April 2004 Entries
Channel 9 has posted a video where Bill Hill of Microsoft explains ClearType on XP. ClearType improved font display and improves the readability of text. I'm quite impressed on how much this improves reading on a monitor. Microsoft has even put a configuration wizard on the web. So what are you waiting for? Go install it now!
ASP.Net has made available an Issue Tracker Starter Kit. I must say I've been looking for a free one of these for a while now. I have installed it on one of our internal web servers and will be using it for one of the projects that I am re-engineering. Darren also has some good things to say about it.
There is a free publication on MSDN geared towards architecture. It's called Microsoft Architecture Journal. It's a fifty page PDF document. All you need to do is register and enjoy. Here is a review of Test Driven Development with Microsoft .Net. It looks like I need to visit Amazon again. The .Net Guy shows us how to properly re-throw an exception. Good stuff. Want to know how to write a good test case? http://blogs.msdn.com/chappell/ shows us how. Are you technical but don't have a good Computer Science background? Chris Sells lets us know how to fill the gaps. Scott Mitchell has started a series...
There is now a Microsoft MVP blog site at http://www.msmvps.com. After all of the hoo-ha about Rory attending the MVP summit and not being an MVP I'm scared to look at it. Frankly, if MS invited Rory then Rory has the duty to attend.
I've just started a new book In Search of Stupidity: Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters. I must say I've been pleasantly surprised by this book. So far it has been entertaining and humorous. I would even say that non-technical individuals would enjoy it. I'll write more as I finish it.
Here is a great thread on channel 9 on "Does MS use the dev tools they sell us?" It offers an interesting look on a MS developer toolbox.
Channel 9 is Microsoft's attempt at transparency. The site is geared towards developers with loads of technical stuff. I love it! Kudos to Microsoft for wanting to make their products better and trying new things to do so.
Microsoft has placed into beta the SQL Server Best Practices Analyzer. Think FxCop for SQL Server. Thanks to Chris Sells for the heads up.
Here is a good post on .Net security and trust. It also covers what to do to get it.