Eliot's Blog : information

Facebook Is Going Back to School

Eliot — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:05:00 GMT

This article is from PC World:

A small start-up company called Inigral is trying to bring back some student-centric functionality to Facebook with one of the first enterprise applications for the social network. The new application is called Schools and will allow students to view their courses via Facebook and communicate with classmates and friends that have opted in to the application.

Facebook users currently can track your courses and communicate with classmates and friends. In fact Inigral already has a Facebook app called Courses, which the company says is the most popular Course Management System on Facebook. Schools is different. The Facebook application is managed by the institution not the students and is plugged in to the school's database giving educational institutions more control over how and what information is shared.

Students who opt in to the application can view their entire course calendar within Facebook and if they add or drop a course at the registrar's office those changes will be immediately reflected in the Schools application. Schools is more than just course registration though, it includes functionality for student organizations such as clubs and teams, residence halls and so on. Each organization, class and friend has a wall within the app where students can interact with members of the various facets of their lives.

Schools is in private beta at Abilene Christian University in Texas at the moment, but according to TechCrunch the company hopes to go public in time for spring semester 2009. You can see an introductory video of Schools here.

A $10 Computer Announced in India

Eliot — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:48:00 GMT

From Computerworld

"BANGALORE -- India is developing a laptop to be sold at $10 that will target higher education applications, a minister of the federal government said today in Delhi.

Research on the new low-cost laptop is being carried out at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai, said D. Purandeswari, minister of State for Higher Education, at a conference in Delhi. This measure will help raise the quality of higher education in India, she added."

The next day the Indian govern published a correction. The computer will cost $100, not $10. Still, that's pretty remarkable, especially considering the OLPC cost of close to $200. The other thing that caught my eye is that this model is for higher education rather than for lower ed. I've read glowing reports about the use of technology in early education, but those are most universal linked to great resources and immersion. I've heard of programs that have used technology intermittently and seen minimal or no results. Luckily, I've never heard of children's education being harmed by computers. This attempt to enable all higher education students access to a working computer looks good, at least on paper.

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.

Microsoft Continues More Openness for Developers

Eliot — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 19:47:00 GMT

Well, just as I was finishing the last entry, mail comes screaming in from Steve Ballmer. I general take a gander at the CEO's mail, and I was glad I did this morning. There has been an announcement about how Microsoft will continue to drive to make our platforms more open to interoperability and innovation. I'm sure that the words were carefully chosen, so I will let the press release do the talking:

Microsoft today announced a set of broad-reaching changes to its technology and business practices to increase the openness of its products and drive greater interoperability, opportunity and choice. These changes are codified into four new interoperability principles and corresponding actions: 1) ensuring open connections; 2) promoting data portability; 3) enhancing support for industry standards; and 4) fostering more open engagement with customers and the industry, including open source communities.

Highlights:

Press Conference Call with Steve Ballmer, Ray Ozzie, Bob Muglia and Brad Smith: 8:30 am PST, Feb. 21

Video Clip: Tom Robertson, General Manager, Interoperability and Standards (.wmv file, 44 sec)

I have to tell you, as the owner of a large developer documentation set, this makes me both happy and nervous. We've been trying to ensure all of our docs are complete and accurate for years, and I think we've succeeded to a great extent. On the other hand, this sounds like there may be more work heading my way in future releases. That's OK by me. It's a weird sort of job security. Sort of. =:7P

TechEd is Around the Corner

Eliot — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:37:00 GMT

Seriousy, is it June already? Is it time to plant the tomatoes? Are the kids getting ready for summer break? Of course not, but it is now the time to register for TechEd. Do it today and save yourself $200 (US) with an early bird discount.

Speaking of birds (I so rarely get to use a good segue), this is the PERFECT time to submit a proposal for a birds-of-a-feather session. Want to talk with other Tablet PC developers about ink on the Web? Need dire information about app compatibility? Got an itch to drive Silverlight extensions? Go ahead, suggest a session; moderate it. What the heck, you're almost certain to make new contacts and discover important information. Overall, TechEd is about the combination of technology and community. What better way to get value from attending than to drive the discussion?

Here's the skinny straight from the TechEd 2008 homepage for developers:

Tech·Ed U.S. 2008 Developers is Microsoft’s premier technical education conference just for developers. For four days, you and over 5,000 of your peers have endless opportunities to learn about Microsoft’s latest cutting-edge technologies. What better way to start your experience than with a keynote from Bill Gates.

Be a part of the experience
* Design a personalized schedule from 16 Technical Tracks
* Advance your development skills in one of over 340 Breakout Sessions
* Go deep with Microsoft experts in one of more than 220 Interactive Theaters
* Take your time and drill down on a specific task in over 145 Hands-on Labs
* Be a part of this year’s first U.S. Tech·Ed for Developers, June 3-6, 2008 in the Orange County Convention Center, North/South Building, Orlando, Florida.

And if you go, please stop by the Windows Vista booth and say hello. I'm part of the community, too.

Have I Mentioned MIX?

Eliot — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 02:43:00 GMT

If you don't know about it by now, it's probably too late to get a ticket, but MIX08 takes place March 5-7 in Las Vegas. But if you're a web developer, you probably already knew that, too.

Although it may be too late to attend in person, MIX08 will have tons of content up on its main website and also on www.visitmix.com. You can subscribe to The Signal, a weekly podcast that connects you to behind-the-scenes activity related to MIX08. They’ll interview speakers, attendees, staff, and other notables.

And don't forget to MIXTIFY.

mix•ti•fy [micks-tuh-fahy]
— verb (used with object), -fied, -fy•ing.
1. to share with everyone you know the coolness that is MIX08!
2. to download the latest and greatest MIX stuff by checking back often!

I was lucky enough to attend MIX last year for the launch of Silverlight. That was just an amazing conference, not only for the rock-solid technology that Silverlight offers, but also because Expression Studio came out at the same time. Happening technology with easy-to-use, feature-rich collaborative tools? Even I could handle that.

Beyond the new releases, MIX is a wonderful place for Web development and design discussions. Take a look at the agenda, and once the party starts, check for webcasts, notes, code, and more. And um, if you have an extra ticket, let me know.

Windows Vista Developer Center Updates

Eliot — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:08:00 GMT

I just want to get more details in about how the Windows Vista Developer Center has a fresh look and lots of new content. Since becoming the content manager for the site in December, I've been working with members of the Windows Partners Program team, Windows Product Planning, Developer Platform Evangelism, and MSDN to determine how best to get content--real, useful content--up on the developer center. Our first phase of implimentation went live last week, and I can't believe I haven't blogged about the details until today.

Some of the things we added:

A full page explaining the value proposition of Why Develop for Windows Vista
Functionally sorted features of What's New in Windows Vista, with links to reference materials for each feature set
An updated list of downloads and samples
Over 60 "How-do-I" videos showing how to code with managed and native APIs
Relevant links from Code Gallery projects
Webcasts, virtual labs, blog aggregates, and much, much more

But I know that I missed something. Probably a lot of somethings. Please leave a comment and tell me what you think of the redesign and also what you like to see added or changed.

Thanks, and Happy Valentine's Day