The big news for day 1 at PDC 2008 was the introduction Windows Azure, Microsoft's "operating system for the cloud," and its associated Azure Services Platform.Today, during a keynote speech at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference 2008 (PDC2008), Ray Ozzie, Microsoft Corp.’s chief software architect, announced Windows Azure, “the cloud-based service foundation underlying its Azure Services Platform, and highlighted this platform’s role in delivering a software plus services approach to computing.” The Azure Services Platform is an industry-leading move by Microsoft to help developers build the next generation of applications that will span from the cloud to the enterprise datacenter and deliver compelling new experiences across the PC, Web and phone.
What is Windows Azure ?
Windows Azure serves as the foundation for developing applications that run in the cloud. What this means is that it essentially turns servers across the Internet into a massive distributed operating system, running applications that both interact with PC-based software and run within a Web browser.
Windows Azure could be also defined as a cloud services operating system that serves as the development, service hosting and service management environment for the Azure Services Platform. Windows Azure provides developers with on-demand compute and storage to host, scale, and manage internet or cloud applications. Windows Azure supports a consistent development experience through its integration with Visual Studio. In the early stages of CTP, .NET managed applications built using Visual Studio will be supported. Windows Azure is an open platform that will support both Microsoft and non-Microsoft languages and environments. Windows Azure welcomes third party tools and languages such as Eclipse, Ruby, PHP, and Python.
What’s Included in Windows Azure ?
Computation Services :
- Ability to run Microsoft ASP.NET Web applications or .NET code in the cloud
- Service hosting environment that includes Internet Information Services 7.0 and Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
- Security supported by flexible Code Access Security policies
- Small runtime API that supports logging and local scratch storage
- Web portal that helps you deploy, scale, and upgrade your services quickly and easily
Simple data storage services :
- Blobs, tables, and queues hosted in the cloud, close to your computation
- Authenticated access and triple replication to help keep your data safe
- Easy access to data with simple REST interfaces, available remotely and from the data center
Development Tools :
- Complete offline development environment, including computation and storage services
- Complete command-line SDK tools and samples
- Visual Studio add-in that enables local debugging
What is the Azure Services Platform ?
The Azure™ Services Platform (Azure) is an internet-scale cloud services platform hosted in Microsoft data centers, which provides an operating system and a set of developer services that can be used individually or together. Azure’s flexible and interoperable platform can be used to build new applications to run from the cloud or enhance existing applications with cloud-based capabilities. Its open architecture gives developers the choice to build web applications, applications running on connected devices, PCs, servers, or hybrid solutions offering the best of online and on-premises.
Azure reduces the need for up-front technology purchases, and it enables developers to quickly and easily create applications running in the cloud by using their existing skills with the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment and the Microsoft .NET Framework. In addition to managed code languages supported by .NET, Azure will support more programming languages and development environments in the near future. Azure simplifies maintaining and operating applications by providing on-demand compute and storage to host, scale, and manage web and connected applications. Infrastructure management is automated with a platform that is designed for high availability and dynamic scaling to match usage needs with the option of a pay-as-you-go pricing model. Azure provides an open, standards-based and interoperable environment with support for multiple internet protocols, including HTTP, REST, SOAP, and XML.
Microsoft also offers cloud applications ready for consumption by customers such as Windows Live™, Microsoft Dynamics™, and other Microsoft Online Services for business such as Microsoft Exchange Online and SharePoint® Online. The Azure Services Platform lets developers provide their own unique customer offerings by offering the foundational components of compute, storage, and building block services to author and compose applications in the cloud.
The Azure Services
- Windows Azure : Windows® Azure is a cloud services operating system that serves as the development, service hosting and service management environment for the Azure Services Platform. Windows Azure provides developers with on-demand compute and storage to host, scale, and manage internet or cloud applications. Windows Azure supports a consistent development experience through its integration with Visual Studio. In the early stages of CTP, .NET managed applications built using Visual Studio will be supported. Windows Azure is an open platform that will support both Microsoft and non-Microsoft languages and environments. Windows Azure welcomes third party tools and languages such as Eclipse, Ruby, PHP, and Python.
- Live Services : Live Services is a set of building blocks within the Azure Services Platform for handling user data and application resources. Live Services provides developers with an easy on-ramp to build rich social applications and experiences, across a range of digital devices that can connect with one of the largest audiences on the Web.
- Microsoft SQL Services : Microsoft SQL Services extends the capabilities of Microsoft SQL Server into the cloud as a Web-based, distributed relational database. It provides Web services that enable relational queries, search, and data synchronization with mobile users, remote offices and business partners. It can store and retrieve structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data.
- Microsoft .NET Services : Microsoft .NET Services make developing loosely coupled cloud-based applications easier. .NET Services includes access control to help secure your applications, a service bus for communicating across applications and services, and hosted workflow execution. These hosted services allow you to easily create federated applications that span from on-premises environments to the cloud.
- Microsoft SharePoint Services & Dynamics CRM Services : In the future, developers will have access to SharePoint & CRM functionality for collaboration and building stronger customer relationships. With the flexibility to use familiar developer tools like Visual Studio, developers will be able to rapidly build applications that utilize SharePoint and CRM capabilities as developer services for their own applications. Developers can expect a breadth of SharePoint & CRM capabilities across the spectrum of on-premises, online & the Azure Services Platform.
What is in the Community Technology Preview ?
During the Community Technology Preview (CTP), all developers can download both the Windows Azure SDK and the Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio, and simulate a hosted environment on their local system. Developers will also have access to a suite of readiness resources including virtual hands-on labs, webcasts, and documentation such as white papers. Support will be provided through developer-to-developer blogs and forums.
Developers who are already invited to the CTP program, which includes attendees of the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference 2008 (PDC), will be able to host their services in Windows Azure through Microsoft data centers. Developers will also receive free trial access to the rich set of cloud-optimized modular components including Microsoft SQL Services, Live Services, and Microsoft .NET Services.
Register here to access Azure services*
* As part of pre-release community review, limited allocation of registration slots may temporarily place you on a waiting list until additional slots open up
Links :
15 Turkish MVPs came together in order to realize a life time expertise project, with which they aim to share their real life experiences on development & infrastructure projects and best practices with the Local IT Industry. The book “Most Valuable Experiences towards the Solution” is released and published as of July 2008 with the support of Local MS and MVP Program. The book consists of 19 chapters, each based on the experiences of the 15 MVP authors on different fields of IT industry. Thus the book gives a multi-perspective view on 19 exclusive topics related to IT and IT industry in Turkey. Besides giving an insight to the Industry from the point of view of MVPs, this book is also the source of a very special excitement in the sense of being the first “ Best Practices of IT Industry” book . For those who are at the beginning of their career in IT Industry and those who already started to climb the stairs to the peak , with no doubt this book will be a zenith inscription to light their way.
Thanks to all our MVPs and other contributors for their efforts.
List of Turkish MVPs as Authors of the Book include: Coskun Sunalı, Ediz Ozturk, Evren Ayan, Eralp Erat, Hayrettin Ucuncu, Hakan Ulagan, Kadir Çamoğlu, Levent Cenk Caglar, Mustafa Acungil, Onder Erunsal, Sefer Algan, Tamer Oz, Yaşar Gozudeli, Yeşim Sunger, Yunus Emre Alpozen.
Official site of best practices book of Turkish MVPs :
http://turkmvpdeneyimleri.blogspot.com/
If you want to obtain the book, here are the links :
http://www.ideefixe.com/Kitap/tanim.asp?sid=W5T7TZ3X0G3GLMTJJ1NH
http://www.alfakitap.com/kitap.asp?id=146&kitapID=3433
SQL Server 2008 has been released to manufacturing. SQL Server 2008 is now available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers and will be available for evaluation download on Aug. 7, 2008. SQL Server 2008 Express and SQL Server Compact editions are available for
free download. As previously announced, pricing for SQL Server will not increase with SQL Server 2008.
According to the Microsoft press release, Microsoft Releases SQL Server 2008, "This version of SQL Server provides powerful new capabilities such as support for policy-based management, auditing, large-scale data warehousing, geospatial data, and advanced reporting and analysis services. SQL Server 2008 provides the trusted, productive and intelligent platform necessary for business-critical applications."
More information is available at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/sqlserver.
Performance
SQL Server is an industry leader in both scalability and performance.
- It is the first and only database management system to be proven capable of delivering scalable results on TPC-E, the Transaction Processing Performance Council’s (TPC) newest and most challenging online transaction processing (OLTP) benchmark, with 13 published benchmarks to date. Full results are available at http://www.tpc.org. Results referenced are current as of July 29, 2008.
- Seven benchmarks are published on Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 by multiple hardware vendors, demonstrating strong price-performance and performance results, including IBM Corp.’s new No. 1 performance result using SQL Server 2008 on a 64-core System x3950 M2 server. [IBM System x3950 M2, 1250 tpsE, 1311 $/tpsE, available Aug. 30, 2008.]
- Unisys Corp. and Microsoft set a new extract, transform and load (ETL) performance record by loading 1 terabyte of data in less than 30 minutes using SQL Server 2008 Integration Services. In addition, SQL Server 2008 has proven its scalability in large-scale data warehousing, as demonstrated by its recent 10-terabyte TPC-H benchmark. [HP Integrity Superdome, 63651 QphH@10TB, 38.54 $/QphH@10TB, available Aug. 30, 2008.]
Editions
SQL Server 2008 is available in the following editions:
- SQL Server 2008 Enterprise. SQL Server 2008 Enterprise is a comprehensive data management and business intelligence platform that provides enterprise-class scalability, data warehousing, security, advanced analytics and reporting support for running business-critical applications. With this edition, it is possible to consolidate servers and perform large-scale online transactional processing.
- SQL Server 2008 Standard. SQL Server 2008 Standard is a complete data management and business intelligence platform that provides best-in-class ease of use and manageability for running departmental applications.
- SQL Server 2008 Workgroup. SQL Server 2008 Workgroup is a reliable data management and reporting platform that delivers secure, remote synchronization and management capabilities for running branch applications. This edition includes core database features and is easy to upgrade to the Standard or Enterprise edition.
- SQL Server 2008 Web. SQL Server 2008 Web is designed for highly available, Internet-facing Web-serving environments running on Windows Server. SQL Server 2008 Web provides the tools necessary to support low-cost, large-scale, highly available Web applications or hosting solutions for customers.
- SQL Server 2008 Developer. SQL Server 2008 Developer allows developers to build and test any type of application with SQL Server. This edition features all of the functionality of SQL Server Enterprise but is licensed only for development, test and demo use. Applications and databases developed on this edition can easily be upgraded to SQL Server 2008 Enterprise.
- SQL Server 2008 Express. SQL Server 2008 Express is a free edition of SQL Server that features core database functionality including all of the new SQL Server 2008 data types, in a small footprint. This edition is ideal for learning and building desktop and small server applications, and for redistribution by ISVs.
- SQL Server Compact 3.5. SQL Server Compact is a free embedded database designed for developers and is ideal for building stand-alone and occasionally connected applications for mobile devices, desktop Powerful New Business Intelligence Capabilities Join SQL Server 2008s and Web clients. SQL Server Compact runs on all Microsoft Windows platforms, including the Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems, and on Pocket PC and smartphone devices.
Features for ISVs
For more information, see SQL Server 2008. For key features of SQL Server 2008 of interest to ISVs, see Powerful New Business Intelligence Capabilities Join SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 To Ship in August, No Price Increase.
You can now download trial versions of SQL Server 2008. Download a free, fully functional 180-day trial version of SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack today. To help make the most of your evaluation, you will receive five e-mails during your evaluation period that, depending on which download option you select, contain resources specifically designed for IT professionals and developers. Before downloading and installing SQL Server 2008, click here to View system requirements.
Resources for IT Pros - SQL Server 2008
Resources for Developers - SQL Server 2008
If you are new in Sharepoint development and would like to learn more about Sharepoint 
development then the sharepoint developer site ( http://MSSharePointDeveloper.com ) is ready for your help . The new material in the site is designed to help .NET Developers to learn the top ten artifacts in SharePoint that are interesting to Sharepoint Developers. A variety of materials with different learning styles is created to make getting started with these artifacts easy and it’s all based on the Visual Studio extensions for SharePoint.
The Top Ten SharePoint Artifacts of interest to .NET Developers being promoted
- Web Parts
- Data Lists
- Event Handlers
- Workflows
- Silverlight Web Parts
- Page Navigation
- Page Branding
- Web Services
- Content Types
- User Management
At the site you will find :
- An Introductory Whitepaper
- Benefits of SharePoint for Developers
- A Small Public VPC
- Hosted MSDN Virtual Labs in C# and VB.NET
- Video Interview with SharePoint MVPs
- Screencasts
- Web Casts with SharePoint MVPs (incredible 1705 live attendees in just the first four WebCasts)
- Quickstarts
- Labcasts
- Presentation Download
- Hands on Labs Download
- Additional Resource Links
The site encourages developers who use the content to also take a next step and go on Instructor Led Training, Get Certified, and Download an evaluation copy of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server.
http://MSSharePointDeveloper.com
Here is the schedule for a series of MSDN web casts on introductoion to SharePoint development topics for .NET developers. If you are a .NET developer then these are the most interesting ten introductory things you can do on SharePoint Products and Technologies.
Each MSDN Web Cast is an introduction for .NET Developers to SharePoint.You need to register for the web cast by clicking the link and entering some details. Then you get emailed a link to sign on and participate in the web cast on its date and time.
Each MSDN Web Cast is recorded for later viewing which should be through the same registration URL.
User guides, samples, and walkthroughs have been released for Visual Studio extensions for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 v1.1 (VSeWSS). This extensions are currently available for Visual Studio 2005 and will be available for Visual Studio 2008 in June.
VSeWSS includes tools for developing custom SharePoint applications, such as Visual Studio project templates for Web Parts, site definitions, and list definitions; and a stand-alone utility program, the SharePoint Solution Generator.
The 200-page user guide applies to both versions of Visual Studio 2005 extensions for Windows SharePoint and Visual Studio 2005 extensions for Windows SharePoint when it's released. The user guide includes an introductions and a walkthrough for each project template. The guide includes a description of WSP View that you can use to build the deployment package for SharePoint projects.
The user guide sections include the following:
- Starting out in SharePoint development
- Walkthrough of VSeWSS user interface including WSP View
- The Team Site Project
- The Blank Project
- The List Definition Project
- The Web Part Project
- The Workflow Porjects
- Project Item Templates
- Best Practices with VSeWSS
You can get the user guide at Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Tools: Visual Studio 2005 Extensions User Guide, Version 1.1 at the Microsoft download center. The tools for Visual Studio 2005 are available at Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Tools: Visual Studio 2005 Extensions, Version 1.1.
The first beta release of Service Pack 1 for both Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 are available. With Service Pack 1, Visual Studio 2008 introduces new features for targeting Windows, Office, and the Web.
Developers building .NET-based applications will enjoy improved performance in the WPF designer, new components for Visual Basic and Visual C , as well as an MFC-based Office 2007 Ribbon. Web developers will see continued improvement in the client-side script tooling including JavaScript IntelliSense. Additionally, full support for SQL Server 2008, the ADO.NET Entity Framework and performance improvements for the IDE make Service Pack 1 a great release across the board.
Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1 includes:
- Improved designers for building WPF applications
- Full support for SQL Server 2008
- The introduction of the ADO.NET Entity Designer
- Visual Basic and Visual C components and tools (including an MFC-based Office 2007 style 'Ribbon')
- Improvements to Team Foundation Server to respond to customer feedback on version control usability and performance, improved e-mail integration with work item tracking and full support for hosting on SQL Server 2008
- Improvements for Web development including richer JavaScript support, enhanced AJAX and data tools, and Web site deployment
The .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 includes:
- Performance increases between 20-45% for WPF-based applications - without having to change any code
- WCF improvements that give developers more control over the way they access data and services
- Streamlined installation experience for client applications
- Improvements in the area of data platform, such as the ADO.NET Entity Framework, ADO.NET Data Services and support for SQL Server 2008's new features.
In addition, Service Pack 1 for the .NET Framework and Visual Studio 2008 includes a number of new features:
- Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Visual Designer Changes
- .NET Framework 3.5 Client Profile
- New ADO.NET Data Features
- Team Foundation Server Improvements
For more information and links to downloads, see the MSDN site Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 Beta Downloads. You’ll also find details about known compatibility issues in certain releases of Expression and Silverlight. For more information about what you'll see in the new releases, see Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 Beta.
Important: SP1 Beta Installation Notes
The SP1 beta released today is still in beta form - so you should be careful about installing it on critical machines. There are a few important SP1 Beta installation notes to be aware of:
1) If you are running Windows Vista you should make sure you have Vista SP1 installed before trying to install .NET 3.5 SP1 Beta. There are some setup issues with .NET 3.5 SP1 when running on the Vista RTM release. These issues will be fixed for the final .NET 3.5 SP1 release - until then please make sure to have Vista SP1 installed before trying to install .NET 3.5 SP1 beta.
2) If you have installed the VS 2008 Tools for Silverlight 2 Beta1 package on your machine, you must uninstall it - as well as uninstall the KB949325 update for VS 2008 - before installing VS 2008 SP1 Beta (otherwise you will get a setup failure). You can find more details on the exact steps to follow here (note: you must uninstall two separate things). It is fine to have the Silverlight 2 runtime on your machine with .NET 3.5 SP1 - the component that needs to be uninstalled is the VS 2008 Tools for Silverlight 2 package. We will release an updated VS 2008 Tools for Silverlight package in a few weeks that works with the VS 2008 SP1 beta.
3) There is a change in behavior in the .NET 3.5 SP1 beta that causes a problem with the shipping versions of Expression Blend. This behavior change is being reverted for the final .NET 3.5 SP1 release, at which time all versions of Blend will have no problems running. Until then, you need to download this recently updated version of Blend 2.5 to work around this issue.
Silverlight 2.0 Fundamentals : Silverlight 2.0 was just released at the MIX08 conference in Las Vegas. In this Web seminar, learn what Silverlight 2.0 has to offer and the basics of creating Silverlight applications. Click here to register May 2, 2008 10:00 AM PT
Building Your Business on Microsoft: Microsoft Office 2007 : This series of 5 webcasts focuses on the Microsoft tools and applications that support critical business decisions to ensure the overall success of your business. This series will speak to the tactical and strategic applications and elements in technology and will showcase features in Office 2007. Click here to register April 28 – May 6, 2008 11:00 AM PT
Building Your Business on Microsoft: SQL Server 2008 : This series of 3 webcasts focuses on the Microsoft tools and applications that support critical business decisions to help ensure the overall success of your business and will showcase the new features in SQL Server 2008. Click here to register April 29 – May 7, 2008 11:00 AM PT
Migrating from SQL Server 2000 to SQL Server 2008 : Join us for this web seminar that breaks down the process of migrating from SQL Server 2000 to SQL Server 2008. Key challenge areas will be high-lighted. Click here to register May 8, 2008 11:00 AM PT
ISV Channel Development Best Practices : Build a Successful Channel. As a special benefit to Microsoft US Gold Certified, Certified, and Registered ISV partners, Microsoft is sponsoring a series of four best practices webinars facilitated by The York Group, to help ISVs jump start and invigorate your channel development efforts. You will learn everything you need to either build a channel from the ground up or improve the performance of your current partners. Click here to register May 13 – June 10, 2008 10:00 AM PT
Essential SQL Server 2008 for Developers : SQL Server 2008 offers an impressive array of capabilities for professional developers that build upon key innovations introduced in SQL Server 2005. The Essential SQL Server 2008 for Developers Webcast series will help you understand how to build enterprise-class applications which deeply exploit the rich data types, programming models and new development paradigms in SQL Server 2008. Click here to register May 12 – 15, 2008 9:00 AM PT
Health Modeling and MP generation for LOB applications with the TSMMD : You may be using System Center Operations Manager 2007 to monitor your environment, but what about your LOB applications? Did you know you there are now tools available to help your Architects, Developers and IT Pros build Highly Manageable Applications that can be monitored by Operations Manager? In this Chalk & Talk, find out about the new Team System Management Model Designer and ask all your questions about the tools and how customers are building highly manageable applications for Windows quickly and easily. Click here to register May 15, 2008 10:00 AM PT
Comparing Technologies : This series of five one-hour seminars is intended to inform business and technical decision-makers about Microsoft platform offerings for small, medium, and large business enterprises. Attendees will learn about the products and tools that today's enterprise needs both to manage its own internal IT needs as well as to compete and excel in providing the technology-based services that customers expect. The material includes non-technical explanations of terms and concepts, and a discussion of the roles various technology products play, both individually and in relation to other products. Seminar attendees will receive information not only about Microsoft offerings, but also about competing technologies, with information to help them make decisions about acquiring and integrating new technologies. Click here to learn more May 12 – 16, 2008 10:00AM PT
Windows Vista: One Year Later : A year has gone by on Windows Vista and much has changed. Join us in this 4 webcast series as we discuss where Vista stands now, expose the myths in the marketplace, set expectations on the latest Service Pack release and highlight the new opportunities developers now have at their fingertips. Click here to learn more May 19-22, 2008 2:00PM PT
Microsoft Sliverlight 2.0 : This series of four Web seminars explores the advanced features of Microsoft Silverlight® 2.0 including building custom controls, networking support, data binding, media support and Silverlight's new "deep zoom. Click here to register May 20-23, 2008 10:00 PT
The Microsoft Health Common User Interface (MSCUI) Patient Journey Demonstrator is a vehicle for Microsoft thought leadership in state-of-the-art User Experience for Healthcare applications. It provides exemplar implementations of Microsoft Common User Interface guidance on a Microsoft platform. The demo is completely based on Silverlight 2 Beta 1 and is a great example of a Rich Internet Application demonstrating an LOB scenario using the power of Silverlight to provide beautiful, meaningful ways of representing incredibly complex data.
The UI is completely interactive and you are able to explore, manipulate, layer and scale the patient’s data to create rich visualizations. The demo consist of three separate applications.
You can get the details through Martin Grayson's ( Who is User Experience Consultant within Microsoft Consulting Services, UK ) Blog :
http://blogs.msdn.com/mgrayson/
Here is the link for demo : http://www.mscui.net/PatientJourneyDemonstrator/
Microsoft Amalga, the new family of Health Enterprise Systems. The products included in the Amalga family are:
- Microsoft Amalga. The new version of the product formerly known as Azyxxi, Amalga is part of a new software category called Unified Intelligence Systems that
allows hospital enterprises to unlock the power of all their data sitting in isolated clinical, financial and administrative systems. Without replacing current systems, it offers an innovative way to capture, consolidate, store, access and quickly present data in meaningful ways for use by clinicians and executives of leading-edge institutions. Amalga is designed for hospitals and health systems that have invested in a diverse set of IT solutions. - Microsoft Amalga Hospital Information System (HIS). The new version of the product previously named Hospital 2000, Amalga HIS is a state-of-the-art, fully integrated hospital information system designed for developing and emerging markets. Amalga HIS is built around an electronic medical record (EMR) with complete patient and bed management, laboratory, pharmacy, radiology information system and picture archiving and communication system (RIS/PACS), pathology, financial accounting, materials management, and human resource systems.
- Microsoft Amalga RIS/PACS. The new version of the product formerly known as GCS Amalga is now available as a stand-alone system as well as an integrated component of Amalga HIS. The integrated architecture means that a radiologist can use a single application to manipulate and study images and access the patient medical record. The workstation interface is optimized for radiologist workflow, including support for predefined templates, an intuitive report editor and voice recognition capabilities.
You can get details through :
The products included in the family are new versions of the products that we acquired over the last couple of years:
- Azyxxi --> Microsoft Amalga
- Global Care Solutions Hospital 2000 --> Amalga HIS
- Global Care Solutions Amalga RIS/PACS --> Amalga RIS/PACS
Last year the Microsoft Expression team shipped a new suite of tools for creative professionals. This first release of Expression Studio marked a significant milestone in the history of development tools at Microsoft, delivering superior designer-developer workflow and providing designers a set of interaction design, graphic design, Web design, digital asset management and video production tools to deliver better user experiences on Windows and the Web.
Just one year later Expression Studio 2 has been released to the web adding Silverlight support along with a new product, Expression Encoder. You can now design user interfaces for both the Windows desktop and the web by utilizing the power of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Silverlight. Create experiences with new levels of usability. Expression also integrates nicely with Visual Studio 2008, sharing projects between designers and developers.
With Expression Studio, designers can do some pretty amazing things with unprecedented levels of productivity. Also, the seamless integration between Expression Studio and Visual Studio 2008 (and Visual Studio 2005) allows unparalleled collaboration between designers and developers. Microsoft partner and customer examples can be found in the Silverlight Showcase and the Expression Gallery.
The Expression release includes the following products:
You will be able to get a new professional subscription of Expression for designers. The professional subscription includes: Expression Studio, Visual Studio Standard, Office Standard, Office Visio Professional, Windows XP, Windows Vista Business Edition, Virtual PC, Parallels Desktop for Mac, Pre-configured virtualized server environments.
You can also give Expression Studio a test drive.
NBA All-Stars went with Silverlight for the update to their video site. You can watch all your favorite NBA clips powered by Silverlight.
http://www.nba.com/allstar2008/video/
The future is a combination of local software and Internet services interacting with one another. Software makes services better and services make software better. And by bringing together the best of both worlds, we maximize choice, flexibility and capabilities for our customers. We describe this evolutionary path in our industry as Software + Services.
There's a new site for Software Services (S+S) architects. The site will be valuable whether for those of you who have a software product, a services product (SaaS), or both. The site is part of MSDN's Architecture Center.
The site covers several topics of interest to ISVs:
- How to build S+S
- How to run S+S
- How to consume S+S
- How to monitize S+S
To start with, there's a webcast that describes S+S from an architectural perspective. And an article, The Architecture Journal: Software Services that talks architectures that supports both fat and thin clients, mobile and desktop, local install and web.
The site owner, Gianpaolo is asking for feedback, gaps, suggestions.
Power Tools for Visual Studio Team System 2008 Database Edition is annouced.
The Power Tools for 2008 contains all the functionality we shipped in 2005 plus:
· Command line SQL Static Code Analysis execution through MSBuild, this was the biggest customer request, which is why I was holding the release. This enables SQL Static Code Analysis to be part of Team Build!
· Data Generation Wizard; this is another customer request where we allow them to create a new data generation plan by pointing at an existing database, the plan will be fully configured by the wizard to pull all data from the database. This way users can use an existing data set and only override the privacy concerned data and save about half a day or more of configuration
· File based data generator; this allows you to insert the content of files in to the database (works for string and binary, not for XML yet)
· XML based data generator; this allows you to generate XML based on an XSD (the XSD has to be provided as file right now, and cannot be selected from database or inherited from the data type)
· Refactoring Command Generator has been made available as a MSBuild task for better project build integration so it can be made part of the pre-build and pre-deployment stages in the project. This allows users to automated the results of refactoring to some degree in to the project.
Download page:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=73ba5038-8e37-4c8e-812b-db14ede2c354&displaylang=en
Installer download:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/b/8/fb8d1c0d-c0c4-4004-ab86-12396b2a3ee3/VSTSDB2008PT.msi
Documentation download:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/b/8/fb8d1c0d-c0c4-4004-ab86-12396b2a3ee3/Power Tools 2008.doc
MIX is a Microsoft conference held annually for web developers and designers at which we showcases upcoming web technologies. The conference is held each Spring at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.
MIX tends to be a pretty fun event, both because it covers cutting edge content and also because it tends to attract a really diverse set of attendees (including both those who use Microsoft technology today, and a large % of attendees who don't). The conference structure includes a healthy blend of sessions and interactive panels, and the layout and organization is designed to facilitate great conversations.
This year's MIX is being held March 5th-7th in Las Vegas. Ray Ozzie and Scott Guthrie are both giving keynotes the first day of the event, and Steve Ballmer and Guy Kawasaki will be doing a keynote the second day of the event.
Attendees will be able to attend sessions about new web technologies covering:
- IE 8
- IIS 7.0
- ASP.NET (including ASP.NET 3.5, ASP.NET AJAX, ASP.NET MVC, and ASP.NET Dynamic Data)
- VS 2008 and Expression Studio
- WPF
- Silverlight 2
- And much more....
If you want to attend I highly recommend registering really soon to ensure you can go. You can learn more about the event and register online here.
Hope to see you there...
