New XML Features in VS 2005 and .NET 2.0

New XML Features in VS 2005 and .NET 2.0: "I attended a session hosted by Alan Griver a few weeks ago at the Israel C# Users Group (IVCUG).

It was a lovely talk, who's first part centered around the new XML features in VS 2005. Amazingly, I don't think I've heard anyone talk about these before, because most of it was brand new to me!

Here's a short list of the new cool stuff he talks about:

- XSL is actually compiled in IL, which means you can actually debug into XSLT statements. Which leaves me wondering - maybe someone should write a visualizer for XSL objects?

- There's a cool XML toolbar to let you do all sorts of cool stuff while editing and viewing XML files

- XML Snippets: This is a cool thing. Let's say you have an XML that contains something like this:

1 Roy

you can write this:


  and then press Tab. You'll get a 'snippet' sort of popped into your code editor that looks like this:

1 [Cursor]

How cool?

- The properties window for an XML file contains a 'schema' setting with a button that allows schema for the document form a bunch of preknown schemas (you can also add your own to this list). "

Code Snippets Manager Hidden in VS2005

Code Snippets Manager Hidden in VS2005: "This is a very good article about Code Snippet Manager in VSTO V2.0 by Kelvin. However, the 'Code Snippet Manager' is hidden in VS2005 by default (strange?!), so you can't do anything nor increase your productivity even though you'd read this article.
 
So what we have to do is to customize the menu by adding the Code Snippets Manager to the Tools menu 'manually'.
 
Before:

 
After:

 
Colt Kwong"

Upcoming Releases of Useful ASP.NET 2.0 Things

Upcoming Releases of Useful ASP.NET 2.0 Things: "A few people have asked me about what else is coming down the road in terms of downloads and other releases for ASP.NET 2.0.  Here is a non-exhaustive brain-dump of a few things coming out in the near future that we've been working on:

- Major Update to the Atlas Project: A pretty significant update to Atlas will be coming out soon.  It adds a number of pretty cool features -- including a lot of additional support to make common Ajax-style scenarios dead-simple with ASP.NET (previous refreshes of Atlas provided a lot of power features -- this refresh drop is also making common scenarios super easy).  It also provides the beginning of really nice integration of Atlas functionality into the server-control model.

- Updated VS 2003 Web Project->VS 2005 Web Site Migration Utility: This adds more support for migrating existing VS 2003 web projects to use the built-in VS 2005 Web-Site project model (specifically it better handles a number of cases we've seen with customers apps since VS 2005 shiped).  Our goal is to ship it this week (maybe as early as Tuesday).

- VS 2005 Web Application Project Refresh: A refresh of the new VS 2005 Web Application Project download will be coming out early next year.  The big feature we are looking to add with the next refresh is suppo"

2006 XML.com Reader Survey

2006 XML.com Reader Survey: "As you may know, we've been retooling our editorial focus during 2005 to focus on what the world looks like in the post-core-XML specification era; that is, what happens when we stop working so much on XML as with it? Toward that end, we've prepared a survey for XML.com readers, which I hope you'll take a few minutes to complete. One thing I can promise is that your responses on this survey will be carefully studied as I think about the editorial focus of XML.com during 2006."

Open Source Security Library in .NET

I tried the folowing component and it's great. if you need to use a security library or just http communication you can try that component.

from mentalis site:

The Mentalis.org Security Library is an add-on for the .NET framework. Its goal is to provide various security related tools to the C# and VB.NET developers. The library currently consists of the following subprojects:

• SecureSocket Library [SSL and TLS support]

• CertificateServices Library [Certificate Management support]

• Crypto Library [Cryptographic Transformations support]

It ships with extensive documentation that can also be viewed online. If you have questions about the library, you can ask them on the Security Library forum.

You can download the Mentalis.org Security Library over here.

Apple is Depending on Open Source for Security

Apple is Depending on Open Source for Security: "Apple has stated that they are depending on Open Source to spare OS X the security woes plagued by Microsoft.



The operating system update, due to debut in the first half of 2005, is based on the Unix platform, and Apple executives reckon the open-source nature of the product means it's inherently more secure than certain proprietary offerings.

Bertrand Serlet, senior vice president of software at Apple, said Wednesday that having a greater number of people keeping an eye on source code leads to better software security. 'A lot of security problems derive from the core,' he said. With open-source code, 'thousands of people look at the critical portions of source code and...check those portions are right. It's a major advantage to have open-source code.' (C|net via OSDir)"

DataGrid with built-in filter functionality

DataGrid with built-in filter functionality: "A reusable component which extends the DataGrid and adds functionality for real time filtering."

3D Pie Chart

3D Pie Chart: "Here's a nice free3D Pie Chart class on CodeProject. Version 1.4 (just released) includes some bug fixes and a demo app. Purty.

"

Reports of Linux's death premature

Reports of Linux's death premature: "A recent Slashdot offering entitled A Look At Windows Server Outselling Linux pointed to a story on CoolTechZone with the absurd title of 'Linux is Doomed, Thanks to Microsoft.' The story, title and all, is one of the most egregiously wrong reports of the century. Here's why."

Simplifying backups

Simplifying backups: "Most computer users don't make use of a system backup tool until after they suffer the misfortunes of a hard drive crash without one. But even then, many find backup software too complicated to configure, and there seems to be little in between creating CD or DVD archives by hand and overpowered network backup systems designed for the enterprise. The Simple Backup Suite (sbackup) is a tool for configuring regular backups of system data and simplifying full and partial recoveries."

Wrapper Class for the Multimedia Timer Functions

Wrapper Class for the Multimedia Timer Functions: "A class that makes using the Multimedia Timer functions easy and painless."

What is GAT?

GAT = Guidance Automation Toolkit

The Guidance Automation Toolkit is an extension to Visual Studio 2005 that allows architects to author rich, integrated user experiences for reusable assets including frameworks, components and patterns. The resulting Guidance Packages are composed of templates, wizards and recipes, which help developers build solutions in a way consistent with the architecture guidance.

Slides from my talk on Guidance Automation Kit are available

Slides from my talk on Guidance Automation Kit are available: "A little late, but still.
Here are the slides from the Guidance Automation Toolkit talk I did at the .NET Architects User group last month.
I also talked about LINQ, which you can download the slides for here."

Using XSLT files with the new XMLDataSource control (article)

Using XSLT files with the new XMLDataSource control (article): "Using XSLT files with the new XMLDataSource control (article)
without writing any code ...well, almost!"

Ubuntu certified for IBM's DB2

London 9th November 2005 : Ubuntu is moving into Enterprise computing with IBM's certification of Ubuntu as “Ready for IBM DB2 Software for Linux”.

Ubuntu has successfully gone through the stringent process whereby IBM ensures that DB2 Universal Database for Linux operates in the Ubuntu environment. By working closely together, IBM and Ubuntu have shown that DB2 UDB and Ubuntu deliver a stable environment in which to run business applications using DB2 as the chosen database.

A BitStream Class for the .NET Framework

A BitStream Class for the .NET Framework: "An article on reading and writing variable-length data using a BitStream class."

ASP.NET 2.0 Hosting Trial

ASP.NET 2.0 Hosting Trial: "Microsoft has setup a free 30-day, no obligation, ASP.NET 2.0 and SQL Server 2005 hosting service. This service is to demonstate the power of 2.0 and to show off some of the starter kits. To get started, you can visit http://www.vwdhosting.net."

Spy Drones Over the City! -- a retort

Spy Drones Over the City! -- a retort: "For some odd reason when drudge posted this article on spy drones that will be used by civilian law enforcement it caused a huge stir among people. But I don't see the big deal. People tend to have this aversion to UAVs in general equating the technology with danger. I see this a lot inside the hobbiest UAV culture where some remote-contol hobbiest call them dangerous (apprently more dangerous than a clothed ape with a remote control.. but I digress). But allow me to focus on the article from drudge and peer inside this 'flying eye in the sky!' boogeyman a bit.

1. Law enforcement already has the abilty to linger in airspace above any city. This is called a helicopter. Many police  departments in the US began to use helicopters for law enforcement after returning Korean War soldiers saw their usefulness in transporting wounded troops from the battlefield. This role was expanded to include enforcement, specifically the ability to track suspected criminals.

2. News helicopters. We have more than our share of news aircraft floating above us. How many times have to see aerial video on the TV? This is not new, in fact use of cameras in aircraft is very old.

3. Other aircraft - look up. Chances are good if you live in a urban area that you'll see an aircraft. Are they spying on you? Maybe. But most l"

Virus protector

if you seek for a good and easy to use Anti-Virus software, i'll recomend you to try
the AntiVirus of Avast company(www.avast.com).
that Antivirus is free for home use.
that antivirus is esy to use,
updated frequently without any user action.

Great AntiVirus


Tashma

Seek Music on the net

There are some ways to seek music on the net.
here is a list of software on the net:

1. Emule - a bit clamzy, somtimes slow.
2. Kaza - fast but virus, worms and attacks are came with that software.
3. Bittorrent - fast download but difficult to search.
   
4. SoulSeek (www.slsknet.org) - fast download and easy to use.

have fun
Tashma