jamespr's WebLog

http://msdn.microsoft.com/windowsmobile

I think this is the right place (msdn),and right name (windowsmobile).

1. I use the MSDN sites. There's something in my brain that connects anything off www.microsoft.com as either consumer or IT Pro, so I forget to look there.

2. Yes - more code samples, more articles, more case studies ;) What I'd *really* like to see, is content from the Prescriptive Architecture Group focused on Windows Mobile and the Compact Framework. The Patterns and Practices site has great content for desktop and web developers. I'd like to see similar topics covered from the Compact Framework perspective.

3. I generally do a search to navigate MSDN (still using Google for this). I really like the Developer Center concept. I only use the left-hand navigation tree if I'm bored and feel like poking around. I've been using the MSDN Library for years and years, and I still don't always know the right place to look for something.

Per your questions:
1)As a developer somehow MSDN Mobile is too distracting for me. I always head to pocketpcdn.com or smartphonepcdn.com and from there I get routed to MSDN sites. It's easy for me to navigate on that site as I feel is well organized.
2)More samples and articles categorized under techologies rather than screwn all over the place.
3)I use the Library Nav and if all else fails I rely on Google. Cause for multiple keywords search MSDN is disappointing most of the time.

I mostly use http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobile when I'm looking to see if there's anything new, and http://msdn.microsoft.com/windowsmobile when I'm hunting for something specific. I find http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/developer to be a bit too fluffy and content-thin most of the time.
I would like to see more articles and more samples. I haven't found the case studies particularly useful.
I tend to click MSDN from the front page unless I *really* need to use search, which I am not overfond of. I've also subscribed to some of the RSS feeds.
One further point: Am I the only person who finds the practice of displaying links to articles on the front page with a recent date when they were in fact published a month or two before really, really irritating? (sorry, I didn't mean to sound grumpy, but that one truly grates).

The names are right, but I agree with Kris, pocketpcdn is my first port of call because from the front page you can see instantly if any new articles have been added.

You should call in at http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobile where we bubble up new articles to the front of the developer center. I agree that we don't currently do this by date but it's good feedback.

Glad you asked!
1) I look at them all so I don't miss anything; however, the non-MSDN sites can be a bit fluffy. I think that it is a bit of a convention shift to look for developer material outside of MSDN. Somehow the http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobile URI seems appropriate (if you're going to keep only one).
2) More article, samples, and case studies
3) Search (via Google), Left nav, and front-page links

Out of interest, can you define "fluffy" for me? It's important that the more 'marketing' people understand what developers don't want.

On the subject of search. Have you tried MSDN search in the last few weeks? It's improved a huge amount.

Search: I tried it today after many months of avoiding it and, yes, it is vastly improved. :-)

"fluffy": essential the ratio of marketing content to 'pure' developer content is too high. To net this out: If this is the 'recruiting spot' for Windows Mobile developers, ok, have the 'recruiting content' and the case studies, but all other developer content should be on MSDN.

After re-reading these comments, I would like to second David McNamee's suggestion for Windows Mobile-focused content from PAG.