Visual Studio 2008 will come out in ... 2008!

At a partners event in Denver, Microsoft disclosed its plans for formally releasing Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008. COO Kevin Turner said the company will launch all these products together at an event in Los Angeles on Feb. 27, 2008.

http://www.theserverside.net/news/thread.tss?thread_id=46136&asrc=EM_NLN_1757377&uid=2444142

Notification Services in SQL Server 2005

A simple and easy to understand explantion of Notification Services in SQL Server 2005

WindowsForms for Silverlight?

Tim Heuer pointed Tim Sneath at an interesting set of controls that have been developed by an organization called NETiKA Technologies. They take a pretty broad set of Windows Forms controls and implemented them for Silverlight (and Flash).

Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 June 2007 Community Technology Preview (CTP)

.Net 3.5 is available for download.
Overview
.NET Framework 3.5 builds incrementally on the new features added in .NET Framework 3.0, for example, Windows Workflow Foundation (WF), Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Windows CardSpace. In addition, .NET Framework 3.5 contains a number of new features in several technology areas. These new features have been added as new assemblies to avoid breaking changes. They include the following:
Deep integration of Language Integrated Query (LINQ) and data awareness. This new feature will let you write code written in LINQ-enabled languages to filter, enumerate, and create projections of several types of SQL data, collections, XML, and DataSets by using the same syntax.
ASP.NET AJAX lets you create more efficient, more interactive, and highly-personalized Web experiences that work across all the most popular browsers.
New Web protocol support for building WCF services including AJAX, JSON, REST, POX, RSS, ATOM, and several new WS-* standards.
Full tooling support for WF, WCF, and WPF, including the new workflow-enabled services technology.
New classes in .NET Framework 3.5 base class library (BCL) address the most common customer requests.

New Microsoft Office Interactive Developer Map is now available

Source: Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies Team Blog

What is it?
The Microsoft Office Interactive Developer Map is a Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) application that helps developers visualize the different programs, servers, services, and tools that will help them build solutions. It allows them to drill down to each product and technology and learn about new features, objects, Web services, namespaces, and schemas required to extend Microsoft Office and build custom Office Business Applications (OBAs).

ASP.NET 2.0 CSS Friendly Control Adapters 1.0

Found out about this great tool/code which could make customizing MOSS 2007 sites much easier.

Overview
ASP.NET is a great technology for building web sites but it would be even better if it provided more flexibility for customizing the rendered HTML. For example, the Menu control makes it simple to add a menu to a web site, but it would be better if it didn't create table tags and was easier to style using CSS. Happily, it's easy to customize and adapt the Menu control to generate better HTML. Indeed, you can modify any ASP.NET control so it produces exactly the HTML you want.

The key is to use something that may be new to you: control adapters. These are little chunks of logic that you add to your web site to effectively "adapt" an ASP.NET control to render the HTML you prefer. The ASP.NET 2.0 CSS Friendly Control Adapters kit provides pre-built control adapters that you can easily use to generate CSS friendly markup from some of the more commonly used ASP.NET controls.
http://www.asp.net/cssadapters/

Popfly

Microsoft announced the alpha release of Popfly, http://www.popfly.ms/ a combination tool set and social network that can help nontechnical users build and share mashups, gadgets, Web pages and applications. The site is built with Microsoft's new Silverlight 1.0

Creating Solutions for SharePoint 2007

Here is a good article on Creation "Solutions" for SharePoint 2007 by Gustavo Velez

Team-Based Development in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007

Summary: Learn to properly conduct team-environment development of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 sites and assemblies (Web Parts, site templates, custom list templates), as well as develop Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer artifacts (master pages, workflows, CSS sheets). (13 printed pages)

Eric Charran, Microsoft Corporation
April 2007

If you are are a MCMS 2002 based developer, here is a good resources for MOSS 2007 for you

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa830819.aspx#cmso12formcms2002_channelsvssites

Microsoft Queuing Frameworks: Comparing SQL Service Broker with MSMQ

I thought it was a good read.
Microsoft Queuing Frameworks: SQL Service Broker vs. MSMQ

Microsoft Launches Beginner Developer Learning Center

Microsoft has launched a new site in hopes of getting more people into the programming game (and more programmers on the .NET Framework).

http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/beginner/

Download prebuilt VPC Machine withh Visual Studio, code-named Orcas.

Overview
Visual Studio code name “Orcas” delivers on Microsoft’s vision of smart client applications by enabling developers to rapidly create connected applications that deliver the highest quality rich user experiences. This new version enables any size organization to rapidly create more secure, manageable, and more reliable applications that take advantage of Windows Vista and the 2007 Office System. By building these new types of applications, organizations will find it easier than ever before to capture and analyze information so that they can make effective business decisions.

This download is the March 2007 Community Technology Preview of Microsoft Visual Studio Code-Named “Orcas”. This CTP is available in English only.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=B533619A-0008-4DD6-9ED1-47D482683C78&displaylang=en

Developer Tutorials: New Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 and Visual Studio 2005

Here is a free Microsoft e-learning content: New Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 and Visual Studio 2005 E-Learning Series
Publishing Date: 02/12/2007
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6222169

MSDN: New content on WCF and WF

A new Development guide on .NET development was recently published. The title:
Windows Communication Foundation and Windows Workflow Foundation - Better Together

Get the guide --> http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6256092

Microsoft Launches Connected Services Sandbox

New program for telecommunications operators, carriers, ISVs and developers to help spur the creation of new services for the Telco 2.0 world.

Here a quick look at what is it all about:
Microsoft launches 'mashup' competition for developers Winners in Web 2.0 effort can win up to $25,000

Upgrade from MCAD or MCSD .NET to Visual Studio 2005 Certifications

Watch a recorded Live Meeting to learn more about the upgrade paths and new credentials.
Watch this English-language Live Meeting for a concise explanation of the new certifications, upgrade paths, and related learning materials.

View the recording now. Download the PowerPoint presentation from the meeting to share with your user groups or colleagues.

10 Essential Resources for SharePoint Developers

Everything you need to know about development using SharePoint 2007.

ASP.NET AJAX 1.0

Brief Description
ASP.NET AJAX is a set of technologies to add AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript And XML) support to ASP.NET. It consists of a client-side script framework, server controls, and more.

Overview
ASP.NET AJAX integrates client script libraries with the ASP.NET 2.0 server-based development framework. This new Web development technology extends ASP.NET, offering the interactive user interface benefits of AJAX with a programming model that is more familiar to ASP.NET developers, making it very easy to add AJAX to your applications quickly and with minimal effort. However, ASP.NET AJAX isn’t just for ASP.NET development. You can take advantage of the rich client framework to easily build client-centric Web applications that integrate with any backend data provider.
ASP.NET AJAX enables you to take full advantage of the capabilities of the browser to deliver richer Web experiences that work on any modern browser
ASP.NET AJAX enables ASP.NET developers to enrich their existing Web applications with incredible ease
ASP.NET AJAX includes a rich client-side JavaScript framework that enables easy creation and reuse of script components and rich client-side behaviors.
ASP.NET AJAX makes it super easy to consume services from ASP.NET and to build composite applications from services on the programmable Web.

Free Microsoft Learning Content: New Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 and Visual Studio 2005 E-Learning Series

Learn about the new capabilities provided by the .NET Framework 3.0 in three 2-hour premium clinics. Topics covered include Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation, and Windows Communication Foundation.