UK Academic Team Blog : Software

The Ultimate Steal: Microsoft Office Ultimate for just £38.95 for students only ending on June 26th

ukacademia — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 17:28:33 GMT

The Ultimate Steal offer for students in UK Universities and Colleges is close to an end.

You have until June 26th to go on the Ultimate Steal website, validate yourself as a student by providing your .ac email address and you will receive an email with further instruction to pay and download the software.

What you will get is: the latest Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook as well as Publisher, Access, Groove and OneNote. At £38.95, that’s 90% off estimated retail price. But you’ve got to have a student or faculty email address with a .ac domain from a UK higher education institution.

MSDNAA ELMS and Windows 7 Beta

ukacademia — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:31:37 GMT

Hello Everyone,

There has never been a better time to move your MSDN AA subscription to ELMS (e-academy License Management System) because as from Thursday 5th February Windows 7 Beta will be available for distribution.

To make Windows 7 Beta available on your storefront please follow the steps below:

Step 1: Login as the Administrator
Step 2: Click on the Hosted ELMS icon on the right side of the administration page
Step 3: Select Windows 7 Beta from the product list
Step 4: Click on the button Enable Selected

(Please note that Windows 7 Beta is only available in English, German and Japanese.)

In addition to Windows 7 Beta, the following products are also available for distribution:

· XNA Game Studio 3.0

· Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008 Academic Edition

· CCR and DSS Toolkit 2008

Information about ELMS and Hosted ELMS

Host MSDN AA software remotely through Hosted ELMS (e-academy License Management System). Hosted ELMS provides administrators a remote server to enable direct download distribution without a local server on campus. Transition your ELMS Account with these how-to guide and videos.

How-to Guides for accessing MSDN AA software. Help your students help themselves with these how-to guides and videos.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email on ukacinfo@microsoft.com.

Best wishes,

Allison

Microsoft Azure Services Platform: Opening Up Cloud Computing

ukacademia — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:46:37 GMT

Hello,

I thought I’d tell you about an independent article on Microsoft Azure Services Platform, written by David Jacobs of The Jacobs Group. David has over twenty years of computer and networking industry experience. He has managed leading-edge software development projects and consulted to Fortune 500 companies as well as software start-ups.

The article begins…

IT departments have long faced the problem of planning for and providing sufficient processing, storage, and network bandwidth to meet the needs of the busiest times on the calendar. Application developers have distributed processing between workstations and servers within a single enterprise but crossing enterprise boundaries has proven more difficult. End users have struggled to remember a different login ID for each service they use.

Microsoft® Azure™ Services Platform addresses these issues by moving computing "into the cloud." With the Azure Services Platform, processing and storage moves from individual corporate servers and websites to large Microsoft data centres.

With cloud computing, corporate processing, storage, and network capacity no longer must be scaled to meet the highest expected level of demand. Microsoft's data centres contain processing and storage resources sufficient to meet maximum levels of demand.

Cloud-based applications and storage make it easier to share data. Enterprises can make applications available to partners without requiring users to remember different login credentials for the services each partner provides. Because all partners access the same cloud resident data, changes made by one application are automatically available to all.

While applications that execute in the cloud must be designed for the Windows environment, non-Windows based applications can access services on the Azure Services Platform using industry standards. Applications communicate with the cloud using HTTP and SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), while services and data are identified and accessed using URIs (Uniform Resource Identifiers). Developers administer services on the Azure Services Platform via a browser-accessible portal.

To read more please click Azure.

As always, if you would like to discuss this article or obtain further information, please do not hesitate to contact me on ukacinfo@microsoft.com.

Best,

Allison

Student Technology Day - Microsoft Research Talk on CS Inside Halo 3 True Ranking System

ukacademia — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:53:11 GMT

For those of you who joined us at the Royal Festival Hall on 1st October and, especially for those who were otherwise engaged, please find below the session by Thore Graepel, Joaquin Quiñonero Candela and Ralf Herbrich on Microsoft Research Talk on CS Inside Halo 3 True Ranking System:

If you are unable to view the above clip, please do let me know.

Best wishes,

Allison

UK High Performance Computing Award

ukacademia — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:11:22 GMT

Hello Everyone,

The Windows Server HPC team have created a special award for UK Software Design competitors who use the Windows HPC Server in their Software Design solution of the Imagine Cup.

Microsoft want to stimulate the thinking of UK students about how HPC can change the world. We want students to think big, and to use the world’s fastest systems to solve the world’s biggest problems. That’s what the HPC prize in the Imagine cup’s about.

You know how mutli-core is about writing a program that uses more than one cpu? Well HPC (High Performance Computing) is the next step up: it’s about programming for hundreds or thousands of CPUs. This is for all the stuff that needs more compute than you can get from a single server. Think about online gaming, when you have hundreds of people simultaneously modifying a visual database – that needs more power than you can get one a single CPU. Think about calculating the temperature over 20,000 land sites in the UK and then projecting that forward into the future, one minute at a time, for 500 years. This all needs heavy duty computing – and that’s HPC. It’s the A380 of the computing world.

To win the HPC prize you don’t need to have a working system – but tell us how your design would scale-out from one CPU to a thousand. And explain how all that power would help. The award will be given to the Software Design teams who demonstrate technical competency with HPC, have a real world need for high performance computing and present the commercial viability of their implementation.

HPC is used in lots of places – last year the two winners used HPC for genetic engineering and motorway design. People in the UK use HPC for everything from theology to thermodynamics, archaeology to aerodynamics, gaming to genetics. How could you use it?

If you’ve got questions please contact your local HPC or SuperComputing Centre. Or email Michael...

Good luck and hope to see you at the finals.

Best,

Allison

DreamSpark

ukacademia — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:33:17 GMT

DreamSpark is a Microsoft program for placing key tools into the hands of students. It includes:

Visual Studio 2008
Expression Studio 2
Windows Server 2008
XNA Creators Club memberships
…and more

These tools are available to provide students with the equipment they need to build the next generation applications whether they are games, rich internet applications, desktop or server based applications.

To help you spread the word about DreamSpark we have put together a promotional kit for you to place in communal areas on campus:

The kit includes:

Banners for email and web
Posters
Postcards
Laptop stickers

To request a promotional kit, please email ukacinfo@microsoft.com with the following information:

Name
Institution Name
Address
Telephone
Email Address

(This offer is only open to UK universities and colleges. We will not use the details provided for any other activity unless you ask us to).

MSDN: What’s New in Visual Studio 2008 Service Pack 1?

ukacademia — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:32:02 GMT

Hello,

I want to invite you along to a free half day event taking place in Exeter on 23rd October 2008 and which was created with developers in mind.

Technical experts from the UK MSDN team will deliver a range of demos and provide insight into the latest enhancements across many areas of the .Net Framework. This is your opportunity to broaden your knowledge base and stay ahead of these latest developments.

If you think this is something you’d like to attend, you can find out more or register by clicking here.

In the meantime, have a lovely weekend.

Allison

Microsoft Certification for Windows Embedded CE 6.0

ukacademia — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:28:20 GMT

Hello All,

I know that many of you are considering incorporating the Microsoft Certification Program into your curricula so that graduating students supplement their degrees with an industry recognised certification.

With this in mind I thought you might like to know about the the free Preparation Kit for the Windows Embedded CE 6.0 Exam 70-571 together with the 50% off voucher which you can redeem against the examination until 5th January 2009.

If you’d like to learn more, please click here.

And good luck!

Best,

Allison

News from the Faculty Summit

ukacademia — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:03:08 GMT

Lee Dirks, the Director for Education and Scholarly Research, announced five new ‘lifecycle’ tools for academics and researchers. The tools are as follows:

Research Information Centre
Creative Commons (an add-in to Microsoft Office)
Article Authoring (an add-in to Microsoft Word)
E-Journal Hosting Service
Research Output Repository Platform

To hear more about these tools from Lee, please visit Channel 8.

If you have any questions, do contact me and I’ll see if I can get them answered for you.

Best,

Allison

Microsoft Tech-Ed 2007 Conference DVD sets to give away

ukacademia — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:29:00 GMT

Good morning,

I thought I’d start the week with a give-away of the ten Tech-Ed Conference DVD sets sitting on my desk.

So, if you live in the UK and would like me to pop one in the post to you, email me your address details and the first ten to reply will get the goodies.

Have a good week.

Allison

remix UK – a 48 hour conversation

ukacademia — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 15:51:25 GMT

Hi Everyone

If you have been wondering 'where next for the web?' this event might just be for you and there is an early bird saving for the first three hundred people to book. Click here to reserve a place.

And if you have any ideas for a topic you would like to see presented at remix UK and have a good idea of just who you’d like to present it, there is a chance you can get it added to the mash up.

Best for the weekend,

Allison

New Silverlight Videos

ukacademia — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:05:00 GMT

Hi,

For those of you with an interest in Silverlight I thought you might like to take a look at a series of 'how to' videos available from the Silverlight team. You'll find everything from the basics through to best practices and even a series of tips and techniques.

For example, Todd Miranda shows how to dynamically add markers to a video at runtime and Peter Bahaa shows how to handle the back and forward buttons, all in Silverlight 1.0.

To browse the library of videos click here.

All the best,

Allison

Invitation to Convergence 2008 Copenhagen - Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance MDAA:00071306

ukacademia — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:26:00 GMT

Hi,

I thought you'd like to receive your invitation to an interesting event in Denmark.

Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance invites you to attend:

Microsoft Academic Preconference and Convergence 2008 Copenhagen, Denmark from 17 to 20 November, 2008.

Last year we hosted about 60 educators and researchers from 17 countries from around the world. We would like to see you this year!

The Academic Preconference will be held 17-18 November 2008.

· Includes two tracks (Educators and Researchers Track) with several special sessions, workshops and network opportunities for educators and researchers working with Microsoft Dynamics software. You will be able to network, exchange experiences and enhance your knowledge with like-minded educators and researchers.

· Location: Copenhagen Business School (CBS) – Kilevej 14a, 2000 Frederiksberg.

· Registration fee: no registration fee is associated with these two days.

· Please consider the following call for papers and presentations.

Call for Papers – Researchers Track - due by 1st September 2008:

Academic Preconference 2008 - Research Agenda

17 - 18 November 2008
Copenhagen Business School (CBS), Frederiksberg

Submit to: workshop@3gERP.org - Please write "Submission to 3gERP workshop"

See instructions attached.

Call for Presentation – Educators Track - due by 1st September 2008:

Academic Preconference 2008 - Educators Agenda
17 - 18 November 2008

Copenhagen Business School (CBS), Frederiksberg

Submit to: dynaa@microsoft.com – Please write “Academic Preconference - Convergence 2008 Presentation”

See instructions attached.

Convergence will be held 19-20 November 2008.

· Here you will enhance your knowledge through Dynamics conference sessions and interactions with Microsoft customers, partners, Microsoft Dynamics specialist and industry experts and establish a true community that can be leveraged in your work.

· Location: Bella Center A/S, Center Boulevard, 2300 Copenhagen S

· Registration fee - Academic Alliance team will fund a main part of your registration fee at Convergence. Your costs will include €250.00 for your share of registration fee.

· Please request special registration codes from us to have the special academic fee.

Registration:

To register please fill in attached registration form and send to dynaa@microsoft.com.

Registration includes entrance at the registered event, the meals served as part of the agenda as well as a special educator evening gathering.

The number of participants is limited due to space restrictions and will be determined on a first come basis.

Customer Excellence Award - Excellence in Academics:

· The Convergence Customer Excellence Awards recognize, honor and celebrate customers/members that have achieved outstanding success with their Microsoft solutions as well as Microsoft partners’ solutions. Start to consider if that is your educational institution.

· Please submit your own nomination via the online form which will be available 1 July 2008. Find more details here: http://www.microsoft.com/Dynamics/convergence/copenhagen/2008/customer_excellence.aspx

To make sure to receive all details please write to dynaa@microsoft.com to be included on the mailing list.

We look forward to seeing you in Copenhagen!

MICROSOFT DYNAMICS ACADEMIC ALLIANCE

The Microsoft Dynamics Academic Alliance is a global program that enables educators to incorporate Microsoft Dynamics technology into the classroom. Currently, over 1,000 institutions around the world use Microsoft Dynamics products to provide students with an exceptional hands-on learning experience. If you would like to learn more about the Academic Alliance you are welcome to visit our website: http://www.microsoft.com/education/academic_alliance.mspx.

Conference on 3rd Generation Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (3gERP)

The 3gERP project aims to develop the academic foundations for a ‘standard’ flexible and highly configurable global ERP-system for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), which can be implemented and maintained at a fraction of the costs of current systems. The ambition of the project is to tackle some of the fundamental challenges and trade-offs existing systems have, for instance with regard to customizability vs. total cost including upgrades. If you would like to learn more about 3gERP please visit this website: http://www.3gerp.org

All the best,

Allison, your new Academic Information Manager

Coming soon - the ability to publish your XNA game on Xbox Live Marketplace

ukacademia — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:23:00 GMT

We are excited to announce the impending release of XNA Games Studio 3.0 this summer giving (among other things) the ability for all XNA authors to publish games to Xbox Live Marketplace and in the process, to earn reputation, fame and even income. This represents a huge opportunity for your students. You can read all about this on the XNA Team Blog and also FAQ on the XNA forums.

To compliment this new development we have opened out access to the XNA Creators' Club via DreamSpark. This new programme gives access to key developer tools for all students (and academics). In addition, the XNA Creators Club website is going to get a bunch of new features too.

Finally, start saving up, XNA Game Studio 3.0 will also enable multiplayer gaming on the Zune over a wireless link. The Zune has not yet hit the UK market but we know you will want one when they arrive.

Claire

DreamSpark is here!

ukacademia — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:46:42 GMT

What's this? Free developer software for every student in the UK?

Ed Dunhill has all the details on his blog.