Silverlight News Desk

Cloud Computing on Windows Azure

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:15:00 EST

“One of the reasons it’s so difficult to satisfactorily define cloud computing is that people have many different needs and expectations from a cloud platform. To start a conversation about cloud — especially one that seeks to evaluate the relative merits of competing cloud platforms — without first identifying what needs are being met is to invite misunderstanding and confusion. So before I come to my analysis of Microsoft’s Windows Azure platform and the hidden danger lurking there for many ISVs looking to embark on a SaaS strategy, I’m going to segment cloud computing into several important but separate categories.”

Microsoft Federal CTO Speaks About Cloud Computing

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:15:00 EST

Lewis Shepherd, CTO of Microsoft’s Institute for Advanced Technology in Governments, was the keynote speaker for the December meeting. During the session, Lewis Shepherd spoke about the Microsoft cloud, and how Microsoft is spending $9.5 billion on research this year on the new paradigm of distributed computing. Earlier this week, Vivek Kundra, the Federal Chief Information Officer at the White House, announced deadlines for the federal government to become open, transparent, and participatory.

‘Is it Over? Is It Really Over?’: Ballmer

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST

Nine years and a tidy $2.5 billion in fines since its first statement of objections, the European Commission is reportedly supposed to discharge Microsoft next week from its second antitrust case against the company after accepting a reworked ballot screen compromise to its Opera-instigated bundled browser charges.

Microsoft's Cloud Computing Patent Application

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:45:00 EST

Today, Alexander Wolfe has been speculating about Microsoft's patent application regarding data migration between cloud services. Although on the face of it, a patent for Cloud migration would appear to be aimed at removing the lock-in associated with a single vendor, the patent application is in fact aimed within a single vendor system. So, it doesn't address the Cloud lock-in problem which has been identified by ENISA as the #1 risk of cloud computing

Microsoft’s First Step Toward Cloud Computing

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:30:00 EST

Pundits talking about how Windows 7 is all about Microsoft competing against Apple, recovering with Vista consumer adoption disaster, or getting people off of XP, are missing one other – extremely important – part of the Windows 7 story. Windows 7 and its server counterpart – Windows Server 2008 R2 – are actually the first real step in Microsoft’s Windows Cloud Story. Before Windows 7 Microsoft could offer some services (such as Exchange Online) from the cloud – but could not provide full enterprise directory, security and so on – now they can.

Azure Gets its First Commercial ERP App

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST

While Microsoft is webifying bits and pieces of its client/server Dynamics ERP solution, it ain't gonna put any full-blown Dynamics ERP on Azure. Too much customization and integration to make a good candidate apparently. Enter Acumatica, a potentially competitive third-party ERP solution that compares itself to NetSuite except NetSuite is wholly SaaS and Acumatica, out only since June but one of the few programs already in production on the still-in-beta Azure, straddles both a client's on-premises site and the Microsoft cloud. The Acumatica software is the same in the cloud as it is on-premise and experimenting with in on site is supposed to make accounts more comfortable with the idea of using it in the cloud.

Microsoft Unloads a Couple of Fast Assets

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:15:00 EST

Microsoft has sold the Folio and NXT businesses it got when it bought Fast Search and Transfer, the Norwegian enterprise search firm, last year to Rocket Software on undisclosed terms. Folio is a clutch of publishing tools and NXT publishes intranet documents. Fast bought the products a few years ago for $15 million. Fast’s native technology has gone into SharePoint and is still available standalone.

Windows Server Revenues Pass Unix/Linux for First Time

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:15:00 EST

In Q3 Windows server sales by revenue surpassed Unix/Linux boxes for the first time in history according to Seeking Alpha blogger Dennis Byron. Using IDC numbers he says Linux was 14.4% of the total, a personal best and Unix dragged in at 27%. He concludes that Linux and Windows don’t meet much in the marketplace. Of course all server shipments are down about 20%.

Who, Us?

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:15:00 EST

Microsoft is disclaiming responsibility for the so-called “black screens” that some Windows 7 users have been experiencing when they boot up. Apparently the problem has also cropped up on some XP and Vista machines. Microsoft thinks it’s a virus.

Microsoft CFO Quits

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:15:00 EST

Microsoft’s CFO Chris Liddell, 51, a New Zealand import, is bored and wants a better job. So he’s “looking at a number of opportunities that will expand his career beyond being a CFO” – according to a statement out of Microsoft – and will be leaving at the end of the year. Microsoft’s replacing him with Peter Klein, 47, currently CFO of Microsoft’s $19 billion-a-year Business Division, responsible for Office.

Beta, Beta, Beta

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:45:00 EST

Microsoft has put out public betas of Office 2010, the SharePoint-dependent Office Professional Plus 2010 with its browser-based, Google Docs-offsetting Office Web Apps for business (this time with editing in Word and OneNote), Visio 2010 and Project 2010, both Office extensions, Exchange Server 2010 and SharePoint 2010 as well as Office Mobile 2010 with its mobile apps Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and SharePoint Workspace Mobile 2010.

Data Recovery Post “System 32 Corrupt or Missing” Error Message in Windows XP

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST

System 32, a hidden file usually located in the C:\ drive, is the most vital part of your computer. The system 32 file is responsible for proper functioning of your system. This file is generally hidden to prevent any unintentional or accidental alterations by any user. Although the system 32 file is hidden, the possibilities of its corruption always exist. In such situations, your computer system becomes unbootable making the data stored in it inaccessible.

Nice Screens, Shame About the Dancing

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST

I have not seen the stores in person, but from a distance I really, really like what Microsoft has done with its retail presence. Sure it looks vaguely familiar to Apple's stores, but big whoop. The wall to wall screens are brilliant.

However, I am now second-guessing whether I'd actually want to step inside a store and be trampled by line-dancing geeks rocking out to Will.I.Am and Fergie. Sheesh.

I'd love to see the look on the guy who walked up to cash to buy his Windows 7 upgrade and got stuck watching this horror show. "Umm, can I, excuse me, can I pay for this ... EXCUSE ME!!!"

And check the "Oh please God don't let my buddies see this" look on the face of some of the staffers."

As spotted in Gizmodo ...

Adobe Flex Developer Earns $100K in New York City

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST

CIO and CTO salaries will see a spike of 12.5% in 2010, according to research conducted by Bluewolf on salaries in the Tri-state region (New York, Conn. and New Jersey). Bluewolf is a global technology consulting firm and the preeminent source of salary data and statistics for IT professionals. Every year, Bluewolf issues its Bluewolf IT Salary Guide for Tri-state job seekers and employers, revealing its proprietary salary research. In 2010, CIO salaries will range from $175-200,000 in 2010, up from $149,000-175,000 in 2009. CTO salaries are predicted to range from $140,000-$175,000 in 2010 up from $120,000-$150,000 in 2009, according to Bluewolf's salary research. In addition to CIOs and CTOs, 2010 starting salaries for VPs of Information Technology are expected to increase from $110,000 to $125,000.

Chinese Court Orders Windows Off the Market

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

A court in China, where most software is pirated, has ordered Microsoft to stop selling the Chinese versions of its operating systems because they infringe on fonts owned by a Chinese company called Zhongyi Electronic. Microsoft says it has a license from Zhongyi and will appeal. Zhongyi says the license only applies to Windows 95.

Windows Azure Cloud Computing Platform Launched

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:15:00 EST

Company details strategy and road map for developers to move, enhance and transform applications for the cloud. Microsoft today announced the availability of the Windows Azure platform at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference (PDC). In his opening keynote address, Ray Ozzie, chief software architect at Microsoft, described Windows Azure and SQL Azure as core elements of the company's cloud services strategy. The company also announced a set of new Windows Azure features, Windows Server capabilities, and marketplace offerings that will make it easier for developers to build profitable businesses from their Microsoft-based solutions.

Microsoft Co-Founder Has Cancer Again

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:45:00 EST

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, 56, one of the richest men in the world, is suffering from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to his sister Jody Allen, the CEO of Vulcan Inc, his private asset management company. Allen left Microsoft in 1983 to undergo radiation treatment and bone marrow transplant for Hodgkin's disease and, although successful, he never returned to Microsoft.

Microsoft Acquires Teamprise Assets

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Microsoft Corp. today announced that it will purchase the Teamprise-related assets of SourceGear LLC, which enable developers using the Eclipse IDE or operating on multiple operating systems, including Unix, Linux and Mac OS X, to build applications with Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server. Development organizations will benefit from increased integration in heterogeneous environments, as well as reduced time and complexity associated with application development tasks. Functionality from the Teamprise Client Suite will be integrated into the Visual Studio product line beginning with Visual Studio 2010.

Platform Computing and Microsoft Enable Hybrid Compute Environments

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:15:00 EST

Platform Computing announced a partnership and joint technology solution with Microsoft for organizations to take advantage of high performance computing (HPC) clusters independent of a cluster's operating system (OS). The combination of Platform ISF Adaptive Cluster and Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008 provides HPC users an efficient and flexible infrastructure management solution that maximizes resources while lowering costs associated with running cluster environments across both Windows and Linux. Customers benefit from a streamlined, hybrid cluster management solution with improved performance and capacity.

Microsoft Nudges Eclipse Developers to Windows-Ware

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT

Microsoft was in one of its interoperability moods Wednesday and said that developers using Eclipse, the great open source IDE, will be able to target Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, its Azure cloud operating system and Silverlight. This renewed open source invasion – Microsoft’s no stranger to Eclipse although it’s not a member – is being spearheaded by two open source allies of Microsoft: Canada’s Tasktop Technologies for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, and France’s Soyatec for Azure and Silverlight. Tasktop’s CEO, by the way, created Eclipse’s Mylyn project.

NTFS Logical Drive Deleted After Using Fdisk

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:15:00 EDT

A hard disk can be divided into at most four primary partitions, one of which can be an extended partition. The extended partition can be further subdivided into multiple logical drives. The following reading describes an issue when you can lose an NTFS formatted logical drive in a dual-boot system using Windows XP. While such problems, you should make sure to have a valid data backup to restore it. But if it is unavailable for any reason, you need to use a powerful Windows Partition Recovery utility.

Microsoft to Data-Mine Facebook & Twitter

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EDT

Microsoft has cut non-exclusive deals with both Facebook and Twitter for Bing to search their real-time data feeds. Google has followed suit at least with Twitter, but Facebook is the prize because it has like 40 million updates a day from its 300 million users. Not all Facebook updates will be searched by Bing, however, only the ones made available to the wider public. Facebook, where Microsoft has an equity stake, will apparently provide users with a numbers of new tools to do so.

Microsoft Falls Off Cliff, Keeps on Ticking

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EDT

Wall Street declared Microsoft the winner over the economy Friday morning when the results of its September quarter weren’t as bad as everybody thought they were going to be. As a reward, its stock price was pushed up to the highest point since June of last year. Still the economy put up quite a cat fight. It gouged 18% out of Microsoft’s earnings and 14% out of its revenues.

Virtualization Solutions for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:15:00 EDT

Day One Support Covers Wyse’s All Hardware and Software Portfolios

LONDON, UK. – 22 October 09 - Wyse Technology, the global leader in thin computing and client virtualization, today announced Day One support for Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7, the latest version of Microsoft Windows which was made available today.

Wyse thin client hardware and virtualization software now supports Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7.  This level of support allows users of Windows to immediately embrace Microsoft’s extended virtualization technologies from the datacenter to the desktop.

In fact, there are seven compelling reasons for businesses to look to Wyse to deploy their virtual environments on Windows Server 2008 R2.

SplendidCRM for Microsoft Windows Azure

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:45:00 EDT

SplendidCRM continues to evolve with the incorporation of the Silverlight 3 Toolkit to replace the previous flash-based and hand-made charts. “We continue to pioneer the use of XAML-only graphics as a means to promote rapid application development”, noted Paul Rony, President and Founder of SplendidCRM. “Implementation of a dashlets model will allow each user to customize their home page experience with the new Silverlight charts.”

Judge Saves Microsoft $388m

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EDT

A Rhode Island district court judge Tuesday struck down a jury verdict ordering Microsoft to pay an obscure Australian developer by the name of Ric Richardson $388 million, reportedly the fifth-largest patent infringement award in history. In a relatively rare and painstaking post-trial judgment as a matter of law (JMOL), Judge William Smith found Microsoft’s patented Production Activation (PA) system, its scheme for defeating illegal copying of Windows and Office, did not infringe on a patent held by Richardson’s companies Uniloc Singapore Private Ltd and California-based Uniloc USA Inc.

Can Companies With Less, Do More? Ballmer Thinks Yes

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EDT

"For years, we've talked about how information technology enables companies to do more with less," writes Microsoft supremo Steve Ballmer in his latest "Executive Email" to Microsoft customers and analysts. "But during this economic reset," Ballmer continues, "IT provides business leaders with the answer to a slightly different question: read more

Akamai Unveils the Akamai HD Network

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:30:00 EDT

Akamai Technologies has announced the Akamai HD Network, its next generation video delivery offering and a platform to deliver HD video online to viewers using Adobe Flash technology, Microsoft Silverlight, and to the iPhone, at broadcast-level audience scale. The Akamai HD Network is the only solution that supports live and on-demand HD streaming with a highly-personalized and interactive online experience that matches and complements HD television.

SQL Azure and MS SQL Server Integration Services

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:15:00 EDT

Enterprise data can be of very different kinds ranging from flat files to data stored in relational databases and XML datasources. The extraordinary number of database related products, and their historic evolution, makes this task exacting. The entry of cloud computing has brought area into the forefront as SSIS has been one of the methods indicated for bringing ground based data to cloud storage in SQL Azure, the next milestone in Microsoft Data Management. Presently the following methods are indicated:

Run Insert statements SQL Manager to populate tables schema created using SQL Azure MW*
Configure SSIS to bring in data
BCP [perhaps in next CTP of SQL Azure]

The first method works and can be very fast (only a small table was tested )

It may be noted that SSIS is another tool to bring in tables (so far only tried this object in the initial tests) to SQL Azure although only table schema is migrated and not the data. If the table were to have a clustered index, data porting may also be possible. In the test conducted the table did not even have a primary key column.

* It appears that the recent tweaking of SQL Azure MW can bring in the entire database according to a posting on the Oakleaf Systems blog site.

Apps Store Intel-Style Means Microsoft Supports Linux

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Intel is pushing Atom out of netbooks and into embedded applications like Daimler and BMW infotainment systems, cell phones and other devices in search of what it calls a $15 billion opportunity. It wants its OEMs and other friends to take a page out of Apple’s book and create app stores for downloadable programs starting with netbook-ware. Dell, Acer and Asustek are in. ISVs can use Microsoft’s Silverlight software framework for web-based applications and its rival Adobe Air so their mobile- and small screen-optimized apps run unchanged on both Windows and Linux Moblin. It now appears that Silverlight 3, which is supposed to be cross-platform anyway, will support Linux directly. Developers won’t have to resort to the open source Moonlight version of Silverlight that Novell has been conjuring up. Apparently the widgetry will be available on Atom netbooks in Q1.

Azure on Ulitzer - Microsoft’s Cloud Builder Floats to Cisco: Report

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:30:00 EDT

Debra Chrapaty, Microsoft’s corporate VP of Global Foundation Services, the person responsible for the strategy and infrastructure platform under Microsoft Live, Cloud and Online Services worldwide including its physical infrastructure, security, operational management, global delivery and environmental considerations, has bolted to Cisco, according to the Dow Jones blog All Things Digital.

This Bing Thing Is Working

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:45:00 EDT

Microsoft’s share of U.S. searches jumped 22.1% in August to 10.7% of the market to Google’s 64.6%, up 2.6%, and Yahoo’s 16%, according to Nielsen. Yahoo was down 4.2%. Microsoft was up from 9% in July. That’s a sequential leap of 22.1% for Microsoft’s newfangled Bing search machine, backed by a $100 million marketing budget. Microsoft hasn’t begun to spend that kind of money overseas yet promoting the widgetry. It does have HP and Lenovo PCs defaulting to Bing.

EC Wrong, Wrong, Wrong – and Sloppy to Boot: Intel

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EDT

Intel’s appeal to the Court of First Instance of the European Commission’s monopoly abuse decision against it claims that the EC didn’t prove that it hammered AMD into the ground with its discounts. According to a summary of the otherwise sealed appeal published over the weekend in the Official Journal of the European Union, Intel says that the EC made an error of law in assuming that its discounts were per se abusive simply because they were conditional.

Keynote Transaction Perspective 9.0 Now Available

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:23:00 EDT

Keynote Systems, a provider of on-demand mobile and Internet test & measurement solutions for continuously improving the online experience, today announced that Keynote Transaction Perspective® 9.0 is now generally available to all Keynote customers. Transaction Perspective 9.0 is a much enhanced version of the company’s market-leading on demand Web site monitoring service specifically designed for the ‘Next Web’ applications of today and tomorrow.

Gee Willikers, This i4i Story Gets Better and Better

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EDT

On September 23 the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is going to hear Microsoft’s expedited appeal for a stay of the Texas decision ordering Word and Office off the U.S. market by October 10 because they allegedly infringe an i4i patent. Microsoft got the date the day after it asked for it last week and Dell and HP are going to file amicus briefs in support of Microsoft’s position that the injunction will have serious economic ramifications and that their business will be hurt.

Visual Studio IDE Productivity Tools

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:00:00 EDT

DevExpress technologies for Visual Studio help you build your best, reduce the amount of code you write, increase your productivity, and create stunning applications for Windows and the Web in the shortest possible time. CodeRush for Visual Studio® .NET helps you create sophisticated code blocks in seconds and extend code templates instantly. CodeRush completes identifiers as you type and expand or contract selections logically. With CodeRush, you will be able to instantly place selected code inside Try/Catch blocks, Regions and your own custom wrappers with ease. You can even reverse the logic of selected code and revisit important points within your code instantly (and effortlessly swap between locations).

WPF Controls by DevExpress

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:45:00 EDT

DevExpress technologies for Visual Studio help you build your best, reduce the amount of code you write, increase your productivity, and create stunning applications for Windows and the Web in the shortest possible time. DevExpress.com is proud to announce the immediate availability of DXperience v2009 vol 2 - award winning and feature-complete Presentation Components, Reporting Controls, IDE Productivity Tools, and Business Application Frameworks for Visual Studio .NET.

Practical Approaches for Optimizing Website Performance

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT

Optimizing website performance is a challenging task. Websites are composed of many moving parts – both on the client and on the server – and optimizing performance requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses potential problems in all moving parts. Performance bottlenecks are caused by an array of problems, from browser mechanics to server configuration, and a clear understanding of how to address these problems will provide AJAX ASP.NET developers with the tools necessary to make any website faster.

Microsoft Seeks Stay of Word Injunction

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:15:00 EDT

Microsoft Tuesday filed an emergency motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington looking for a stay of the permanent injunction ordering Word and Office off the U.S. market by October 10. It wants the stay while it appeals the decision. The order came down late last Tuesday as part of a verdict that Word infringes a custom XML patent held by an obscure Canadian ISV called i4i.

Windows Azure Runs into a Little Tax Problem

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EDT

Like every other budding cloud merchant Microsoft had this idea about having data centers scattered around the country and letting users pick the geography where they wanted their apps to run. Currently it offers US-Northwest, US-Southwest and US-Anywhere, with others still to come online. However, it's going to be disabling its Northwest option in the next few weeks and barring new applications.