Knowing your audience is probably both the hardest and most important aspect of giving a great talk.  JohnMont (of Popfly fame) just wrote a post on The Art of the Demo TV commercials have it right - you have a VERY small window to get your point across and then get off.  Boredom = public enemy #1.  As such, max attention span is the most important aspect of any audience to understand. Having given my share of lectures and demos on campus here’s what I’ve found (in odd numbers): Students outside a talk = 30 seconds Students in a talk = 3 minutes Students being quizzed later = 30 minutes Aside from that more technical = more questions I also liked Alfred’s note that teachers demo every day in his reply.  With that in mind, maybe I need to get back to school…

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I am sure that everyone has used a WhoIs utility (such as http://www.internic.org/whois.html) for querying the owner of a domain name such as microsoft.com. There is however an alternative to these Web forms which provides more information allowing you to search not just for strings matching a domain name, but also for strings matching registered hostnames of domain names. This provides hysterical insight into the minds of some Webmasters. For a laugh take a look at some of these hostnames registered with microsoft.com or google.com in them.

MICROSOFT.COM.WILL.LIVE.FOREVER.BECOUSE.UNIXSUCKS.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.WILL.BE.BEATEN.WITH.MY.SPANNER.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.SOFTWARE.IS.NOT.USED.AT.REG.RU
MICROSOFT.COM.SHOULD.GIVE.UP.BECAUSE.LINUXISGOD.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.IS.NOT.HOSTED.BY.ACTIVEDOMAINDNS.NET
MICROSOFT.COM.IS.GOD.BECOUSE.UNIXSUCKS.COM
MICROSOFT.COM.HAS.ITS.OWN.CRACKLAB.COM
MICROSOFT.COM

GOOGLE.COM.ZOMBIED.AND.HACKED.BY.WWW.WEB-HACK.COM
GOOGLE.COM.YAHOO.COM.MYSPACE.COM.YOUTUBE.COM.FACEBOOK.COM.THEYSUCK.DNSABOUT.COM
GOOGLE.COM.IS.NOT.HOSTED.BY.ACTIVEDOMAINDNS.NET
GOOGLE.COM.IS.HOSTED.ON.PROFITHOSTING.NET
GOOGLE.COM.ACQUIRED.BY.CALITEC.NET
GOOGLE.COM

To see the complete list (r rated) try running the code yourself. Post a response with your funniest hostname or domain names other than these two that are particularly funny.

using System;

using System.Collections.Generic;

using System.Linq;

using System.Text;

using System.Net.Sockets;

using System.IO;

namespace WhoIsQuery

{

   class Program

   {

      static void Main(string[] args)

      {

         // A query that results in more than one result lists all possible results

         // so that a more precise query can be entered.

         // A query with only one result returns just that result.

        // Send request to WhoIs Server

        Console.WriteLine(”Contacting Internic”);

        TcpClient client = new TcpClient(”whois.internic.net”, 43);

        StreamWriter writer = new StreamWriter(client.GetStream());

        writer.WriteLine(“microsoft.com”);

        writer.Flush();

        // Retrieve response

        StringBuilder output = new StringBuilder();

        StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(client.GetStream());

        do

        {

           output.Append(reader.ReadLine() + Environment.NewLine);

        }

        while (!reader.EndOfStream);

        Console.WriteLine(output);

        Console.ReadLine();

     }

Hi All,  

When Entourage 2004 & 2008 users organize meetings by inviting other users who are using Microsoft Outlook or OWA (Outlook Web Access) against their Exchange mailboxes (version of Exchange Server does not matter here), then those meeting attendees may see the incoming meeting invite being an hour off. This issue is not seen if all meeting attendees are Entourage users.

Cause
This happens as Entourage 2004 & 2008 use DST information from related ‘Timezones’ files for users in ANZ time zones, which are not up to date with current information.

Resolution
Microsoft is working to release a fix for this issue in an update for both versions of Entourage but a final release date is not available yet. When that update is available, users can safely install it and it will replace the files which they will put on their systems as a result of applying the workaround provided below.

Workaround
Below are the steps to follow for both versions of Entourage. Only Entourage users will need to apply this workaround on their machines, no action is required by other users who are using Microsoft Outlook or OWA.

Entourage 2004

1. Quit Entourage (Entourage should not be running when you apply this workaround)


2. Back up the current ‘Timezones’ file in folder: Mac Hard Drive : Applications : Microsoft Office 2004 : Office (just copy it to a backup folder on your hard drive)


3. Download the updated ‘Timezones’ file for Entourage 2004 from here (extract its content before proceeding to next step)


4. Copy the downloaded ‘Timezones’ file to the same location as above in Step 2, replacing the existing ‘Timezones’ file


5. That’s it, you are done, launch Entourage and every meeting you create now will not display the issue described above

Entourage 2008

1. Quit Entourage (Entourage should not be running when you apply this workaround)


2. Back up the current ‘Timezones.ics’ file, go to folder: Mac Hard Drive : Applications : Microsoft Office 2008 : Office, locate a file by the name of ‘EntourageCore.framework’, now Control-Click on it and choose ‘Show Package Contents’ in the resulting menu, a new window will appear, in that window go to folder: Versions : 12 : Resources : en.lproj (you will find the ‘Timezones.ics’ file here, just copy it to a backup folder on your hard drive)


3. Download the updated ‘Timezones.ics’ file for Entourage 2008 from here (extract its content before proceeding to next step)


4. Copy the downloaded ‘Timezones.ics’ file to the same location as above in Step 2, replacing the existing ‘Timezones.ics’ file


5. That’s it, you are done, launch Entourage and every meeting you create now will not display the issue described above.

Nick. 

We recently answered the top 20 most frequently asked questions about the Microsoft SQL Server JDBC Driver.

You can find our FAQ page at http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/data/cc325721.aspx.

Selcin Turkarslan, SQL Server

Always wonder what is the difference between the GPL, the Ms-PL, Creative Commons, and the MIT software licenses are?  Over at the Code Project, they have a extremely easy to understand breakdown of software licenses.

• Provides copyright protection
• Can be used in commercial applications
• Bug fixes / extensions must be released to the public domain
• Provides an explicit patent license
• Can be used in closed source applications
• Is a viral licence

In addition, Wikipedia has another great listing of software licenses. 

This post originated from and is provided by the MSDN Blogs RSS feed. The original post of the article can be found here.

Just before the Easter long weekend, Dr Bohdan Szymanik (Enterprise Architecture Manager, Kiwibank) delivered a great session entitled: Kiwibank in Transformation: Startup to Enterprise at the Sydney Architect Council.

The session was very well-received and had some interesting perspectives on how an IT group in a fast-growing business can position itself to create business value, innovate and make practical use of SOA to help manage complexity.

You can download a copy of the slides from here:

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Wes MacDonald has fourteen years of EDP experience as a Software Architect, Systems Analyst, Designer, Developer, DBA and LAN administrator.  As a Senior Developer/Architect Wes has been responsible for all aspects of software development including installations, configurations of database and application server software required during development.  Wes has been involved with Visual Studio Team Foundation Server since its Beta 2 release back in mid 2005 and has since been very involved in the .NET User Group community and federal government departments expressing the benefits of adopting TFS/VSTS for their SDLC requirements.

1. What does being an MVP mean to you?

It is a way of Microsoft giving back to those of us that invest a lot of our personal time and energy behind the products we love so much.

2. If you could ask Steve Ballmer one question about Microsoft, what would it be?

How does it feel to be part of the company that has been at the forefront of changing how people and businesses use computers today?

3. What do you think the best software ever written was?

WinZip, at least until Corel bought it|

4. If you were the manager of Visual Studio, what would you change?

Better SharePoint integration; I mean does Designer actually have to be a standalone product?

5. What are the best features/improvements of Visual Studio?

Team Foundation Server as the successor to VSS

6. What was the last book you read?

Professional Team Foundation Server (WROX)

7. What music CD do you recommend?

Year Zero by Nine Inch Nails

8. What makes you a great MVP?

I believe it has a lot to do with my passion and knowledge of Microsoft technology.

9. What is in your computer bag?

HP Pavillion, Lenovo T60, Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse, 80Gb WD External Drive, Pro Visual Studio 2005 Team System Application Development (Apress), The Rational Guide to Building Technical User Communities, CODE Magazine (Mar/Apr), MSDN Magazine (2008 Launch)

10. What is the best thing that has happened since you have become an MVP?

Being able to go to Microsoft in Redmond, WA for the first time and participate with the VSTS Team for the Rosario TAP.  I was also able to visit the company store!

11. What is your motto?

Lunch is for wimps.

12. Who is your hero?

Stan Lee, after all he created Spiderman

13. What does success mean to you?

Being able to provide everything my family needs and sometimes wants.

You’ve heard it. JavaScript is not a REAL programming language.

Well, it is NOW. Programming in JavaScript is inevitable.

And why not.

• It is ubiquitous. (Supported by all major browsers.)
• It supports good Object Oriented Development.
• There is TONS of code out there.
• There is a rapidly growing collection of rich, high quality JavaScript Frameworks and Libraries available.
• It’s been good enough to be implemented out of the browser in client technologies like Flash (ActionScript is for all intents and purposes ECMAScript, which is the new name for JavaScript)and SilverLight 1.0)
• And, Server side technologies like Aptana’s Jaxer

While I concede that “Web 2.0″ technologies like SilverLight 2.0 (Programmed in C#, VB, or any .NET language), and Flash/Flex, and JavaFX have a strong place in the future of the web….. programming the DOM with JavaScript is here to stay.

I think we need to stop trying to avoid JavaScript and start embracing it, even if only for it’s universal availability.

Microsoft is embracing JavaScript

• We’ve added great development and debugging support fir JavaScript in Visual Studio (see links below.)
• We’ve developed a GREAT set of JavaScript Extensions that are server independent, free, and open. [More Info Here]
• Created a JavaScript friendly controls framework. [ See videos #62, #63, and #64 HERE. ]

So, if your ready to take JavaScript beyond the basics, here are some of my favorites to get you started.

Some Books on JavaScript beyond the syntax !

Some JavaScript Tools

Aptana IDE (A GREAT, free AJAX IDE, great for JavaScript even if you’re not doing AJAX)

Antechinus JavaScript Editor

SplineTech JavaScript Debugger

Internet Explorer 8 Beta (With great built in developer tools.)

Some Microsoft JavaScript Links

Microsoft JScript Blog

Microsoft JScript Reference

Video: JavaScript Debugging in Visual Studio 2008

Video: JavaScript Intellisense in Visual Studio 2008

A few better than average JavaScript Web Sites

JavaScript.com

W3 Schools JavaScript Tutorials

JavaScript Kit

Dynamic Drive

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Well, at the beginning of course.  Where else would you start? Ok, so you’ve spent the time and money to get your TS: SQL Server 2005 credential.  Now we are releasing certifications for SQL Server 2008.  How do you possibly keep up and where do you go from here? Well, a little story first, and then we get to the particulars. When I spoke with SQL experts about why they did or did not take exam 70-431, I got a mixed reaction.  Some were ok with the exam, others were not. …(read more)
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Improving Team Productivity via Process Enactment with Team Foundation Server

Process MeNtOR TeamGuide leverages the infrastructure provided by Team Foundation Server to provide a dynamic process composition capability that accelerates team productivity.

This presentation will demonstrate how to define, publish, compose and execute your application development process that fits the size and style of your project – regardless of whether your process is based on SCRUM, Prince2 or CMMI.

The presentation will highlight the new features within Release 2 of Process MeNtOR TeamGuide for VS2008.

Please RSVP with Anthony @ anthony@qvstsug.org

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