July 2005 - Posts

SQL Upgrade Advisor now available for free download
28 July 05 09:24 AM

If you've got a SQL 2000 solution in place somewhere and are looking to upgrade it to SQL 2005 in the near future, then there is a solution to help you do this now. Its called the Upgrade advisor. Its been through some serious changed due to some great Read More...

Postedby dburling | 1 Comments    

Want to develop for Vista?
27 July 05 11:51 PM

I'm sure this is applicable for all 12 of you who want to develop specifically for the Vista platform, but i thought I'd mention it anyway. MSDN now has a Windows Vista MSDN page . There is some great info about developing for the new interface as well Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

Vista Beta 1 Released
27 July 05 09:55 PM

According to MSDN Subscriptions page you can now download Beta 1 of Windows Vista from MSDN Subscriptions If you've got a subscription head over there and download a copy! Read More...

Postedby dburling | 2 Comments    

Tech Ed NZ - SOLD OUT
27 July 05 07:44 AM

If you were looking forward to going to Tech Ed but were procrastinating - you've missed out! Thats right! We've sold out of our 2000 Tech Ed 2005 tickets in Auckland! We've still got four weeks to go too! If you are really desperate I suggest you find Read More...

Postedby dburling | 1 Comments    

Escape from Yesterworld
27 July 05 03:51 AM

There is a cool new SQL Server & Visual Studio 2005 launch site. Its got a movie feel to it (see if you can spot it). You can download wallpapers, ringtones as well as watch some great modernized videos. Check it out at http://www.escapeyesterworld.com/ Read More...

Postedby dburling | 3 Comments    

Longhorn no more....
22 July 05 05:40 PM

Longhorn is officially to be named Windows Vista. It was announced yesterday internally and today externally. View the announcement at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/jul05/07-22LHMA.mspx See - its coming! Start saving your pennies! Read More...

Postedby dburling | 2 Comments    

Hello from Atlanta
22 July 05 01:06 PM

I'm in Atlanta, waiting for the DPE Keynote to start - its hard to get on the net here (at least for Nigel and myself). Our hotel room has broadband but it's dodgy at best and generally just doesnt work. There is WiFi at the event but when you get 10,000 Read More...

Postedby dburling | 1 Comments    

About my tablet (for Craig)
20 July 05 11:23 AM

So Craig - you want to know about my tablet? I was given the duty of speaking at the Tablet PC user group in September so I decided I'd better get a clue about developing on them. So I emailed our IT dept (great tech crew!) who sent me down a first generation Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

Off to Atlanta
18 July 05 01:54 AM

I'm about to head to the airport to catch a flight to Auckland. The goal is to get to Atlanta, but given the strikes at AirNZ long haul crew are putting us through - its a bit of a lottery. I understand that my flight to LA is oversold - so I'm probably Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

Shareware Starter kit now available
15 July 05 12:55 PM

Matin emailed me to let me know about the new shareware starter kit . If you've been thinking about writing and selling some software but don't know where to start you'll want to check out this kit. Dan also gives a great overview of it that should help Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

Did I mention I had a tablet?
15 July 05 08:35 AM

I'm doing a presentation in September that I'll need a tablet for so I thought ld better learn! So far I like it! Read More...

Postedby dburling | 1 Comments    

SPB software - get it at 20% off!
15 July 05 08:09 AM

I've Been a great fan of SPB Software for ages. They make some of the best software around for the Pocket PC. If you've been wanting some great software for your Pockets PC or phone Edition head over to geekzone for 20% off SPB titles until the end of Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

This is a cool keyboard
15 July 05 03:13 AM

This is the second cool keyboard I've seen today.... have a look at http://www.artlebedev.com/portfolio/optimus/ Read More...

Postedby dburling | 3 Comments    

Tech Ed session details
15 July 05 01:31 AM

Nigel has put up a first cut of the schedule for Tech Ed - if you've been waiting to see it - you can view it here Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

Bravo Steve Jobs!
14 July 05 11:02 AM

I just read on Digital Media Thoughts about a kid who was killed because he had an iPod (whether this was what the attackers wanted is not clear) and - surprise! - the boys father received a consoling phone call from Steve Jobs! It guts me to think that Read More...

Postedby dburling | 3 Comments    

Apparently we are welcome back!
14 July 05 03:33 AM

According to the Wellington Linux mailing list archive we are welcome to go back ! It looks like our visit started some good healthy discussion in the group too. I suspect that next time will be lots of fun. Maybe those who weren't there would like to Read More...

Postedby dburling | 5 Comments    

.Net User Group and resources
14 July 05 01:27 AM

We had a great night last night at the Wellington .Net User Group. We had 50 people turn up to listen to talks on Visual Studio Team Suite, AJAX.Net and Developing for Windows Media Center. After my talk last night I thought I'd put up a list of the resources Read More...

Postedby dburling | 2 Comments    

48% off MSDN Universal - get it while you can
13 July 05 12:08 AM

If the previous ways to get MSDN Universal have still been out of your price range, you'll be pleased to know that we've managed to bring the price down by a massive 48%. That means that it now costs NZ$3565! More details are in Seans blog post and on Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

Installing Kubuntu 5.04
12 July 05 01:48 PM

When we went to the linux user group on Monday we were given Kubuntu 5.04 CDs (not because we were from Microsoft but because we just happened to say yes when offered one). I hear a lot about how Linux is easier to install today. I know it is true - I Read More...

Postedby dburling | 2 Comments    

Handango and HP release the HP hw6500?
12 July 05 12:07 AM

Handango and HP have released the HP hw6500 Pocket PC Phone edition in Europe and Asia according to an email I received over night from Handango. The hw6500 is a square screen device which sets it apart from the other Windows Mobile devices out there Read More...

Postedby dburling | 1 Comments    

Tech Ed - sign up while you can!
11 July 05 07:14 AM

We are now at over 60% capacity for Tech Ed 2005 on August 29-31 in Auckland. That is over 1200 people of a possible 2000 people have now fronted up with a registration fee (or their employer did :-) ). Its starting to look like we will sell out well Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

A couple more things....
11 July 05 02:10 AM

I'm wearing out my keyboard on my blog today... but I wanted to add one or two more... Rory has a great post on the fiasco around the Scoble/Ballmer interview and the Slashdot response . Dare also has some good comments about innovation and Microsoft Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

Guerilla marketing? - XBOX360
11 July 05 02:02 AM

Check out this cool video of an XBOX 360 ad being put up opposite a Sony Playstation press event. How cool is that? BTW - this came from the blogs of Major Nelson Read More...

Postedby dburling | 1 Comments    

AJAX - if you missed ScotGu's entry
11 July 05 12:52 AM

AJAX = Asynchronous Javascript And Xml. Microsoft has a project called Atlas which will deliver some solid AJAX stuff to VS2005 via an addon pack. Things planned for Atlas include: Atlas client script framework ASP.Net Server controls for Atlas ASP.Net Read More...

Postedby dburling | 3 Comments    

Invading the Wellington Linux User Group
10 July 05 11:39 PM

Well - its hardly an invasion, but it makes for good headlines..... :-) Tonight myself and Brett Roberts will be attending the Linux User Group here in Wellington. We dont have a slot or anything, we are simply turning up. If you want to have a chat with Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

Palm OS is dead?
09 July 05 08:40 AM

I'm a little slow (I'm sick) - so this probably wont be news, but with the annoucements by PalmSource this week many are claiming that Palm as an operating system is dead. Engaget started it by reporting that Cobalt (Palm OS 6.0) was dead and that development Read More...

Postedby dburling | 2 Comments    

Starting a software company in New Zealand?
08 July 05 07:27 AM

If you are starting a software company in New Zealand - Microsoft have a heap of resources available for you to get started in that will give you a serious let up in the world. Firstly - the Microsoft NZ Partner page has a heap of resources and links Read More...

Postedby dburling | 3 Comments    

Qantas coming out of the dark ages
06 July 05 09:21 AM

I'm in Sydney today and tomorrow and on my flight over I noticed that Qantas were changing their policy regarding devices with an "in flight" mode. Previously these devices (ala Pocket PCs and Smartphones in particular) have been banned from use during Read More...

Postedby dburling | 3 Comments    

Want to learn all about VS2005 but dont know where to start?
06 July 05 09:17 AM

If you want to get a step up into Visual Studio 2005, .Net 2.0, ASP.Net 2.0, and all the other cool features that are coming up in the next release of the Microsoft development platform, then you'll want to head over to the New Zealand evaluate site and Read More...

Postedby dburling | 1 Comments    

Need more buttons on your Pocket PC?
04 July 05 09:36 AM

One thing I loved about my HTC Harrier (and the same applies to the PDA2K/HTC Blue Angel) was the number of buttons it had. It had nine (count em - nine) hardware buttons including useful things like start and OK. In addition to that it had the keyboard, Read More...

Postedby dburling | (Comments Off)    

Back on a Pocket PC Phone Edition
01 July 05 02:49 AM

I've been having problems with my smartphone and getting frustrated with T9 SMS message authoring, the minute screen, limited applications and so on. So I purchased an iMate Jam... I'll still use the smartphone, but not as often - the jam will be my device Read More...

Postedby dburling | 1 Comments