulting mushroom cloud reached 40,000 feet into the air as scientists and observers watched from a "safe" 10,000 yards away.

At Microsoft:

July 16, 1984 — Tandy Corporation becomes the first major hardware manufacturer to announce a color implementation of Microsoft Windows. The color software was demonstrated at a meeting of the Boston computer Society on the Tandy Model 2000 personal computer.

This week's featured photo was used in a Tandy advertisement, featuring Windows in color in the background, ca. 1984.

Oh, and there was the Moon launch too..

On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 lifted off from a Florida launch pad on its journey to bring the first people from Earth to a safe landing on the surface of the moon. That would also be a nice event to recognize.

We sure have come a long way, haven’t we! :)

-Mithun Dhar

Yes, my title fits my post appropriately! Did you know that the Windows market place is now live! Today, the mobile team announced The Race To Market Challenge.

This video explains the rest of my post in about 35 secs:

In Essence:

Sign up now and get your mobile application on the shelves of Windows Marketplace for Mobile. When you submit your app, you’ll also be eligible to win the Race to Market Challenge and exciting prizes, including:

• A Microsoft Surface table
• Online marketing and promotion
• A one-of-a-kind trophy

Ready for the challenge?

For more information go here: http://www.mobilethisdeveloper.com

-Mithun Dhar

We have a phenomenal geekspeak lineup in August. Be sure to register:

8/5/2009 12:00 PM

MSDN Webcast: geekSpeak: Inside the Microsoft Web Deployment Tool

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032422050&Culture=en-US

8/12/2009 12:00 PM

MSDN Webcast: geekSpeak: The Dynamic Language Runtime in .NET 4

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032421937&Culture=en-US

8/19/2009 12:00 PM

MSDN Webcast: geekSpeak: Composite Application Development

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032422054&Culture=en-US

8/26/2009 12:00 PM

MSDN Webcast: geekSpeak: Generics and Collections

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032422056&Culture=en-US

As always, if you have a session/topic you’d like to geekSpeak with us, let me know.

Come join us!

-Mithun Dhar

Never saw this coming…it almost feels like India! :) I stepped out of the convention center for about 5 minutes to only realize it’s super hot outside!

Phew!

-Mithun Dhar

Sometimes I really can’t help but wonder if we are paying a price for being the ‘Top dog’! Apple never gets asked to install IE on their OS/Computers? Google never gets asked to bundle or give the option to install MSN Toolbar while installing their toolbars.

It’s sad that such dipshits are running an entire continent and barring progress! I really wonder if they even understand what a ‘browser’ is!

I am on my way to attend Tech Ready (an Internal Microsoft conference) and I am just pissed reading about this proposal…aargh!

Read at leisure…I just made it through the Browser Choice doc and it was depressing enough!

In short,

Here’s our press release: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2009/jul09/07-24statement.mspx 

Browser Choice

• Proposed Commitment (.doc)

• Annex A – Turning Internet Explorer on and off (.doc)

• Annex B – Web Browser Ballot (.ppt)

Interoperability

• Proposed Interoperability Undertaking (.doc)

• Annex A – Warranty Agreement (.doc)

• Annex B – Template Patent License (.doc)

• Annex C – Additional Outlook and Exchange Versions (.doc)

• Annex D – Outlook and Exchange Future Standards Process (.doc)

I really hope someone gets some sense into these people!

-Mithun Dhar

Tomorrow, July 7^th, 10AM PT, 1PM ET – We are broadcasting the Michael Jackson memorial, live in HD from the Staples Center in Los Angeles using IIS Smooth Streaming and Silverlight to the world. 

http://inmusic.ca/news_and_features/Michael_Jackson is the link to the page where the embedded player experience.

RIP MJ!

-Mithun Dhar

One of the most successful programs for IT Pro’s in FY09 was the Thrive Program. Now we have a similar offering for our developers.

We understand that times are tough. You’re doing more with less, applying your skills more broadly, or maybe you’re looking for a job. Thrive for developers is a community hub for career advice, peer insights, industry postings and training resources. Learn how to stand out and succeed in today’s challenging economy. Basically, Thrive for developers helps you get the skills and resources you need to stand out. It helps you to tackle today’s tough economy and come out on top. 

Learn more about the Thrive Program for developers: www.microsoft.com/thrivedev

We talked to many developers, community leaders, DEs and AEs to understand the top issues developers are facing in this economy. We designed Thrive, its content, resources and offers to specifically address the individual needs of developers as it relates to the downturn. The campaign anchors on three pillars:

Advance your Career

• - Industry and career resources designed to help developers land a  new job  (i.e. training and certification, tips and tricks)
• - Community member insights on career strategies
• - Search functionality for thousands of developer job openings across the US

Enhance your Skills – Web and Client Development

- Best of class resources outlined in a step by step format to help developers ramp on new tasks faster, saving time and money

- Product offers, training and certification discounts to get up to speed on MS tools and technologies quicker

Connect with your Community

- User groups and MS dev events search functionality powered by DPE’s “Community Connection”

- Blogs feeds from select regional DEs and AEs; as well as industry leaders in the Web and client space

- Community leaders share their insights on success strategies handling the downturn.  (i.e. “Development in a Downturn” podcast series delivered by .NET Rocks and “Insider Advice” corner highlighting community content around “Thrive” related topics of career, training and community)

Come and Thrive with Microsoft!

-Mithun Dhar

So, I met a few influencers/MVPs earlier this week and I was surprised to learn that they are not subscribed to the fortnightly MSDN Flash Newsletter. And, if they are – they have not customized it.

Here are 3 reasons for you to subscribe:

1. Stay current, Stay relevant! – With fortnightly updates you will be in the know how and know what about everything happening in the Microsoft world.
2. Current Events - Up to date information about all MS and MS Sponsored events that’s happening locally. The best reason to not just subscribe but also to Customize it to tailor your news to your geography.
3. Contribute – You run a user group? You are hosting a community event? You are doing a webcast…you are writing a blog post series, anything that is beneficial to the community at large. Let me know and I can broaden your audience by getting it on the MSDN Flash Newsletter.

Here’s how you sign up and customize for the MSDN newsletter:

Here’s the Most recent Flash Newsletter - http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/dd776245.aspx

Let me know if you need more information or if you would like to contribute something to the next Flash Newsletter.

-Mithun Dhar

If you attended the first ScottGu talk organized by LIDNUG, then you surely don’t want to miss this.

Register for the upcoming talk with Scott Guthrie on August 25 2009 between 9:00 and 10:30 AM PST. Please note that this is a virtual event.

Calendar Links: HTML: http://isaacabraham.calendar.live.com/calendar/Linked+In+.NET+User+Group+Events/index.html 

RSS: http://isaacabraham.calendar.live.com/calendar/Linked+In+.NET+User+Group+Events/calendar.xml

ICS: webcal://isaacabraham.calendar.live.com/calendar/Linked+In+.NET+User+Group+Events/calendar.ics 

For more information: http://www.linkedin.com/osview/canvas?_ch_page_id=1&_ch_panel_id=1&_ch_app_id=7083120&_applicationId=2000&_ownerId=0&appParams=%7B%22go_to%22:%22events/90959%22,%22referrer%22:%22public%22%7D 

-Mithun Dhar

These 10-4 episodes have been great!

10-4 Episode 26: Creating Extensible Applications with MEF

In this episode of 10-4, we take a look at a new library in .NET Framework 4 and how it helps developers write applications that are more extensible and easier to maintain than before.

For more information on the Managed Extensibility Framework, make sure to check out its home on Codeplex: http://www.codeplex.com/mef.

For other episodes, visit the 10-4’s home on Channel 9: http://channel9.msdn.com/shows/10-4/

-Mithun Dhar