Summer Camp: WPF + VS2008 beta (Part 0)

As I am done with my summer training work and quite bored with World of Warcraft at the moment. I started reading a nice book "Windows Presentation Foundation: Unleashed". I also downloaded Visual C# Express 2008 beta. My aim is to get a command of the new WPF approach to developing .NET applications. I will be making a series of tutorials here so stay tuned.. :D

WPF is the new user interface development model used in .NET 3.0 and beyond. It is based on XAML (pronounced Zamil) which is an XML based language for defining the various aspects of the user interface declaratively.

The great thing about WPF applications is that you can port them straight forward to be run within a web browser. The user has to have .NET Framework 3.0 installed.

to be continued....

File Sharing in Windows Vista

I have been having a problem with sharing files from Windows Vista. The problem occurs when I try to access the shared folder form other PCs running earlier versions of Windows with the default Guest account. After searching around I found out that Guest accounts in Windows Vista are denied by default from accessing Network shares. There are two ways to fix this thing:

• Don't use the Guest account for sharing. Make another user account with no password and use that for public file sharing. More secure but you'll need to distribute the new username.
• Change the Local Security Policy settings to enable Guest to access network shares as follows:
  
1. Go to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Local Security Policy.
2. Expand Local Policies > User Rights Assignments.
3. Double click on Deny access to this computer from the network.
4. Select Guest and click Remove. (See pictures below)

Microsoft SharedView Beta

Ever was explaining something technical to someone on the phone? Don't you just hate when that family member asks: and where is the OK button?

Feel free now with this new tool you can share your desktop view and just point him/her to the hidden OK button. This application is (obviously) integrated with MSN passport and MSN Messenger (though it can function without Messenger). You can even specify handouts that attendees can download (So they don't ask you the same question again :D). 

The down side of this is that it is still in beta and it doesn't support chat (voice or text) with the attendees yet.  

Microsoft SharedView Beta

Windows Live SkyDrive: Free 1GB file storage

Just stumbled on this new Beta service from Microsoft. It is basically a free 500MB of file storage. You have 3 zones to add files to:
1. Private for files that are only for you.
2. Friends for files that you want just your friends (MSN Messenger Contacts). The awesome thing about this feature is that you set special permissions to each folder (which friends gets to see, change, delete stuff in it). Great for team work projects :D
3. Public for anyone on the Internet. Sign up is easy and straight forward as well as uploading files. After you upload a file you get a link to distribute.

Pretty nice and fast service as far as I see it now. Better than sending myself e-mails with attachments to keep them online.

Update: The storage size have been upgraded to 1GB.

Windows Live SkyDrive Beta

ReSharper : Programming made easy

 This tool is absolutely brilliant, true IDE AI. You can kiss Code Completion good bye. ReSharper goes the extra miles that the built-in code re-factoring and intelligence tools in Visual Studio doesn't. Code optimization, Code completion, Code Formatting, Coding standards etc.. whatever you can think of is there.

From my personal experience using this tool: Go Get this now! Programming will have a different taste. It is like having some expert look at your code while you are coding and giving you advice about it.

ReSharper :: Download

Windows Vista Performance and Reliability Packs

Microsoft has just released some update Packs for Windows Vista. These packs fix some very important issues in Windows Vista namely:

3D graphics performance for some games.
File and Folder Copy for large sizes.
Issues when saving AVI files.

These packs are highly recommended for everyone using the the new OS.

Download Links:
pack1 (2.1MB)
pack2 (9.4MB)

Update: After installing the packs and testing some of the claimed fixes I think it is all good however the 3D performance issues are not totally fixed. Mainly my World of Warcraft problems are not fixed :(