Diomidis Spinellis has written a good paper for the “30^th International Conference on Software Engineering” (ICSE ’08) that looks at the code quality of the source codes of Windows (WRK – Research Kernel based on Windows Server 2003), Linux, Solaris and FreeBSD. Diomidis has analyzed the source codes of these 4 kernels and uses some code metrics, in order to measure the quality of each kernel in each area.

For those, who don’t like reading lengthy texts, a summary of the results is at the end (section 5: summary and discussion). Each operating system has its own strengths and weaknesses, so there is no clear winner.

The paper can be found at http://www.spinellis.gr/pubs/conf/2008-ICSE-4kernel/html/Spi08b.pdf and all the queries for the code analysis can be found at http://www.spinellis.gr/sw/4kernel/.

Finally, Diomidis has a very lengthy list of classic reads at his website.
 

Often I get the following questions about stored procs in LINQ to SQL:

1. I have sproc that returns multiple results. How can I use it in LINQ to SQL?
2. Can I use a sproc that returns results of different shapes; e.g. Customers and Orders?
3. I drag-dropped a sproc returning multiple results on the designer surface. But I don't get a method returning multiple results. What is missing?

Here is the overall answer.

Yes, you can use sprocs returning multiple results of different shapes. Here is an example:

This should be added to your partial class that is derived from DataContext: 

            [Function(Name="dbo.MultipleResultTypesSequentially")]

            [ResultType(typeof(Product))]

            [ResultType(typeof(Customer))]

            public IMultipleResults MultipleResultTypesSequentially()

            {

                  IExecuteResult result = this.ExecuteMethodCall(this, ((MethodInfo)(MethodInfo.GetCurrentMethod())));

                  return ((IMultipleResults)(result.ReturnValue));

            }

In consuming code, here is how it can be used

            using(IMultipleResults sprocResults = db.MultipleResultTypesSequentially()) {

                List<Product> prods = sprocResults.GetResult<Product>().ToList();

                List<Customer> custs = sprocResults.GetResult<Customer>().ToList();

                  …

            }

And no, the designer does not support this feature. So you have to add the method in your partial class. SqlMetal does however extract the sproc. The reason for that is an implementation detail: the two use the same code generator but different database schema extractors.

Anyway, with or without SqlMetal, you can use the feature as described above.

Dinesh

[A growing number of our customers has been asking for richer ways of creating blog entries to be posted to their SharePoint environment. To answer this FAQ, I've cross-posted below a blog entry by Mike Gannotti from several months ago. For more information about Word and Windows Live Writer, visit the Microsoft Office Word team blog and the Windows Live Writer team blog, respectively.

<Lawrence />]

I am often asked about tools for publishing to a SharePoint blog. There are two great tools that interface with SharePoint seamlessly. If you are a user of Microsoft Office Word 2007 then you have native integration with SharePoint that is simple to setup and best of all makes use of your primary publishing tool for blog publishing as well. Don't have Word 2007? Not a problem. You can download the free Windows Live Writer tool. I have been using this versatile tool as my primary blog publishing tool as of late.

Below I have two separate videos available for viewing that demonstrate how to configure either of these tools for use against a SharePoint based blog.

• Microsoft Office Word 2007 Blog Publishing Setup
  (WMV duration 00:03:58 resolution 1024X768)
• Microsoft Live Writer Blog Publishing Setup
  (WMV duration 00:05:05 resolution 1024X768)

If you don't have Windows Media Player (running a Mac for example) you can view a lower resolution version of the file via one of the links below.

• Microsoft Office Word 2007 Blog Publishing Setup
• Microsoft Live Writer Blog Publishing Setup

Mike Gannotti
Microsoft SharePoint Technology Specialist

Apple has an update of Bootcamp available, fixing some stability issues. I’ve had more than my fair share of crashes on my MacBook Pro, so I’m hoping it will help out. It was offered to me via Apple Software Update, but you can also grab it here:

Apple - Support - Bootcamp

If you try to install MOSS 2007 on Windows Server 2008, you are going to get an error that there is an incompatibility.  To install, you need SP1 for MOSS. 

I usually download everything from MSDN Subscriber Downloads or install from MSDN DVDs.  Of course, there is not a version of MOSS 2007 with SP1 already slipstreamed on the subscriber downloads. 

You could slipstream SP1 yourself, but it turns out there's an easier way.  First, install the trial version of MOSS 2007 with SP1 (32 bit or 64 bit).  After you install the trial version, upgrade from the trial version.

[via http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc263204.aspx]

Up and running in no time flat.

Enterprise Library is a collection of application blocks intended for use by developers who build complex, enterprise-level applications. Enterprise Library is used when building applications that are typically to be deployed widely and to interoperate with other applications and systems. In addition, they generally have strict security, reliability, and performance requirements.

The goals of Enterprise Library are the following:

• Consistency. All Enterprise Library application blocks feature consistent design patterns and implementation approaches.
• Extensibility. All application blocks include defined extensibility points that allow developers to customize the behavior of the application blocks by adding their own code.
• Ease of use. Enterprise Library offers numerous usability improvements, including a graphical configuration tool, a simpler installation procedure, and clearer and more complete documentation and samples.
• Integration. Enterprise Library application blocks are designed to work well together or individually.

These are typically rationalized through:

• Online Guidance
• Scenarios or QuickStart samples
• QuickStart Walkthroughs
• Hands-On Labs
• Sample Source Code

There will be a webcast in June 2008  giving an overview of the new features of Enterprise Library 4.0. You can find more detail on the Enterprise Library landing page.

What's New

This release of Enterprise Library includes the following:

• Integration with the Unity Application Block
• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) 2.0 support and improved instrumentation
• Performance improvements (particularly, in the Logging Application Block)
• Pluggable Cache Managers
• Visual Studio 2008 support
• Bug fixes

Note: existing public APIs (v3.1) are still supported.

Links

• MSDN site: http://msdn.microsoft.com/entlib
• Community Forum: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=119312
• Community Extensions: http://codeplex.com/entlibcontrib

Register for the SharePoint Introduction for .NET developers webcast series. In this 10-part series, you will receive practical technical information from Robert Bogue & Andrew Connell, SharePoint MVPs.  The series runs every Tues/Wed from May 20 to June 18, 9 am - 10 am PST.

20-May-08 - Web Parts  - Register Today!

27-May-08 - Silverlight and SharePoint  - Register Today!

28-May-08 - Using Event Handlers  - Register Today!

3-Jun-08 - Page Branding  - Register Today!

4-Jun-08 - Workflows  - Register Today!

10-Jun-08 - Web Services  - Register Today!

11-Jun-08 - Page Navigation  - Register Today!

17-Jun-08 - User Management  - Register Today!

18-Jun-08 - Custom Content Types  - Register Today!

I'm glad I work for Microsoft. There are lots of resources here to try and help others who are so much in need. I remember when Katrina hit Microsoft worked with the Red Cross to setup a system to help relatives and loved ones find each other. This time we're helping with the disaster in China as Steve Lombardi notes here as well as Myanmar.

The Myanmar Disaster Relief Team has been working with Microsoft who are providing technical resources, corporate donations and volunteer support to help these victims and a few of our Virtual Earth Partners: IDV Solutions, Weather Central and Weather Decision Technologies are working feverishly to develop an online service for composing and visualizing disparate data sources (disaster info, weather, healthcare, and Myanmar info) into a holistic and actionable view. Where you might ask? Well on a map of course, which is the best place for it.

As Claire Bonilla, Sr. Director of Disaster Management at Microsoft notes,  “This is incredible! The amount of paper based/static Myanmar maps laying around the UN here in Bangkok is a testament to the need for maps and geospatial information.  The fact that we are starting to see assessments trickle in from the few aid workers in Myanmar, and a more coordinated flow of relief aid being delivered, these maps will serve as a critical information hub for sharing that assessment and distribution data that is slowly starting to flow, to the entire relief community here in Bangkok.”

AWESOME. I couldn't think of a better way to use maps than to help organize the massive amounts of data that those relief agencies must be dealing with. Here's a little screen shot of what this thing looks like.

I was typing this up in Wednesday's TechEd planning meeting. Typing in a meeting is rude. But I'm hoping it came across as endearing.

------------------------Test Center-----------------------------

If you are attending TechEd, you should already be signed up for an exam when you're there.

• The test center is open for $50 exams both weeks and the in between weekend. Prometric's website says it is for conference attendees and weekend community people; i.e. if you're there over the weekend you can take exams, full-event attendee or not.
• MSFT employees take exams for free on site. I think you should have just gotten an e-mail about that.
• If you don't know what exam to take, ask us. But you should be studying now, it's coming up fast.

---------------------Socializing-----------------------------------

Remember the Influencer party last year? It was so rad! Wouldn't it be great if we did that again?

Right?

So fun!

OK! But we're not. The MVP team, our good friends who co-hosted last year, are doing a small event just for MVPs. The MVP team is very fun. So I'm sad we're not throwing down with them. But guess who else is fun, is the Vista Springboard team - and we're teaming up with them and TechNet Plus to have a party for you guys on Monday of the IT pro week. Oh, just a little party for MCPs.

Just a little something.

When I find out how you (that's YOU with a Microsoft Certification) sign up, I'll tell you--I think I'll have the registration info early next week so keep an eye out. Nothing locked for developer week parties but I'll keep you posted when I hear anything.

--------------------Fishbowling------------------------------------

Microsoft Learning will be in the Virtual TechEd "fishbowl" every morning at 9:30 AM. to talk about Very Important Things. I don't know what yet. If you want to be in the fishbowl to talk about something--like how you just passed an exam at the test center, or how great you think I am--send me an e-mail, you can be the interviewee one morning.

--------------------MSL Booth---------------------------------------

All: We're giving away a DVD that has a bunch of training info and sample MS Press books and other stuff on it, AND a full, digital version of a book: Sharepoint Inside Out by Erin O'Connor ($49 retail value). Stop by the MSL booth to get a copy of that to take home.

MCPs: Bring your wallet card (or maybe a copy of your transcript?) to the booth to get your Certified hat (Smart As*, Hero, I am. You're not, Geek, or... wait for it... GeekGrrl). I think we'll give out a different design every day--maybe at a certain hour each day? Hmm. Needs some thought. Suggestions?

I’m glad to announce the latest addition to our BizTalk posters series. We have just published the new BizTalk Server 2006 R2 Business Activity Monitoring (BAM) Poster. You can find it in the Microsoft download center here.

This poster provides an overview of the entire life cycle of a BizTalk BAM implementation. It illustrates the design of the observation model by the business analyst, mapping the observation model to the implementation by the developer, deployment by the system administrator, and the presentation channels of the information for business end users.

We hope to promote the usage of the BizTalk BAM infrastructure by enabling both new and experienced users to better understand the concepts, processes it entails.

Enjoy it,

Ofer

Hi. I’m Rob Silver, a writer on the IT Pro content team for SharePoint. I’d like to inform you about some content I recently researched and authored about governance with respect to SharePoint Server 2007. Governance is the set of policies, roles, responsibilities, and processes that you establish in your enterprise to guide, direct, and control how it uses technologies to accomplish business goals. To strike the right balance between the needs of the SharePoint users in your enterprise and the IT professionals who deploy and operate SharePoint Server, we recommend that you form a governance body that includes representatives of all stakeholders in the SharePoint deployment. This body can then create and enforce rules that govern the use of SharePoint.

Here are some topics to help you determine the aspects of your SharePoint deployment to govern and the methods to use:

• What is governance? defines governance and introduces two key areas to govern: IT services and information architecture.
• Establishing and governing a SharePoint service describes typical elements of an IT service hosting Office SharePoint Server 2007, suggests key success factors in governing the service, and provides an example of a three-tiered service.
• Implementing and governing information architecture introduces the concept of information architecture, recommends how to govern it, and presents an information architecture case study.
• Governance features in Office SharePoint Server 2007 reviews a set of Office SharePoint Server 2007 features that your organization can use to help govern your Office SharePoint Server deployment.

I’m very interested in your feedback on this new content. Do you find it useful? Is it the right level of detail? Do you agree or disagree with particular recommendations? Is there additional content you'd like to see added? There are three ways you can provide feedback. First, in each topic you will find a "Was this information helpful?" control with a text box for supplying feedback. Second, you can send us mail at "o12ITdx [at] microsoft.com". Third, you can use the "Leave a Comment" interface on this blog to provide feedback, either on this blog entry or on the governance content.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you and to evolving this content in partnership with you.

Thanks,

Rob Silver

Office SharePoint Server IT Pro content team

Erick Ellis and Mark Wilson-Thomas talk about what's new in the WPF editor for Visual Studio in .NET 3.5 SP1.  Topics include faster performance both from WPF and optimizations of their own,  new cool visualizers, the Document Outline (very useful for WPF Apps) and more.

And as Mark mentioned, if you want to get your feedback in for future updates, go to the Visual Studio WPF Designer Forum on MSDN.

Also, this is a chance for me to show the application I built in the previous Tutorial: Create Your Own Silverlight HD Video Tutorial: From Video File to Working Silverlight Streaming Application

In case you missed it, Visual Studio 2008 SP1 Beta has been released:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=CF99C752-1391-4BC3-BABC-86BC0B9E8E5A&displaylang=en

For the debugger, Visual Studio 2008 SP1 contains:

1. As with all service packs, fixes for all the significant bugs that we found since Visual Studio 2008 RTM.
2. Improved support for downloading symbols and PDBs for the .NET Framework and other Microsoft products.
3. Improvements for using Visual Studio with non-local symbol stores (such as the Microsoft public symbol servers)
4. Step into specific for managed. We have had this feature with native for years, with SP1 we added this support for managed as well. If a line contains multiple function calls, you can right click on the line in the editor and select which function you would like to step into.
5. Step filtering for managed. There is now an option to stop stepping into property get routines.

We want to try and get the RTM version into customer’s hands as soon as we can, so this means there isn’t too long for us to act on customer feedback. So if you are interested, give it a whirl soon.

One very important note: If you have installed any Visual Studio 2008 hot fix, make sure that you run this tool _before_ installing Visual Studio 2008 SP1 Beta:
http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/RemoveKB944899

If you would rather not run a tool, manual steps can be found here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/archive/2008/05/16/kb944899-should-be-removed-before-installing-visual-studio-2008-sp1.aspx

In This Tutorial

·         Learn how to process video file with the Expression Encoder to prepare it for Silverlight Streaming Service

·         Configure Expression Encoder Application output to work with Silverlight Streaming

Step1: Preparing Video in Expression Encoder

Download the trial from here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A04DCC8C-9DB7-41CB-A27C-08CBEB0A01BA&displaylang=en

Do this:

·         Click File | Import and open your video

·         Select Streaming Broadband profile or another profile you may like.

I selected Streaming Broadband and then customized the bit rate and resolution to my liking.

Note: the file size must be less than 105 MB currently to work with Silverlight Streaming

·         Click Output on the top-right part of the screen

·         Choose a picture to be shown before the video is loaded from the Thumbnail section

·         In Job Output, select a template – this will be your output application

I also unchecked Cue Video Page on load and Automatically start video when cued

·         Click the Encode button on the bottom-left part of the screen

o   After encoding is done, your application should load in the default browser!

Step2: Configure Application for Silverlight Streaming

·         Find the output directory of the application, using the Output tab, then Job Output – look at the Directory box

·         Create a manifest.xml in the output directory (folder), containing this:

<SilverlightApp> 

  <version>1.0</version> 

  <loadFunction>StartWithParent</loadFunction> 

  <jsOrder> 

    <js>MicrosoftAjax.js</js> 

    <js>SilverlightControl.js</js> 

    <js>SilverlightMedia.js</js> 

    <js>ExpressionPlayer.js</js> 

    <js>PlayerStrings.js</js> 

    <js>player.js</js> 

    <js>StartPlayer.js</js> 

  </jsOrder> 

</SilverlightApp> 

·         Zip all files from the output folder, except for Default.html and Silverlight.js

·         Upload the .zip file on your account at http://silverlight.live.com

You’re done!

Tips and Tricks

·         If you want to update application settings (e.g. change the player background color) from within Expression Encoder, there is no need to encode the stream again:

o   Click the Encode tab, then on Video select Source Profile (this will copy the un-encoded video in the application output folder)

o   After the video is copied and the settings updated, add only the .js and .xaml files to the original application .zip file

·         After uploading the application to http://silverlight.live.com you can customize it in-place by clicking on Edit next to the Application Manifest text

I use keyboard shortcuts to save time and avoid using the awkward mouse on my laptop.  Here are my favorites in Outlook 2007:

I also use custom keyboard shortcut keys to apply Color Categories to messages because my organizational system requires every message to be categorized based on the action I need to take.

I use CTRL+F12 throughout the day to archive conversations by marking them green.

Check out the lists of keyboard shortcuts on Office Online for Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2007 and find your own time-savers:

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook 2007

Keyboard shortcuts for Outlook 2003

Ellen Adams

Program Manager

Argh, I just have heard that some people who tried to register yesterday were denied. If that was you - I'm sorry. I've been told we've reset our registration limits to 'unlimited' so hopefully no one will get shut out again. I'm glad so many people want to come.

• Cram for Exam 70-620: Windows Vista, Configuring on May 20, 2008 at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time (What time is this in my region?)
• Cram for Exam 70-640: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring on May 21, 2008 at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time (What time is this in my region?)
• Cram for Exam 70-536:.NET Framework, Application Development Foundation on June 11, 2008 at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time  (What time is this in my region?)

We have great MCTs lined up to present.

Zach Niemann will be hosting the 70-620 cram. he is very funny, I got to hang out with him a little at TechEd last year. He led the 620 session I attended at the event and it was really helpful (although let's be clear, I never took the exam). Zach has helped students from all walks of life from career changers to 20-year Unix admins. He has a proven ability to help any student learn tough concepts. Previous clients include: Microsoft, HP, Federal Reserve Bank of NY, US Army, Goldman Sachs. Zach ... is the lead MCT Ambassador for the Cram 4 Exams area of <TechEd 2008>. Zach holds the following certifications: MCT, MCTS:Vista, MCITP: Enterprise Support Technician, MCSE (NT4, 2000, 2003); MCSE+S (2000, 2003); MCSA+S (2000, 2003), CEH, CEI, JNCI, JNCIS-FWV, Security +, A+, Network +, and i-Net+.

For 70-640, your trainer will be Gordon Ryan of Longneck Consulting. When he's not at home in Australia, he's attending TechEds and other events around the world; you've probably run in to him. I just saw him last month; he came to meet me for lunch (at a bowling alley's going-out-of-business auction I'd blown off work* to attend so I could buy this ridiculous 1960s peacock blue bowling bench, the purchase of which I mildly regret now). He knows a lot of stuff. Read his spaces blog to figure out exactly what stuff he knows.

Susan Ibach will be presenting the 536 exam in the June cram session. I've had the pleasure of working with this lady at TechReady and TechEd a few times now, she's tops. Susan Ibach has been teaching application developers for eight years. Before becoming a technical trainer she worked in a variety of development roles including programming, testing, configuration management and database administration. Here's a bit more about her.

I'm very pleased to have these three for our presenters.

*I'm kidding, of course. I don't blow off work. I just said that to be dramatic. I'm very committed. I did buy that bench, though.

I wrote an ASP.Net 2.0 based Web application few days back using which you can manage basic functionality for your IIS 6.0 Web Sites from any where, any time over the Internet.

Here are the features I have incorporated in this application.

Application Pool related activities

· Recycle/Start/Stop Application Pool(s)

· Change Application Pool Identity.

· Check features like Application Pool Recycling options, Current state of an Application Pool and current Application Pool Identity.

· Enumerate an Application Pool to see the Web applications running under it.

Web Site related activities

· Start/Stop Web Site(s)

· Check features like current Web Site state, and some configuration related settings like Web Site physical path, Server Bindings, Secure Bindings, Authentication method, SSL access, Application Pool etc.

IISRESET

· At times the only way to recover from a problem is to restart IIS services. You can restart all IIS services like IISADMIN, SMTP and World Wide Web Publishing service from any where through this application. It's equivalent to executing an IISRESET /force from the command prompt.

You can find more details on this here

*Disclaimer: This is provided "As Is" and Microsoft should not be held liable in any circumstances.

I wanted to send a quick update to let you know that we will be at this years TechEd 2008 Developer Week in Orlando.  Beyond the many sessions, chalk talks and ask the experts sessions that we have lined up we will also have a booth in the SQL Server section of the show floor.  Additionally, we have a number of cool announcements and demonstrations that I am dying to tell you about! We are really looking forward to meeting you and getting a better idea of what you have building with the Microsoft Sync Framework.

See you there!

Liam Cavanagh

It's almost exactly a year since I handed in the keys to the Enterprise Library bus, but I'm still as excited as ever about the release of a new version. The team has just released Enterprise Library 4.0, which features all of the blocks you know and love updated for Visual Studio 2008, plus the shiny new Unity Application Block for dependency injection. As always, you can grab the new release from http://msdn.microsoft.com/entlib and participate in the thriving community at http://codeplex.com/entlib.

Congrats to the entire team for another great release:

• Product Management: Grigori Melnik
• Program Management: Scott Densmore, William Loeffler, Chris Tavares, and Grigori Melnik
• Architecture: Chris Tavares, Scott Densmore  and Fernando Simonazzi
• Development: Chris Tavares, Fernando Simonazzi, and Nicolas Botto
• Test team: Hanz Zhang, Carlos Farre, Rohit Sharma, Naveen Guda, Pooja Parate, Pravin Pawar, Ronita Acharya, Sai Pasumarthi Venkata Appaji Sirangi and Vijaya Janakiraman
• Documentation: Alex Homer
• Edit team: Nelly Delgado, RoAnn Corbisier and Tina Burden McGrayne

Also thanks to everyone who worked on past releases who helped build such a strong foundation, and of course to everyone in the community who has supported this initiative and provided invaluable feedback.

Here's a summary of the official release notice from Grigori's blog:

What’s New in v4.0?

This release of Enterprise Library includes the following:

• Integration with the Unity Application Block
• Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) 2.0 support and improved instrumentation
• Performance improvements (particularly, in the Logging Application Block)
• Pluggable Cache Managers
• Visual Studio 2008 support
• Bug fixes

Note: existing public APIs (v3.1) are still supported.

The Application Block Software Factory and the Strong Naming Guidance Package are not included in this release but are available as a separate download. Thus, there is no longer a dependency on Guidance Automation Extensions (GAX).

For the detailed list of all changes, see About This Release of Enterprise Library.

Enterprise Library by Numbers:

Getting Started

If you are new to the Enterprise Library:

• read the Introduction to the Enterprise Library;
• download, compile and run the QuickStart samples—study the code;
• read through the related QuickStart Walkthroughs and “Key Scenarios” sections of the documentation;
• practice the Hands-On Labs;
• join the webcast in June 2008 (the exact date will be announced on the Enterprise Library landing page).

If you already know and love the Enterprise Library:

• check out the change log for this release;
• upgrade to V4.0—no code change is required—simply update the references to the corresponding application block assemblies and to the common assemblies;
• download the updated QuickStarts and run through the Unity-integrated examples to get the flavor of new dependency injection style of using the Enterprise Library;
• join the webcast in June 2008 (I’ll announce the exact date later).

Happy Coding!

When installing Visual Studio 2008 Sp1 Beta1, you may encounter an error that you must first remove KB944899 before setup can continue. This message can be displayed if you have installed any KB for Visual Studio 2008.

You can work around this problem manually as described by Heath here: http://blogs.msdn.com/heaths/archive/2008/05/16/kb944899-should-be-removed-before-installing-visual-studio-2008-sp1.aspx

Or, you can download and run the executable which will remove KB944899 if needed and remove the registry keys that are causing the problem from this location:

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/RemoveKB944899