Eliot's Blog : Microsoft

IE9 and I were in the news yesterday

Eliot — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:47:00 GMT

Just a surreal feeling. When I came into the office yesterday, there was mail from a coleague who said I should take a look at the article on CNN, talking about IE9. When I got there, I saw this:

And although Microsoft certainly hasn't committed to it [HTML5], Eliot Graff, an IE lead technical editor, is helping edit the Canvas interface at the W3C group.

Of course, the first thing I did was send the link to my relatives, who are constantly in the dark as to what I do for a living.

The article itself is interesting. Dean Hachamovitch's blog gives the full details, but really cool stuff, like tieing into Direct2D, rounded corners, increased perf, and, my favorite, standards work. The CNN article noted that I have been working with the W3C, editing the Canvas 2D API specification. It's part of Microsoft's commitment to being a fully-contributing member of the W3C. For quite some time, there have been calls for member organizations to provide editing resources for the W3C, and the hope is that there are many places where I can make the various W3C specifications clearer for those who will be implmementing it in the coming years.

This reflects the change in position that I've gone through (and why I've done so little Tablet talking lately). I am now part of the IE developer documentation team, I was the lead for the group until I was asked to work on the W3C assignment. That position is important enough that I have been taken off all managerial roles and am dedicated to this full-time. A swift and different change of pace, but this is a challenge and an opportunity that is exceptionally interesting and in which I think I can offer considerable value.

Fourteen minutes of fame left to go. Good times; good times.

Anyone Going to PDC?

Eliot — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:03:00 GMT

With PDC just a few weeks away, I figure I would toss this out there and see if anyone responds.

I'll be at PDC the the afternoon of the 27th, and then all day on the 28th, 29th, and 30th. I'll mostly be spending time in the Windows pavillion and proctoring some hands-on labs from the Tablet and Touch team, but I am also very keen on hearing from attendees, especially about ways that we at Microsoft can improve the developer documentation and the developer content processes and properties. If you want to give feedback directly to the machine, drop me a line and we can set up a time to meet. I work on the team that writes the majority of the Win32 topics in the Windows SDK. I own the content for the Tablet and Touch technologies for both Win32 and the .NET Framework parts of the Windows SDK, all the content for the Windows Developer Center, and the Mobile PC dev center; and I help coordinate the content for the IE dev center, the Accessibility dev center, and the Windows Media dev center. I work directly with MSDN on all of these properties, so if you have feedback for MSDN, I can convey that to the right hands, too.

Heck, if you just want to grab a cup of coffee, let me know when you're available.

eliotgra@microsoft.com

The $100 Windows SDK Question

Eliot — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:44:00 GMT

I try to get your attention in devious ways. But this is worth being tricked.

The Windows SDK is looking for feedback about that gigantic product, The Windows SDK. More than feedback, they are dying to know what you'd change and what you want to see added. So, in their own words:

The Windows SDK Team is looking for customer input into what should change/improve in the Windows SDK and how it interfaces with Visual Studio. Please participate in the short surveys:

How would you spend $100 to improve Windows SDK components?
What NEW Windows SDK Features do you want?

Speak up. You want changes and they're listening!!!!!!

Still Time to Enter the Imagine Cup

Eliot — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:40:00 GMT

Do you know a student who is creating great UI? Or who has a passion for Accessibility UI? Or someone who can tell a great story through photography? If so, there are still four categories in the Imagine Cup that are open for submissions.

Photography (closes May 2)
Interface Design Accessible Technology Award (closes May 2)
Software Design Interoperability Award (closes May 15)
Software Design Windows Live Award (closes May 15)

The Imagine Cup is one way Microsoft is encouraging young people to apply their imagination, their passion and their creativity to technology innovations that can make a difference in the world – today. Now in its sixth year, the Imagine Cup has grown to be a truly global competition focused on finding solutions to real world issues. The theme this year is The Environment, and students are encouraged to submit software that has some impact on environmental issues.

Additionally, the Imagine Cup encourages entrants to concentrate on the world's rural poor:

As you explore ideas for your 2008 Imagine Cup Project we invite you to consider a particular segment of the world’s population that is underserved. Today there are over 3 billion people living under $2 a day and 1 billion people that are illiterate. This is a situation that is exacerbating the world’s poverty-wealth gap, making rural sustainability an urgent priority for governments. As the number can be telling, so are the stories of the people who are often forgotten, but who directly impact the longevity and potential of the Earth.

Here’s your chance to create relevant and sustainable technology, and make a social and economic impact to underserved communities around the world.

The competition is keen, the prizes are grand, and the excitement around the Imagine Cup is palpable. And hey, the world finals will be held in Paris, France, in July. That alone is almost enough to get me to register for a semester again.

Almost.