Come join the Dalhousie Water Polo Team @ Dalplex as we host our annual invitational tournament!
Start Time: Friday, March 14, 2008
End Time: Sunday, March 16, 2008
Location: Dalplex Pool, Halifax, NS
Friday, March 14, 2008
Dal Water Polo Tournament
Dalhousie Water Polo Invitational Tournament
Come join the Dalhousie Water Polo Team @ Dalplex as we host our annual invitational tournament!
Start Time: Friday, March 14, 2008
End Time: Sunday, March 16, 2008
Location: Dalplex Pool, Halifax, NS
Come join the Dalhousie Water Polo Team @ Dalplex as we host our annual invitational tournament!
Start Time: Friday, March 14, 2008
End Time: Sunday, March 16, 2008
Location: Dalplex Pool, Halifax, NS
Saturday, March 08, 2008
SharePoint Upgrade with Metalogix
after exhibiting at the SharePoint 2008 Conference in Seattle, I came away reassured that the best SharePoint to SharePoint upgrade solution is Metalogix Site Migration Manager.
using Site Migration Manager, our customers are able to simply copy and paste from one SharePoint server to another. it's a user-friendly solution to something that has been traditionally in the hands of the IT department.
- Metalogix SharePoint Site Migration Manager (v. 3.5.4) (click for full size)
as you can see in the screenshot above, you easily open your source server in one pane (in this case SharePoint Portal Server 2003) and the target (MOSS 2007) in another. the content owners can then choose to migrate their content as it appears on the source server, or they can restructure/reorganize elements on the target.
when I attended the conference session about the out of box upgrade, the presenters made a point of stressing the value of a "clean" install. they made it clear that doing an upgrade with the out of box tools can have a significant negative impact on the performance of your server. with Site Migration Manager, you can use a completely new (read: better) server as your target.
Site Migration Manager offers all sorts of features that you won't find in the out of box upgrade. for example, you can merge lists, split lists, move sites, promote sites, and the list goes on (pardon the pun). elements can be copied at the item level, list, or the site level. in the new versions of Site Migration Manager, we have added even more support for site collections.
since 2001, Metalogix has offered best of breed migration solutions--the future is bright for Metalogix as the go to solution for SharePoint upgrade.
using Site Migration Manager, our customers are able to simply copy and paste from one SharePoint server to another. it's a user-friendly solution to something that has been traditionally in the hands of the IT department.
- Metalogix SharePoint Site Migration Manager (v. 3.5.4) (click for full size)
as you can see in the screenshot above, you easily open your source server in one pane (in this case SharePoint Portal Server 2003) and the target (MOSS 2007) in another. the content owners can then choose to migrate their content as it appears on the source server, or they can restructure/reorganize elements on the target.
when I attended the conference session about the out of box upgrade, the presenters made a point of stressing the value of a "clean" install. they made it clear that doing an upgrade with the out of box tools can have a significant negative impact on the performance of your server. with Site Migration Manager, you can use a completely new (read: better) server as your target.
Site Migration Manager offers all sorts of features that you won't find in the out of box upgrade. for example, you can merge lists, split lists, move sites, promote sites, and the list goes on (pardon the pun). elements can be copied at the item level, list, or the site level. in the new versions of Site Migration Manager, we have added even more support for site collections.
since 2001, Metalogix has offered best of breed migration solutions--the future is bright for Metalogix as the go to solution for SharePoint upgrade.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
SharePoint Conference 2008
as I sit in the Washington State Trade and Convention Center--waiting for my flight--I find that the obvious use of my time would be to create a blog post about the most successful SharePoint conference ever.
- the busy Metalogix booth
the company I recently joined, Metalogix Software, was there representing the best of breed software for migrating web content, files, and upgrading previous versions of SharePoint to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007.
the conference was especially enjoyable for me since I haven't been to the SharePoint conference since I left the Microsoft SharePoint team in 2004. In fact, in 2004, I actually presented a talk at the conference about Microsoft Content Management Server (MCMS).
- the Washington Trade and Convention Center in Seattle
after writing for a few years (which prompted a couple of Microsoft people to comment that I had "disappeared") this show gave me a chance to catch up with some old friends, and make some new ones. most of my co-authors for the MCMS Complete Guide were there: Bill English and Todd Bleeker (co-owners of Mindsharp a high-profile SharePoint training group), and Shawn Shell (a principle with Consejo, Inc.) was also there. I also caught up with some of my former Microsoft team and some of the SharePoint MVPs.
I had a short chat with Lawrence Liu (the Social Computing Product Manager for MOSS). it's a really interesting area and it seems that SharePoint is only now getting recognition for the potential there. after collaborating with various individuals and groups (such as the Halo community) on book projects, I fully understand the value of enterprise social computing.
it was no surprise that the conference was popular; MOSS has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years. what was somewhat surprising was just how crazy popular this show was. rumour has it that the 3900 attendee limit was (just slightly) bent to allow close to 5000 people to attend the conference.
- sold out indeed
and with that number of people, you know that there are a lot who need the SharePoint migration and upgrade solutions from Metalogix Software. my feet are still sore as I sit here, and my voice was hoarse after just one day of talking to the constant flow of SharePoint customers (and future SharePoint customers) who want to migrate to SharePoint or upgrade from an earlier version of Sharepoint (e.g., Windows SharePoint Services [WSS] or SharePoint Portal Server 2003 [SPS]).
but it wasn't all business. we had a great time at the official parties (such as a visit to Seattle's Museum of Flight and the Xbox game night with the Master Chief, see cheesy image below), and the not-so-official ones as well.
- the museum of flight's unique M-21 Blackbird.
- a daylight shot of the M-21 Blackbird taken by "innocent bystander"
- the museum of flight... enough said
- Xbox 360 game night. the pose was his idea. I have this same photo with Andre Arlovski--MC vs. Arlovski, now there's a match-up
- the busy Metalogix booth
the company I recently joined, Metalogix Software, was there representing the best of breed software for migrating web content, files, and upgrading previous versions of SharePoint to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007.
the conference was especially enjoyable for me since I haven't been to the SharePoint conference since I left the Microsoft SharePoint team in 2004. In fact, in 2004, I actually presented a talk at the conference about Microsoft Content Management Server (MCMS).
- the Washington Trade and Convention Center in Seattle
after writing for a few years (which prompted a couple of Microsoft people to comment that I had "disappeared") this show gave me a chance to catch up with some old friends, and make some new ones. most of my co-authors for the MCMS Complete Guide were there: Bill English and Todd Bleeker (co-owners of Mindsharp a high-profile SharePoint training group), and Shawn Shell (a principle with Consejo, Inc.) was also there. I also caught up with some of my former Microsoft team and some of the SharePoint MVPs.
I had a short chat with Lawrence Liu (the Social Computing Product Manager for MOSS). it's a really interesting area and it seems that SharePoint is only now getting recognition for the potential there. after collaborating with various individuals and groups (such as the Halo community) on book projects, I fully understand the value of enterprise social computing.
it was no surprise that the conference was popular; MOSS has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years. what was somewhat surprising was just how crazy popular this show was. rumour has it that the 3900 attendee limit was (just slightly) bent to allow close to 5000 people to attend the conference.
- sold out indeed
and with that number of people, you know that there are a lot who need the SharePoint migration and upgrade solutions from Metalogix Software. my feet are still sore as I sit here, and my voice was hoarse after just one day of talking to the constant flow of SharePoint customers (and future SharePoint customers) who want to migrate to SharePoint or upgrade from an earlier version of Sharepoint (e.g., Windows SharePoint Services [WSS] or SharePoint Portal Server 2003 [SPS]).
but it wasn't all business. we had a great time at the official parties (such as a visit to Seattle's Museum of Flight and the Xbox game night with the Master Chief, see cheesy image below), and the not-so-official ones as well.
- the museum of flight's unique M-21 Blackbird.
- a daylight shot of the M-21 Blackbird taken by "innocent bystander"
- the museum of flight... enough said
- Xbox 360 game night. the pose was his idea. I have this same photo with Andre Arlovski--MC vs. Arlovski, now there's a match-up
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
interesting Augmented Reality
check out this video of the NTT DoCoMo U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi robot. Augmented Reality (AR) is used to superimpose the avatar image on the robot skin.
"Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo has released this video of their U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi green skinned robot. When viewed through a head-mouned-display ..., a video avatar is overlaid and mapped to the robot so it looks like a real person from any angle."
"Japanese mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo has released this video of their U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi green skinned robot. When viewed through a head-mouned-display ..., a video avatar is overlaid and mapped to the robot so it looks like a real person from any angle."
Friday, February 22, 2008
MS SharePoint conference 2008
I'm happy to say that I'll be returning to my old stomping grounds. In March, I'll be attending the Microsoft SharePoint conference in Seattle, Washington. Not only a chance to visit an area where I used to live, but also a good excuse to visit some old friends.
Now that I work for Metalogix Software SharePoint is back in my daily routine. Writing books has been great--and I'll keep doing it--but connecting with live people every once in a while is also good. :)
SharePoint Products and Technologies
http://blogs.msdn.com/arpans
SharePoint Team Blog:
http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint
Now that I work for Metalogix Software SharePoint is back in my daily routine. Writing books has been great--and I'll keep doing it--but connecting with live people every once in a while is also good. :)
SharePoint Products and Technologies
http://blogs.msdn.com/arpans
SharePoint Team Blog:
http://blogs.msdn.com/sharepoint
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
go MinWin
two years ago, one of my relatives sent me an article (which, sadly I can't find today) about the future of Windows and asked me what I thought. the article suggested that the solution to the woes of Windows development was to move towards a virtual machine-based operating system (note: this is different than the Virtual PC application which many people use). well, I guess I was wrong about the virtual machine plan being a bad idea because that is still coming up, but some other things I wrote have aged a little better.
my response included talk of a leaner and cleaner version of the O/S. according to ZDNet (Stripped-down ‘MinWin’ kernel to be at the core of Windows 7) it seems that this may actually happen.
first my response:
"as for the article, I think that the bugs and security holes (or maybe that should be 'bugs like the security holes') are a clear indication that windows is getting into a space that has been previously unexplored in the history of software. however, the DLL example isn't as good since the .Net framework does away with a lot of the 'DLL hell' that existed previously. instead of coders having to try to nest references to DLLs, they can use the .Net framework to add their needed librairies to the GAC (global assembly cache). it's a much cleaner system and pretty much all code that can be written in .Net code (a.k.a. managed code) is written in managed code --with C# being the language of choice for lots of people.
the article seemed to skirt the fact that windows contains so much code that isn't strictly OS code. all those little add-ons, that have made it such a killer in terms of business, have also added many of those millions of lines of code.
...
right now what they need to do is pull off every layer of the OS and get down to the kernel (to use the UNIX term). spin off those millions of lines of code into truly compartmentalized add-ons (like minesweeper). maybe after they have shipped one release of the stripped down version then they could think about something as ambitious as virtual machines.
if you're looking for a bright light in the future of desktop operating systems, take note that Vista will ship with a desktop clock."
and now the ZDNet article:
"Microsoft has created a stripped-down version of the Windows core, called MinWin, that will be at the heart of future Windows products, starting with Windows 7, the Windows client release due in 2010.
While the Windows team has been working for years on reducing the dependencies in Windows which have made the operating system increasingly bloated and difficult to maintain and upgrade, it’s only been recently that the team has been able to create a separate, usuable new core.
Going forward, MinWin will be at the heart of future versions of Windows Media Center, Windows Server, embedded Windows products and more.
Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Eric Traut described some of the work the Microsoft Core OS team has done to build the MinWin core during a recent talk he gave at the University of Illinois.
...
MinWin is 25 MB on disk; Vista is 4 GB, Traut said. ... The MinWin core is 100 files total, while all of Windows is 5,000 files in size."
this is fantastic! imagine the sighs of relief coming from every Windows developer on the project. "you mean I can just install MinWin and my component and not have to install the Beta version of every single component of Windows?!?! oh, thank you! thank you! thank you!"
my response included talk of a leaner and cleaner version of the O/S. according to ZDNet (Stripped-down ‘MinWin’ kernel to be at the core of Windows 7) it seems that this may actually happen.
first my response:
"as for the article, I think that the bugs and security holes (or maybe that should be 'bugs like the security holes') are a clear indication that windows is getting into a space that has been previously unexplored in the history of software. however, the DLL example isn't as good since the .Net framework does away with a lot of the 'DLL hell' that existed previously. instead of coders having to try to nest references to DLLs, they can use the .Net framework to add their needed librairies to the GAC (global assembly cache). it's a much cleaner system and pretty much all code that can be written in .Net code (a.k.a. managed code) is written in managed code --with C# being the language of choice for lots of people.
the article seemed to skirt the fact that windows contains so much code that isn't strictly OS code. all those little add-ons, that have made it such a killer in terms of business, have also added many of those millions of lines of code.
...
right now what they need to do is pull off every layer of the OS and get down to the kernel (to use the UNIX term). spin off those millions of lines of code into truly compartmentalized add-ons (like minesweeper). maybe after they have shipped one release of the stripped down version then they could think about something as ambitious as virtual machines.
if you're looking for a bright light in the future of desktop operating systems, take note that Vista will ship with a desktop clock."
and now the ZDNet article:
"Microsoft has created a stripped-down version of the Windows core, called MinWin, that will be at the heart of future Windows products, starting with Windows 7, the Windows client release due in 2010.
While the Windows team has been working for years on reducing the dependencies in Windows which have made the operating system increasingly bloated and difficult to maintain and upgrade, it’s only been recently that the team has been able to create a separate, usuable new core.
Going forward, MinWin will be at the heart of future versions of Windows Media Center, Windows Server, embedded Windows products and more.
Microsoft Distinguished Engineer Eric Traut described some of the work the Microsoft Core OS team has done to build the MinWin core during a recent talk he gave at the University of Illinois.
...
MinWin is 25 MB on disk; Vista is 4 GB, Traut said. ... The MinWin core is 100 files total, while all of Windows is 5,000 files in size."
this is fantastic! imagine the sighs of relief coming from every Windows developer on the project. "you mean I can just install MinWin and my component and not have to install the Beta version of every single component of Windows?!?! oh, thank you! thank you! thank you!"
Monday, January 28, 2008
AR book is out
Augmented Reality: A Practical Guide is out!
who will be the first to review it? will it be you?
the code download for the book is available on the Pragmatic book page
who will be the first to review it? will it be you?
the code download for the book is available on the Pragmatic book page
Thursday, January 10, 2008
CNN uses Augmented Reality
during the Iowa primary election coverage, CNN's Anderson Cooper held up a "magic pie chart." Jon Stewart showed the clumsy use of the technology on The Daily Show. it's actually an application of Augmented Reality, but the BBC was the first group (I know of) who used it for election coverage.
I haven't been able to find any images of the CNN example, so if you're reading this and you know of one, please post a comment.
update: wow, thanks to datadreamer for the quick reply.
- Anderson Cooper showing off Augmented Reality
(from http://www.flickr.com/photos/monoki/2165007234)
- Bill Gates tries out an ARTag AR system that uses a head-mounted display (our AR book uses ARTag but does not require anything other than a Windows PC and a webcam)
Mark put this short video up on YouTube, it's a good demo of what we're talking about in our book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItOtTdhDoto
this game shows a simple way of using the technology to enhance a card game experience.
I haven't been able to find any images of the CNN example, so if you're reading this and you know of one, please post a comment.
update: wow, thanks to datadreamer for the quick reply.
- Anderson Cooper showing off Augmented Reality
(from http://www.flickr.com/photos/monoki/2165007234)
- Bill Gates tries out an ARTag AR system that uses a head-mounted display (our AR book uses ARTag but does not require anything other than a Windows PC and a webcam)
Mark put this short video up on YouTube, it's a good demo of what we're talking about in our book: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItOtTdhDoto
this game shows a simple way of using the technology to enhance a card game experience.
Monday, January 07, 2008
augmented reality book is coming
the book that I co-wrote about augmented reality will be coming out soon.
Dr Mark Fiala, a researcher at the National Research Council of Canada, was my co-author and together we have written (what I believe is) the first book about augmented reality that is targeted at the average person. all you need is a computer, printer, and a webcam.
BTW -- you can see ARTag videos on YouTube (just search for "ARTag").
from the publishers website:
"Augmented Reality is the fusion of real and virtual reality, where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real-time. AR creates the illusion that virtual, computer-generated objects exist in the real world. All you need is a computer and a webcam. This book will show you how, and teach you about game development at the same time. You can run the included demos, or use the ARTag API to customize your own AR applications.
About this Book
Augmented Reality is a natural way to explore 3D objects and data, as it brings virtual objects into the real world where we live, rather than forcing us to learn how to navigate inside the computer. With video-see-through technology, AR handheld devices such as tablet PC’s, PDA’s, or camera cell phones, (or in many cases just a webcam and our standard computer monitor), you hold the device up and “see through” the display to view both the real world and the superimposed virtual object. You can move around and see the virtual object, model, animation, or game from different views as the AR system performs alignment of the real and virtual cameras automatically.
This book will introduce you to Augmented Reality (AR), provide detailed explanations of how the technology works, and provide samples for you to try on your own. Code samples using the freely downloadable ARTag software SDK in C++ and C# are included; all you need is a computer, printer, and a webcam."
- Pragmatic Publishing
Dr Mark Fiala, a researcher at the National Research Council of Canada, was my co-author and together we have written (what I believe is) the first book about augmented reality that is targeted at the average person. all you need is a computer, printer, and a webcam.
BTW -- you can see ARTag videos on YouTube (just search for "ARTag").
from the publishers website:
"Augmented Reality is the fusion of real and virtual reality, where computer graphics objects are blended into real footage in real-time. AR creates the illusion that virtual, computer-generated objects exist in the real world. All you need is a computer and a webcam. This book will show you how, and teach you about game development at the same time. You can run the included demos, or use the ARTag API to customize your own AR applications.
About this Book
Augmented Reality is a natural way to explore 3D objects and data, as it brings virtual objects into the real world where we live, rather than forcing us to learn how to navigate inside the computer. With video-see-through technology, AR handheld devices such as tablet PC’s, PDA’s, or camera cell phones, (or in many cases just a webcam and our standard computer monitor), you hold the device up and “see through” the display to view both the real world and the superimposed virtual object. You can move around and see the virtual object, model, animation, or game from different views as the AR system performs alignment of the real and virtual cameras automatically.
This book will introduce you to Augmented Reality (AR), provide detailed explanations of how the technology works, and provide samples for you to try on your own. Code samples using the freely downloadable ARTag software SDK in C++ and C# are included; all you need is a computer, printer, and a webcam."
- Pragmatic Publishing
Thursday, December 13, 2007
uniquely Canadian stocking stuffer
if someone can find a more Canadian stocking stuffer, I'd like to see it. the only issue I have with this advertising is that they show a losing cup in their demo.
the Lee Valley Rimroller™
"This product makes it easy to check for prize statements hidden under the rims of paper coffee cups in various contests... Push, pull and you’re done...
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 'Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.'...
When we were first shown the Rimroller many months ago, we recognized immediately that this was an elegant, well-designed, and well-manufactured product at a very reasonable price. It was one of those products that just delighted people when they used it...
Invented and manufactured in Ottawa, Canada, it makes a great stocking stuffer."
- DOH!
the Lee Valley Rimroller™
"This product makes it easy to check for prize statements hidden under the rims of paper coffee cups in various contests... Push, pull and you’re done...
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, 'Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.'...
When we were first shown the Rimroller many months ago, we recognized immediately that this was an elegant, well-designed, and well-manufactured product at a very reasonable price. It was one of those products that just delighted people when they used it...
Invented and manufactured in Ottawa, Canada, it makes a great stocking stuffer."
- DOH!
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
SharePoint Migration Manager
a while back, I wrote a short post about a Vancouver software company that I'm doing some work for, Metalogix Software Corp.. they develop sophisticated SharePoint migration solutions and I'm really impressed how much work they have put it since I saw the Microsoft Content Management Server version of their software--their current list of features is impressive. they have three software packages available for migrating to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server: Website Migration Manager, FileShare Migration Manager and SharePoint Site Migration Manager.
you can click the image below to see what one of their products looks like, and you can also watch some online video demos. SharePoint Site Migration Manager is so good that a lot of people actually use it for far more than just migration tasks. whether you're a dev or a SharePoint administrator, it helps to have such an easy-to-use, flexible and quick utility in your toolbox.
- SharePoint Site Migration Manager (v. 3.4.14) from Metalogix (click for full size)
you can click the image below to see what one of their products looks like, and you can also watch some online video demos. SharePoint Site Migration Manager is so good that a lot of people actually use it for far more than just migration tasks. whether you're a dev or a SharePoint administrator, it helps to have such an easy-to-use, flexible and quick utility in your toolbox.
- SharePoint Site Migration Manager (v. 3.4.14) from Metalogix (click for full size)
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
HTC S720 review
I recently invested in a new phone, the HTC S720 Windows Mobile Smartphone.
I love having a qwerty keyboard and I can't imagine going without one. the only issue I've had with this phone is that after installing Texas Hold'em Poker the phone would sometimes crash when I slid out the keyboard. I was told to check the task manager and shutting down things did help, but I simply decided not to install that app again.
my wish list for this phone is simple.
1. make it slimmer
2. longer battery life
I love having a qwerty keyboard and I can't imagine going without one. the only issue I've had with this phone is that after installing Texas Hold'em Poker the phone would sometimes crash when I slid out the keyboard. I was told to check the task manager and shutting down things did help, but I simply decided not to install that app again.
my wish list for this phone is simple.
1. make it slimmer
2. longer battery life
Monday, November 05, 2007
training with Royce Gracie
this past weekend I had the privilege to attend a Royce Gracie, Brazilian Jujitsu (BJJ) two-day seminar. Royce is the most famous grappler ever--winner of three of the first four Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) titles. Royce inspired me, and countless others, to start training in Jujitsu and grappling.
- Royce Gracie and Stephen Cawood
six hours of high-level BJJ was great, but being able to learn from, and talk directly with Royce was worth the price of admission. Royce was all business during the three hour training sessions, but after we finished, he stayed to answer questions, and sign autographs. he was very candid when answering questions; when asked who the biggest jerk he fought was, he said "Ken Shamrock and Frank are both a__holes."
- Royce Gracie with my sensei, Ray McKinnon--the founder of the Bushido-Kai martial arts school in Halifax, Canada
- Royce demonstrates a technique for gaining back control
- Royce hangs around to sign autographs and answer questions
the seminar was hosted by Fitness Plus in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. "Fit Plus" is the training school for a number of local MMA fighters including TJ Grant (8-1).
here is a list (from memory) of what we covered:
Day One
---------------------------------
Defensive technique for getting up off the ground
Defense against double throat grab
Guard pass with label choke and stacking
Lapel choke and rear-naked choke
One arm headlock defense
Off balance and take-down
Ogoshi and Koshi Garuma (can't remember setup, possibly from choke)
Closed headlock defense with knee block and take down
Rolling an opponent to back control
Defending rear-naked choke
Escaping back control
Question period
Day Two
---------------------------------
50/50 inside trip take down (from swing out)
Guillotine defense no arm
Guillotine defense arm inside (shoulder down)
Guillotine in guard (arm in) defense (using wrist lock)
Kimura from guard
Counter to Kimura from guard with pass
Can opener and defense
Arm bar to Omaplata
Arm bar to Omaplata to triangle
Arm bar to Omaplata (roll) to ankle lock
Grappling matches
Question period
Friday, October 26, 2007
MSFT corrected to 2001
today Microsoft stock (MSFT) "corrected" to its highest numbers since 2001. MSFT went as high as $36.03 after the company annouced that it would surpass revenue predictions.
I was hired by MS in 2001, so this is the first day since I was hired, that MSFT has been ahead. good thing I held onto most of my stock. although, it doesn't take a genius to see that the stock is still undervalued.
I was hired by MS in 2001, so this is the first day since I was hired, that MSFT has been ahead. good thing I held onto most of my stock. although, it doesn't take a genius to see that the stock is still undervalued.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Gutenberg's 20,000 free books
it's amazing how Project Gutenberg has grown. more free books than anyone could possibly need. these are books that aren't covered by copyrights--so almost all of them are over 80 years old. ever wished that you could search war and peace for the word "bubble"? here's your answer...
getting individual books: http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/
getting compilations:
"The August 2003 CD contains 600 of our best Ebooks. The December 2003 DVD contains 9400 of our first 10,000 books. The July 2006 DVD contains over 17,000 books from our first 19,000 titles. All of the books found on the CD can also be found on both DVDs and most of the files on the December 2003 DVD can be found on the July 2006 DVD. There are very few images on the discs, and no audio books."
getting individual books: http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/
getting compilations:
"The August 2003 CD contains 600 of our best Ebooks. The December 2003 DVD contains 9400 of our first 10,000 books. The July 2006 DVD contains over 17,000 books from our first 19,000 titles. All of the books found on the CD can also be found on both DVDs and most of the files on the December 2003 DVD can be found on the July 2006 DVD. There are very few images on the discs, and no audio books."
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
XNA book base code article
the XNA Game Studio Creator's Guide co-author, Pat McGee, has written an article about the XNA base code that he wrote for the book.
essentially, this article breaks down how to create the simple first-person game engine that is the base of many of the examples in the book.
- a screenshot from the textures chapter
essentially, this article breaks down how to create the simple first-person game engine that is the base of many of the examples in the book.
- a screenshot from the textures chapter
configuring BitTorrent for speed
a few people have asked me about boosting BitTorrent download speeds. while it's always going to take hours to download GBs from BitTorrent "torrents," you can improve your performance significantly. I used these resources to make my download speeds much faster:
- the BitTorrent FAQ and guide.
- I use the BitComet client. there are a number of speed guides for BitComet.
- another consideration is port forwarding for your router (e.g., NetGear Router Port Forwarding).
- you can also run an online Speed Test to see how your connection is faring.
BTW - if you can't find the torrent you're looking for, try BTJunkie. it boasts the largest torrent search engine.
- the BitTorrent FAQ and guide.
- I use the BitComet client. there are a number of speed guides for BitComet.
- another consideration is port forwarding for your router (e.g., NetGear Router Port Forwarding).
- you can also run an online Speed Test to see how your connection is faring.
BTW - if you can't find the torrent you're looking for, try BTJunkie. it boasts the largest torrent search engine.
Friday, October 19, 2007
disabling VS just-in-time debugging
do you have Visual Studio installed on a machine that you use for every day tasks? are you tired of canceling the just-in-time debugging when you know that you're never going to use it on the apps that are triggering it? well, here's your post... turn it off.
from: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/k8kf6y2a.aspx
To enable/disable Just-In-Time debugging
- On the Tools menu, click Options.
- In the Options dialog box, select the Debugging folder.
- In the Debugging folder, select the Just-In-Time page.
- In the Enable Just-In-Time debugging of these types of code box, select or clear the relevant program types: Managed, Native, or Script.
- To disable Just-In-Time debugging, once it has been enabled, you must be running with Administrator privileges. Enabling Just-In-Time debugging sets a registry key, and Administrator privileges are required to change that key.
- Click OK.
from: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/k8kf6y2a.aspx
To enable/disable Just-In-Time debugging
- On the Tools menu, click Options.
- In the Options dialog box, select the Debugging folder.
- In the Debugging folder, select the Just-In-Time page.
- In the Enable Just-In-Time debugging of these types of code box, select or clear the relevant program types: Managed, Native, or Script.
- To disable Just-In-Time debugging, once it has been enabled, you must be running with Administrator privileges. Enabling Just-In-Time debugging sets a registry key, and Administrator privileges are required to change that key.
- Click OK.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
HHC help file format gotcha
back in my days working with NCompass Resolution and Microsoft Content Management Server (MCMS), I began an MCMS FAQ that was published in CHM and HTML formats. I used to write the topics in Resolution (and later in MCMS) and then I had my ASP script that dynamically produced an HHC table of contents so that Microsoft Help Workshop could create a full-text search version of the document.
well that was back in about 1999 and I obviously didn't remember all the lessons from back then. today I was working with basically the same setup (minus MCMS) for Metalogix Software's SharePoint migration solutions.
I was creating a new CHM and found that Help Workshop will compile the file, but the result was, "This program cannot display the webpage".
I found the answer after looking at the broken .HHC file and a working file side-by-side. so here's my little test. can you see the difference?
this is a--greatly simplified--broken .HHC file:
<html>
<head>
<!--Sitemap 1.0-->
</head>
<body>
<ul>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Foo Directory">
<param name="Local" value="Foo Directory/index.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="1">
</object></li>
<ul>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Topic1">
<param name="Local" value="Foo Directory/Bar.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="11">
</object></li>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Topic1">
<param name="Local" value="Foo Directory/Foo.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="11">
</object> </li>
</ul>
</ul>
</body>
</html>
and here is a working .HHC file:
<html>
<head>
<!--Sitemap 1.0-->
</head>
<body>
<ul>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Foo Directory">
<param name="Local" value="BarDirectory/index.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="1">
</object></li>
<ul>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Topic1">
<param name="Local" value="BarDirectory/Bar.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="11">
</object></li>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Topic1">
<param name="Local" value="BarDirectory/Foo.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="11">
</object></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</body>
</html>
answer below...
- click for full-size image
answer: the help file directories must not contain spaces in their names. "Foo Directory" will fail, "BarDirectory" will work. now that's a gotcha that the app should catch and report.
BTW - this same error will appear if you don't select a "Default file" inside the Help Workshop project options. however, in that case, everything works once you click on a topic.
well that was back in about 1999 and I obviously didn't remember all the lessons from back then. today I was working with basically the same setup (minus MCMS) for Metalogix Software's SharePoint migration solutions.
I was creating a new CHM and found that Help Workshop will compile the file, but the result was, "This program cannot display the webpage".
I found the answer after looking at the broken .HHC file and a working file side-by-side. so here's my little test. can you see the difference?
this is a--greatly simplified--broken .HHC file:
<html>
<head>
<!--Sitemap 1.0-->
</head>
<body>
<ul>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Foo Directory">
<param name="Local" value="Foo Directory/index.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="1">
</object></li>
<ul>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Topic1">
<param name="Local" value="Foo Directory/Bar.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="11">
</object></li>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Topic1">
<param name="Local" value="Foo Directory/Foo.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="11">
</object> </li>
</ul>
</ul>
</body>
</html>
and here is a working .HHC file:
<html>
<head>
<!--Sitemap 1.0-->
</head>
<body>
<ul>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Foo Directory">
<param name="Local" value="BarDirectory/index.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="1">
</object></li>
<ul>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Topic1">
<param name="Local" value="BarDirectory/Bar.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="11">
</object></li>
<li><object type="text/sitemap">
<param name="Name" value="Topic1">
<param name="Local" value="BarDirectory/Foo.htm">
<param name="ImageNumber" value="11">
</object></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</body>
</html>
answer below...
- click for full-size image
answer: the help file directories must not contain spaces in their names. "Foo Directory" will fail, "BarDirectory" will work. now that's a gotcha that the app should catch and report.
BTW - this same error will appear if you don't select a "Default file" inside the Help Workshop project options. however, in that case, everything works once you click on a topic.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Amazon targeting for Halo books
a friend of mine shared a funny little fact with me today. it turns out that Amazon is targeting customers of my Halo 2 battle guide for the new Halo 3 Official Guide.
- click for full-size image
- click for full-size image
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