Garrett Serack: Open Source Development at Microsoft : fear the cowboy

VBScript: Betcha never thought of this one

GarrettS — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:17:00 GMT

I mentioned in a previous post that I had to solve a little issue with the wonderful WMCMD.VBS script that Alex Zambelli maintains. Because of some occasional nastyness, when the script is done--successful or not-- it tries to kill it's own process, in case any of the WM Encoder objects gets hung up.

The original script uses WMI to look on the machine for the cscript process for the currently running script:

function TerminateEncoderProcess()

   dim objWMIService
   dim objProcess

   On Error Resume Next

   ' Get Windows Manager object
   Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
      & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\cimv2")

   ' Enumerate all CScript.exe processes
   dim colProcessList
   Set colProcessList = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
    ("Select * from Win32_Process Where Name =" _
    & "'cscript.exe'")

   dim strArguments
   strArguments = ""

   ' Enumerate all command-line arguments
   for i = 0 to wscript.arguments.Length-1
      strArguments = strArguments & " " & _
         wscript.arguments(i)
   next
   strArguments = Replace(strArguments, Chr(34), "")

   ' Kill the processes that match this one in name and arguments
   For Each objProcess in colProcessList
      if InStr(1, Replace(objProcess.CommandLine, _
         Chr(34), ""), _
      Trim(WScript.ScriptName & strArguments), 1 ) > 0 _
      then
         objProcess.Terminate()
      end if
   Next

   ' What? Still not terminated? OK, kill first occurrence.
   For Each objProcess in colProcessList
      if InStr(1, objProcess.CommandLine, _
            WScript.ScriptName) > 0 then
         objProcess.Terminate()
      end if
   Next

end function

Unfortunatly, this script, when all else fails, tries to kill itself by finding the first running cscript, and killing it. Hmmm. not too good, I had multiple encoder script processes going on, and it kept killing the wrong one.

A pity it seems so hard to find the current process in VBScript... until I thought about it a bit more:

function TerminateEncoderProcess()

   GetObject("winmgmts:root\cimv2:Win32_Process.Handle='" _
    & GetObject("winmgmts:root\cimv2:Win32_Process.Handle='" _
    & CreateObject( "WScript.Shell").Exec("cmd.exe").ProcessId _
    & "'").ParentProcessId & "'").Terminate

end function

Huh?

This version of the script spawns off a new cmd.exe process (which exits nearly instantly), but uses the process ID from that, looks up the process, and get it's parent process, and then terminate that. Nice thing is, it don't get confused :D

Looking for a few good outriders: PHP Developers

GarrettS — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:55:00 GMT

Hey y'all.

I've got some work goin' on that I sure could use a few hands that were real PHP savvy.

I'm looking for some short-term and some mid-term consultants to do some experimental work with PHP applications on Windows. I have need for some local (Redmond) and some can work from remote.

If you have some real fine PHP skills, including experience with databases, and have a track record of producing results, I'd be happy to hear from you.

Tell me... are you up to it?

Send me a mail: garretts at microsoft.com.

How to move the herd--one open source project at a time

GarrettS — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 00:52:00 GMT

Folks have been asking me, how can we believe that Microsoft is changing to see open source in a positive light.

Microsoft has been hiring a lot of people over the last several years--Since YE2002 we've went from ~50,000 employees to ~78,000 employees. That means the over 1/3 of the company has been with the company less than 5 years. Not only does that bring in new perspectives, but it also helps shape the company by changing the way people think. A lot of people who have been with Microsoft over 5 years have a different perspective, and have a lot of learning to do. The new blood however, has grown up with the world of Open Source, and has a different perspective. I'm interested in helping them the whole company see that, and cascade these changes through the enterprise. I'm sure that by focusing on the positives that we can do better.

All I ever ask, is two things:

Judge the company by its actions, and not by its words (Hmm. this sounded better when I was thinking it--these are words too... I guess you watch for actions--I'll try to point them out). My pappy always used to say "Don't judge people by their relatives." -- good advice at the best of times.
Help change Microsoft, by showing the company how it can work better by accepting Open Source, not as a threat, but an opportunity to engage customers of all kinds.

Over the last year, Microsoft product groups have started over 150 open-source projects, all hosted on CodePlex. My pappy also used to say "Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction." Well, pardner, lawyers are just as tricky to deal with. You can only imagine the wrangling that has gone on with the legal department to get projects started--it's still a tricky process, but it's evolving. We must aim to encourage more of that, and see more participation in the real world.

We have two extensions for Firefox that we've been involved with. (I'm still shocked at that!) The first, is a Windows Media Player plug-in. The second is the CardSpace Identity Selector extension that Kevin Miller and I wrote--and I aim to get some code added to the main Firefox build this year to help support Information Cards on all platforms that Firefox supports. Pat Felsted and the stalwart band of Identity gurus at the Bandit Project have been working hard towards this.

I'm resisting the temptation to do a whole-lot of one-offs, as I'm trying to find ways to scale the benefits I can provide to the community. I have a limited budget, but I have contacts and friends with deeper pockets. When my goals and theirs align, we can milk that for a lot.

SvnBridge -- Use Tortoise SVN with Team Foundation Server

GarrettS — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 04:31:08 GMT

I just got ping'd by the very fine Jonathan Wanagel, about a very cool, and very early build of SvnBridge:

Project Description
SvnBridge allows you to use TortoiseSVN and other Subversion clients with Team Foundation Server. It converts the calls made by your Subversion client to the API supported by TFS.

SvnBridge works by running an executable on your local machine that acts as the bridge to TFS. You point SvnBridge at the TFS server, and point TortoiseSVN at the bridge running on your local machine. This allows you to use TortoiseSVN with any TFS server without needing to change the TFS server in any way (no need to convince your system administrator of anything!).

Current Status
SvnBridge is still under active development in early alpha stage and not stable yet. Click here to see the current status of individual commands.
While we don't yet recommend using SvnBridge for your critical development work, we do encourage you to try it out and provide feedback! Use the issue tracker to report any issues or feedback.

Future Plans
The target features for the completed version 1 is to have the following features fully functional:

Checkout
Update
Commit
Repository Browsing
Show log
Patch
Revert
Cleanup
Anonymous Access to CodePlex source control servers

Post version 1 plans include supporting additional commands and creating a server version of SvnBridge. A server version would allow you to run a centralized SvnBridge so you don't need to run a bridge on each developer workstation.

This is fantastic news. I'm quite excited to see this start to make it's appearance, and those of you who prefer Subversion should appreciate this.

Check it out, and start filin' bugs! (tell em' I said Hi!)

Technorati Tags: subversion, codeplex, port25, fearthecowboy

There can be only one MVP program

GarrettS — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 20:05:32 GMT

I got to my office this morning, and found that gettin' off the horse too quickly often means steppin' in a cow pie.

Ah well, like my cousin Teddy used to say : “Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back.” ... and he'd know... poor old Teddy got thirty some stiches from the cat when he tried.

So, when I said "Building an Open Source MVP Program" on Friday, I had meant of course, that I hadn't done so yet (hence the use of the future tense 'building', as opposed to 'running', 'maintaining', or even 'built'), and I'm going to work with the One And Only Microsoft MVP Program.

Having now fired off the email to the fine folks runnin' the program, let's hope that I can find a slough to clean my boots off.

Technorati Tags: Port25, Open Source, fearthecowboy

Open Source at Microsoft -- Herdin' cats or Cow Chips?

GarrettS — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 22:08:41 GMT

Howdy!

I've recently moved from the Federated Identity group into the Open Source Software Labs at Microsoft. I've been rather busy of late, finishing up things for the Identity folks, and getting things started over here in the OSSL, so I apologize for the silence.

Many folks have been askin' what this is all about, so I'll try to answer the common questions right now.

What's this new job?

I'm now the Open Source Community Lead here at Microsoft.

I'm responsible for building and connecting an Open Source Communities around Microsoft Platforms.
This is a pretty wide reaching role, meaning that I touch a lot of ground. Some of the highlights:

Seeking out Open Source projects we can assist (either by contributing code, MSDN licenses or whatever :D )
Speaking/Presenting with companies, conferences, groups and people
Building an Open Source MVP Program
Enlightening Microsoft Product Groups about Open Source, and finding opportunities for them
Facilitating communication between open source developers and Product Groups
Building transparency into Microsoft and Open Source (believe it or not!)

There have been a lot of changes in Microsoft in the last few years, that folks can't yet see, and I'm hoping to expose that type of thing to the world, and bring the world of Open Source to Microsoft.

So, what about the digital identity stuff?

Well, I'm still touching that often enough--I'm still helping get the FireFox Identity Selector stuff completed, I'm nearly finished the last of the text for the book I'm co-authoring Understanding Windows CardSpace and, I'm spinning up a project on CodePlex for open source identity frameworks.

I don't get it... Microsoft and Open Source? Are you sure?

I know... I know. Y'all got some reservations about Microsoft with regards to open source. Well, I'm not going to try convince you of anything. What I am going to do is to shine the light on the things Microsoft is doing to create communities in the Open Source world.

Add to that, I'm doin' some rustlin' inside of the company itself--as expected, there are a few tenderfoots 'round here who would just soon reckon' we didn't bother. Well, I got a cattle brand heatin' up just for the conversation.... We'll just see about that.

I remember what my pappy told me about tryin' to change the world: "If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there with ya". Well, I'll keep checkin', but y'all gotta try to keep up.

Technorati: Port25, Open Source, fearthecowboy

I hacked RSA!

GarrettS — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:10:00 GMT

I successfully hacked RSA, check out the details on my blog: http://www.fearthecowboy.com/2007/02/i-hacked-rsa.html

g	Garrett Serack \| Program Manager \|Federated Identity Team \| Microsoft Corporation blog:http://blogs.msdn.com/garretts

What is the “Master Key” that is used to create the key-pair and PPID?

GarrettS — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:08:00 GMT

I talk a bit about the Master Key created when you create a personal card in my post at http://www.fearthecowboy.com/2007/02/what-is-master-key-that-is-used-to.html

g	Garrett Serack \| Program Manager \|Federated Identity Team \| Microsoft Corporation blog:http://blogs.msdn.com/garretts

What happens when my laptop gets stolen

GarrettS — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 07:44:00 GMT

I explain how CardSpace is protected when your laptop gets swiped: http://www.fearthecowboy.com/2007/01/what-happens-when-my-laptop-gets-stolen.html

g	Garrett Serack \| Program Manager \|Federated Identity Team \| Microsoft Corporation blog:http://blogs.msdn.com/garretts

Me and my PPID: Can I rely on it?

GarrettS — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 23:32:00 GMT

Be sure to check out my post on my blog: http://www.fearthecowboy.com/2007/01/me-and-my-ppid-can-i-rely-on-it.html

g	Garrett Serack \| Program Manager \|Federated Identity Team \| Microsoft Corporation blog:http://blogs.msdn.com/garretts

What the heck is "Fear The Cowboy"?

GarrettS — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 21:51:00 GMT

In my new blog, I explain Fear the Cowboy: Ok, I give: What the heck is "Fear the Cowboy"

g	Garrett Serack \| Program Manager \|Federated Identity Team \| Microsoft Corporation blog:http://fearthecowboy.com

One of the benefits of working at Microsoft

GarrettS — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 21:47:00 GMT

Check out my post at Fear the Cowboy: One of the benefits for working at Microsoft.

g	Garrett Serack \| Program Manager \|Federated Identity Team \| Microsoft Corporation blog:http://fearthecowboy.com

Fear The Cowboy

GarrettS — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 20:44:00 GMT

I've started a new blog, that is more encompassing of everything I do, not just my CardSpace duties.

You can find it at http://fearthecowboy.com

g	Garrett Serack \| Program Manager \|Federated Identity Team \| Microsoft Corporation blog:http://blogs.msdn.com/garretts