Windows 7 offers a real opportunity for ISVs to enhance the user experience of your software with new features. Many of these features are straight forward, such a support for libraries and jump lists.
Your developers can learn about the effort and how to implement these features in a series of videos on MSDEV titled Windows 7 New Features for Managed Code Developers.
This series presents examples of how you can write in managed code (Visual Basic and C#) to take advantage of some of the new features of Windows 7. The series includes: an introductory overview on new features, overview of the Windows API Code Pack and individual sessions that include a demonstration of the new features in Windows 7.
The series features:
- New Features in Windows 7. A high-level overview of what's new in Windows 7, including elements in the new User Interface along with other features
- Overview of the Windows 7 API Code Pack. A high-level overview of the Windows 7 API Code Pack, which provides access to Windows 7 features for .NET developers using Visual Basic or C#.
- Windows 7 Feature: Taskbar and Jump Lists. Demonstrates the improvements to the taskbar in Windows 7, along with managed code for implementing some of the new functionality it provides
- Windows 7 Feature: Power Management. Shows how to tune your application to use power more efficiently, saving energy and extending battery life for laptops or other mobile devices
- Windows 7 Feature: Extended Linguistic Services. Describes the new API for working with ELS features such as basic text, date/time/calendar formatting, keyboard layouts, or sorting behavior
- Windows 7 Feature: Explorer Browser. Demonstrates working with the new Explorer Browser control to add a control that mimics the Windows Explorer within a managed application.
- Windows 7 Feature: Application Restart and Recovery. Explains how to use the Application Restart and Recovery features to save data and state information if an application exits unexpectedly or stops responding, and to restart the application if you choose
- Windows 7 Feature: Libraries and Known Folders. Covers the new feature that provides folder-like collections of user data. In Windows 7, libraries are intended to be the primary entry points for users to access their documents, graphics, and sound
- Windows 7 Feature: Task Dialogs and Common File Dialogs. Demonstrates how to use managed code to create and use a Task Dialog, which is a more fully-featured Message Box, and the new Common File Dialogs.
- Windows 7 Feature: Shell Features. Shows how Win 7 supports shell features for searching and drag-and-drop
- Windows 7 Feature: Network Management. Explains how to use the Network and Network List Manager objects to get access to network information with managed code.
Videos are between 30 and 60 minutes.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
Coming to Professional Developers Conference (PDC09)? Stop by the MSDEV booth.
Here are the top ten reasons why you should come by the MSDEV booth.
Not making it to PDC? Keep up to date with all the MSDEV action via live streaming site uStream. See MSDEV at PDC on uStream live.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
Special thanks to all who are in the video, John Pelak, and John O’Donnell, and special appearance by Warren Wilbee.
You’re invited to attend a virtual deep dive for developers who are actively working on projects to leverage the Windows Server 2008 R2 features December 8-10, 2009.
This event is a 3-day remote-access "code-fest" type event for developers. The event is for Microsoft Partners and customers seeking to incorporate R2 features into their new or existing applications and enterprise solutions. Participation occurs entirely within an online collaboration infrastructure and requires an Internet connection to attend. Participants are welcome world-wide.
The event includes demos, a hands-on virtual lab environment where you can try out the technology, chalk talks where you can Ask-the-Experts, and individual sessions on topics of your interest.
Key topics of the deep dive sessions:
- “Multi-Core Scale” Application Development with Windows Server 2008 R2
- The Parallel Computing Platform for .NET and C++ Application Developers
- The Extensible Web Platform and How to Write IIS 7.x Extensions
- The Web Platform for PHP Developers
- VHD and Hyper-V APIs
- Using Server Core in your data center
To be nominated for the event, contact me with your email (so I can get back to you), a brief description of your project and how it leverages one of these key features:
- Multicore Processor Group APIs
- Server Core + (.NET, ASP.NET, PHP, or WWSAPI)
- PowerShell 2.0
- "Branch Cache" P2P or WinHTTP/HTTP.SYS Solutions
- VHD virtualized environment for test, evaluation or production
- Hyper-V WMI programming interface
I will help get you the required non disclosure agreement and nomination into Metro program which is producing this event. The program is limited to the first 50 who enroll.
For more information for developers about Windows Servers 2008 R2, see The New Efficiency virtual launch event.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
Code Name ‘Oslo’ software modeling technology gets a new name, SQL Server Modeling, according to Douglas Purdy in his blog postings. A community technology preview (CTP) of the platform will be released at Professional Developers Conference (PDC09).
The CTP features:
- M textual language for defining schemas, queries and domain-specific languages for SQL Server databases
- Quadrant for interacting with large datasets stored in SQL Server databases
- Repository, a SQL Server role for secure sharing of models between applications and systems.
The components of the CTP will ship with a future version of SQL Server and will be renamed as they are released.
"Time after time we heard that M would make interacting with the database easier, provided we offered a good end-to-end experience with tools (Visual Studio) and frameworks (Entity Framework and Data Services) that developers use today," Purdy writes. "We heard that developers wanted to use the novel data navigation/editing approach offered by Quadrant to access their data in whatever SQL Server they wanted, not just the Repository. We heard that the notion of a Repository as something other than SQL Server was getting in the way of our conversations with customers."
You can use SQL Server Modeling CTP with T-SQL, ADO.NET, ASP.NET and other parts of the .NET Framework to build database applications.
You will be able to find the new SQL Server Modeling CTP at Data Platform Development Center on MSDN the first day of PDC. PDC begins November 17.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
If you would like to get caught up on the great innovations in Office 2010, here is a collection of links to the team blogs. Excellent reading!
For all those that love Office development, get connected on Facebook with the Office Developer Guild. John Durant writes, “To make it easier for us to stay alert about events, up-coming content, etc. and more easily share ideas we now have the “Office Developer Guild”—a group of like-minded professional friends on Facebook.”
So join the ODG!
If you want to deliver content around the world, Windows Azure Content Delivery Network (CDN) can deliver Windows Azure Blob content. Windows Azure CDN offers you a global solution for delivering high-bandwidth content. For example, Windows Azure CDN provides worldwide high-bandwidth access to serve content for popular events.
Windows Azure CDN has 18 locations globally (United States, Europe, Asia, Australia and South America) and continues to expand. Windows Azure CDN caches your Windows Azure blobs at strategically placed locations to provide maximum bandwidth for delivering your content to users. You can enable CDN delivery for any storage account via the Windows Azure Developer Portal. The CDN provides edge delivery only to blobs that are in public blob containers, which are available for anonymous access.
The benefit of using a CDN is better performance and user experience for users who are farther from the source of the content stored in the Windows Azure Blob service.
Windows Azure CDN is part of the Windows Azure community technology preview.
For more information including how you access the storage today, see Introducing the Windows Azure Content Delivery Network. Currently there is no charge for using Windows Azure CDN, although pricing will be announced at a later time. For best performance, we recommend caching blobs less than 10 GB in size.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
You can learn more about SQL Server 2008 R2 in free developer training videos on MSDEV. This on demand series will walk through the new features of SQL Server 2008 R2. Topics included: Report Builder 3.0, building your ISV ETL application, ISV Operational application, looking at what R2 edition is right for you and more.
The SQL Server 2008 R2 Series includes:
- SQL Server 2008 R2: Building Your ISV ETL Application describes the process of extracting, transforming and loading data from ERP systems to your BI environment is a critical step in any BI solution. This session will introduce how this process is managed in SQL 2008 R2.
- Server 2008 R2: Building Your ISV Operational Applications covers Microsoft's tools that can be used to support operational decisions, such as Reporting Services and SharePoint.
- SQL Server 2008 R2: Building Your ISV Tactical Applications covers Microsoft's tools that can be used to support tactical decisions, such as Excel Services and PerformancePoint Monitoring and Analytics.
- SQL Server 2008 R2: Building Your ISV Strategic Applications covers Microsoft’s tools that can be used to support strategic decisions, such as PerformancePoint Planning. We will also discuss different Corporate Performance Management.
- SQL Server 2008 R2: Building Your ISV Corporate Performance Management Application covers Microsoft's performance management vision and tools so you can measure overall strategy.
- SQL Server 2008 R2: Report Builder 3.0 looks at Report Builder 3.0 in SQL Server 2008 R2 and the new features now available in this latest release.
- SQL Server 2008 R2: What SQL Server 2008 R2 Edition is right for me? This session highlights key issues to consider when selecting the right SQL Server R2 Edition for your organization.
- SQL Server 2008 R2 Preview for the Developer takes a lap around SQL Server 2008 R2 with a focus on the following components: Data-Tier Applications (DAC), new features in Reporting Services, Project “Gemini” which is now called PowerPivot.
The R2 release brings significant new capabilities and enhancements that can help your business keep pace with today’s growing and changing data management needs. Increase productivity and reduce data management costs by taking advantage of an even more scalable platform with comprehensive database and application management tools. SQL Server 2008 R2 helps users to build rich analysis and reports and helps organizations improve the quality of their data.
You can get started with SQL Server 2008 R2 with the community technology preview for SQL Server 2008 R2 available for download publicly this month at http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/R2.aspx.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
You can now use Microsoft technologies such as Silverlight and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) in conjunction with the Facebook social platform. Microsoft SDK for Facebook.
No matter what your application flavor is, the Microsoft SDK for Facebook Platform supports the development of applications across Silverlight, WPF, ASP.NET, ASP.NET MVC, and Windows Forms, enabling easy consumption of Facebook services delivered through the Facebook Open Stream API.
The announcement was made on the Silverlight Blog, Announcing the new Microsoft SDK for Facebook Platform. The post explains, “This SDK combines the power of Web, client and social technologies to enable millions of developers to transform their imagination into next generation application experiences. We look forward to seeing the creative applications that developers will create for Facebook that will open up new avenues for users to share and connect with their friends.”
The SDK contains samples, controls, templates, and help documentation. For more information, see Facebook SDK Overview.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
The toolkit used by ISVs to insure that you’re software is Compatible with Windows 7 is reached final. Previous versions of the toolkit were considered prerelease although thousands of applications received the logo using it.
Applications that pass and are registered with WinQual qualify for partner points that apply toward the ISV Competency in the Microsoft Partner Network.
The ISVs that I work closely with are now using the software logo test as part of their testing process. The test tool can be run from a command line, so can be integrated into your testing cycles for release. The results are saved in an XML file that are human and machine readable.
Getting Started
Steps for achieving the Compatible with Windows 7 Software Logo:
- Start early
Review the requirements and identify any code changes necessary to meet them. - Use the Logo Toolkit self-test tool for verification
Download and install the latest release of the toolkit. Note the 64-bit architecture and OS requirements in the readme.txt file. Run your application through the toolkit as explained in the toolkit overview in the downloads section to verify the application’s compliance against the requirements. - Make any code changes (if necessary) and retest
If any changes to the application are needed to comply with the requirements, make the necessary changes and retest with the toolkit to verify compliance. - Opt-in to receive email notifications
Microsoft will begin accepting Logo submissions with the release of the beta toolkit due out the end of May. We strongly encourage you to opt-in to receive email notifications when the toolkit is released and when the program opens for submissions. - After testing, submit for the Logo
After successful testing (PASS, PASS WITH WARNING) submit the passing results at http://winqual.microsoft.com by uploading the .xml result report. See the submission overview in the downloads section for more information. - Sign the Software Logo License Agreement
Once passing results have been submitted, sign the license agreement at https://winqual.microsoft.com. You can then download and begin to use the Logo artwork and will be eligible to receive all the available Logo benefits. - Sign the Software Logo License Agreement
Earn partner points by logging into your partner account on the Microsoft Partner Network site. Add your applicaiton to the site as logo tested applications. Use the exact same name for your application that you used when you submitted your logo to WinQual. You should see the points applied immediately.
The Windows 7 logo program helps your customers make better purchase decisions by identifying products via the “Compatible with Windows 7” logo that have passed Microsoft-designed tests for compatibility and reliability on Windows 7. For software publishers looking to build on Windows 7, the program provides partners not only increased visibility through marketing support but also unrivaled tools to help partners deliver products that they, and their end-users, can be confident will “just work” on Windows 7.
For more information, see Windows 7 Client Software Logo Program.
For a video on how one partner got the logo, see How Attachmate Earned Windows 7 Software Logo.
Front Runner
If you have not yet registered your application, you can still take part in the Front Runner program for US ISVs. Earning the Front Runner stamp is available only for a limited time. You do not need to complete the Compatible with Windows 7 software logo, but doing so gives you additional confidence in supporting Windows 7.
Front Runner is an early adopter program for ISVs in the US that helps you get your applications compatible with the latest Microsoft technologies. Once you tell us that your application is compatible, you’ll get a range of marketing benefits to help you let your customers know you’re a Front Runner, including customizable marketing and public relations campaigns, plus listings in Microsoft directories that are viewed by millions of people.
For a video with a Microsoft partner about the benefits of Front Runner for Windows 7, see Attachmate Describes Benefits of Joining Front Runner for Windows 7.
For ISVs outside the United States, you can participate in Green Light for Windows Server 7.
You can list your application in the Windows 7 Compatibility Center through Front Runner or Green Light.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
Among the announcements at TechEd Europe today was the public availability of SQL Server 2008 R2.
MSDN and TechNet Subscribers can download the SQL Server 2008 R2 November CTP today. Non-subscribers will be able to download the November CTP later this month.
The R2 release brings significant new capabilities and enhancements that can help your business keep pace with today’s growing and changing data management needs. Increase productivity and reduce data management costs by taking advantage of an even more scalable platform with comprehensive database and application management tools. SQL Server 2008 R2 helps users to build rich analysis and reports and helps organizations improve the quality of their data.
Trusted Data Platform. Supporting data consistency across heterogeneous systems through SQL Server Master Data Services, enabling high-scale complex event-stream processing through SQL Server StreamInsight, and supporting scale-up scenarios for the largest available x64 and Itanium hardware (up to 256 logical processors).
IT & Developer Efficiency. Enabling administrators to centrally monitor and manage multiple database applications, instances or servers, accelerating the development and deployment of applications and providing improved support for virtualization through Hyper-V with Live Migration in Windows Server 2008 R2.
Managed Self-Service BI. Expanding powerful BI tools to all users with SQL Server PowerPivot for Excel and empowering a new class of business users to build and share powerful BI solutions with little or no IT support, while still enabling IT to monitor and manage user-generated BI solutions.
Find out more, download the Community Technology Preview pre-release and let us know what you think. Also, join the SQL Server communities around the world and the SQL Server development team in the conversation.
The community technology preview for SQL Server 2008 R2 will be available for download publicly at http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2008/en/us/R2.aspx.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
The release candidate for Windows Identity Foundation (formerly called code name Geneva framework) has been released online.
Windows Identity Foundation is a new Microsoft .NET Framework technology that gives you a programming model and SDK to create new advanced identity capabilities in .NET applications. It provides developers pre-built .NET security logic for building claims-aware applications, enhancing either ASP.NET or WCF applications.
Windows Identity Foundation makes it easier to build richer, more secure applications (cloud and on-premise) without being a security and identity expert. It will boost developer productivity, as a result, and enhance app security through a standard approach to federation, strong authentication and identity delegation.
You can download Windows Identity Framework RC from the download center.
The developer training kit has been updated too. The Identity Developer Training Kit contains a set of hands-on labs, documents and references that will help you to learn how to take advantage of Microsoft's latest identity and access control developer's products and services. Download Identity Developer Training Kit (November 2009).
See videos on identity on Channel 9.
Windows Identity Foundation is part of Microsoft's identity and access management solution built on Active Directory that also includes:
- Active Directory Federation Services 2.0 (formerly known as "Geneva" Server): a security token service for IT that issues and transforms claims and other tokens, manages user access and enables federation and access management for simplified single sign-on
- Windows CardSpace 2.0 (formerly known as Windows CardSpace "Geneva"): for helping users navigate access decisions and developers to build customer authentication experiences for users.
For information about how to incorporate Windows Identity Foundation with Windows Azure, see Windows Identity Foundation and Windows Azure passive federation.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
Today, Channel 9 launched two new training courses for SharePoint 2010 and Office 2010 created by developers for developers. Channel 9 has always been about giving direct access to the engineers and future technologies from Microsoft, and now we’re extending this successful formula to bring you training that will allow developers to get started on learning about emerging technologies at their own pace. Today you’ll find extensive instructor recordings from top MVPs on how to develop against both SharePoint and office 2010. We’ll also be publishing more content at the beginning of December that will include hands-on labs, source code, and much more! All of this free for you to consume or download at your own pace.
SharePoint 2010 Developer Training
See how SharePoint 2010 has evolved into a first-class developer platform. Also, learn how SharePoint 2010 provides the business collaboration platform for developers to rapidly build solutions using familiar tools such as Visual Studio 2010 and SharePoint Designer 2010 through this self-paced course.
Office 2010 Developer Training
Discover how Office 2010 Beta is a broadly extensible platform for building information worker productivity solutions and see how developing for Office with Visual Studio 2010 makes this easy. See online presentations with demos that will help you get started developing solutions from Add-ins to full featured Office Business Applications (OBAs) using Visual Studio 2010 with Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 as the core platform.
We hope you enjoy this initial set of training videos and will check back with Channel 9 in the near future as we build the learning center out to support SharePoint and Office 2010 development.
Channel 9 launches the Windows Server 2008 R2 Training Course for Developers. Channel 9 has always been about giving Developers insight into new Microsoft platform technologies. The Channel 9 Learning Center extends that objective with self-paced learning experiences.
Windows Server 2008 R2, “Not your average R2!”
Explore this significant Windows Server release via a self-paced training course of videos and hands-on-labs with a focus on performance, web, management, and other server solution scenarios. Learn about:
- Developing applications for “many-core” scale
- Enable efficient “trigger-started” services
- Explore new Windows PowerShell features
- Create integrated solutions with the File Classification Infrastructure
- Build Web Platform extensions
- Automate your dev-test environment with VHD and Hyper-V API’s
See Windows Server 2008 R2 Developer Training on Channel 9.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 is now available worldwide to help businesses reduce costs, protect communications and delight e-mail users. Microsoft Business Division President Stephen Elop made the announcement at Microsoft Tech•Ed Europe 2009 conference in Germany. Elop described cost savings of up to 70 percent thanks to a simplified high-availability model and support for lower-cost storage.
ISVs add features to Exchange to tightly integrate with email as part of Microsoft’s unified communications platform.
Key features include:
- Reduced deployment cost
- Simplified high availability and disaster recovery
- Easier administration and decreased dependence on the help desk
- Greater mobility and flexible access
- Decreased inbox overload and increased productivity
- Transformed voice mail
- Simplified compliance
- Safeguards for sensitive information
- Reduced risk of malware and spam
Elop also announced the release of Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange Server, which helps Exchange Server customers further safeguard business information.
Exchange Server 2010 and Forefront Protection 2010 for Exchange are available now for trial at http://www.thenewefficiency.com, along with more information about Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and partner solutions.
Join in Tech Ed Europe
There are multiple ways for those not in attendance to experience Tech•Ed Europe 2009.
Visit the Tech•Ed global pressroom at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/events/teched/default.mspx for additional details regarding all announcements made at Tech•Ed Europe 2009.
View the live stream of the executive keynote address from the Tech•Ed 2009 global pressroom today at 3:30 p.m. CET/6:30 a.m. PST.
Participate in the post-keynote webcast Q&A today at 5 p.m. CET/8 a.m. PST, immediately following the executive keynote address. Submit questions to the executive panel by visiting the Tech•Ed global pressroom.
Bruce D. Kyle
ISV Architect Evangelist | Microsoft Corporation
