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This is interesting! i-Buddy - Bring your Windows Live Messenger Experience Alive ! "i-Buddy isspecially designed for Windows Live Messenger users. It is a physicalrepresentation of your buddy. You can program it to recognize aparticular buddy account, and it will response to all messages andstatus events sent from your buddy. It is a 3-inches tall figurineconnected to the computer using a USB, and when someone sends amessage, i-Buddy detects the emoticon in the message and it reactsaccordingly. Its body twists, wings flaps and glows accordingly." I dont have Channel9 guy but just seen it. Can it also be made, a new version, in this way to react? More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

I'm in the first stages of creating a new application which I will be treating as enterprise because of the growth pattern which will come about with the app as well as a number of developers that will be on this app to maintain verbosity, structure, etc. My question is about creating a data access layer. In the past I've used XSDs and I have absolutly loved the strongly typed data, it hasn't even provided me any problems, and I've recently started extending my DataTables with partial classes to get the other related tables, peices of data, etc. Very similar to the rails ORM and a lot of other .Net equivalents I have seen out there that have been influenced from the rails ORM. I have not heard of a large set of people using XSDs for data access, etc. Is there a reason for this? Idealy I'd like to stick with what I have seen work well for me. Are there issues with this approach? Suggested alternatives? I'd like to build it right - once. Thanks! More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

I just recently gotten Visual Basic 2005 Express with a text book that I bought for my Programming I class, and just starting to use the form editor and doing some coding, and I am wondering, how do I make any form conform to the Windows Vista style? More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

Sometimes you wouldn’t want to autoplay particular files especially when it involves pictures and someone is peeping at your back. In most cases, you would rather autoplay everything you connect to your computer to make things simple and easy on the fly.Anyways, to be able to configure what files and devices you want to autoplay [...] More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

I have been diving pretty heavily into WPF lately, and I do really enjoy it.* With Silverlight 2.0 on the horizon, its even more compelling. However I am not ignorant to what is happening with Flex/Air and the other platforms coming out.* In fact, searches on dice.com return results in the thousands for flex/air, but only low hundreds for silverlight/wpf.* Are there any Flex developers here?* How do the platforms compare?* Is Flex a joy to work with - or the opposite?* Just looking for some opinions. More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

from Maryjo - http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1101 from ms press release "Raikes, 49, joined Microsoft in 1981 and spent his early years driving the company’s applications marketing strategy and success in graphical applications for the Apple Macintosh and the Microsoft Windows operating system. As director of Applications Marketing, he shaped the product strategy and design of Microsoft Office, the world’s leading business productivity suite. In 1990, Raikes was promoted to vice president of Office Systems. From 1992 to 2000, he was responsible for Microsoft’s sales, marketing and service initiatives, and became group vice president of the Worldwide Sales and Support Group. In 2000, Raikes returned to the business groups to focus on growing Microsoft’s productivity applications, expanding the business well beyond core productivity software to include unified communications, business intelligence, business applications and services." wow.* i know about him from all the ms books*ive read..* but 27 years*is a long time best of luck jeff More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

<img alt="" height="1" width="1"> Vista Ultimate Extras: Ultimately Disappointing InformationWeek, NY - 9 hours ago Blogger Long Zheng has a great post in the form of a faux-email to Microsoft asking them what has happened to Windows Vista Ultimate Extras. ... More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

Sometimes, it doesn't hurt to be honest, but this took my surprise - maybe we can stop all arguing about it now. Do you think he minds being called Uncle Bill? More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

<img alt="" height="1" width="1"> Vista Ultimate Extras: Ultimately Disappointing InformationWeek, NY - 8 hours ago Blogger Long Zheng has a great post in the form of a faux-email to Microsoft asking them what has happened to Windows Vista Ultimate Extras. ... Microsoft sends patch to wrong users Computerworld all 4 news articles More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

Hi guys, I am learning C# write now and*at*the chapter of Generics, So far I know this:- example:- public*class Circle* { ***..... }* The between the*angle brackets*specifys the type of the instance of the class*Circle it*will be by*default*(other than the object class) by which it will be treated like (ex. int, char or any class that is specified). My question is in here:- *public*class Circle where T* { ***..... }* What is ment by where T*here? and*by what it*is saying*why do I need it as long as I specify the ? is it usefull for something else? Interfaces or abstract classes*for example? And thank you in advace. More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

I've got a massivly important Desicion Math exam tomorrow morning, so to help me become familar with the Simplex method for solving Linear Programming problems I wrote a quick and dirty implementation in 15 minutes. It works fine for the first three example problems I've hardcoded into the program, but it cannot solve the 4th problem. I can't see why though, since it follows the instructions in my textbook verbatim. So... the first Spot the Bug competition of 2008. Here's the code, and my apologies for using gotos and public fields. using System; using System.Text; namespace Math.Simplex { public class Program { public static Int32 Main(string[] args) { /////////////////////////// // Set up grid /////////////////////////// SimplexGrid grid = new SimplexGrid(); String example; if(args.Length != 1) { INPUT_EXAMPLE: Console.WriteLine("Select example to run: 1, 2, 3 or 4."); example = Console.ReadLine(); Int32 dontCare; if(!Int32.TryParse(example, out dontCare)) { goto INPUT_EXAMPLE; } } else { example = args[0]; } switch(example) { case "1": grid.Rows = new SimplexGridRow[] { // x, y, z, r, s, t, val , isObjective new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { 12, 4, 5, 1, 0, 0, 246 }, false ), new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { 9, 6, 3, 0, 1, 0, 153 }, false ), new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { 5, 2, -2, 0, 0, 1, 171 }, false ), new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { -2, -4, -3, 0, 0, 0, 0 }, true ) }; grid.ValueColIdx = 6; break; case "2": grid.Rows = new SimplexGridRow[] { // p.168 x, y, r, s, val , isObjective new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { 3, 3, 1, 0, 120 }, false ), new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { 2, 4, 0, 1, 150 }, false ), new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { -10, -12, 0, 0, 0 }, true ) }; grid.ValueColIdx = 4; break; case "3": grid.Rows = new SimplexGridRow[] { // x, y, z, s, t, val , isObjective new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { 2, 3, 4, 1, 0, 3 }, false ), new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { 6, 6, 2, 0, 1, 8 }, false ), new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { -8, -9, -5, 0, 0, 0 }, true ) }; grid.ValueColIdx = 5; break; case "4": grid.Rows = new SimplexGridRow[] { // p.176 #6 x, y, z, s, t, val , isObjective new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { 1, 4, 2, 1, 0, 40 }, false ), new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { 1, 0, 4, 0, 1, 8 }, false ), new SimplexGridRow( new double[] { -1, -4, -10, 0, 0, 0 }, true ) }; grid.ValueColIdx = 5; break; default: Console.WriteLine("Invalid example, go die in a fire"); return 1; } /////////////////////////// // Begin /////////////////////////// int iterations = 1; Console.WriteLine("Initial grid"); Console.WriteLine( grid.ToString() ); begin: // find pivotal column, by the smallest objective row value Double smallestObjectiveRowValue = 0; Int32 smallestObjectiveRowValueIdx = -1; SimplexGridRow objectiveRow = grid.Rows[ grid.ObjectiveRowIdx ]; foreach(Int32 col in objectiveRow.variables) { if( col < smallestObjectiveRowValue ) { smallestObjectiveRowValue = col; smallestObjectiveRowValueIdx++; } } if(smallestObjectiveRowValue == 0 && iterations == 0) throw new Exception("No subzero objective row value"); else if(smallestObjectiveRowValue == 0) { Console.WriteLine("Done"); Console.Read(); return 0; } // found it grid.PivotColIdx = smallestObjectiveRowValueIdx; // find theta values, and find the smallest, the row with the smallest theta becomes the pivot row Double smallestThetaValue = Double.MaxValue; for(int i=0;i

Does anybody know whether there is a VS 2008 Public List Pricing overview available anywhere (incl. Team Foundation Server, etc.)? More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

Does anybody know what the "SL" in Microsoft product names means? Example: "VisualStudio Foundation Svr SL - Open NL License/Software Assurance" I understand that "NL" means "New License". But what does the "SL" behind "Svr" mean? More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

<img alt="" height="1" width="1"> Microsoft To Update Windows Home Server with Power Pack 1 PC Magazine - Jan 8, 2008 Enhancements include support for PCs running 64-bit Windows Vista x64, a new backup option, and new remote access options. Power consumption will also be ... More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

Imagine that we have a class with a properties like this: class MyClass { public: ** float GetWidth() const; ** void SetWidht(float width); private: ** float m_widht; }; void MyClass::SetWidth(float width) { ** // preconditions ** if (width

<img alt="" height="1" width="1"> File System Transactions - still a problem area? InfoQ.com, Canada - 11 minutes ago There are three core features in Windows Vista and Windows Server "Longhorn" that now make use of Transactional NTFS: Windows Update, System Restore, ... More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

My zune 30 sounds like the vocals are using an echo or reverb fx through ear buds - it is VERY annoying.* It sounds fine when the zune is hooked to my stereo (??!!).* I have tried all*file types and*bit rates has no effect.** I have*tried 7 different ear pieces ranging from $9 - $100. I have loaded the new firmware twice.** I have*reset the machine dozens if times.* I have tried various eq settings with the same results. The radio sounds GREAT with all earbuds (??!!). THe video sounds TERRIBLE - like the music. If it is insturmental it sounds good - that makes me think it is a DSP issue.** In all cases it sounds great through the stereo - that makes my think it is an output impedance issue (I find that hard to believe especially when the radio sounds fine.) OK - suggestions??? Mike* More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

<img alt="" height="1" width="1"> Windows Server 2008 Behind 'Slow' Microsoft.com InformationWeek, NY - 36 minutes ago Windows Server 2008 -- code named Longhorn -- is the server version of Microsoft's Windows Vista OS. Stress testing the software on Microsoft.com, ... More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

<img alt="" height="1" width="1"> Windows Server 2008 Behind 'Slow' Microsoft.com InformationWeek, NY - 2 minutes ago Windows Server 2008 -- code named Longhorn -- is the server version of Microsoft's Windows Vista OS. Stress testing the software on Microsoft.com, ... More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

I hope that this question is not too simplistic for this forum.* I see some high powered questions here, so I hesitate to ask here.* But I've got to ask somewhere, so here goes. I just finished going over the Getting Started with Windows Presentation Foundation sample, as my introduction to WPF.* I have to replace an old VB6 application (written 8 or 9 years ago) and am considering using WPF.* This old app is a multiple document interface (MDI) application.* The WPF sample I just finished working through strongly suggests to me that all WPF applications have a web browser like feel to them.* There is a forward and backward button at the top of the window, immediately under the window's title.* So, am I correct?* The MDI paradigm is not supported in WPF?* Or is it highly discouraged against?* The reason why I ask is because the MDI interface is a functional requirement (the users want that interface to be in the new application - they are very familiar with it and want it to remain). More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

Is anybody running Vista and VS2008 on their machine? Is it stable(ish)? And what about Expression Blend. Hoping to jump into Silverlight soon. And were the Vista/VS2005 problems ever alleviated? More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

http://www.drphil.com/slideshows/slideshow/4201/?id=4201&isTip=&slide=1&null=null More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

http://www.stockhouse.ca/mediascan/news.asp?newsid=9946692 *better get your linux drivers now... [6] More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

<img alt="" height="1" width="1"> Vista sucks - reality or perception? ZDNet Blogs - 50 minutes ago Do I think that Vista sucks more than previous versions of Windows? Yes. Do I think Microsoft overpromise and under-deliver? Yes. ... More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds

pretend MS announced they were going to build IE8 on top of Geko / FF (UI layer with extended features that sits on top) Or if there was a version of windows shell made available for Linux (sort of like Apples UI sits on BSD) **highly unlikely i realize but... do you think FOSS developers would continue working on the projects - if the "enemy" was using the fruits of their free labour? Would it take the wind out of the anti-ms movement? Would they welcome MS to help? / be happy about it? In turn - would MS be able to: - instantly save alot of dev money - instantly become standards compliant (except for the propietary stuff in the shells) - show it can play nice with others just thinking - the fastest way to circumvent FOSS - would be if MS got involved with it.. embrace extend etc. Wouldnt all the ms haters working on foss - do a double take knowing they are helping MS? More... View All Our Microsoft Related Feeds