Thomas Goddard has written and released a freely-available plug-in for Maya that exports model and texture data to XAML. There are some clean-up steps that need to be accomplished before performing the export, and Thomas does a fantastic job of explaining them in his short tutorial. Although I don't have a copy of Maya to try this out, the screenshots look very compelling. It's great to see exporters like this, as they ease the technical hurdles that traditionally exist between professional designers and software developers.
Thomas hits the nail on the head when he says: "It will not be long before all applications incorporate XAML in one aspect or another." He's correct. It's important to understand the investment and commitment we've made in the underlying Windows Presentation Foundation (formerly known as "Avalon") technology. There is a vast amount of untapped power in the GPUs in most modern machines (interesting but unrelated example at UNC). For example, I run an overclocked NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra on my dual-Opteron workstation at home, and as I type this blog entry on Sunday afternoon, I'm using almost none of its power. It's only when I fire-up a game like Quake 4 or Half-Life 2 that I begin to tax my GPU. Can you imagine the user experience that my existing hardware could provide if it were easy to take advantage of?
As the famous phrase goes: "with great power comes great responsibility." In other words, this is technology that can be used for good (i.e. rich, interactive user experiences) or bad (i.e. lots of spinning logos and gratuitous UI). I've had the fortune to work with many early adopters of this technology, and I'm amazed by what I've seen already (witness the North Face demo that we showed at PDC05). I'm convinced that—similar to the switch from command-line to GUI—applications are on the verge of taking a leap from graphical user interface to graphical user experience. We're just now starting to see the tools that make this possible in our upcoming Expression product line, and exporters like this one from Thomas Goddard only add to the mix. Great job, Thomas!
If you've written a tool that helps with XAML application development, or you're aware of one that I haven't mentioned in the past, please be sure to drop me a note.
The WinFX November CTP was released this morning. Most notably, this is the first version of WinFX that runs against the final .NET Framework 2.0 bits. This means that you can now build WinFX applications using the RTM version of Visual Studio 2005, including the freely available Express Editions. To get going:
It's also useful to review the "Readme" file for this release.
Karsten's post includes a link to a draft version of an MSDN article that he wrote that explains the new features and changes in the November CTP. He also points to some downloadable code samples that include a handy tool for helping fix the mini-language changes. While you're at it, check out Kevin Moore's demo, and Tom Archer's post addresses some good Vista questions.
In response to your requests, I've compiled a list of direct download links to the 209 PDC05 sessions that we're hosting. Please note that these zip file downloads are no different than what you can download using the online interface. This is simply another way to access and browse the same information. I hope that many of you find this to be useful. I've added a semi-permanaent link to the left navigation area under the Articles heading titled PDC05 Session Downloads for your convenience.
If you attended PDC05 in Los Angeles earlier this year, you'll be happy to know that the 4-disc post-show DVD set is shipping out today. As I've mentioned in prior posts, this package will automatically be sent to attendees at no additional cost. If you weren't able to attend, you can still order your own set online. The DVDs contain 209 breakout sessions, panels, and symposia in addition to Channel 9 video content that was produced for the event. So, watch your mailbox closely for a black mailer (pictured) over the next week or so.
To view the sessions online or download them for offline viewing, you can do that here. We've committed to hosting the content for free, for anyone, for six full months.
If you have suggestions about how we can improve the online and/or DVD experience next time, or if you think we did something right this time, please leave a comment. We produce these kits for you, and your feedback is very important.