Ashraf Wani™ Online

Visual Studio 2010 Keyboard Shortcuts (30+)

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:35:08 PST

The Visual Studio 2010 integrated development environment (IDE) includes several pre-defined keyboard shortcut. Here is a list of more than 30 useful keyboard shortcuts that will make you a lot more productive.

Switching between Windows:
*. Ctrl+F6 – navigate between various panes that appear in the base code editing window.
*. Shift+Alt+Enter – full-screen mode at any time. In full-screen mode, only the active window is visible infull screen.
*. Alt+F6/Alt+Shift+F6 – move cursor away from the main editing section into docked windows like Properties, Help, Dynamic help, Server Explorer (if these windows are open).
*. F7 – Jump to Code Behind/Base Code editing window

Editing:
*. Ctrl+Shift+V – cycle through the clipboard ring.
*. Ctrl+- (Ctrl + Hyphen) – similar with Internet Explorer,very easy to navigate from page to page.
*. Ctrl+Shift+- – cycles in the opposite direction.
*. Block Selection – press Alt and then select the area you want with your mouse.
*. Line No in Code – Tools>Options>Text Editor>All Languages>General>Line numbers.
*. Ctrl+] – matching brace/comment/region/quote
*. F4 – Property Window
*. Ctrl+Alt+L – Solution Explorer
*. Ctrl+Alt+O – Output Window
*. Ctrl+Alt+K – Task List
*. Ctrl+Shift+Space – intelligence window.
*. Ctrl+R – Word Wrap

Code Format:
*. Ctrl+K, Ctrl+F – Auto-format selection
*. Ctrl+U – Convert to lower case
*. Ctrl+Shift+U – Convert to upper case
*. Ctrl+K, Ctrl+C – Comment selection
*. Ctrl+K, Ctrl+U – Uncomment selection

Code Outline:
*. Ctrl+M, Ctrl+M – Fold/Unfold the current code block
*. Ctrl+M, Ctrl+L – Unfold all
*. Ctrl+M, Ctrl+P – Stop outlining
*. Ctrl+M, Ctrl+O – Fold all

Running/Debugging:
*. F5 – Start Application in debug Mode
*. Ctrl+F5 – Start Without debugging
*. F11 – Step into
*. F10 – Step over
*. Shift + F11 – Step Out
*. Shift + F5 – Stop debugging
*. Ctrl+Shift+F5 – Restart Debugging

Protect your PC from Auto-Run Virus

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:58:45 PST

If you want protect your PC and external devices from viruses, which spread via removable media, I found excellent software ' Antirun '.
Antirun has multiple feature such as automatic scanning, remove viruses, and system protection etc which enables security of your PC. I am going to tell you how to protect your PC from auto-run virus using ' Antirun '.
You just need to follow the following simple and easy steps.

*Step 1: Download ' Antirun ' and install it in your PC.

*Step 2: It will start automatically and whenever you plug-in any removable device. ' Antirun ' Window will appear.

*Step 3: Click on ‘Delete’ button.

It will remove your auto-run file from your removable device. I hope this handy tutorial helps you to protect your PC from auto-run viruses.
Share this tutorial within your social circle and do not forget to give us feedback.

Click to download Antirun

The future of Story Creator

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:58:01 PST

A while ago we released a sample called Story Creator:

Video Story

It combines several technologies, such as Windows Phone, Windows Azure, WCF, and C++. It is a complete application that you can use and extend. But we're also aware of some limitations. For example, it is based on Windows Phone 7.0, not the latest Mango release. It doesn't offer too many features. However, do not worry. We don't stop here. We want to continue to improve it, and provide more features.
In this blog post, I'll outline several potential features that may come in a future release. Note I'm not promising anything here. This is just what we're trying to do.
The focuses on the next release are:
* Upgrade to Windows Phone 7.1
* Create a Windows 8 XAML version of the client application, using .NET (not C++)
* Create a Windows 8 HTML version of the client application
* Port the C++ native video encoding component (used in the worker role) to a custom WinRT component
* Add some new features, such as caption text for each photo, and secondary tiles integration with Windows Phone/Windows 8
* Fix bugs
* Refactor code
Starting from now, I'll try to write some blog posts about how we implement those new features. As soon as a sample application gets a little bigger, it is difficult to see how it works without documentations. These blog posts reflect the work I'm doing. But they may not directly reflect what the final sample application will be. In addition, I'm also learning. There're a lot of new technologies, and I think I still have a lot to learn aboutprogramming best practices. So bare with me if you see something that may not be a best practice. I'll be very appreciated if you can point out problems in these blog posts.
What's more, some of the blog posts may contain project attachments. These projects are NOT samples, but rather prototypes. Sometimes I'm unsure how to proceed to implement a certain feature, so I write prototypes before actually implementing it. The prototypes should in general work fine. But if you want to use them in your production code, you should check carefully to make sure they don't contain bugs, securityissues, and performance is fine.
Finally, I don't know how many blog posts I will be writing. After all, this sample is a side project. Usually I can only spend my spare time on it.
If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave comments on the blog posts.

Bring your idea to life - Turn it into an Application

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:39:14 PST

Windows Phone 7.5 brings dozens of new platform features to Windows Phone.
When you have previously built an application for Windows Phone, you might ask yourself, " How do I take advantage of all these cool new features in my existing Windows Phone Application?"
Check out the full post from David Hernie:

http://www.mytic.be/blog/dhe/Lists/Billets/Post.aspx?ID=91

12 Top Legal Sites You Should Check Out

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:05:45 PST

Click Here to see the content...

An Interview with Microsoft

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:47:19 PST

Tell us who you are?

Hi, I am Ashraf Wani, a Microsoft Student Partner pursuing my B.C.A (Computer Applications) from CASET Engineering College located at Srinagar J&K. Having a keen interest in Software Engineering and Information Technology, I am enjoying being with Microsoft. I love public speaking and spreading the knowledge and the technologies to maximum people I can. I have organized various seminars with existing MSP's of Srinagar at various colleges in Srinagar and near by.

Tell us about your University?

My college is an affiliate institute of Kashmir University, Srinagar. The faculties are awesome, an expert in their departments. The management is a lot helpful for the students in need, be it any sort of need. Focusing on my college, there are a few technical communities in my college, so the few technical events are organized within my campus, but I always felt a need to attend seminars and technical sessions which are generally few in my campus.

Tell us about your MSP history, when were you awarded?

My journey towards Microsoft begins with the MSP's of Srinagar when one of them came to our college for a Tech Session. I first applied for the MSP program in the year 2011 and I made it to the prestigious list in the very first attempt. The best part is, after as well as before becoming a MSP I have got a lot of opportunities to learn from the professional and even on the recent topics like Cloud, WP7, Silverlight etc. Before being a MSP I have also organized renowned seminars like Dream Spark Yatra 2011 with MSP's of Srinagar, which has helped thousands of students to know technology better and get the Microsoft software for free.
And now I can proudly say that yes I am a Microsoftie.

What do you do in order to keep up with latest tools and technologies while focusing on your education?

Being very frank, attending the sessions of Kashmir User Group or the sessions from Professionals is sufficient to know about the latest tools and technologies. But if we talk about a broader part net surfing is the best thing you can do with. I have subscribed various personalities and pages at Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc which is really a great part of being aware to latest things. At recent I am reviewing about Windows 8 developers preview, VS2010 , windows phone 7 toolkit 7.1 etc. Being a student developer, it’s important for me to stay up to date with the changes so that one day I could bring some revolutionary product of my own.
What does being an MSP mean to you? and What makes you a great MSP?

I don’t feel there is any other reward equivalent to being an MSP for a Tech Student. I'm a only MSP from my college and Microsoft has only 5 MSP's from Srinagar and I'm one of them, that makes me proud. Being an MSP, I am also aware of my duties to the student community. I have to adapt quickly to the updates and then pass it on to my fellow students. The knowledge I get by attending the conferences, seminars, and UG meets, I share that with my fellows by organizing events in my college and also in the colleges that do not have MSPs. I do invite some professionals to deliver sessions in my institute, which would have not been possible without the MSP program. MSP, though it refers to being Microsoft Student Parter but really makes you feel most special person. Me as a MSP is really a helpful hand for students at my college, specially my juniors. I generally do organize seminars and sessions on any new technology I learn about. Basic aim is to share and being updated so I just have casual sessions with my college mates, whenever I get a free time. I have also helped and organized DreamSpark Yatra 2011 and tech sessions at various colleges.

Tell us about faculty support in promoting tools and technologies?

Generally faculties are associated to most famous technologies, it really makes me feel proud to introduce them the latest and new programs or products of Microsoft. They always show a keen interest.

If you could ask Steve Ballmer one question about Microsoft, what would it be?

How everyone is so DYNAMIC at Microsoft?

Had a chance to attend “MSP Summit”? When and how was your experience?

NO

Who are your top 5 MSP’s from your country? and why?

Junaid Masoodi, Shehla Rashid, Nawaz Dhandala, M V Priyank, Shashank Saxena and the few more. They are so because they are best at approaching to students and very quick to, that’s why they are having such great heights, various other factors like infrastructure and college support really do matters in making MSP the top one.

What you think about the MSP’s role in promoting technology at your campus?

MSP’s plays a prominent roles in promoting technology. As we all know that many a times labs includes pirated software etc. It’s the group of enthusiast people who really do efforts to get the best for the college and at very low economy. That’s where MSP’s create a difference by introducing programs like MSDN academic alliance , i-spark , etc. Promoting technology is the prime motive of the MSP program and I do feel the responsibility. The curriculum taught in our colleges is not enough for the students who will join the industry at some point of time.

If you get a chance to suggest one conference in your Region? What would it be and why?

Obviously at CASET Engineering College.

What is the best thing that has happened since you have become a MSP?

Nothing special yet.

Which was the last non-technical book you read?

Don't remember. Mostly involved with technical books.

If you could do so, how would you plan your academic studies differently?

Whatever I study or read, I always do Facebook updates and Tweets related to these implementations. I would always love to go for algorithmic or practical part more than the theoretical part.

If there was one place you could travel to, right now, where would it be and why?

Dubai City, UAE or Redmond City, Washington.
I have a dream to visit the Microsoft’s headquarter and I think it’s the sufficient reason to go to Redmond and Dubai being my Dream Land.

How can one be a part of MSP Club? Any suggestions for them?

Just be interactive, be technology lover and most important apply for the MSP program. Your dedication to the student community is more important for selection than your academics. Once you get into this club, you would learn the technologies very soon and would be able to promote it.

Who are your top 5 technical experts from your country?

Not anyone yet.

What are your future plans?

To work as a Software Engineer in Microsoft, add something really great to the technology.

What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why?

First is the being a MSP, it really feels great to be attached with Microsoft, which is really a dream company for a Computer science student.
Second best thing joining the CASET College, which has supported at every step from seminars to sessions. This college has been a great help in my life and I enjoyed a lot in my college.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of MicrosoftFeed?

Always chase your dreams and never worry about the world.

Your contact information?

Blog / Website - http://ashrafwani.blogspot.com
University Website – http://www.casetcollege.in
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/aashu_wani
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/aashu2804a1
LinkedIn – http://in.linkedin.com/in/ashrafwani
Interview Link - http://microsoftfeed.com/2012/meet-ashraf-wani-msp-from-caset-engineering-college-jammu-and-kashmir/

Microsoft announced 2 new MSP's in Jammu and Kashmir.

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 20:59:23 PST

The Student Partners Program is an elite job opportunity offered to students enthusiastic about marketing and technology. Individuals that take part in this Microsoft student representative program understand and are passionate about Microsoft technologies and platforms.

MSP's are Microsoft “black-belt” influential students who have demonstrated their commitment to sharing their expertise with student peers. The Microsoft Student Partner program consists of the brightest and most innovative student developers and technology enthusiasts from universities around the world.

And since this program is Microsoft way of encouraging students who are interested in building a closer relationship with Microsoft, and those who are simply hooked on technology, to develop their skills further. Microsoft recently selected 2 new MSPs from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. These 2 MSP represents 2 different affiliated colleges of Kashmir University!

1. Ashraf Wani - CASET Engineering College
Facebook - Twitter

2. Irtiqa Qureshi - SSM College of Engineering
Facebook - Twitter

How to become a Microsof Student Partner (MSP)

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:03:30 PST

Program Overview:

The Microsoft Student Partner Program recognizes top young minds from around the world that are passionate about technology. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to develop real-world skills to help you succeed in your future career, to help others learn about the technology of today and tomorrow, and to connect with other like-minded students, all whilst having a ton of fun along the way. The tenure is for 1 academic year and can be renewed by the MSP India Team if the MSP has acceptable performance and continues to meet the eligibility criteria.

What is a Microsoft Student Partner?

The ‘ideal candidate’ would be a passionate and enthusiast individual who wants to learn about new tools and technologies. You would need to have a whole range of skills including excellent time management, organization and communication skills to ensure that you could host successful campus events. An MSP should be comfortable and confident presenting in front of large audiences of both students and faculty members. General marketing skills come in very handy in order to allow you to articulate your ideas effectively when presenting. MSPs are social, friendly and approachable individuals who like to meet new people. You will require the ability work as a team as well as use your own initiative. In summary, MSPs are innovative and creative students who are extremely passionate about technology and who like to help others.

How to apply?

Applications for the 2011-2012 Academic Year are currently being accepted by filling the registration form at http://bit.ly/newmsp2011. This is only to express your intent of taking part in the selection process. NO confirmation emails will be sent.

The selection process will span across multiple months. Visit this page at least once every month for updates. Some indicative parts of the selection process are listed below:

Part 1: You will need to create a video of yourself speaking about a Microsoft technology. We will provide further details on this page before 3rd June 2011.
Part 2: You will need to create an innovative Windows Phone 7 App using the free development tool and emulator. We will provide further details on this page before 29th July 2011.
Part 3: You will need to compete in the IT Challenge quiz within Imagine Cup 2012. Signup at Imagine Cup. We will provide further details on this page before 26th August 2011.

Disclaimer:

This is a voluntary program for students and does not involve any fees. It is neither a course nor an internship.

Eligibility:

To consider applying for the MSP Program, you must be:
Over 17 years of age.
Currently studying a full-time Science, Technology, Engineering, Math or Design (STEMD) course at an officially recognized University/College in India.
Bachelor’s/Master’s Degree student who will complete the course during or after May 2012.

Benefits:

As an MSP, a host of benefits are available:

Welcome letter
Special MSP events conducted by Microsoft
MSDN subscription after successful completion of probation period
Rewards & Recognition for top performers
Networking opportunities
Technical training & resources
Specific Microsoft events
Interactions with MVPs & Microsoft Employees
Internship & Recruitment announcements for top-performers

Contact Details:

For queries regarding the MSP Selection process for 2011-2012 in India, post these on http://bit.ly/querymsp
For other questions regarding the MSP India program, email

For more details, visit - MSP India Portal

Important links – Official Website | Facebook Page

Imagine Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:12:07 PST

The Microsoft Imagine Cup is the world’s premier student technology competition. It provides an opportunity for students to use their creativity, passion, and knowledge of technology to help solve global challenges and make a difference in the world. While competing for cash and prizes, students gain real-life experiences, make new friends, and change the world.

Signup now on Imagine Cup

Which Path Would You Take For A Career In Microsoft Technology?

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:16:10 PST

Here is a Microsoft ICT Curriculum Roadmap that shows the routes to the qualifications that any student can attain. The Microsoft IT Academy Program is all about curriculum development and helping students to gain commercially valuable qualifications.

Silverlight better than HTML5?

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:20:41 PDT

In a recent entry in the Silverlight blog entitled The Future of Silverlight Brad Becker, Director of Product Management, makes the case for Silverlight's superiority.
He points out that:
On the web, the purpose of Silverlight has never been to replace HTML; it's to do the things that HTML (and other technologies) couldn't in a way that was easy for developers to tap into.
There are many Microsoft developers who, once they have understood the Silverlight idea, think that for webapplication Silverlight is a complete solution and HTML is only needed to host the plug-in - and in many ways this is true. If you have taken to Silverlight then there is a very real question of why do you need HTML5?
After paying lip service to HTML5 the blog then goes on to list the features that Silverlight offers. All quite unnecessary in the sense that all you really have to know is that Silverlight delivers .NET into the browser - well perhaps not the full .NET framework but a good chunk of it. So for once a Microsoft advocate perhaps isn't really delivering the hardest possible sell. What hereally should be telling us is that Silverlight gives you desktop development facilities that run in the browser. While you could make the same claims for Flash its desktop credentials are something of an afterthought.
The blog then goes on to claim that Silverlight is fast and efficient and more consistent than HTML5 will be. The point being made is that while Microsoft is creating test suites to ensure that HTML5 and CSS3 works the same on all browsers Silverlight doesn't need such treatment because there is only one Silverlight. Well this is true but it's also because there is only one Silverlight implementation and it isn't open source.
Interestingly one of the more subtle implied criticisms of HTML5 and new standards is their glacial speed of production. The blog points out the Microsoft has delivered four major versions of Silverlight in in half thetime that HTML5 has been under development.
All true but this misses the point - Silverlight needed four revisions to reach the first acceptable version, i.e. Silverlight 4.0. Earlier version were arguably betas and work in progress released to get ahead and test the market.
The real edge that Silverlight has is that not only does itbring desktop development to the web it also provides a single environment that will run on the desktop and perhaps most importantly on Windows Phone 7. If Phone 7 is a success it will drag Silverlight along with it - making it the single most important Microsoft technology since the introduction of .NET.

Java once boasted that it was the language that you could "write once run many" but Silverlight seems to bemanaging to make this claim real without anyone really taking notice. Cross-browser compatibility is excellent and cross-platform support is good with Moonlight on Linux improving all the time.

When you read the blog you have to say that its advocacy of Silverlight is understated in a way that is deferential to HTML5 and industry standards. Microsoft seems to want to avoid upsetting the open source/openstandards community and as a result it can't really push Silverlight as hard as it might - it seems to lack the driveto "go for the jugular".
Yes HTML5 is nice, but it will take time before a significant number of users have browsers that support it. If you can swallow the bitter pill of using a proprietary add-in technology then Silverlight really does a lot more and it does it now.

Silverlight should be causing as much of a stir as HTML5.

Windows Phone In India

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:51:10 PDT

Windows Phone is designed to put people at the centre.Making it easier for them to connect and share with friends, family and colleagues, so they never miss a moment. And here is your chance to unlock your creativity. Build apps for the latest Windows Phone. See its amazing, unique & intuitive user interface design and be a part of it.
HOW?
1. Register for the i unlock joy campaign. Register before 18 th November 2011.
2. Download free developer tools The latest Windows Phone Developer Tools are available free for students.
3. Submit App Submit your app at the AppHub. After successful certification, your app will be listed on the Windows Phone Marketplace.
4. Claim Goodies Claim your goodies by providing details of your certified apps before
18 th December 2011.

For 1 Application:
Get a Merit Certificate, a Windows Phone T-Shirt and a 2GB USB Flash Drive for 1 app published on Marketplace.
For 4 Applications:
Get a cool new Windows Phone for 4 apps published on Marketplace.
RULES:
You are eligible to participate only if:
*You are 18 years of age or older; and
*You have been actively enrolled as a student at an accredited educational institution that grants high-school or college/university (or equivalent) degrees for at least 3 months between 1st January 2011 and 18th November 2011; and
*You are not an employee or intern of Microsoft Corporation (India) Pvt. Ltd. or Microsoft Corporation, or any of their affiliates; and
*You are not involved in any part of the execution or administration of this Program; and
*You are not an immediate family member of (parent, sibling, spouse, child) or household member of a Microsoft employee, an employee of a Microsoft affiliate, or a person involved in any part of the administration and execution of this Program.
*You are a registered member of Microsoft DreamSpark Program for students.
Your app submission is valid only if:
*Your app is submitted on AppHub Your app gets certified on AppHub and published on Windows Phone Marketplace before 18th December 2011.
*You can make your app using the following tools only:
1. Windows Phone Developer
2. Tools AppMakr Only 1 app developed using this tool will be accepted as a valid submission.

USERS:
The i unlock joy program is catching up amongst thousands of students in various colleges across the country. Join them in the revolution.
TOOLS:
Download free developer tools to build apps for Windows Phone
ABOUT Windows Phone:
Take a look at the latest Windows Phone and its revolutionary new user interface design.
Before you begin:
Get insights, experts views and inspiration you need toget started.
Forum:
Join the Windows Phone apps developers’ forum
Marketplace.
Visit Microsoft’s virtual store for apps, games, and other entertainment for the new Windows Phone.
FAQs
Answers to most of the questions that may arise as you begin your journey here.
Support: windowsphone@g5web.com
©2011 Microsoft Corporation.

Developing Windows Phone Application

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:50:49 PDT

Developing a full-fledged Windows Phone app in one week – that’s pretty ambitious, right?
Last week, at the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE)’s weekly Summer Cyber Camp, a team of talented high and middle school students set out to do just that. I followed them for one week, documenting the process of creating their 3D game for Windows Phone 7 (WP7), called Color Break. Some of the students began with minimal programming experience while others had been using C# for a few years. At the end of the week, however, they were all capable of writing code, creating graphics, and incorporating more advanced concepts such as physics into the game. By Friday, they’d finished and ported the application to the phone - just five days later (check out the app in action in the video)! It just goes toshow that whether you’re an absolute beginner or a seasoned expert, developing for the WP can be a simple, fun, and extremely educational process. One student, who had never even coded in C# before, began developing a first person shooter. As a college student myself, I was impressed.
So, how do you get started? Well it’s simple – check out http://create.msdn.com to access the plethora of resources, downloads, and tutorials. If you’re a student, there are also a ton of free, easy-to-use WP-related development tools available, including:
- Dreamspark ( http://dreamspark.microsoft.com ), to get access to Visual Studio 2010 Professional, the IDE that the students are using in this video.
- The Windows Phone Student Developer page ( http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/techstudent/handson/phone-development.aspx ) for resources as well as a student developer account to get started.

Windows 7 Problem Steps Recorder

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 01:25:34 PDT

How do I use Problem Steps Recorder?
You can use Problem Steps Recorder to automatically capture the steps you take on a computer, including a text description of where you clicked and a picture of the screen during each click (called a screen shot). Once you capture these steps, you can save them to a file that can be used by a support professional or someone else helping you with a computer problem.
Notes:
When you record steps on your computer, anything you type will not be recorded. If what you type is an important part of recreating the problem you're trying to solve, use the comment feature described below to highlight where the problem is occurring.
Some programs, like a full-screen game, might not be captured accurately or might not provide useful details to a support professional.

Bringing Hyper-V to “Windows 8”

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:29:56 PDT

In this post we talk about how we will support virtualization on the Windows "client" OS. Originally released for Windows Server where the technology hasproven very popular and successful, we wanted to bring virtualization to a core set of scenarios for professionals using Windows. The two most common scenarios we focused on are for software developers working across multiple platforms and clients and servers, and IT professionals looking to manage virtualized clients and servers in a seamless manner. Mathew John is a program manager on our Hyper-V team and authored this post. One note is that, as with all features, we're discussing the engineering of the work and not the ultimate packaging, as those choices are made much later in the project. --Steven PS: We didn't plan on doing so many posts in a row so we'll return to more sustainable pace -- sorry if we inadvertently set expectations a bit too high. We're getting ready for BUILD full time right now!!
Whether you are a software developer, an IT administrator, or simply an enthusiast, many of you need to run multiple operating systems, usually on many different machines. Not all of us have access to a full suite of labs to house all these machines, and so virtualization can be a space and time saver.
In building Windows 8 we worked to enable Hyper-V, the machine virtualization technology that has been part of the last 2 releases of Windows Server, to function on the client OS as well. In brief, Hyper-V lets you run more than one 32-bit or 64-bit x86 operating system at the same time on the same computer. Instead of working directly with the computer’s hardware, the operating systems run inside of a virtual machine (VM).
Hyper-V enables developers to easily maintain multipletest environments and provides a simple mechanism to quickly switch between these environments without incurring additional hardware costs. For example, we release pre-configured virtual machines containing old versions of Internet Explorer to support web developers. The IT administrator gets the additional benefit of virtual machine parity and a common management experience across Hyper-V in Windows Server and Windows Client. We also know that many of you use virtualization to try out new things without risking changes to the PC you are actively using.
An introduction to Hyper-V
Hyper-V requires a 64-bit system that has Second Level Address Translation (SLAT). SLAT is a feature present in the current generation of 64-bit processors by Intel & AMD. You’ll also need a 64-bit version of Windows 8, and at least 4GB of RAM. Hyper-V does support creation of both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems in the VMs.
Hyper-V’s dynamic memory allows memory needed by the VM to be allocated and de-allocated dynamically (you specify a minimum and maximum) and share unused memory between VMs. You can run 3 or 4 VMs on a machine that has 4GB of RAM but you will need more RAM for 5 or more VMs. On the other end of the spectrum, you can also create large VMs with 32 processors and 512GB RAM.
As for user experience with VMs, Windows provides two mechanisms to peek into the Virtual Machine: the VM Console and the Remote Desktop Connection.
The VM Console (also known as VMConnect) is a consoleview of the VM. It provides a single monitor view of theVM with resolution up to 1600x1200 in 32-bit color. Thisconsole provides you with the ability to view the VM’s booting process.
For a richer experience, you can connect to the VM usingthe Remote Desktop Connection (RDC). With RDC, the VM takes advantage of capabilities present on your physical PC. For example, if you have multiple monitors, then the VM can show its graphics on all thesemonitors. Similarly, if you have a multipoint touch-enabled interface on your PC, then the VM can use this interface to give you a touch experience. The VM also has full multimedia capability by leveraging the physical system’s speakers and microphone. The Root OS (i.e. the main Windows OS that’s managing the VMs) can also share its clipboard and folders with the VMs. And finally, with RDC, you can also attach any USB device directly to the VM.
For storage, you can add multiple hard disks to the IDE or SCSI controllers available in the VM. You can use Virtual Hard Disks (.VHD or .VHDX files) or actual disks that you pass directly through to the virtual machine. VHDs can also reside on a remote file server, making it easy to maintain and share a common set of predefinedVHDs across a team.
Hyper-V’s “Live Storage Move” capability helps your VMs to be fairly independent of the underlying storage. With this, you could move the VM’s storage from one local drive to another, to a USB stick, or to a remote file share without needing to stop your VM. I’ve found this feature to be quite handy for fast deployments: when I need a VM quickly, I start one from a VM library maintained on a file share and then move the VM’s storage to my local drive.
Another great feature of Hyper-V is the ability to take snapshots of a virtual machine while it is running. A snapshot saves everything about the virtual machine allowing you to go back to a previous point in time in the life of a VM, and is a great tool when trying to debug tricky problems. At the same time, Hyper-V virtual machines have all of the manageability benefitsof Windows. Windows Update can patch Hyper-V components, so you don’t need to set up additional maintenance processes. And Windows has all the same inherent capabilities with Hyper-V installed.
Having said this, using virtualization has its limitations. Features or applications that depend on specific hardware will not work well in a VM. For example, Windows BitLocker and Measured Boot, which rely on TPM (Trusted Platform Module), might not function properly in a VM, and games or applications that require processing with GPUs (without providing software fallback) might not work well either. Also, applications relying on sub 10ms timers, i.e. latency-sensitive high-precision apps such as live music mixing apps, etc. could have issues running in a VM. The root OS is also running on top of the Hyper-V virtualization layer, but it is special in that it has direct access to all the hardware. This is why applications with special hardware requirements continue to work unhindered in the root OS but latency-sensitive, high-precision appscould still have issues running in the root OS.
As a reminder, you will still need to license any operating systems you use in the VMs.
Here’s a quick run-through of how the Hyper-V works inWindows 8.

Silverlight and its main features

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:45:45 PDT

Silverlight is a new cross-browser, cross-platform implementation of the .NET Framework for building and delivering the next generation of media experiences andRich Interactive Applications(RIA) for the web. It runs in all popular browsers, including Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera. The plugin required to run Silverlight is very small in size hence gets installed very quickly.
It is combination of different technolgoies into a single development platform that allows you to select tools and the programming language you want to use. Silverlight integrates seamlessly with your existing Javascript and ASP.NETAJAX code to complement functionality which you have already created.
Silverlight aims to compete with Adobe Flash and the presentation components of Ajax. It also competes with Sun Microsystems' JavaFX, which was launched a few days after Silverlight.
Currently there are 2 major versions of Silverlight:
Silverlight 1.0 and Silverlight 2.0( previously referred toas version 1.1).
Silverlight 1.0 :
Silverlight 1.0 consists of the core presentation framework, which is responsible for UI, interactivity and user input, basic UI controls, graphics and animation, media playback, DRM support, and DOM integration.
Main features of Silverlight 1.0 :
1. Built-in codec support for playing VC-1 and WMV video, and MP3 and WMA audio within a browser.
2. Silverlight supports the ability to progressively download and play media content from any web-server.
3. Silverlight also optionally supports built-in media streaming.
4. Silverlight enables you to create rich UI and animations, and blend vector graphics with HTML to create compelling content experiences.
5. Silverlight makes it easy to build rich video player interactive experiences.
Silverlight 2.0 :
Silverlight 2.0 includes a version of the .NET Framework, with the full Common Language Runtime as .NET Framework 3.0; so it can execute any .NET language including VB.NETand C# code. Unlike the CLR included with .NET Framework, multiple instances of the CoreCLR included in Silverlight can be hosted in one process. With this, the XAML layout markup file (.xaml file) can be augmented by code-behind code, written in any .NET language, which contains the programming logic.
This version ships with more than 30 UI controls(including TextBox, CheckBox, Slider, ScrollViewer, and Calendar controls), for two-way databinding support, automated layout management (by means of StackPanel, Grid etc) as well as data-manipulation controls, such as DataGrid and ListBox. UI controls are skinnable using a template-based approach.
Main features of Silverlight 2.0 :
1. A built-in CLR engine that delivers a super high performance execution environment for the browser. Silverlight uses the same core CLR engine that we ship with the full .NET Framework.
2. Silverlight includes a rich framework library of built-inclasses that you can use to develop browser-based applications.
3. Silverlight includes support for a WPF UI programmingmodel. The Silverlight 1.1 Alpha enables you to program your UI with managed code/event handlers, and supports the ability to define and use encapsulated UI controls.
4. Silverlight provides a managed HTML DOM API that enables you to program the HTML of a browser using any .NET language.
5. Silverlight doesn't require ASP.NETto be used on the backend web-server (meaning you could use Silverlight with with PHP on Linux if you wanted to).
6. Silverlight 2 includes Deep Zoom, a technology derived from Microsoft Live Labs Seadragon. It allows users to zoom into, or out of, an image (or a collage of images), with smooth transitions, using the mouse wheel. The images can scale from 2 or 3 megapixels in resolution into the gigapixel range, but the user need not wait for it to be downloaded entirely; rather, Silverlight downloads only the parts in view, optimized for the zoom level being viewed.
7. Silverlight 2 also allows limited filesystem access to Silverlight applications. It can use the operating system's native file dialog box to browse to any file (to which the user has access).
How Silverlight would change the Web:
1. Highest Quality Video Experience : prepare to see someof the best quality videos you have seen in your life, all embedded in highly graphical websites. The same research and technology that was used for VC-1, the codec that powers BluRay and HD DVD, is used by Microsoft today with its streaming media technologies.
2. Cross-Platform, Cross-Browser : Finally build web applications that work on any browser, and on any operating system. At release, Silverlight will work with Mac as well as Windows! The Mono project has also already promised support for Linux!.
3. Developers and Graphic Designers can play together! : Developers familiar with Visual Studio, Microsoft.netwill be able to develop amazing Silverlight applications very quickly, and they will work on Mac'sand Windows. Developers will finally be able to strictly focus on the back end of the application core, while leaving the visuals to the Graphic Design team using the power of XAML.
4. Cheaper : Silverlight is now the most inexpensive way to stream video files over the internet at the best quality possible. Licensing is dead simple, all you need is IIS in Windows Server, and you’re done.
5. Support for 3rd Party Languages : Using the power of the new Dynamic Language Runtime, developers will now be able to use Ruby, Python, and EcmaScript! This means a Ruby developer can develop Silverlight applications, and leverage the .net Framework!
6. Cross-Platform, Cross-Browser Remote Debugging : If you are in the need to debug an application running on a Mac, no problem! You can now set breakpoints, step into/over code, have immediate windows, and all that other good stuff that Visual Studio provides.
7. The best development environment on the planet : Visual Studio is an award winning development platform! As it continues to constantly evolve, so will Silverlight!
8. Silverlight offers copy protection : Have you noticed how easy it is to download YouTube videos to your computer, and save them for later viewing ? Silverlight will finally have the features enabling content providers complete control over their rich media content! Streaming television, new indie broadcast stations, all will now be possible!
9. Extreme Speed : There is a dramatic improvement in speed for AJAX-enabled websites that begin to use Silverlight, leveraging the Microsoft .net framework.

Microsoft Office 365! Whats new in it?

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:39:31 PDT

Product Overview
Microsoft Office 365 for professionals and small businesses is a subscription service that combines the familiar Microsoft Office Web Apps with a set of web-enabled tools that are easy to learn and use, that work with your existing hardware, and that come backed by the robust security, reliability, and control you need to run your business.
Email & Calendar
Office 365 gives you access to email, calendar, and contacts from virtually anywhere, at any time, on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices—while it helps to protect against viruses and spam.
Work from virtually anywhere
Work from almost anywhere and get automatically updated email, calendar, and contacts on the devices you use most, including PCs, Macintosh computers, iPhone, Android phones, Blackberry smartphones, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phones.
Easy-to-manage email
Get professional, easy-to-manage email. Office 365 provides each user with a 25-gigabyte (GB) mailbox and lets them send email messages up to 25 megabytes (MB). Connect with Microsoft Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2007 and use all of the rich Outlook functionality you already know and use, whether you are connected to the Internetat home or in the office or you are working offline.
Simplify scheduling
Easily schedule meetings by sharing calendars and viewing them side by side, so you can see your colleagues’ availability and suggested meeting times from your calendar. Access your email, calendar, and contacts from nearly any web browser while you keep the rich, familiar Outlook experience with Microsoft Outlook Web App.
Business-class security
Help protect your organization from spam and viruses with Microsoft Forefront Online Protection for Exchange, which includes multiple filters and virus-scanning engines.

Cloud computing could lead to billions in energy savings

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:24:47 PDT

Another study out this week has found that if companies adopt cloud computing, they can reduce the energy consumption of their IT and save money on energy bills. The report, created by research firm Verdantix and sponsored by AT&T, estimates that cloud computing could enable companies to save $12.3 billion off their energy bills. That translates into carbon emission savingsof 85.7 million metric tons per year by 2020.
The Verdantix report isn’t the first one to deliver such a finding. Last year Pike Research found that cloud computing could lead to a 38 percent reduction in worldwide data center energy use by 2020, compared to what the growth of data center energy consumption would be without cloud computing. Another study from Microsoft, Accenture and WSP Environment and Energy last year found that moving business applications to the cloud could cut the associated per-user carbon footprint by 30 percent for large, already-efficient companies and as much as 90 percent for the smallest and least efficient businesses.
All of that is good news. Cloud computing is one of the most disruptive Internet infrastructure shifts to happen in recent years. Web companies have been embracing cloud computing in order to buy flexible, lower cost, on-demand computing power from companies like Amazon. And these cloud computing services generally replace the computing that would have been done by companies’ own in-house computing resources.
However, it’s always good to take these studies with a grain of salt. There’s a reason AT&T and Microsoft are looking into the energy efficiency of cloud computing: they sell cloud computing services.
Other studies have also found that cloud computing isn’t always the most energy efficient computing option, and in certain instances the cloud can be more energy intensive than traditional in-office computing. A report from University of Melbourne researcher Rod Tucker and his team, which I wrote about for GigaOM Pro (subscription required), found that cloud computing can indeed save energy when it leads simply to the consolidation of servers, but looking at three different applications of cloud computing — storage, software andprocessing — energy efficiency savings are negated in some scenarios.
For example, one such instance when the cloud isn’t moreefficient, according to Tucker’s research, is when companies are using cloud computing for storing data. Tucker found that when the number of downloaded and accessed files becomes larger (more than one download per hour for a public cloud storage service), those energy efficiency gains are erased.
There’s enough research out there by now that shows that cloud computing is overall more energy efficient than traditional in-house computing. Which is great newsfor Internet companies and cloud computing providers. The growing energy consumption of the Internet, data centers and our always-on connected devices will only continue to grow, so efficiency trends will only to continue to become important.

Inside Google+

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:02:16 PDT

Junaid Masoodi...: Inside Google+ — How the Search Giant Plans to Go ...: "Google, the world’s largest search company, is formally making its pitch to become a major force in social networking. The product it announ..."

Pending organizer certificates of Microsoft DreamSpark Yatra-2011, Srinagar

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 20:24:37 PDT

List of organizers who haven't received their Microsoft DreamSpark Yatra, Srinagar, 2011 certificates yet:
1- Shehla Rashid Shora
2- Junaid Masoodi
3- Saniyusnain Ali
4- Jebrail Andrabi
5- Shubham Pandey
6- Vikram Bakshi
7- Shashank Sanghoi
8- Shakeeb Arsalan
9- Renu Yadav
10- Rakesh Kalita
11- Rajat Seth
12- Rajat Anand
13- Pankaj Gandotra
14- Kaushal Kishore
15- Karan Gupta
16- Uzair Farooq Bhat
17- Umang Suden
18- Hitesh Gautam
19- Ashish Sharma
20- Anmol Masson
21- Anjana Krishnamurthy
22- Akhil Pandey
23- Abhimanyu Gupta
24- Aadil Hamid
25- Talha Syed
26- Abhinav Mahajan
29- Amit Verma
30- Amit Kumar
31- Akshay Singh
32. Sarah J. Andrabi
PS: Can't find your name on the list? Leave a comment below the post.

Pending participation certificates of Microsoft DreamSpark Yatra-2011, Srinagar

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:46:17 PDT

Following is the list of students whose participation certificates were not ready at the time of distribution. Our team did a great job distributing and writing the certificates. But there were some errors which is totally fair given the huge number of participants.
The list is NOT in perfect alphabetical or numerical order (And, please don't ask me why)
Please find your name. We'll keep you posted.
1. Unique ID 4159
2. Unique ID 101598
3. Aamir Hussain
101. Afshan Irshad Khan
4. Amar Deep Singh
76. Adarsh
5. Amir Khan
6. Ashaq Hussain Wafayi
50. Abhimanyu Singh
55. Abhishek Augustya
64. Ajay Kumar
72. Akhil Malia
98. Asiya Jan
7. Basharat Ahmad Baba
56. Bhanu Pratap Sharma
59. Bilal Ahmed Dar
53. Bt Hangsing
8. Dawar Hussain
102. dure Nayab
74. Dipank
9. Faheem Hussain
10. Faheem-ud-din
103. Faizan Bakshi
104. Farhana Nazir
11. Firdous Ahmad Khan
89. Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Malik
12. Hilal Ahmad Magray
92. Hilal Ahmad Lone
13. Imran Hussain Sofi
14. Irfan Farooq
97. Irfan Rashid
15. Ishfaq Gani (UID 3092)
105. Izhan Javeed
100. Javaid Ahmad Bhat
51. Karamvir Singh Rapial
16. Kamran Ahmed
66. Kavindra Shekhar
67. Kapil Kumar
86. Khalid Shah
91. Khursheed Ahmad Lone
79. Kuldeep Kushwaha
106. Mahrukh Hamid
107. Mahveen Wahid
108. Mahvish Hamid
109. Mushafiq Hassan
68. Manish Joshi
69. Manish Sherawat
77. Maneesh Kumar Singh
61. Mayur Jadhav
17. Mehak Manzoor
18. Mehraj Ahmad Sofi (UID 3009)
73. Milan Dutta
19. Mohammad Altaf
88. Mohd Ashfaq Mir
93. Mohd Ashraf
90. Mohd Aslam Wani
20. Mohammed Latief
81. Mohammad Burhan
21. Mubashir Hafiz Jan
22. Muzamil (Gani?)
23. Muzamil Shafi Mir
93.Muzamil Ahmad Lone
94. Muzamil Ahmad Mir
24. Nadeem Farooq
110. Nayeem Khan
25. Nikhil Sharma
62. Nitin Kumar
26. Parvaiz Ahmad Mir (UID 3011)
75. Prashant Pandey
111. Rahila Ashraf
27. Rabbi Malik
28. Rafiq
54. Rahul Kumar Singh
29. Raja Mohammed Hajam
65. Rajneesh Kumar
83. Rayees-ul-Nazir
30. Sahil Hussain
31. Sajad Ahmad Magray (UID 3010)
32. Salim Muneer
33. Shafayat Hussain
34. Shah Ubaid
35. Shahid Hussain
36. Shahid Manzoor
37. Shakir Manzoor
99. Shameema Akhter
68. Shantanu Thakare
112. Sharaf wani
113. Shariq Bakshi
38. Shayan Farooq
39. Shuazahoor
40. Sushant Bhagat
78. Sumanu
80. Subiya Jan
96. Sumaiya Akhter
52. Sandeep Srivastava
70. Sourabh Sharma
71. Saurav Singh Bandral
41. Syed Zubair Hamdani
85. Syed Behjeth
42. Tanvir Hurra
114. Tayba Sheikh
57. Tushar Raina
58. Uraj Singh
115. Uzair Javeed
43. Vilayat Hussain
84. Vijay Pal Singh
44. Wahid Ahmad Banday
45. Waseem Hassan Bhat
46. Wasim Hussain
47. Yasir Nawab
82. Yasir Ahmad Khan
63. Yagyan Prasad Sahoo
48. Zahid
49. Zahoor Ahmad Rather (UID 3252)
87. Zubair Ahmad Masoodi

Unclaimed Certificates of Microsoft DreamSpark Yatra, Srinagar

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:11:49 PDT

Following is the list of students who left the venue (KU Convocation Complex) on the 15th of May, 2011 on the occasion of Microsoft DreamSpark Yatra, Srinagar, 2011without collecting their certificates.
The list of students whose certificates are not ready will be published soon.
Please find your name below. We'll notify you soon about where to collect the certificates from.
1. Aadil shabir
2. Aasim zahoor jan
3. Abdul Rauf
4. Abdul wahid
5. Abhinav Mahajan
6. Ajaz ali
7. Aliya hussain khan
8. Amardeep Singh
9. Amit
10. Amit Gupta
11. Amit Verma
12. Anand Swarup
13. Anil Kumar
14. Anubhav Gulati
15. Anuj Bansal
16. Anum qazi
17. Areeb aslam
18. Arif amin
19. Arooj zehri
20. Arsalan bhat
21. Asim Bashir
22. Ateeb bashir
23. Ayman
24. Barun Raj Meena
25. Bilal ahmad najar
26. Bisma noor
27. Bisma shakeel
28. Brajender
29. Brijesh Goswami
30. Charanjeet Singh
31. Danish mushtaq
32. Eshan Malik
33. Faisal shamas
34. Fakhr un nisa
35. Fatimah
36. Firdous ahmed
37. Ghulam rasool
38. Gourav Gupta
39. Hameeda akhtar
40. Hilal ahmad shah
41. Himanshu Jain
42. Hiten Mahajan
43. Huzait nasier
44. Iqra gulzar
45. Irfan rashid
46. Ishan Padgotra
47. Ishfaq hussain
48. Ishrat fatima
49. Javaid rashid
50. Junaid ahmad zargar
51. K isfindiyar khan
52. Karan Gupta
53. Khalid gowhar
54. Khanday aaqib
55. Mahir ul fayaz
56. Majid hussain
57. Manish Kumar Meena
58. Mansoor sofi
59. Millan dutta
60. Mir muzaffar
61. Mohammad Rafiq
62. Mohammad-Salah-ud-Din
63. Mohd. Ashraf baba
64. Mohd. Asi mir
65. Mubarah
66. Mubashir hanaan
67. Muneeb ahmad
68. Musaib Syed
69. Nadeem farooq
70. Nadia shafi
71. Naveen Kumar Verma
72. Niyaz ahmad
73. Numaan nazar
74. Owais shah
75. Priyankar talabdar
76. Rahilla ashraf
77. Rais Ahmad Baba
78. Rajvikram Raj
79. Rizvi s illiyas
80. Saba yousuf
81. Sabahat
82. Sabreen rashid
83. Sachin Choudhary
84. Sahil shah
85. Saif hussain
86. Sajid hussain
87. Saliq tasaduq
88. Sameer Misger
89. Sana ashraf khan
90. Sandeep Verma
91. Shabir hussain
92. Shabir mehaj
93. Shafayat hussain
94. Shah ubaid
95. Shahid Hussain
96. Shaikh junaid
97. Shazia rashid
98. Sheikh danish hussain
99. Sheikh Iram
100. Sheikh musaib
101. Shubham Aggarwal
102. Sudhakar Sharma
103. Sumit Sharma
104. Sunaina
105. Surjeet Singh
106. Syed azhar ali
107. Syed behjeth
108. Syed mudassir
109. Syed muntazir
110. Syed rubeeena
111. Syed zeeshan
112. Tafheem javid
113. Taniya waris
114. Tazkia majeed
115. Umama gul
116. Umar mufeed
117. Umer jan
118. Umer mukhtar andrabi
119. Umrah mufeed
120. Uzma ali
121. Vikrama Aditya
122. Vinod Sharma
123. Vitesh Singh Alluvalia
124. Waaris
125. Wahid Ahmad Banday
126. Waseem mirza
127. Wasiq imtayaz
128. Yezdaan ahmad
129. Zaid mohd.
130. Zainab
131. Zidnie Zahoor

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:03:01 PST

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:48:27 PST

Microsoft Corporation

noreply@blogger.com (Ashraf Wani) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:47:44 PST

Students to Bussiness