http://www.AcehAid.org
It didn’t go well.
I used the VS2005 Cleanup tool and then uninstalled all sql server 2005 stuff from the add/remove programs panel. Maybe I didn’t do the sql correctly.
VS2005 Beta 2 installed charmingly. I did not install SQL 2005 Express with that.
Then I ran into a not uncommon problem with my SQL Server 2005 install which told me that all of my key SQL Server stuff was still installed.
Indeed it was still there. And I could not get rid of it.
I found info (thanks Wally) about using MSIINV.EXE (here’s a link to download) to list the offending products, grab their GUIDs and then use MSIEXEC -x to uninstall them but the MSIEXEC failed too… on every single one.
So after the 5 hours I have invested in this, now it’s time to give in and just repave the entire machine.
Since I have to travel with it (so I don’t have to carry two computers) I also need to install a bunch of other stuff on it, so I think my day is shot.
🙁
(No, this box will not handle VPC but thanks in advance for the many suggestions to do so. I will, however, install the base stuff and ghost it before I install any of the beta bits.)
http://www.AcehAid.org
http://www.AcehAid.org
So I received my first CodeZone user group kit today. This is the one that goes to user group leaders. All of the digital content can also be downloaded by user group members who have signed up. In addition to digital content there are three books: O’Reilly’s .NET Compact Framework Pocket Guide, MS Press ASP.NET Mobile Devices and MS Press .NET Compact Framework.
The very first thing I thought of when seeing this was all of the people who are saying “CodeZone is out to replace INETA.” This box is very different from the INETA swag mailings and I see no cross over here at all.
The whole thing is geared towards Mobile Development. The production quality of the materials is astounding and a almost a little frightening. MS EMEA outsourced the development of a full blown mobile application to a few development shops which are promoted in the little accompanying booklet in a way that actually looks like magazine ads – but that’s fair, we all deserve recognition for our work.. However the fact that they are in the front of the booklet is actually very confusing and perhaps they should be put in the back. There is even a CompuWare ad on the back. The binder that it all comes in is super duper guper slick – but is generic enough to be reused for all of the CodeZone user group kits. Yes, the green girl is in there. I guess I’m not really the target market for this marketing effort – I have to say that the design doesn’t really appeal to me, but as 40+ female, I am such a teeny little slice of the demographics – so I don’t have a problem with that at all. I’m just a different kind of “hip”. tee hee
So that was my first impression. I KNOW that the whole thing is really geared towards getting developers really excited about doing mobile development (translation: there is not enough going on yet) and presenting a fantastic sample solution that not only is chock full of great code, but an app that I will assume has great architecture ideas as well as the business analysis that went into the solution.
The kit contains 3 cds. One is the Mobile Development SDK, another is a compilation of webcasts, demos, powerpoints etc and the last is the WeRock sample application – emblazoned with the slick graphics. It sure doesn’t look like a disc from the MSDN Universal Subscription!! 🙂
So I think what I will do is give away the entire kit to one lucky person in the group. However, I have that worry of raffling it off and someone who is not so interested winning it and then putting it on a shelf. Usually a good solution for that is having a bunch of things for raffle winners to choose from.
In the meantime, it will be a good vehicle for me to promote CodeZone at the meeting although right now that is the only value for *this* codezone site. Downloading the digital portion of the kit. In the future it will be a lot more.
http://www.AcehAid.org
I guess this is the definition of a geek vacation, but I much prefer Dave Burke’s idea of a vacation!!
Next week I will be going to Washington D.C. for a variety of things. First I am going to get a Wintellect brain infusion at Devscovery. That will be 3 days of intense learning with John Robbins, Jeff Prosise, Jeffrey Richter (I wonder if Sara has warned him that I’m coming. Maybe I’ll wear an “I Love VB” shirt. 😉 ) and some of the other Wintellects.
Then I get a day of rest with the Duthies and hopefully some real old-fashioned sightseeing! The next day (Saturday) is the Mid Atlantic Code Camp which I am sticking around for and was happy that the locals are letting me do some talks. I’m really looking forward to seeing some of my D.C. friends like Scott Lock and finally meeting Sahil Malek, Bill Ryan (unless he decides to go to Hooters or something) and some others that I have never met in person. If I’m super lucky, I’ll aslo get a chance to see some of my non-geek friends I haven’t seen in a while!
The line up looks awesome and there is also going to be a full day SOA track where they build an app. Heck, I’d almost skip my own talks for that! (Just kidding – I wouldn’t really do that).
YOu can register for Mid-Atlantic Code Camp here. It’s free and there’s still room!!
Posted from BLInk!
There were so many awesome submissions (speakers and topics) for the MAD Code Camp that poor Andrew Duthie and the track chairs had a really hard time fitting it all in. I made a bit of a nuisance of myself so that I would be able to present my ADO.NET 2.0 session (in addition to my WSE2.0 talk) which ended up meaning that Geoff Snowman, the local Developer Community Champion, gave up his session so that I could do mine. Thanks Geoff! I sure hope I was doing you a favor though!! 🙂
Also, my talk will be right before another ADO.NET 2 topic by Sahil Malik. He will be drilling into concurrency in ADO.NET 2.0, so that will be a great pair of sessions back to back.
Watch this space to see the session schedule which will be put up soon. The Code Camp is from 9am – 9pm with 4 tracks. It will be awesome. It is at Microsoft’s Reston office. There is still plenty of room for more attendees, so go sign up!!
http://www.AcehAid.org
http://www.AcehAid.org
http://www.AcehAid.org
Josh Trupin definitely hit on a pet peeve of mine with his editorial on invented words (eg “performant”). I blogged about that recently.
Another one that has been hitting my radar a lot lately is “asks” as in “what are your budget asks?”.
We don’t need to invent a word for this! What’s wrong with “request” or some of the words from this list of synonyms?
appeal, application, asking, begging, call, commercial, demand, desire, entreaty, inquiry, invitation, offer, petition, prayer, recourse, requisition, solicitation, suit, supplication
http://www.AcehAid.org
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http://www.AcehAid.org