tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161634312024-03-13T07:20:10.897-05:00pursuit of great designUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-75504532496806144472017-01-30T19:48:00.001-06:002017-01-30T19:49:11.226-06:00Why fnDisruption?<div class="graf graf--h3 graf--leading graf--title" id="a8aa" name="a8aa">
<br /></div>
<br />
<figure class="graf graf--figure graf-after--p" id="13b0" name="13b0"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="progressiveMedia js-progressiveMedia graf-image is-canvasLoaded is-imageLoaded" data-action-value="1*Q_SsIJVWHjwuzrKd7Y-qDA.png" data-action="zoom" data-height="667" data-image-id="1*Q_SsIJVWHjwuzrKd7Y-qDA.png" data-scroll="native" data-width="1399" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<canvas class="progressiveMedia-canvas js-progressiveMedia-canvas" height="34" width="75"></canvas><img class="progressiveMedia-image js-progressiveMedia-image" data-src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/880/1*Q_SsIJVWHjwuzrKd7Y-qDA.png" height="304" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/880/1*Q_SsIJVWHjwuzrKd7Y-qDA.png" width="640" /><noscript class="js-progressiveMedia-inner"><img class="progressiveMedia-noscript js-progressiveMedia-inner" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/880/1*Q_SsIJVWHjwuzrKd7Y-qDA.png"></noscript></div>
<br />
<div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder is-locked" style="max-height: 334px; max-width: 700px;">
<div class="aspectRatioPlaceholder-fill" style="padding-bottom: 47.699999999999996%;">
</div>
</div>
</figure><br />
<div class="graf graf--p graf-after--figure" id="f601" name="f601">
I started a new medium publication called <a href="https://medium.com/fndisruption">fnDisruption</a> -- function of disruption. Hope you find it interesting. <a href="https://medium.com/fndisruption/why-fndisruption-a084e46d94e7#.vt8l9hcfb">Here is why</a>. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.medium.com/fnDisruption">www.medium.com/fnDisruption</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-70639458956536440202016-04-17T09:03:00.001-05:002017-02-18T10:03:50.022-06:00How to build your own deep work lab<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4Ui5apozg4/VxKdrnxcmRI/AAAAAAAABT4/5ZHvYCRrda0x8puSxTZI4wRP_cNiNXmoQCLcB/s1600/WP_20150910_21_31_38_Pro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O4Ui5apozg4/VxKdrnxcmRI/AAAAAAAABT4/5ZHvYCRrda0x8puSxTZI4wRP_cNiNXmoQCLcB/s320/WP_20150910_21_31_38_Pro.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
Here was a super fun project. The story guides you -- starting with a tour and then how we built it including the bill of materials, construction tips, and sourcing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I, originally, <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/07/how-to-design-your-own-command-center.html">did the design and blogged about it in 2011</a>. It was a popular post, so I always intended to post an update, but decided to use a web-based Sway presentation instead. It brings it to life and is more effective way to show you around the lab.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My hope is that you find it helpful, interesting, and entertaining.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
How to design your own your own deep work lab: <a href="https://bit.ly/DeepWorkLab">https://bit.ly/DeepWorkLab</a><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<br />
<b>Why?</b><br />
<span id="text_jRcGeQJn-d6">To support deep work. Deep work is valuable and
increasingly rare. As Cal Newport says, "Deep work is
performed in a state of distraction-free concentration
that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit.
These efforts create new value, improve your skill,
and are hard to replicate."</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
<div>
<br />
Enjoy!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-76063006908545680602016-03-30T13:44:00.000-05:002016-05-06T15:12:21.926-05:00No silver bullet -- 30 years later<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BhmKjqQONYo/Vyz6oD0oJkI/AAAAAAAABUg/EkHY_354GhEAgF_u8e9ncjPaylJYMpnPwCLcB/s1600/fredbrooks.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BhmKjqQONYo/Vyz6oD0oJkI/AAAAAAAABUg/EkHY_354GhEAgF_u8e9ncjPaylJYMpnPwCLcB/s320/fredbrooks.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Here we are -- 30 years later. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>In 1986, Brooks wrote "No silver bullet." Brooks argues that there is much as a 10x difference between "good" designers and "great" designers. This was later shown to be closer to 20x in two different studies. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Among other things, he postulates that as programming is a creative process, some designers are inherently better than others. He advocates treating star designers equally well as star managers, providing them not just with equal remuneration, but also all the perks of higher status: large office, staff, travel funds, etc. Here is the original paper: </div>
<div dir="ltr">
<a href="http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~pszcah/G51ISS/Documents/NoSilverBullet.html">http://www.cs.nott.ac.uk/~pszcah/G51ISS/Documents/NoSilverBullet.html</a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Enjoy.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-72777068855944634272014-08-25T12:26:00.000-05:002016-11-10T22:28:09.174-06:00Design sessions: why and how?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hkPIZ9rC2Q8/VrvwETiiAhI/AAAAAAAABPk/i25Wan8fTmA/s1600/Design2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hkPIZ9rC2Q8/VrvwETiiAhI/AAAAAAAABPk/i25Wan8fTmA/s320/Design2.png" width="320" /></a></div>
A design session is used to focus on one or more design items to achieve business objectives with a group of designers. This technique could radically improve the dynamic of your team and the outcome of your project. The technique is best used when you have a three or more talented developers. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
10 reasons to conduct design sessions </h3>
<strong></strong><br />
1. Keep the team engaged and motivated<br />
2. Tap into the creative potential of the team<br />
3. Bring the team together on a decision with a common understanding<br />
4. Separate the designer from the design. <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2010/09/great-design-is-not-you_23.html">You are not your design</a> <br />
5. See with new eyes <br />
6. Learn from each other<br />
7. Close gaps (reduce distance between team members)<br />
8. Keep it simple<br />
9. Improve and simplify your process<br />
10. You think that you know it all<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
How to conduct and structure effective design sessions?</h3>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHVLUHIT76o/U_pxeTZ8pVI/AAAAAAAABB8/yD8P3B6bI1Y/s1600/Team.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHVLUHIT76o/U_pxeTZ8pVI/AAAAAAAABB8/yD8P3B6bI1Y/s1600/Team.png" width="640" /></a><strong></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here is an effective way to conduct and structure design sessions for your team. <br />
<br />
<strong>How to Conduct a Design Session</strong> <br />
A design session usually consists of two to three design items to help reduce time and consolidate our moves. A design item typically takes about 15 - 20 minutes. A design session should separate the “what we want” from the “how we want to do it.” It provides a venue to consider alternative solutions that could be simpler, clearer, easier, more secure, and more extensible.<br />
<br />
<strong>Session Goals</strong><br />
The goals for the design sessions are to be…<br />
<br />
<strong>Healthy</strong><br />
Encourage and allow others to contribute<br />
<br />
Be respectful<br />
<br />
Make your point<br />
<br />
<strong>Efficient</strong><br />
We need to quickly understand, justify, and agree on an approach (the how)<br />
<br />
<strong> Interesting (not boring)</strong><br />
Innovative solutions are a side-effect<br />
<br />
<strong>What’s in it for you?</strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
Your idea gets used in an area that makes a difference<br />
<br />
Learn from others <br />
<br />
Gain a common understanding<br />
<br />
Have fun <br />
<br />
<strong>Attendance</strong><br />
Attendance is optional. There are probably a few different reasons to join a particular design session:<br />
<br />
You are passionate about it<br />
<br />
It directly impacts your work <br />
<br />
You are interesting in learning more about a particular area<br />
<h3>
<br />Design Item Template </h3>
<br />
<strong>Description</strong>: {Describe the problem statement}<br />
<strong>Alternatives</strong>: {List out alternatives provided by team with pros and cons}<br />
<strong>The Action, Next Steps (such as a spike solution), or Decision</strong><br />
<strong>Rationale</strong>: (A is important, so we chose B, accepting downside C): {There is always a downside; no decision is perfect}<br />
<h3>
<br />Challenge Questions</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qr3PCD6Bukg/U_tnukIGfmI/AAAAAAAABCY/6nwVjp1C2e0/s1600/Team3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qr3PCD6Bukg/U_tnukIGfmI/AAAAAAAABCY/6nwVjp1C2e0/s1600/Team3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Can this be deferred?<br />
<br />
Is this the right item to consider?<br />
<br />
Is there a way to simplify the problem/solution?<br />
<br />
Does the item imply the what we want to do? <br />
<br />
Does this help us deliver on-time? <br />
<br />
This same format can also be used for process items.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Closing</h3>
<strong></strong><br />
The results of these sessions should be kept in a journal. The journal can be quite helpful to review decisions and to stop history from being rewritten. I have used this technique with bigger teams including the redesign of <a href="http://www.bmwusa.com/">www.bmwusa.com</a>. The journal should be comprised of notes for each design item (design item template) and the overall structure described above.<br />
<br />
Often, you will still need to make a decision to resolve a team deadlock, but by using the design session technique, there will be fewer deadlocks and members will be able to accept and follow the direction.<br />
<br />
These sessions can be fun and effective. Team members want more of them. One key to success is to have the following team values: respect, collaboration, communication, and simplicity.<br />
<br />
I would like to know what works for you. Is your team engaged or zoned out? <br />
<br />
Enjoy.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-83836304027475482152014-04-04T12:55:00.002-05:002016-02-10T10:02:17.934-06:00Build 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ImoBei4eSA0/Uz7wc2CBNvI/AAAAAAAAA78/drLLmiRzHYw/s1600/WP_20140403_043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ImoBei4eSA0/Uz7wc2CBNvI/AAAAAAAAA78/drLLmiRzHYw/s1600/WP_20140403_043.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3>
[Build 2014] Day 3: Final day</h3>
<br />
I could definitely have one more day here at //build/. Catching sessions, lunch, and airport later. Many good sessions available today.<br />
<br />
Grateful to be here. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Great weather. No fog is good on a day when you are in or out of SFO.<br />
<img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3PRZVXJJe7c/Uz8JyVlEDGI/AAAAAAAAA8M/Jwt0Zs3fG2M/s1600/WP_20140404_074.jpg" width="320" /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qMxOyXDz5Go/U0A9SEDZBdI/AAAAAAAAA9k/j6AfndaR0jQ/s1600/NerdLife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qMxOyXDz5Go/U0A9SEDZBdI/AAAAAAAAA9k/j6AfndaR0jQ/s1600/NerdLife.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<strong>11:00 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Exhibit hall. Gave New Relic a new feature idea. TPS Report: Total Production Stacktrace report. It provides the top stacktrace occurrences. We used it during redesign of <a href="http://www.bwusa.com/">www.bwusa.com</a>. When you get millions of page views per day, this kind of report is important. Oh, don't forget the cover sheet.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GIARaMkyRek/U0A9SZYK4cI/AAAAAAAAA9o/I2lhqkXzP1M/s1600/spaceselfie_20140404_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GIARaMkyRek/U0A9SZYK4cI/AAAAAAAAA9o/I2lhqkXzP1M/s1600/spaceselfie_20140404_002.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Selfie at Nokia #SpaceSelfie. Fun. Looking forward to Nokia 1520 waiting at home. Got the red one.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Also, got freeze dried ice cream for my daughter. Fun exhibit.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWySUXGShtA/U0BF4f-B8TI/AAAAAAAAA-I/WOCmA1z65hw/s1600/WP_20140405_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWySUXGShtA/U0BF4f-B8TI/AAAAAAAAA-I/WOCmA1z65hw/s1600/WP_20140405_005.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
All the //build/ 2014 keynotes and sessions are available on <a href="http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014">channel 9</a>. Plan to watch a few this weekend that I missed. I will update with a list of my favorites.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://money.cnn.com/2014/04/02/technology/mobile/microsoft-cortana/index.html">Cortana and Windows Phone 8.1</a> were a hit with everyone at //build/ 2014. It has a 3rd party app integration point via XML file. </div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />[Build 2014] Day 2: Scott Gu's keynotes, sessions, and Microsoft party</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lyZB8LTJORg/Uz5NK0l0eMI/AAAAAAAAA6Q/p0vkboeLv-A/s1600/WP_20140403_037.jpg" width="180" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_6fS9GYHzsA/Uz1vAs8R6HI/AAAAAAAAA4s/TM5Lyp2nR28/s1600/WP_20140402_029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_6fS9GYHzsA/Uz1vAs8R6HI/AAAAAAAAA4s/TM5Lyp2nR28/s1600/WP_20140402_029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong>7:20 AM</strong><br />
Scott Gu's keynote this morning. Sessions this afternoon. Microsoft's party this evening.<br />
<br />
<strong>8:30 AM Keynote</strong><br />
Scott Gu.<br />
...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPEwQybqP3c/Uz3qYH1A8KI/AAAAAAAAA5E/3F3OCeaYtTc/s1600/WP_20140402_024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPEwQybqP3c/Uz3qYH1A8KI/AAAAAAAAA5E/3F3OCeaYtTc/s1600/WP_20140402_024.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<strong>11:30 AM Exhibit area</strong><br />
Cortana demo.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xTfTyXNmsPg/Uz3sqovUlKI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/yKJGWy7_BQY/s1600/WP_20140403_020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xTfTyXNmsPg/Uz3sqovUlKI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/yKJGWy7_BQY/s1600/WP_20140403_020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>4:21 PM Migel de Icaza</strong><br />
Presenting "Go Mobile with C# and Xamarin"<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>5:30 PM</strong><br />
In line to get Xbox.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0DPdH0kRW7k/U0BWl6ntuUI/AAAAAAAAA-g/zyQfhc8HLjs/s1600/WP_20140403_022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0DPdH0kRW7k/U0BWl6ntuUI/AAAAAAAAA-g/zyQfhc8HLjs/s1600/WP_20140403_022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wvdcA5BpavI/U0BWll84JSI/AAAAAAAAA-c/xKXW24O9ci8/s1600/WP_20140403_023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wvdcA5BpavI/U0BWll84JSI/AAAAAAAAA-c/xKXW24O9ci8/s1600/WP_20140403_023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uMG8-vxlRso/U0BWlqisZ6I/AAAAAAAAA-Y/pIqDEEdBigo/s1600/WP_20140403_025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uMG8-vxlRso/U0BWlqisZ6I/AAAAAAAAA-Y/pIqDEEdBigo/s1600/WP_20140403_025.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>6:30 - 9:30 PM </strong><strong>Microsoft Attendee Party</strong><br />
At the Metreon across from Moscone West. Microsoft has reserved the entire place.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JTMHp1I9iOo/Uz5NJ3cH8RI/AAAAAAAAA5o/AvGnhY2yTc0/s1600/WP_20140403_034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JTMHp1I9iOo/Uz5NJ3cH8RI/AAAAAAAAA5o/AvGnhY2yTc0/s1600/WP_20140403_034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JTMHp1I9iOo/Uz5NJ3cH8RI/AAAAAAAAA5o/AvGnhY2yTc0/s1600/WP_20140403_034.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JTMHp1I9iOo/Uz5NJ3cH8RI/AAAAAAAAA5o/AvGnhY2yTc0/s1600/WP_20140403_034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SAX8tHR7wJk/Uz5NJ2lpk-I/AAAAAAAAA5k/6Mo3d0b5jQM/s1600/WP_20140403_033.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JTMHp1I9iOo/Uz5NJ3cH8RI/AAAAAAAAA5o/AvGnhY2yTc0/s1600/WP_20140403_034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rs8xoH-hDRo/Uz5NKfVelxI/AAAAAAAAA5w/B7yMh1l03s0/s1600/WP_20140403_036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rs8xoH-hDRo/Uz5NKfVelxI/AAAAAAAAA5w/B7yMh1l03s0/s1600/WP_20140403_036.jpg" width="180" /> </a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C1jddPiRlIE/Uz5NK2v2RnI/AAAAAAAAA6E/PuZ5VD-ztIw/s1600/WP_20140403_038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C1jddPiRlIE/Uz5NK2v2RnI/AAAAAAAAA6E/PuZ5VD-ztIw/s1600/WP_20140403_038.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LdE_oZfEOlA/Uz5NLJawyXI/AAAAAAAAA6A/Ki-WKcL4og8/s1600/WP_20140403_039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LdE_oZfEOlA/Uz5NLJawyXI/AAAAAAAAA6A/Ki-WKcL4og8/s1600/WP_20140403_039.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4uhF0Jhz9BM/Uz5NMTLsfeI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/Dr1MMshtINc/s1600/WP_20140403_040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4uhF0Jhz9BM/Uz5NMTLsfeI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/Dr1MMshtINc/s1600/WP_20140403_040.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Most theaters hosted different Xbox One games. This was my favorite part. Command center style with bartenders.<br />
<br />
Need to buy Titan Fall.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Best build party for providing the right environment. The MC/Announcer for the Forza Motorsport theater was the best. Ridiculing drivers and pretty much everyone that showed up. It became the best demo room.<br />
<br />
My daughter could have beat most of those drivers driving sims in Forza Motorsport.<br />
<br />
<strong>11:20 PM</strong><br />
Packing Xbox will be a challenge. Might have to document since 5,000+ people will get to experience it.<br />
<br />
Going to break down box. It must weigh 25 lbs. Maybe a little less.<br />
I pack minimally, but have ops on my side.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b4aHiGDtPBI/Uz5YbFDbucI/AAAAAAAAA6w/suVjgJaEi1g/s1600/WP_20140403_049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b4aHiGDtPBI/Uz5YbFDbucI/AAAAAAAAA6w/suVjgJaEi1g/s1600/WP_20140403_049.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0XuuYSewQdc/Uz5YbG2ojfI/AAAAAAAAA6s/A2gtlTZuNPM/s1600/WP_20140403_053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0XuuYSewQdc/Uz5YbG2ojfI/AAAAAAAAA6s/A2gtlTZuNPM/s1600/WP_20140403_053.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x6Fztu3wS8Y/Uz5YcJETpII/AAAAAAAAA7E/k7XeiPR4oDY/s1600/WP_20140403_056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x6Fztu3wS8Y/Uz5YcJETpII/AAAAAAAAA7E/k7XeiPR4oDY/s1600/WP_20140403_056.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LJoITOmz2_8/Uz5YdDN-YUI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/V5w8HvTCM54/s1600/WP_20140403_058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LJoITOmz2_8/Uz5YdDN-YUI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/V5w8HvTCM54/s1600/WP_20140403_058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LJoITOmz2_8/Uz5YdDN-YUI/AAAAAAAAA7Q/V5w8HvTCM54/s1600/WP_20140403_058.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here is a creepy picture of the hardware. Got rid of cardboard. Xbox "I know you." Xbox "select -- suite case."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ADPYvXUZdG4/U0BAKXwDq1I/AAAAAAAAA94/V5h8Dmmp-3M/s1600/WP_20140404_035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ADPYvXUZdG4/U0BAKXwDq1I/AAAAAAAAA94/V5h8Dmmp-3M/s1600/WP_20140404_035.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
Not fitting.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Put most in backpack and console in suitcase. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RdBRG27nZpc/Uz5irj24beI/AAAAAAAAA7s/jZCNEnFy7g0/s1600/WP_20140403_062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
[Build 2014] Day 1: Keynote, sessions, giveaways, and more</h3>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-08fQdlJEVEM/UzwRHtYg0JI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/usL-I3RzXn4/s1600/WP_20140401_021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-08fQdlJEVEM/UzwRHtYg0JI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/usL-I3RzXn4/s1600/WP_20140401_021.jpg" width="640" /></a><strong>6:33 AM PST</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
//build/ 2014 has already been interesting and it hasn't even started. Join me today with live blogging of the keynote, sessions, giveaways, and more. The keynote starts at 8:30 AM.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Here are my <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2014/03/build-2014-expectations-and-predictions.html">expectations and prediction</a>s along with <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2014/04/build-2014-day-0-travel-registration.html">Day 0</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:01 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0v2VjrbFI6g/UzwoofEjv0I/AAAAAAAAA2o/a75xlqHjRt4/s1600/WP_20140402_006.jpg" width="320" /> Moscone West keynote line</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:10 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Moscone West this year. Got seat for keynote.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7-qdNOBN404/UzwqWN2ELrI/AAAAAAAAA24/sgICX3UrCg8/s1600/WP_20140402_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7-qdNOBN404/UzwqWN2ELrI/AAAAAAAAA24/sgICX3UrCg8/s1600/WP_20140402_009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
No empty seats.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nIsXdIDDw5c/UzwpDO00tzI/AAAAAAAAA2w/eANgW_dwpA0/s1600/WP_20140402_008.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:14 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Massive keynote stage.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:30 AM: Keynote Day 1</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Time for keynote.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:31 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Terry Myerson taking stage.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-qdNOBN404/UzwqWN2ELrI/AAAAAAAAA28/VxrSXiTJ_-E/s1600/WP_20140402_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-qdNOBN404/UzwqWN2ELrI/AAAAAAAAA28/VxrSXiTJ_-E/s1600/WP_20140402_009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:35 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Going to be about Windows Phone 8.1 and its convergence with WinRT.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:38 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Joe Belforiore, CVP, Operating Systems Group, takes stage.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Announcing two things:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
1. Windows Phone 8.1</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
2. Windows 8.1 Update</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Prestigo phone.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Growing ecosystem for phone: htc, nokia, lg, Samsung, presigio, zte, Lenovo, Karbonn, Huawei, Gionee</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:42 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
New action center. Nice looking. Lock screen personalization. Highly interactive. Background images for tiles as previously leaked. Looks cool.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:45 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Cortana. Awesome. Glad they stuck with the name. Very cool.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:47 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Cortana looks like a hit. Personalized digital assistance. Think Siri and Google now combined.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:50 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Cortana notebook -- a way to personalize Cortana: interests, remind me, quiet hours, inner circle, places, music searches, settings.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Looks like he is holding a 1520. Could it be the giveaway?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:59 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
"Wake me up at 7:00 AM tomorrow"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
"What is on my calendar for Saturday?"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
"Put dentist appointment on my calendar for Friday August 1st at 10:00 AM"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
She knows previous context.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Cortana in beta.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>9:05 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Type or talk with Cortana.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Cortana has people reminders.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
"Next time I talk with my sister, ask her about her new puppy."</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Cortana has integration with other apps. Very interesting to me.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>9:14 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Cortana is the first truly digital assistant.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Nick Hedderman, Senior Product Manager, Windows.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Showing off policy control for Windows Phone 8.1 for corporate users.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Enhancements to the Windows Store:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
+ Featured apps</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
+ For you (personalized suggestions)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
+ Categories (same as on Windows 8)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
+ List</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
New calendar:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
+ Weather</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
+ Swipe right to get to next day</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
+ Other views: week view with day expansion</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
+ 3rd party API</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Improved performance</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
WiFi Sense</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Storage Sense</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>9:25 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Word flow keyboard now for Windows 8.1. Shape writing. Looks good.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Now worlds fastest keyboard.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Available to consumers next for months.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
But...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Available on brand new phones late April.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
"For all of you developer... Have to wait for David Tredwell."</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Joe</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>9:40 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Universal Windows apps. WinRT is now on phones.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
GridView control that works across different form factors.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>9:44 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Universal apps are based on WinRT. Same way as for Windows 8 apps: C#/XAML, Javascript/HTML, C/C++ XAML/Direct X</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>9:48 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Update to VS 2013 that allows one to develop universal apps.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>9:55 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Store apps are now 50x faster through process.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>10:04 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
100's of new features added to Windows Phone 8.1</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
+ Triggers for background tasks</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Cortana's complex grammar capability is now at our disposal. Very cool. XML.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>10:11 AM</strong></div>
Side-loaded apps now seem to have access to all of Windows and .NET capabilities.<br />
<br />
Great for enterprise apps.<br />
<br />
Has to be wrapped in a windows runtime component.<br />
<br />
<strong>10:15 AM</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
3rd major theme. Enabling cross-platform apps.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Going to announce Xamarin acquisition?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Cross-platform frameworks.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
WinJS now open-source and available across platforms: web, phone, windows modern UI apps</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>10:20 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Windows 8.1 update available on MSDN today.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
VS 2013 update 2 RC available today.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Windows phone 8.1 preview available today.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>10:24 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Now talking about future roadmap.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Universal apps running on Xbox One in future.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>10:42 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
New start screen for desktop users. Has live tiles too.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>10:43 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Jeez. Free Xbox one to everyone in the office.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
$500 gift card to the Microsoft store.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I totally guessed wrong.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>10:49 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Announcing Nokia Lumia 930.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Wireless charging for 930.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
630 has great price point $189 for most expensive with dual sim.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>11:17 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Satya answering questions. Doesn't look like Xamarin will be acquired. Looks like I owe Mike Kush $5.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>11:20 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The closing is coming. Is there one more thing?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>11:25 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Bizspark program. 75,000 startups leveraged it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Build platforms...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>11:30 AM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
That's a wrap for the keynote. Heading for lunch then sessions. Plan to attend the Xamarin party tonight.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>1:31 PM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Unboxing won't be the same since Xbox and gift card.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>3:39 PM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Hall 1A: Super long line for Ander's TypeScript talk.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>4:00 - 5:00 [Session] Anders Hejlsberg on TypeScript</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
He's a tech rock start -- no doubt. Used his Turbo Pascal compiler -- a very long time ago. It was lightening fast and affordable.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/10/top-10-reasons-why-typescript-will-be.html"><strong>Top 10 Reasons why TypeScript will be widely adopted</strong></a> that I wrote when it was initially announced in 2012.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Now 1.0.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
TypeScript uses "Structural Typing" also known as "Duck Typing." If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it is a duck.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>5:25 PM: We're all connected...</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Luckily, ran into a couple of people that I know since surrounded by 5,000 people that I don't know. Appu Saigal, a minimalist designer that helped me <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2014/02/screw-best-practices-and-dogma.html">question dogma</a>, and Jeremy Ruggaber now at <a href="http://www.match.com/">www.match.com</a>. Jeremy and I worked on the BMW redesign at <a href="http://www.bmwusa.com/">www.bmwusa.com</a> and financial services integration together. Both guys are the best of the best.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Going to Katanya for noodles, then Xamarin party at 8:30 PM. Might post some photos of Xamarin party. I guess there is still a chance for the Microsoft acquisition announcement tomorrow during Scott Gu's keynote in the morning. If not, I lose $5 to Mike Kush. Knew it was a <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2014/03/build-2014-expectations-and-predictions.html">risky prediction</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>5:37 PM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Was completely wrong about the giveaway. Microsoft gave away an Xbox One and a $500 gift certificate at Microsoft store to buy whatever device you prefer. I already used my cert to get the high reviewed <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/Nokia-Lumia-1520-for-ATT/productID.289421700">Nokia 1520</a> -- a beautiful (6" phablet) Windows phone.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
This is my second Xbox One, but very grateful and my daughter even more since it will go upstairs with her. She's used Windows a year before it came out. I don't think that anyone is ruling out the possibility of computer science degree for her.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I really thought that they would giveaway a phone since Build is focused on the release of Windows Phone 8.1 this year, but ultimately I guess it was a giveaway for me.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>6:44 PM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Best Ramen at Katanya's. If Ramen noodles tasted this good in college, I would have never left. Very small place but always a wait.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UEOW9r-dJaE/Uzy_uvj5XJI/AAAAAAAAA3I/_-KqzS98lTM/s1600/WP_20140402_021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UEOW9r-dJaE/Uzy_uvj5XJI/AAAAAAAAA3I/_-KqzS98lTM/s1600/WP_20140402_021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Kung-pi!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:30 PM</strong></div>
Clean demo area connected to dev challenge. Nice lighting. Casual but great Kinect 2 out front. Tech girl in sound proof box asking questions to Cortana -- well done.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--rHo_9zckeg/Uzz6K7apUtI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/U52hNHtAIKM/s1600/DemoLand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--rHo_9zckeg/Uzz6K7apUtI/AAAAAAAAA3Y/U52hNHtAIKM/s1600/DemoLand.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:38 PM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Poor photographer, but shows dimensions of Nokia 1520 against a larger display. Beautiful glass. 1080p.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-arFQY3mijwk/Uzz8iZzxmfI/AAAAAAAAA3k/o0KiyT4aNs8/s1600/WP_20140402_025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-arFQY3mijwk/Uzz8iZzxmfI/AAAAAAAAA3k/o0KiyT4aNs8/s1600/WP_20140402_025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-arFQY3mijwk/Uzz8iZzxmfI/AAAAAAAAA3k/o0KiyT4aNs8/s1600/WP_20140402_025.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="left">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-arFQY3mijwk/Uzz8iZzxmfI/AAAAAAAAA3k/o0KiyT4aNs8/s1600/WP_20140402_025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>8:55 PM</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Line for Xbox. Normally I would be trying to assist the line, but this is the front of the line.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DR8643L68QY/Uz0A4HiH_kI/AAAAAAAAA4U/T500juF-9zg/s1600/WP_20140402_026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DR8643L68QY/Uz0A4HiH_kI/AAAAAAAAA4U/T500juF-9zg/s1600/WP_20140402_026.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>9:25 PM Xamarin Party</strong></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Captured best moment. Talked security guy to get a photo with a guy with Marvel potential. The freak show begins -- not completely unlike Comi-con. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrqFPEQeLU4/Uzz-G1-A6WI/AAAAAAAAA3w/1TslNI9sdbs/s1600/WP_20140402_035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrqFPEQeLU4/Uzz-G1-A6WI/AAAAAAAAA3w/1TslNI9sdbs/s1600/WP_20140402_035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XrqFPEQeLU4/Uzz-G1-A6WI/AAAAAAAAA3w/1TslNI9sdbs/s1600/WP_20140402_035.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both;">
//build/ 2014: expectations and predictions (#bldwin)</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bqmd882IvbM/UzN69GrEmaI/AAAAAAAAA0I/JUt1jPXgN4Y/s1600/build2014.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bqmd882IvbM/UzN69GrEmaI/AAAAAAAAA0I/JUt1jPXgN4Y/s1600/build2014.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>//build/ 2014</b> is the fourth build event from Microsoft (April 2 - 4). Like last year, Build is being held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Despite never having a real agenda for the conference, build always sells out fast; last year within a few hours.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Why attend Build?</h3>
<a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/search?q=build">Each Build</a> that I have attended (<a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/09/five-perspectives-why-build-could-be.html">2011</a> and <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/06/what-to-expect-at-build-2013-bldwin.html">2013</a>) has been a week of fun — the best ever. Build gives me a week to come up for air to learn new technologies, share ideas, get new gear, and attend a few parties. Ultimately, it is a geek week for me. The key: <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/02/fall-in-love-with-your-work.html">fall in love with your work</a>.<br />
<br />
<strong>My expectations and predictions for Build 2014</strong><br />
The expectations and predictions below are based on the same information that you have available: tech news and previous conferences.<br />
<h3>
<b>Expectations </b></h3>
<b>Satya Nadella Vision Keynote </b><br />
First keynote for Satya Nadella, Microsoft's new CEO and a true tech geek, will be about his vision for Microsoft. Beware: the geeks are running Microsoft again. Looking forward to it. This new vision should include mobile first and cloud first as a big part of the strategy.<br />
<br />
<b>Windows 8.1 Update 1 Released </b><br />
Windows 8.1 Update 1 will be released at Build initially to at least MSDN subscribers (<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-releases-windows-8-1-update-1-to-manufacturing-7000026983/">Source</a>).<br />
<br />
<b>Windows Phone 8.1 </b><br />
Windows Phone 8.1 is going to be a big part of Build 2014.<br />
<br />
<b>Cortana</b><br />
Cortana is named after one of the main characters, an A.I., in the Halo game series. Originally, Cortana was the codename for Satoria knowledge repository powered by Bing, but it seems that the name will remain. I really like the name and that it associates some Xbox cool with Windows Phone. Perhaps, I will have her call me Master Chief and post some recordings of her in the live blog of Build 2014 for Halo fans.<br />
<br />
<b>Windows 8.1 Update 1 Download</b><br />
Likely available to MSDN subscribers for the first few days, then soon after available via Windows Store. It is free.<br />
<br />
<b>SQL Server 2014 </b><br />
Including big data enhancements (<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/sql-server/default.aspxWT.srch=1&WT.mc_ID=SEM_BING_USEvergreenSearch_SQLServer2014&CR_CC=200072478#fbid=FOEg29IZ9mk}">Source</a>, <a href="http://sqlmag.com/business-intelligence/big-data-in-2014%20Predictions">Source</a>)<br />
<h3>
Predictions</h3>
<div>
One additional expectation: do not expect all of these predictions to be true. :-)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<b>Microsoft announces the acquisition of Xamarin </b><br />
Perhaps, I am projecting what I really want to happen and it will only be a co-marketing and integration deal; either will be good for C# developers and give momentum to a great cross-platform development approach that is already a great solution (<a href="http://www.winbeta.org/news/rumor-microsoft-acquire-or-invest-xamarin-mobile-app-development-startup">Source</a>).<br />
<br />
One example: asynchronous design and programming is the <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/11/why-is-next-major-paradigm-shift-in.html">next software development paradigm shift</a> in my view, and no other language supports it better than C#. I will be attending the Xamarin/Microsoft event next Wednesday evening at Mezzazine and blogging some of the details. See "Live blogging of Build 2014" section for more details.<br />
<br />
Anders Hejlsjberg said about Xamarin last year at Build, “I’m a great fan of their work." Xamarin could really fit with Microsoft's new mobile and cloud first strategy. We should also hear more about the strategy at Build.<br />
<br />
<b>Visual Studio 2014 Preview</b><br />
Developers will get a preview of Visual Studio 2014. The Visual Studio team now has yearly major releases. One of the big enhancements for VS 2014 will be Roslyn (a rewrite of the C# and VB compilers in C# instead of C++ — enabling not only dynamic compilation, but also more meta-capabilities for the future). It could be too early, but we will see.<br />
<br />
<b>Windows 9 Roadmap </b><br />
The roadmap for Windows 9 will be provided likely from Satya Nadella. No bits will be provided. I predict that Microsoft will go deeper this year into the strategy compared to previous Builds.<br />
<br />
<b>C# 6.0 / C# 7.0 </b><br />
Expect C# 6.0 to be available along with Roslyn via VS 2014 CTP and vision for C# 7.0 presentation by Anders Hejlsjberg.<br />
<br />
<strong>JavaScript / TypeScript for Windows Phone Development</strong><br />
We should see Windows Phone becoming much more common with <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/02/a-look-behind-curtain-of-windows-8.html">WinRT</a> including JavaScript/HTML bindings that we have today with WinRT.<br />
<br />
<strong>Xbox One Development Kit</strong><br />
We should expect to see the software development kit for Xbox One with more in common with WinRT and Windows Phone. <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/02/a-look-behind-curtain-of-windows-8.html">WinRT</a> (Modern UI), Windows Phone, and Xbox One with more common API Platforms are more common — hopefully, with a simple developer licensing model.<br />
<br />
<b>Giveaway Predictions</b><br />
Microsoft has a long tradition of treating developers well. Microsoft understands developers are key to its current and future success. The emphasis on developers should only increase with Satya Nadella, Microsoft's new CEO and a true tech geek.<br />
<br />
Code is real, it runs the world, and it helps to have good gear and tools to create it. Even if you are not that materialistic, it is still all about the gear.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Previous Build Giveaways </h3>
<span id="goog_1693665715"></span><a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/09/five-perspectives-why-build-could-be.html"><strong>Build 2011<span id="goog_1693665716"></span></strong></a>: Quad-core 11.6" Samsung tablet running a preview release of Windows 8 and Visual Studio 11<br />
<b>Build 2012</b>: Surface RT and Windows Phone<br />
<a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/06/what-to-expect-at-build-2013-bldwin.html"><strong>Build 2013</strong></a>: <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/06/build-2013-day-1-keynote-sessions.html">Surface Pro and Acer Iconia W3</a><br />
<br />
This year, I predict that the giveaway will include a phone and Surface. Given the expected focus on Windows Phone 8.1 (blue) and the Nokia acquisition, a Nokia phone should be included in the giveaway. Previous Build conferences have included a tablet in the giveaway so makes it likely this year as well.<br />
<br />
<h3>
2014 Phone Giveaway Predictions</h3>
<b>#1</b> <b>Nokia Lumia 930</b><br />
Rumored to be a slightly larger version of the Lumia Icon and international (<a href="http://www.knowyourmobile.com/nokia/nokia-lumia-930/21864/nokia-lumia-930-linked-build-2014-launch">Source</a>)<br />
<b>#2</b> <b>Lumia 1520</b><br />
Lumia 1520 is a 6" phone; with a phone like this, there is much less of a need for an 8" tablet; just a phone and a large tablet<br />
<b>#3</b> <b>Lumia 929</b><br />
Currently available but built for Windows phone 8.1<br />
<br />
<h3>
2014 Surface Giveaway Predictions</h3>
<b>#1 Surface Pro 2</b><br />
Not likely to have LTE<br />
<b>#2 Surface Mini</b><br />
Microsoft's rumored 7-8" surface. More likely to be released in June; otherwise, I would have made this #1 prediction, but rumors indicate a later launch.<br />
<b>#3 Surface Book</b><br />
A long rumored 13-14" ultra-book addition to the surface line.<br />
<br />
While I correctly predicted the giveaways for Build 2011 and 2013, a possible upset to this year's prediction could be some larger announcement and giveaway from Nokia via Microsoft — a wearable for example. Granted any combination would be fantastic as a conference attendee, my preference would the Lumia 1320 and Surface Book, although seems the least likely to happen given supply chains. One thing is for sure: it would be nice to get a phone with Windows 8.1 pre-loaded since it will take a while for the carriers to push updates. I could be cool for a couple of weeks at least within a small group.<br />
<br />
<b>See you at Build </b><br />
Look forward to seeing you at Build. If you are not attending, check out my upcoming live blog of Build 2014 below.<br />
<br />
<b>Live blogging of Build 2014 </b><br />
This year, I will be live blogging keynotes, giveaway unboxing, sessions, parties, and more. I will provide links to key streams and resources for you as well. You can follow the live blog at <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/">pursuit of great design</a>. I am excited and ready.<br />
<br />
Enjoy.<br />
<br />
<strong>Update</strong>: Microsoft just posted the agenda via <a href="http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014?sort=schedule&direction=asc#tab_sortBy_schedule">Channel 9</a>. It validates the expectation that WinRT will be available for Windows Phone 8.1.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-qMxOyXDz5Go%2FU0A9SEDZBdI%2FAAAAAAAAA9k%2Fj6AfndaR0jQ%2Fs1600%2FNerdLife.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qMxOyXDz5Go/U0A9SEDZBdI/AAAAAAAAA9k/j6AfndaR0jQ/s1600/NerdLife.jpg" --><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-60247799231172643402014-02-24T09:15:00.000-06:002016-04-17T11:51:23.115-05:00Screw best practices and dogma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4C1L1pBi4WE/UwjVkAdfLhI/AAAAAAAAAvs/NGGnuVTpNIM/s1600/best_practices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="94" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4C1L1pBi4WE/UwjVkAdfLhI/AAAAAAAAAvs/NGGnuVTpNIM/s1600/best_practices.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The term "best practice" is naïve, condescending, and quite dangerous. Why? Because it implies it can get no better and used regardless of your context or situation. You (and your team) live in a temporal context. Given your context, some practices are helpful and some are harmful. If you think about it, best practices do not even exist.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>What should you embrace instead of best practices?</b> Certainly consider practice patterns. A practice pattern is a practice that only makes sense in a particular context for a reason. Know your context and your practices will become clearer. The same is true for design patterns and you would not blindly use a design pattern no matter the context.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Dogma</b></h3>
Dogma is a set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>5 problems with dogma (and principles)</b></div>
1. Like best practices a design principle leaves no room for improvement and only makes sense in a context.<br />
<div>
<br />
2. Combining design principles often works against your real and honest goals. </div>
<div>
<br />
3. Design principles are often in conflict, which can only increase complexity. </div>
<div>
<br />
4. Design principles come with a downside. This also reveals the truth about dogma: dogma lays down negatives as incontrovertible truth.</div>
<div>
<br />
5. Design principles that worked in the past will not necessarily work in the future. Dogmas eventually collapse.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Why is dogma even more dangerous than best practices?</b><br />
Dogma is even more dangerous, because dogma is much harder to refute, and teams can base even more value on dogma since it is an entire set of principles driving an entire architecture. Challenge one principle and you challenge the dogma and architecture as a whole.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_WF8oKJsS3k/TsUVNySGUTI/AAAAAAAAAF0/3zPML5pvGaI/s1600/SteveJobs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_WF8oKJsS3k/TsUVNySGUTI/AAAAAAAAAF0/3zPML5pvGaI/s1600/SteveJobs.png" width="140" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b></b></blockquote>
"Don't be trapped by dogma --which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice."<br />
<br />
Steve Jobs (1955 - 2012)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>What should you embrace instead of dogma?</b><br />
Simply embrace design rationale and empirical data:<br />
<br />
<b><i> A</i> </b>is important, so we chose <b><i>B</i></b>, accepting downside <i><b>C</b></i>. <br />
<br />
<b>Design Teams</b><br />
Design teams can easily be locked in best practices and dogma. These often times divide a team in dysfunctional and irrational ways. Blindly following the dogma while losing sight of core goals. <br />
<br />
Empirically, I have seen some of the most successful (and profitable) teams refute best practices and dogma, so there has to be something to it.<br />
<br />
<b>The main point</b>: any design team should challenge best practices and dogma. As Alan Kay said, "Point of view is worth 80 IQ points."<br />
<br />
In my view, best practices and dogma do not lead to great design <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">—</span> more often, they lead to poor over-abstracted design which can be even worse than an <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/06/how-to-identify-under-abstracted-design.html">under-abstracted</a> design.<br />
<br />
Enjoy.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-45890146474659313262013-06-27T09:35:00.002-05:002016-02-10T21:13:38.137-06:00[Build 2013] <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--vXTGJDoZeA/UcxM5-mhzZI/AAAAAAAAATg/3lp5yUh0lRo/s1278/WP_20130626_051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</h3>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LR4JHPmXeFs/Uc-LQOeSp_I/AAAAAAAAAZ4/6an05jUicJA/s1278/WP_20130627_052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LR4JHPmXeFs/Uc-LQOeSp_I/AAAAAAAAAZ4/6an05jUicJA/s640/WP_20130627_052.jpg" width="640" /></a>What to expect at Build 2013 (#bldwin)? Knowns and unknowns.</h3>
<h3>
What is Build?</h3>
<br />
Build is a Microsoft conference that started in 2011 that replaces the PDC (Programmers Developer Conference), and combines MIX. The main idea: combine developers, designers, and hardware partners to create a new platform and a unified ecosystem around Windows 8 and related technologies. Build 2013 is the third in the series.<br />
<br />
I live blogged <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/09/five-perspectives-why-build-could-be.html">Build in 2011</a> when Windows 8 developer preview was unveiled at <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/09/five-perspectives-why-build-could-be.html">event live</a>. This year I will be live blogging keynotes, giveaway unboxing, hackathon, sessions, parties, and more. You can follow the live blog <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
What do we know about Build 2013?</h3>
The following have been announced for Build 2013 and available to everyone:<br />
<ul>
<li>Windows 8.1 preview: available June 26 (Windows 8 and RT)</li>
<ul>
<li>Boot to desktop</li>
<li>Start button</li>
<li>You will have to install and update that makes it 8.1 appear in the store</li>
</ul>
<li>Visual Studio 2013 (Blue) preview</li>
<li>Outlook RT preview</li>
<li>SQL Server 2012 R2</li>
<li>SQL Server 2014 (Blue) preview</li>
</ul>
<ul></ul>
<br />
<h3>
What do we not know about Build 2013? </h3>
Like many other developer conferences such as WWDC and Google I/O, we do not even know what keynotes and sessions will be provided and who will be speaking. In a way, developers sign up blindly for these conferences.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Keynote Predictions</h4>
The keynotes will likely include the following people:<br />
<ul>
<li>Steve Balmer, CEO</li>
<li>Jensen Harris, Director of Program Management</li>
<li>Julie Larson-Green, VP Windows</li>
<li>Tami Reller, Chief Marking Officer, and CFO, Windows</li>
<li>Satya Nadell, President Server & Tools Business</li>
<li>Joe Belfiore, VP Windows Phone Program Management</li>
<li>Terry Myerson, VP Windows Phone Division</li>
</ul>
<br />
Will Larry Elson make an appearance since a new partnership will be announced on Monday? Doubtful. Bill Gates? Doubtful.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Session Predictions</h4>
There will likely be sessions around the following topics:<br />
<br />
Windows 8.1 (Blue) including new APIS {link}, Azure, Xbox One, MVC, .NET 5.0, Entity Framework, TypeScript, MVC, SQL Server 2014, and WPF. Like previous years, there will be sessions for hardware, drivers.<br />
<br />
I wonder if there will be Xamarin sessions -- probably unlikely but we could be surprised.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Giveaway Predictions</h4>
Microsoft has a long tradition of treating developers well. As Steve Balmer says, "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMU0tzLwhbE&feature=player_embedded">Developers, developers, developers</a>." Microsoft understands developers are key to its current and future success.<br />
<br />
Microsoft has given away tablets at the last two Builds in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, they gave away a quad-core 11.6" Samsung tablet running a preview release of Windows 8 and Visual Studio 11. In 2012, they gave away a Surface RT and Windows Phone. Since they gave out a Surface RT last year, it would be an unlikely giveaway this year since many of the same people attend. Here are the predictions in order of likelihood (all will be running Windows 8.1 preview).<br />
<br />
<strong>Prediction #1</strong>: Surface Pro and Acer Iconia 8-inch tablet<br />
This one is the most likely since it is based on recent rumors (<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/more-surface-give-aways-andy-lees-on-leave-and-other-microsoft-news-of-the-week-7000016851">Source</a>).<br />
<br />
<strong>Prediction #2</strong>: Surface UltraBook<br />
Microsoft is due for the next rev of their Surface line. There is a rumor that they will have a 13" and 15" Surface Pro Book similar to the MacBook air except with touch. The attractive one for developers (<a href="http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/five-surface-devices-microsoft-should-make-2013">Source</a>). I am hoping for this one, but probably not due out until later this year.<br />
<br />
<strong>Prediction #3</strong>: Surface Pro 2<br />
The Surface Pro 2 line is expected to include a 7-8" tablet, 11", and potentially a 14" tablet. Again, this is probably due out later in the year so more unlikely to be the giveaway (<a href="http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/five-surface-devices-microsoft-should-make-2013">Source</a>).<br />
<br />
<h3>
What to bring?</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Energy</strong>: You are going to need it. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>Laptop</strong>: Even if you do not plan to be competitive in the hackathon, bring your laptop. This way, you can experiment with Windows 8.1 and related technologies between sessions and interact with other developers and Microsoft engineers. It is a cool scene (from a developer's perspective). Dinner and late-night snacks will apparently be provided.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>Layered Clothing</strong>: San Francisco has <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microclimate">microclimates</a>. Warm in the city and quite cold by the water this time of year. The temperature can vary by 5 degrees Fahrenheit just from block to block.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Follow the keynotes, sessions, giveaway unboxing, hackathon, parties, and more <span id="goog_1790916540"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/">here</a>. Live posts to follow with a promised real and unique perspective.<br />
<br />
Enjoy. Hope to see you there.<br />
<h3>
<br />[Build 2013] Day 1: Keynote, sessions, giveaway, & hackathon</h3>
<h3>
[7:05:AM PST]</h3>
Getting ready for day 1 of Build 2013. Day 1 is always the best. It has all the announcements in the keynote. Check back at 9:00 AM PST for live details.<br />
<br />
<br />
Check expectations <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/06/what-to-expect-at-build-2013-bldwin.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<h3>
[8:23 AM PST]</h3>
<br />
Keynote line<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IBBdYA7KTho/UcsHxGPaMeI/AAAAAAAAAQU/uUpszPG1ZK4/s1600/1372260267899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IBBdYA7KTho/UcsHxGPaMeI/AAAAAAAAAQU/uUpszPG1ZK4/s640/1372260267899.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
8:48 People filing in.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Di7wE4fwxE0/UcsNtxV4NfI/AAAAAAAAAQk/7zFRfUYwlME/s1600/1372261747507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Di7wE4fwxE0/UcsNtxV4NfI/AAAAAAAAAQk/7zFRfUYwlME/s640/1372261747507.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">Finally seated.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:04 keynote is running late. Bandwidth is quite bad. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Keynote starting</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VydB95QebK0/UcsRwlivwgI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/tLGfnRXbUa0/s1600/1372262809706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VydB95QebK0/UcsRwlivwgI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/tLGfnRXbUa0/s640/1372262809706.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">6000 attendees. Lots to show.<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:13 The new norm: rapid release. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:14 http://preview.windows.com</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:15 Balmer says attendees will get an Acer 8" tablet</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:18 Workhorse two in one tablet. Thinking he might announce Surface 2</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:22 Apps rising: Clipboard, Facebook, NFL Fantasy Football</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:26 Refined blend: Desktop/Modern</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:27 As expected, adding start button and boot to desktop</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S_IRnbdJaLI/UcsXLwFghRI/AAAAAAAAARE/ZAfG05s775Y/s1600/1372264213797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S_IRnbdJaLI/UcsXLwFghRI/AAAAAAAAARE/ZAfG05s775Y/s640/1372264213797.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:30 Julie Larson Green coming out</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:31 She's talking about 8.1 changes such as keyboard gestures. Very cool. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:35 Updates to modern apps. Looks much more powerful. Nice. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:38 Nice, powerful, on the fly pretty app, bing results</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:40 Dell all in one 27"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:41 Skype call with Jensen Harris -- great designer</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:43 SkyDrive and picture editing built into 8.1</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:44 All built in apps have been improved and new ones</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:45 Touch less gestures </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:46 Much smoother transition from desktop to start</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:47 Any size split and multiple apps on the screen. Now metro on multiple monitors</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:48 Star screen much tighter. New PowerPoint looks sharp</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:50 8.1 upgrade is free as expected</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:54 Now Visual Studio can monitor and diagnose battery usage</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:56 Better debug support for async. Preserves a sync call stack</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-foozx3DIv20/Ucsd5D878UI/AAAAAAAAARU/PVjbNoBxifI/s1600/1372265935727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-foozx3DIv20/Ucsd5D878UI/AAAAAAAAARU/PVjbNoBxifI/s640/1372265935727.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
9:59 Wizard for push notifications</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:02 Windows store enhancements: apps updated automatically, better organized, better merchandising</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:05 Improvements on the desktop: multi-monitor with different resolutions</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:08 8.1 now supports 3D printing natively</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:15 New PCs and tablets: Samsung 12 he's on single charge. Showing Lenovo detachable, Acer touch laptop under $400, Dell with 18 he's battery arm under $400</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:18 Julie Larson Green giving surface Pro as giveaway too. Yeah! Crowd is going wild. Two tablets as give always. Was my #1 prediction in giveaway <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/06/what-to-expect-at-build-2013-bldwin.html">predictions</a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:22 Bing now available as development platform including speech!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:24 Really nice but I hope there is no cost to the app to use</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:32 OCR capabilities available too </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:33 New developer portal</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:34 Apps can now have ears, eyes, and a mouth. I want to give them a brain</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:35 Balmer back and closing. In am excited about the bing SDK. I don't think that many of the devs have grokked it yet</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:38 Tomorrow: Azure and tools</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:39 Project Spark is am open world digital canvas</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:41 Available on Xbox One, 360, and Windows 8</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:45 Cross platform gaming</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:49 Balmer: One experience on every device</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:50 High volume, high value</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
10:51 Naturally transition of types of devices</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
That's a wrap for the day 1 keynote!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i8SSMKeEJGA/UctdFb74VtI/AAAAAAAAAR0/CER_ocPCG1g/s1600/WP_20130626_024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i8SSMKeEJGA/UctdFb74VtI/AAAAAAAAAR0/CER_ocPCG1g/s640/WP_20130626_024.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
[2:00 PM PST] Hackathon</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Back at hackathon. Only about 1 in 15 developers are in it. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YCHGYHIYx-k/UctfeRERiFI/AAAAAAAAASE/q71p_VBThXE/s1600/WP_20130626_13_18_41_Panorama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YCHGYHIYx-k/UctfeRERiFI/AAAAAAAAASE/q71p_VBThXE/s640/WP_20130626_13_18_41_Panorama.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JL30PyMmUN8/UctgvbR52rI/AAAAAAAAASU/R0TqHQLb2Rg/s1600/WP_20130626_028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JL30PyMmUN8/UctgvbR52rI/AAAAAAAAASU/R0TqHQLb2Rg/s640/WP_20130626_028.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
2:45 Looking forward to Anders Hejlsberg's TypeScript talk. Bet it will be crowded. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VzW7QnRTRYI/UctsOK9vLjI/AAAAAAAAASk/JFgPnzOmZiw/s1600/WP_20130626_13_15_19_Panorama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VzW7QnRTRYI/UctsOK9vLjI/AAAAAAAAASk/JFgPnzOmZiw/s640/WP_20130626_13_15_19_Panorama.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
2:53 Exhibit hall is well done</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
3:43 Got interviewed by a nice guy from Information Week</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dep7pQGlhfg/UcuE1A0KBRI/AAAAAAAAAS0/GKXKpGHwAok/s1600/1372292260538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dep7pQGlhfg/UcuE1A0KBRI/AAAAAAAAAS0/GKXKpGHwAok/s640/1372292260538.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
5:19 In line for goodies. Starts at 6:00</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iYyCEH8SUVk/UcuGvCFhgvI/AAAAAAAAATM/HSQcZVZsOQA/s1600/1372292776705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iYyCEH8SUVk/UcuGvCFhgvI/AAAAAAAAATM/HSQcZVZsOQA/s640/1372292776705.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
5:23 Now giving out ice cream, hot dogs, and more. @benheymink from England is happy about Haagen-Dazs. Making the wait more fun</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
[Build 2013] Day 2</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Getting ready for Day 2. The keynote will be focused on Azure and the cloud. Yesterday, I helped a conference facilitator with her network<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
connection problem. Later, she told me that she got very nervous when I started typing commands because she has tomorrow's keynote on it. </div>
<br />
Later I will share my unboxing photos from the giveaway. In my view, the best conference giveaway ever including a 128G Surface Pro with Type Cover and the Acer 8" with keyboard docking. Other items included 16G USB drive with all the bits, 100G free SkyDrive upgrade, and $25 Windows Phone App card (for my daughter).<br />
<br />
My plan for today: keynote, sessions, hackathon, and a Microsoft party at the pier. I will be live blogging the keynote today below.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Day 2: Keynote </h3>
8:53 Found a spot on the end so I can take some photos too<br />
<br />
8:58 About to start<br />
<br />
9:02 <a href="http://www.azuredevs.com/">www.azuredevs.com</a><br />
<br />
9:03 Satya Nadella, President & Tools Business presenting: The Cloud for Modern Business<br />
<br />
9:06 100+ major update releases<br />
<br />
9:07 Diverse workloads. 50% of fortune 500 companies use Microsoft's cloud<br />
<br />
9:10: Azure: PaaS and Iaas. Here is why I think cloud computing is <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2010/12/top-3-reasons-why-cloud-computing-is.html">unstoppable</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m4pAgiQukJ4/Ucxk8cw44TI/AAAAAAAAAT0/7aHXogelv2w/s1600/azurestack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m4pAgiQukJ4/Ucxk8cw44TI/AAAAAAAAAT0/7aHXogelv2w/s1600/azurestack.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
9:11 Windows Azure Stack<br />
<br />
9:12 20% of Azure compute is IaaS<br />
<br />
9:15 Full async support for Entity Framework<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-67KvY7gPKoQ/Ucxnna4hEyI/AAAAAAAAAUE/bUSJY458km4/s1600/scott.006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-67KvY7gPKoQ/Ucxnna4hEyI/AAAAAAAAAUE/bUSJY458km4/s1600/scott.006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
9:15 Scott Hanselman demoing ASP.NET <br />
<br />
9:16 Now just one ASP.NET project; not a separate MVC or WebForms project<br />
<br />
9:17 Now you can have more than one default browser such as IE and Chrome; when launched show up in VS<br />
<br />
9:21 Visual Studio 2013 now supports a peek feature; it will just throw up a method for viewing<br />
<br />
9:22 It feels wrong to me to have the solution explorer on the right; every other IDE has it on the left; the left edge is important -- left to right<br />
<br />
9:23 I know you -- easily changed<br />
<br />
9:26 CSS editor; hover now shows which browser supports which feature; applause<br />
<br />
9:28 Using Azure incremental publish <br />
<br />
9:29 Satya back<br />
<br />
9:30 130,000+ Azure web sites<br />
<br />
9:31 GA of Windows Azure web sites<br />
<br />
9:31 Visual Studio 2013 + .NET 4.5.1 Previews<br />
<br />
9:32 Windows Azure Mobile Services: provides an easy way to build out a back end for mobile devices (including Android and iOS)<br />
<br />
9:33 Josh Twist now demoing mobile services<br />
<br />
9:35 It is easy<br />
<br />
9:38 20,000+ Windows Azure mobile services<br />
<br />
9:40 New server explorer in 2013<br />
<br />
9:45 Scott Gu takes stage -- VP Windows Azure<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cVxSxvb_Gkk/UcxtX_X3tTI/AAAAAAAAAUU/of553xokqdo/s1600/autoscale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cVxSxvb_Gkk/UcxtX_X3tTI/AAAAAAAAAUU/of553xokqdo/s1600/autoscale.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
9:46 Talking about scale -- Skype <br />
<br />
9:47 And peak capacity; Skype > 40% cost savings<br />
<br />
9:46 Autoscale now baked into Windows Azure <br />
<br />
9:49 Looks really nice; you can put upper thresholds and triggers<br />
<br />
9:50 Per minute billing and will shutdown based on limits; this is nice for the little guy especially<br />
<br />
9:51 Autoscale available today (I do love Azure -- an OS of OSs)<br />
<br />
9:52 Talking identity; Active Directory in the cloud; on premise AD can be synchronized into the cloud<br />
<br />
9:59 SaS apps can be easily added such as ADP, Concur, Yammer, DocDesign, even Google Apps. All with single sign-on with AD<br />
<br />
10:03 3.2 Million business; 68 million active users synced AD<br />
<br />
10:04 Aaron Levie, co-founder + CEO box<br />
<br />
10:05 He's not doing well<br />
<br />
10:08 Integration (in my view, the <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2010/09/what-is-most-most-difficult-challenge.html">most difficult part of software development</a>)<br />
<br />
10:10 B2B EDI processing in the cloud; EA integration; integrate SaaS apps with on-premise systems<br />
<br />
10:20 B2B bridges -- important but not too sexy<br />
<br />
10:27 Office 365<br />
<br />
10:33 Some nice new features for CI in VS<br />
<br />
10:38 Getting some strange errors in IE 11<br />
<br />
10:39 DOM Explorer in IE11 looks incredible powerful<br />
<br />
10:48 Adobe cloud free for one year for attendees<br />
<br />
10:54 Bing as a platform<br />
<br />
10:55 A lot of new apps coming to the phone including mint, viper, today<br />
<br />
10:56 60 day registration for $19 to develop Windows phone apps -- the summer of apps<br />
<br />
10:58 More open source<br />
<br />
11:02 Unity integration -- mobile services plug-in<br />
<br />
11:04 Partnership with Unity/Microsoft -- have the ability to ship in MS stores<br />
<br />
11:05 $100K contest<br />
<br />
11:06 More games available today -- Monsters University, etc.<br />
<br />
11:07 Halo 4 is so cool; used azure to handle the live multi-player backend<br />
<br />
That's another wrap. Heading to Hackathon!<br />
<br />
<h3>
Hackathon</h3>
Totally packed today. Can't find a table.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tY95lju9zck/UcysS00YR9I/AAAAAAAAAUw/YFxwUyN4DOc/s1278/WP_20130627_012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tY95lju9zck/UcysS00YR9I/AAAAAAAAAUw/YFxwUyN4DOc/s640/WP_20130627_012.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Got to check out an 80" Pixel Sense. Missed it yesterday.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dnkh5d3DLHA/Ucys95ygUmI/AAAAAAAAAU4/TtMDMjLlnec/s1278/WP_20130627_018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dnkh5d3DLHA/Ucys95ygUmI/AAAAAAAAAU4/TtMDMjLlnec/s640/WP_20130627_018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Would be great for the <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/07/how-to-design-your-own-command-center.html">command center</a>, but would definitely blow out the budget at $22K.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Giveaway from yesterday</h3>
Here are some snapshots from the gift bag from yesterday. The Surface Pro is beautiful. The Acer's screen is not very crisp and the overall design is lacking, but should make a great test device. The smaller form factor is great, but this design does not compare to something like the Nexus 7". In defense of Acer, they had a great little touch Ultrabook for $399 in the exhibit. Would definitely recommend the Ultrabook.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N0zEvzYrAPk/UcyurN9v82I/AAAAAAAAAVY/zUoxw5OONYU/s1278/WP_20130626_049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N0zEvzYrAPk/UcyurN9v82I/AAAAAAAAAVY/zUoxw5OONYU/s640/WP_20130626_049.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iGWYR25ux4E/Ucyuq_6031I/AAAAAAAAAVM/wHT-j7IaFps/s1278/WP_20130626_051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iGWYR25ux4E/Ucyuq_6031I/AAAAAAAAAVM/wHT-j7IaFps/s640/WP_20130626_051.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vOaX8EVte5c/UcyuqjAveMI/AAAAAAAAAVI/GVSayjC0aIU/s1278/WP_20130626_052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vOaX8EVte5c/UcyuqjAveMI/AAAAAAAAAVI/GVSayjC0aIU/s640/WP_20130626_052.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yMg2fuAODzw/UcyurN6xwOI/AAAAAAAAAVc/08R62VrVbI8/s1278/WP_20130626_053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yMg2fuAODzw/UcyurN6xwOI/AAAAAAAAAVc/08R62VrVbI8/s640/WP_20130626_053.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V3WCjMghw_8/Ucyuvdwc2hI/AAAAAAAAAV4/DlLaJye_N0c/s1278/WP_20130626_054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V3WCjMghw_8/Ucyuvdwc2hI/AAAAAAAAAV4/DlLaJye_N0c/s1278/WP_20130626_054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V3WCjMghw_8/Ucyuvdwc2hI/AAAAAAAAAV4/DlLaJye_N0c/s640/WP_20130626_054.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Very nice packaging for the Surface Pro<br />
<br />
<u><span style="color: #0066cc;"></span></u><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Zb29jrh5BY/Ucyur0dBL_I/AAAAAAAAAVo/sGhc7iTxtRU/s1278/WP_20130626_055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Zb29jrh5BY/Ucyur0dBL_I/AAAAAAAAAVo/sGhc7iTxtRU/s1278/WP_20130626_055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Zb29jrh5BY/Ucyur0dBL_I/AAAAAAAAAVo/sGhc7iTxtRU/s640/WP_20130626_055.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Tri3S_-bsw/Ucyur7mPLtI/AAAAAAAAAVs/5WpJLFzr-WE/s1278/WP_20130626_056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Tri3S_-bsw/Ucyur7mPLtI/AAAAAAAAAVs/5WpJLFzr-WE/s640/WP_20130626_056.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Surface Pro 128G. Great display 1920x1080</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uqvH8i2pB5o/UcyuxdTNhlI/AAAAAAAAAWY/CjV4kpv1QOE/s1278/WP_20130626_057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uqvH8i2pB5o/UcyuxdTNhlI/AAAAAAAAAWY/CjV4kpv1QOE/s1278/WP_20130626_057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uqvH8i2pB5o/UcyuxdTNhlI/AAAAAAAAAWY/CjV4kpv1QOE/s640/WP_20130626_057.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gNZ3HaTnLf4/Ucyuw9mwRII/AAAAAAAAAWQ/9yI5I8RdBss/s1278/WP_20130626_058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gNZ3HaTnLf4/Ucyuw9mwRII/AAAAAAAAAWQ/9yI5I8RdBss/s640/WP_20130626_058.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Acer Iconia W3 side-by-side with Nexus 7. The Iconia W3's display and build quality just does not compare to the Nexus 7. The Iconia might be the first, but doubtfully the best for long.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jxxcc53C7Eo/Ucyuwfd9rYI/AAAAAAAAAWI/xyNIeiSNcyc/s1278/WP_20130626_060.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jxxcc53C7Eo/Ucyuwfd9rYI/AAAAAAAAAWI/xyNIeiSNcyc/s640/WP_20130626_060.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
One nice thing about the Acer is that it attaches to the keyboard with screen side down to protect it.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Got Windows 8.1 installed on both last night. Would have posted these last night, but my got texted a few times that I should go out to see the city. <br />
<br />
The Surface Pro will probably become my day-to-day machine. Even though it is much smaller than I am used to, the display is beautiful and crisp. Using a USB 3.0 docking station, you can attach up to 3 1920x1080 displays.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Party at the pier</h3>
Chilling in the exhibit hall before the party.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w_XL2pcbc0A/UczusX9CHtI/AAAAAAAAAWo/RgIVP_P9H9w/s1600/WP_20130627_028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w_XL2pcbc0A/UczusX9CHtI/AAAAAAAAAWo/RgIVP_P9H9w/s640/WP_20130627_028.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The party is at a cool venue just south of AT&T Park. Food trucks. Very industrial. Going to have a band?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_rFFAVNsi4/Ucz7R9sR77I/AAAAAAAAAXA/81ItvV2JWOY/s1600/WP_20130627_042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_rFFAVNsi4/Ucz7R9sR77I/AAAAAAAAAXA/81ItvV2JWOY/s640/WP_20130627_042.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fdf6oyO1uBg/Ucz7OAVJ1WI/AAAAAAAAAW4/72URvqIFAO4/s1600/WP_20130627_041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fdf6oyO1uBg/Ucz7OAVJ1WI/AAAAAAAAAW4/72URvqIFAO4/s640/WP_20130627_041.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hT6fXb3kC_4/Ucz7SZt_UvI/AAAAAAAAAXI/N-hgIgdOoJg/s1600/WP_20130627_040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hT6fXb3kC_4/Ucz7SZt_UvI/AAAAAAAAAXI/N-hgIgdOoJg/s640/WP_20130627_040.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0CDpjfk_PeM/Ucz7XS-6-wI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/ZoSIOIcfNX8/s1600/WP_20130627_037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0CDpjfk_PeM/Ucz7XS-6-wI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/ZoSIOIcfNX8/s640/WP_20130627_037.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Approximately 2 orders of magnitude of guys to girls like most build parties not that it matters to me, but it is still strange</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SxzaBkxtyGA/Uc-KChFOTzI/AAAAAAAAAZk/AxrrxnRhXzQ/s1278/WP_20130627_039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SxzaBkxtyGA/Uc-KChFOTzI/AAAAAAAAAZk/AxrrxnRhXzQ/s640/WP_20130627_039.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a9qzJJgqcoE/Ucz-AwotUGI/AAAAAAAAAXg/0cp0ydBWGk0/s1600/WP_20130627_038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a9qzJJgqcoE/Ucz-AwotUGI/AAAAAAAAAXg/0cp0ydBWGk0/s640/WP_20130627_038.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9uVKANpjIdg/Ucz-CYBSOLI/AAAAAAAAAXo/oqMyolOceRg/s1600/WP_20130627_044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9uVKANpjIdg/Ucz-CYBSOLI/AAAAAAAAAXo/oqMyolOceRg/s640/WP_20130627_044.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AzYSwSlkHfU/Ucz-EuAxYzI/AAAAAAAAAXw/lngbQDBvOKo/s1600/WP_20130627_047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AzYSwSlkHfU/Ucz-EuAxYzI/AAAAAAAAAXw/lngbQDBvOKo/s640/WP_20130627_047.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0FaJC30Xw98/Ucz-Ge9BMYI/AAAAAAAAAX4/tgr2nrdANyQ/s1600/WP_20130627_045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0FaJC30Xw98/Ucz-Ge9BMYI/AAAAAAAAAX4/tgr2nrdANyQ/s640/WP_20130627_045.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lFqoRbd85xE/Ucz-HlxWuUI/AAAAAAAAAYA/GT9OF_RkRe8/s1600/WP_20130627_046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lFqoRbd85xE/Ucz-HlxWuUI/AAAAAAAAAYA/GT9OF_RkRe8/s640/WP_20130627_046.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Might be 3 orders of magnitude. But still interesting people. Trying to inspire devs as usual. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PgDfjP6AyN4/Uc0HHcQFpVI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/nV4pxrIFaqE/s1600/WP_20130627_048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PgDfjP6AyN4/Uc0HHcQFpVI/AAAAAAAAAYQ/nV4pxrIFaqE/s640/WP_20130627_048.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Finally made some friends that understand my jokes. They are the only cops here. I think they can handle it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LR4JHPmXeFs/Uc-LQOeSp_I/AAAAAAAAAZ4/6an05jUicJA/s1278/WP_20130627_052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LR4JHPmXeFs/Uc-LQOeSp_I/AAAAAAAAAZ4/6an05jUicJA/s640/WP_20130627_052.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The most intelligent person that I have met so far was at the party is Gina. She is strong, confident, and intelligent. The qualities that I hoped for when my daughter was born (my daughter has them too). I guess it is not "how many", but which ones. I hope she sends me a linked-in invitation. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Microsoft party was a blast.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br />[Build 2013] Day 3: Final day</h3>
The final day of Build 2013. Just some sessions today until 3:00. There is some amazing hardware at the exhibit hall. I really like the larger screens. This could be the $399 ultrabook from Acer. If so, a great machine for $399.<br />
<br />
More to follow today.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P_T5gPmgq5A/Uc3DRGvNH-I/AAAAAAAAAZA/Xns7LXnIkMQ/s1278/WP_20130627_025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P_T5gPmgq5A/Uc3DRGvNH-I/AAAAAAAAAZA/Xns7LXnIkMQ/s640/WP_20130627_025.jpg" width="360" /></a>Here is where I used to work a long time ago: Post & Market. <em>The Net</em> with Sandra Bullock was filmed there and surrounding streets. A Lexus commercial too (where a Lexus SUV drove up the side of the building).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Got to get some Dim Sum today at <a href="http://www.yanksing.com/home.php">Yank Sing</a> -- the best (but expensive).<br />
<br />
Here is a link to the video of the keynotes and sessions: <a href="http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2013">http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2013</a><br />
<br />
It takes them about 24 hours to get the sessions ready for download so a day behind.<br />
<br />
Lots of 3D printers around in the exhibit hall since native support now in Windows 8.1.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCMxORDfFPs/Uc8Hk0rhJPI/AAAAAAAAAZU/Q2Pz2w0bkDM/s1270/WP_20130627_11_11_44_Panorama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCMxORDfFPs/Uc8Hk0rhJPI/AAAAAAAAAZU/Q2Pz2w0bkDM/s1270/WP_20130627_11_11_44_Panorama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="99" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCMxORDfFPs/Uc8Hk0rhJPI/AAAAAAAAAZU/Q2Pz2w0bkDM/s640/WP_20130627_11_11_44_Panorama.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QCMxORDfFPs/Uc8Hk0rhJPI/AAAAAAAAAZU/Q2Pz2w0bkDM/s1270/WP_20130627_11_11_44_Panorama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Exhausted, but made the most of Build 2013. I will update will resource links once I recover.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<strong>Update</strong>: <a href="http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2013">Video and slides</a> for Build 2013 keynotes and sessions.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I am really enjoying the Surface Pro giveaway. It has now become my primary machine. The build quality is excellent. I am even impressed with the cabling and accessories.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
During the hackathon and judging, Microsoft supplied many touch displays to attach to the Surface for demoing. Interacting with them changed my plans for the <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/07/how-to-design-your-own-command-center.html">command center</a>. Instead of dual panels for each workstation, I decided for one large touch display. I chose the highly rated <a href="http://touchscreen-monitors-review.toptenreviews.com/acer-t232hl-review.html">Acer T232</a>. The current street price is $449 and will certainly get cheaper. Really loving it. The larger the display, the more fun to touch.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The touch display standard requires that you connect to the display via HDMI, DVI, or VGA. I chose the mini display port to HDMI adapter to connect (so that it transmits sound too). In addition, it requires you to connect a USB cable (for transmitting the touch information). </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Here is one of my workstations with the Surface Pro driving it. Also bought another <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/08/who-makes-best-keyboard-7-reasons.html">Apple keyboard</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1NCJyB6su58/UeF0Vu_-RyI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/YSoASW8lljI/s1600/workstationbeta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1NCJyB6su58/UeF0Vu_-RyI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/YSoASW8lljI/s640/workstationbeta.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Enjoy.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-V3WCjMghw_8%2FUcyuvdwc2hI%2FAAAAAAAAAV4%2FDlLaJye_N0c%2Fs1278%2FWP_20130626_054.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V3WCjMghw_8/Ucyuvdwc2hI/AAAAAAAAAV4/DlLaJye_N0c/s1278/WP_20130626_054.jpg" --><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-16635462131625122722013-03-03T19:46:00.000-06:002016-04-17T12:45:45.932-05:00What might surprise you about Windows 8 store apps? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4YStRsVFMAc/UTPojyXT5yI/AAAAAAAAAMc/PVzkwjNgM54/s1600/bofa.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4YStRsVFMAc/UTPojyXT5yI/AAAAAAAAAMc/PVzkwjNgM54/s1600/bofa.png" width="640" /></a>The surprise: plain JavaScript source code can be viewed easily. The JavaScript codebase is available as one or more text files. No DLL. Just code sitting in the app directory. As shown previously, you can <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/02/a-look-behind-curtain-of-windows-8.html">browse the Windows App</a> directory and view assets for any store app. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/02/what-percentage-of-windows-store-apps.html">36% of Windows Store apps</a> are written using HTML5/JavaScript (WinJS). These apps are not just news reading apps, but more serious apps. One example is the Bank of America app.
</div>
<br />
Having worked on some other serious financial applications (<a href="http://www.bmwusa.com/">www.bmwusa.com</a> and a fully-automated trading system), I am certain that the Bank of America app is well analyzed and protected with extra security features across the service layer. Communication that crosses the service layer also crosses a security boundary. When a security boundary is crossed, you must assume that every call is a potentially intrusion attempt. A zone where real security comes into play. Here are some actions to take and decisions to make when writing service apps that I wrote for the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) back in 2011: <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/08/why-use-decision-framework.html">http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/08/why-use-decision-framework.html</a>. When security is paramount, you should consider taking multiple countermeasures for each threat so that if one of the countermeasures is compromised or misconfigured, others are still in place to protect against the threat.
<br />
<br />
As for the JavaScript files (codebase) in plain text files, you can take extra steps to strip comments, minimize, and obfuscate the code — likely a good idea. This is a common technique for JavaScript producers since their source code can be viewed online as it is downloaded to browsers to run. Even C#/C++ apps can be decompiled, but with JavaScript there is no need.<br />
<br />
Whatever you decide, make sure that you protect the service boundary. The <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh339626(v=vs.100).aspx#yte">service protector pattern</a> could also help. Another option: use a message processing layer that can immediately deny and log offending messages; that is, where each message is analyzed before it is allowed to pass through to application code. This way, every message is guaranteed to be analyzed.<br />
<br />
Enjoy.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-41951430797687705862013-02-20T09:40:00.000-06:002016-04-17T12:45:27.216-05:00What percentage of Windows apps are written in JavaScript?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AkYMcxa3KPI/USTqqCNGq_I/AAAAAAAAAMM/OUz40sMVrYk/s1600/percent.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AkYMcxa3KPI/USTqqCNGq_I/AAAAAAAAAMM/OUz40sMVrYk/s1600/percent.png" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/03/why-has-microsofts-metro-design.html">Windows 8</a> provides a <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/09/two-reasons-why-you-will-like-windows-8.html">new touch first experience</a> for <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/03/why-has-microsofts-metro-design.html">Store apps</a>. You can write Windows Store apps using a common API (WinRT) with language projections (bindings) to C#, Visual Basic, C++, and <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/10/top-10-reasons-why-typescript-will-be.html">JavaScript</a>. XAML (Extensible Markup Language) is used to create not only Windows Store apps, but also Silverlight and WPF applications. There are differences between Windows Store apps, Silverlight, and WPF apps, but knowing one makes the others easy. JavaScript uses HTML5 markup and CSS3 to create fully native apps.
<br />
<br />
Here is the <strong>breakdown</strong> according to Robert Evans, Microsoft Technical Lead for Windows Store App Labs (<a href="http://thetabletshow.com/?ShowNum=70">Source</a>):<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>59% XAML/.NET (C# and Visual Basic)
</li>
<li>36% HTML/JavaScript
</li>
<li>5% XAML/C++
</li>
</ul>
<br />
During my inspection of apps, there seems to be even a higher percentage of XAML/.NET apps; however, I trust the submission numbers. Just the ones I tend to use are generally written in XAML/.NET.
<br />
<br />
You <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/02/a-look-behind-curtain-of-windows-8.html">can inspect your installed apps</a>, too. You can look behind the <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/03/why-has-microsofts-metro-design.html">Windows 8</a> <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/02/a-look-behind-curtain-of-windows-8.html">curtain</a>.
<br />
<br />
Despite the numbers, in my view <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/10/top-10-reasons-why-typescript-will-be.html">all of us could be writing TypeScript/JavaScript</a> or some other variant someday soon. I always thought that it would be a dynamic language, but never thought it would be based on JavaScript.
<br />
<br />
Whatever you pick, enjoy it.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Update</strong>: These percentages are based on over 4000 apps that have come through the app labs. These are mostly consistent with the numbers that I have found through limited inspection. Here is how: <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/02/a-look-behind-curtain-of-windows-8.html">http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2013/02/a-look-behind-curtain-of-windows-8.html</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-62262663239582562962013-02-19T07:51:00.001-06:002013-02-19T08:45:16.612-06:00A look behind the Windows 8 curtain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6vnqKUCrlLo/USJgVSINrII/AAAAAAAAAL0/yjnVeaNA0Yw/s1600/theCurtain.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6vnqKUCrlLo/USJgVSINrII/AAAAAAAAAL0/yjnVeaNA0Yw/s1600/theCurtain.png" /></a></div>
Windows 8 provides new kind of<a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/09/two-reasons-why-you-will-like-windows-8.html"> touch first apps</a> available from the Windows Store. These Window Store apps use WinRT—the new windows runtime—not to be confused with Surface RT (the new ARM based tablet from Microsoft). WinRT provides language projections (bindings) for C#, Visual Basic, C++, and Javascript.
<br />
<br />
Loosely speaking, WinRT can be thought of as an object-oriented sandboxed secure replacement for Win32. <br />
<br />
In my view, <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/09/two-reasons-why-you-will-like-windows-8.html">you will like Windows 8 Store apps even on a desktop or laptop</a>.
Give them a try. The <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/03/why-has-microsofts-metro-design.html">Modern UI style</a> that Windows 8 Store apps use can provide a better experience.<br />
<br />
<strong>This quick look behind the curtain for Windows 8 Store apps answers these basic questions</strong>:
<br />
<ul>
<li>Where are the Windows Store apps located?
</li>
<li>Where do the apps run?
</li>
<li>Where do apps store your data?
</li>
<li>Where is the WinRT?
</li>
<li>Where do XAML apps get their style?
</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Where are the Windows Store apps located?
</h3>
<br />
Windows Store apps are stored in the directory <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">C:\Program Files\WindowsApps</span>. <br />
<br />
Each app will have its own subdirectory.
<br />
<br />
Now, you will not be able to open the directory without first changing the ownership of the directory, so I have included terse instructions at the bottom of this post: <strong><em>[How To] change permission on the WindowsApps directory</em></strong>.
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pnvSUAO_fb0/USJgwLz4quI/AAAAAAAAAL8/v8jAUFKeID0/s1600/WindowsApps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pnvSUAO_fb0/USJgwLz4quI/AAAAAAAAAL8/v8jAUFKeID0/s640/WindowsApps.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Once you dig deeper into the WindowsApps directory, you will notice a directory for each app (and an additional one for updates). <br />
<br />
Digging further, you will notice that the majority of apps are written with XAML/C# apps, not HTML5/Javascript.
<br />
<br />
As you will see, one of the disturbing things about HTML5/JavaScript apps is that you can read the JavaScript code. While you can decompile C# code as well, it is a bit more disturbing just to see the source sitting there. This is a good reason to obfuscate and minimize your Javascript before shipping. Most JavaScript developers are already used to this since the majority is delivered to web browsers.
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Where do the apps run?
</h3>
<br />
If the app was developed using HTML5/JavaScript, then it runs in a host process called WWAHost.exe. This host process runs Trident and Chakra engines along with the JavaScript projections to WinRT. You will have to view the command line parameters via <em>ProcessExplorer</em> or Task Manager to view the command line parameters to narrow down the app.<br />
<br />
.NET Language C#, VB, and C++ are compiled into their own binary. <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">MyApp.exe</span> for example.
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Where do apps store data?
</h3>
<br />
There are three main types of app storage:<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>Local</strong>: Persistent data that exists only on the current device
</li>
<ul>
<li>Typical location: <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Packages\{app_id}\LocalState</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>Roaming</strong>: Data that exists on all devices on which the user has installed the app. The current limit is 100K. The limit can be founding using the following WinRT call: ApplicationData.Current.RoamingQuotaLimit
</li>
<ul>
<li>Typical location: <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Packages\{app_id}\RoamingState</span>
</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>Temporary</strong>: Data that could be removed by the system any time the app isn't running
</li>
<ul>
<li>Typical location: <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Packages\{app_id}\TempState</span>
</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Where is WinRT?
</h3>
<br />
The API is specified in the following directory using but the code runs elsewhere winmd:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\References\CommonConfiguration\Neutral</span>
<br />
<br />
The Windows Store apps (Metro) .NET profile can be found in the following directory:
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">C:\Program Files (x86)\Reference Assemblies\Microsoft\Framework\.NETCore\v4.5\</span>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Where do XAML apps get their style?
</h3>
<br />
When styling your XAML apps, you will likely edit <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">StandardStyles.xaml</span> located in the Common directory of your app—by default. As you will notice, these styles reference other styles that do not seem to exist. You can find these referenced (default) styles in the following directory:
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">c:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\Include\WinRT\Xaml\Design\themeresources.xaml".
Generic.xaml</span>
<br />
<br />
You can redefine the desired styles such as Font color from the default in your <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">StandardStyles.xaml</span>.
<br />
<br />
I find it useful to put them into corresponding sections called Standard Styles Overrides.
<br />
<br />
<em><strong>Sidebar: [How To] take ownership of the Windows App directory</strong> </em><br />
<em>In order to take ownership of the Windows App directory, you will have to be Administrator. </em><br />
<em> </em><br />
<em>You might also first need to set the option to display hidden directories. Once you can see the directory, then select the "Windows App" folder and select Properties of the following directory: <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">C:\Program Files\Windows Apps\</span>.</em><br />
<em> </em><br />
<em>Select the "Security Tab" from the Properties window and select advanced. Change the owner using the "Change" link. Give yourself ownership. You will have to be Administrator in order to do this. </em><br />
<em> </em><br />
<em>Sorry for the terse description. If you need more help, you can search the web for how to take ownership of Windows directory.</em><br />
<br />
<br />
I hope that this quick peek behind the Windows 8 curtain helps you understand how apps run, store data, and get their style. <br />
<br />
Enjoy. <br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-56151860623819849302013-02-04T09:16:00.000-06:002013-02-04T09:17:53.341-06:00Security Alert: Disable UPnP on your router!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nocj4xfEzT8/UQ_OAWBImSI/AAAAAAAAALk/d8QXNDSRjsM/s1600/Router.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nocj4xfEzT8/UQ_OAWBImSI/AAAAAAAAALk/d8QXNDSRjsM/s1600/Router.png" /></a></div>
You should disable UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) on your router.
<br />
<br />
In case you have not heard, there are about 81 million routers on the internet that can be completely compromised via exposed UPnP—likely including yours. There are known vulnerabilities in UPnP that have been exposed externally by most every router vendor (~1500 vendors). Since it was found to be exposed to 81 million routers combined with known UPnP vulnerabilities, these routers can be easily compromised giving complete control of your network to anyone able to address your router. This is a very serious and widespread security vulnerability!
<br />
<br />
The main thing that you need to do: make sure that UPnP is not available externally. It could be acceptable to have UPnP enabled internally only, if your router supports it. Xbox live, BitTorrent, Skype, and other apps can benefit or require having it enabled internally. <br />
<br />
It all starts with UDP port 1900 (UPnP Simple Service Discovery Protocol). <br />
<br />
<strong>More details...</strong>
<br />
Vulnerability Note VU#922681: <a href="http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/922681">http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/922681</a>
<br />
Security Now (#389: Great explanation): <a href="http://twit.tv/show/security-now/389">http://twit.tv/show/security-now/389</a>
<br />
Computer World: <a href="http://blogs.computerworld.com/malware-and-vulnerabilities/21717/check-your-router-now-lex-luthor-does">http://blogs.computerworld.com/malware-and-vulnerabilities/21717/check-your-router-now-lex-luthor-does</a>
<br />
HD Moore’s blog post (he found it): <a href="https://community.rapid7.com/community/infosec/blog/2013/01/29/security-flaws-in-universal-plug-and-play-unplug-dont-play">https://community.rapid7.com/community/infosec/blog/2013/01/29/security-flaws-in-universal-plug-and-play-unplug-dont-play</a>
<br />
<br />
Just wanted to help get the information out so you do not get <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pwned">pwned</a>.
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-73682614625417816252013-02-03T07:07:00.000-06:002013-02-03T08:02:09.245-06:00Fall in love with your work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HchuEQCF16o/UQ5tqGfYrqI/AAAAAAAAALU/ndxC2O7DU3c/s1600/Sushi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HchuEQCF16o/UQ5tqGfYrqI/AAAAAAAAALU/ndxC2O7DU3c/s1600/Sushi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HchuEQCF16o/UQ5tqGfYrqI/AAAAAAAAALU/ndxC2O7DU3c/s200/Sushi.png" width="200" /></a><br />
"Once you decide on your occupation, you must immerse yourself in it. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That is the secret to success and is the key to being regarded honorably."
<br />
<br />
"All I want to do is make better sushi. I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit. There is always a yearning to achieve more. I'll continue to climb trying to reach the top, but no one knows where the top is. Even at my age after decades of work, I don't think I have achieved perfection, but I feel ecstatic all day. I love making sushi."<br />
<br />
Jiro Ono - <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiro_Dreams_of_Sushi">Jiro Dreams of Sushi</a> <br />
<br />
Perhaps, love does lead to great design. Dreaming should be encouraged. Enjoy.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-42743336861840240992013-01-31T08:42:00.001-06:002013-01-31T08:46:00.940-06:00Linus Torvalds' code now in a Microsoft development product<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6oJbmSdHbOs/UQqABwNx1oI/AAAAAAAAAK0/qIikd2gAf5g/s1600/Git-Icon-Black.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6oJbmSdHbOs/UQqABwNx1oI/AAAAAAAAAK0/qIikd2gAf5g/s200/Git-Icon-Black.png" width="200" /></a></div>
Announced yesterday, TFS (Team Foundation Server) now supports Git as an integrated TFS repository. Microsoft has chosen Git as their DVCS (Distributed Version Control System) solution instead of building their own. They have full-time employees contributing to libgit2. I am really happy to see the TFS team move in this direction.
Git repositories seems to support the full ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) features of TFS.
<br />
<br />
Great interview/overview with Martin Woodward, TFS Program Manager, yesterday on .NET Rocks: <a href="http://www.dotnetrocks.com/default.aspx?showNum=842">http://www.dotnetrocks.com/default.aspx?showNum=842</a>
<br />
<br />
<strong>The irony</strong>: Linus Torvalds' code is now in a Microsoft development product. Thanks Linus. I, like many, appreciate your work and cannot wait to see your reaction.
Years ago, Linux was the only operating system that I ran--even on a laptop.
Linus Torvalds is the chief architect of the Linux kernel and also founded the Git project.<br />
<br />
More details:
<br />
<u><span style="color: #0066cc;"><a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/bharry/archive/2013/01/30/git-init-vs.aspx">http://blogs.msdn.com/b/bharry/archive/2013/01/30/git-init-vs.aspx</a></span></u><br />
<br />
Git support is still in CTP at this point and will only run on Visual Studio 2012 Update 2 (also CTP).
<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-65201276152079217662012-10-05T08:07:00.001-05:002012-11-05T06:29:11.948-06:00Top 10 reasons why TypeScript will be widely adopted <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zubiepqr34U/UG7Ul38qY2I/AAAAAAAAAKI/LaAZR9mUQPY/s1600/TypeScript.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zubiepqr34U/UG7Ul38qY2I/AAAAAAAAAKI/LaAZR9mUQPY/s320/TypeScript.png" width="320" /></a></div>
TypeScript is a new programming language launched this week by Microsoft. TypeScript is an open source JavaScript superset that adds classes, interfaces, modules, and arrow lambdas to JavaScript.
<br />
<br />
With a computer science career (or any other for that matter), it pays to pick the right technology; the one that will ultimately prevail. We invest a lot of time and energy in learning a new technology—granted it is fun—but it helps to be on target. It is easier. Companies and projects benefit as well; the development velocity increases when you pick a good technology, the approach, and business processes are simpler. Training and architecture are inherently easier. No matter the size, these matter.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Here are, in my view, the top 10 Reasons why TypeScript will be widely adopted:</strong>
<br />
<br />
<strong>#10: Works well with existing projects</strong>
<br />
TypeScript can be easily be adopted by any project that uses JavaScript today.
<br />
<br />
<strong>#9: Uses structural interfaces</strong>
<br />
Structural interfaces are automatically implemented by any object/prototype that complies structurally.
This means that you can define an interface for existing JavaScript library as long as the object/prototype complies structurally; that is, it has the same properties and functions. It is powerful and practical.
<br />
<br />
<strong>#8: Generates JavaScript</strong>
<br />
TypeScript is compiled into Javascript to ensure compatibility. This means that it can instantly run in just about any browser—just needs to be ECMA Script 3 compliant.
<br />
<br />
<strong>#7: Great tool support</strong>
<br />
Even though TypeScript is at 0.8, there is great tool support especially in Visual Studio. Also, text editor support for Sublime Text, EMACS, Vim.
Visual Studio IntelliSense is amazingly good for the TypeScript <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34790">plug-in and the compiler is built-in</a>.<br />
<br />
<strong>#6: Simplicity</strong>
<br />
TypeScript has a simple design. The TypeScript compiler is written in TypeScript—an example of <a href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=computational+reflection">computational reflection</a>—a beautiful thing. The C# compiler will only be implemented in itself in the next version. The typescript compiler is less than 25k physical lines of code excluding test cases and harness. Check it out the code out for yourself at <a href="http://typescript.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/fe3bc0bfce1f">CodePlex</a>.<br />
<br />
<strong>#5: Open Source</strong>
<br />
Microsoft has open-sourced the implementation and libraries. This is still in the best interest of Microsoft—internally they have large JavaScript projects to support Office, web properties that they own such as MSN, Windows 8 apps, etc.
The code is available at <a href="http://typescript.codeplex.com/SourceControl/changeset/view/fe3bc0bfce1f">CodePlex</a> under an<a href="http://typescript.codeplex.com/license"> Apache 2 License</a>.
<br />
<br />
<strong>#4: Anders Hejlsberg is involved</strong>
<br />
Anders Hejlsberg is a prominent Microsoft Fellow who co-designed several popular and commercially successful programming languages and development tools. He was the original author of Turbo Pascal and the chief architect of Delphi. Anders is the lead architect of C# and core developer on TypeScript.
<br />
<br />
I have admired Anders’ work since his first product: Turbo Pascal. Turbo Pascal, an amazing compiler and IDE, was written single handedly by Anders and it ran in less than 64k of memory. It was also lightning (turbo) fast. <br />
<br />
<strong>#3: TypeScript is a Javascript superset</strong>
<br />
TypeScript extends the JavaScript syntax. Any existing JavaScript program or library works with Typescript without a change.
Existing frameworks such as JQuery and Node.js are full supported. In addition, type declarations are provided. You can also install via <a href="http://www.typescriptlang.org/#Download">Node.js</a>.<br />
<br />
<strong>#2: Aligned with future JavaScript standards: ECMAScript 6</strong>
<br />
TypeScript is essentially an <a href="http://www.ecmascript.org/">ECMAScript</a> 6 bridge for us. Microsoft's aim is to get the class, interface, and module constructs added to the upcoming ECMA script 6 standard.
<br />
<br />
<strong>#1: Enables programming in the large</strong>
<br />
Introduces classes, interfaces, and modules—essential ingredients for programming in the large. JavaScript has often been criticized for not allowing programming in the large. In essence, moving us back. In my view, a great developer can produce good code in any language, but it is essential to have modules and other constructs to help with large teams.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Closing</strong>
<br />
Do not necessarily jump ship from .NET and start writing all your code in TypeScript. No doubt, we all have to write JavaScript from time-to-time and TypeScript can help improve the structure of it and increase its scale. Large scale JavaScript can be necessary for <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/09/two-reasons-why-you-will-like-windows-8.html">Windows 8</a> JavaScript/HTML apps.
<br />
<br />
This week, <a href="http://www.hanselman.com/blog/">Scott Hanselman</a> (@shanselman) tweeted, "he who is most likely to make declarative statements is most likely be to called a fool in retrospect." In my view, TypeScript will be widely adopted (or I am a fool). Tell me what you think?
<br />
<br />
<strong>Additional Resources</strong>
<br />
There are many ways to contribute to TypeScript: discuss the <a href="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=267238">spec</a>, write libraries, contribute to the CodePlex project, write code, submit bug reports, answer questions, learn it, provide feedback, and tell others.
<br />
<br />
TypeScript: <a href="http://www.typescriptlang.org/">http://www.typescriptlang.org/</a>
<br />
<br />
Anders Hejlsberg introduction video: <a href="http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/Anders-Hejlsberg-Introducing-TypeScript">http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/Anders-Hejlsberg-Introducing-TypeScript</a><br />
<br />
TypeScript
Dart vs. TypeScript comparison by a Dart team member:
<a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/10rkd9/welcome_to_typescript/c6g37xd">http://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/10rkd9/welcome_to_typescript/c6g37xd</a>
<br />
<br />
It is all about elegant code: simple yet powerful—the more the better; otherwise, much less is better. Enjoy.
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-42582268998574187462012-09-24T07:39:00.000-05:002013-10-18T08:58:29.786-05:00Two reasons why you will like Windows 8 store apps even on your desktop and laptop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8RE6pHoEIfI/UF-sY6e7LbI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/vfH4Y8_94_w/s1600/MyOffice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8RE6pHoEIfI/UF-sY6e7LbI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/vfH4Y8_94_w/s200/MyOffice.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
For more than a year, I have been thankfully using a Windows 8 tablet that was given to attendees of <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/09/five-perspectives-why-build-could-be.html">build</a> last year. Since then, I have been using the tablet as both a consumption and creation device—and even as a +95% replacement for my <a href="http://www.moleskineus.com/plainpocket.html">Moleskine notebook</a>. Windows 8 preview editions have been very stable for me throughout the process including Visual Studio 11 (2012).
<br />
<br />
Two reasons why, in my view, you will even like to use Windows 8 store apps on your desktop and laptop:
<br />
<br />
<strong>1. Reduced Friction</strong>
<br />
Traditional window management tasks such as moving, sizing, restoring, minimizing, maximizing, and closing are excise. This excise creates friction in the user experience. It may seem small, but it takes work to even get to the point where you can accomplish a goal. <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/03/why-has-microsofts-metro-design.html">Great interfaces get out of the way</a> and window management, often times, gets right in the way.
<br />
<br />
<strong>2. Improved Focus</strong>
<br />
Multi-tasking is a fallacy. Many studies done including a recent one at MIT conclusively show that what we commonly consider to be multitasking actually occurs in a sequential, not simultaneous manner (<a href="http://www.megatraxblog.com/2012/08/22/the-fallacy-of-multi-tasking/">Source</a>). All of us should focus on a single task at a time. People do <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/08/who-makes-best-keyboard-7-reasons.html">fuse with their tools</a>—<a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/heidegger-tools/">cognitively at least</a>; so, proper tooling can make a big difference in our behavior and productivity.
<br />
<br />
In my view, using Windows 8 store apps can help improve your <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/09/what-is-key-to-developing-great-mobile.html">focus</a> by forcing you to focus on one or two apps at a time. This style will just help us create better apps to help people be more productive overall.
<br />
<br />
"But I need to monitor my email and switch quickly between applications," you say.
<br />
<br />
I agree. Sometimes there is no substitute for a multi-monitor multi-window environment; however, Windows 8 does enable a quick context switch without having to re-launch the Windows store app. Quickly spin through your cognitive context of 5 to 7 things and start new ones. With simple gestures, you can quickly switch between contexts, dock, or close an app. These simple gestures also work well with a track pad or mouse. If you had to re-launch the app every time that you did a context switch, that too would create friction and excise.
<br />
<br />
With the <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/03/why-has-microsofts-metro-design.html">focus on the content and not the excise and chrome</a>, the experience can be much better.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Conclusion</strong><br />
My belief is that you will enjoy Windows store apps even on a laptop and desktop. Now, as a developer, I spend a lot of time using the traditional desktop with Visual Studio and with many other apps.
<br />
<br />
This only the beginning—a 1.0—of a shift in using Windows without windows. Even with a multi-monitor desktop, I use Window Store apps often—and even trumps over some traditional desktop apps. One example, I prefer using the Windows store app <em>tweeTRO</em> over any other desktop or web Twitter client.
<br />
<br />
Imagine making the same gestures without touching the display or a mouse—in front of a TV, game console, or even desktop. I can imagine a day when we will develop code with our hands and bodies not just our fingers (do not worry: <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/11/why-is-next-major-paradigm-shift-in.html">computational thinking is still required</a>).
<br />
<br />
We will <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/heidegger-tools/">fuse</a> with Windows 8 in many other ways beyond the keyboard and mouse.
<br />
<br />
In my view, the <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/03/why-has-microsofts-metro-design.html">Modern UI style</a> (formerly known as <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/03/why-has-microsofts-metro-design.html">Metro</a>) is great design. Windows 8 is certainly not perfect and granted not everyone will enjoy it as much as I do, but my belief is that sooner or later you will too.
<br />
<br />
Enjoy.
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-21526413948189628192012-09-19T07:30:00.000-05:002013-08-08T19:55:05.697-05:00Top WinRT .NET needs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4BRd3mpKHI/UFkbue5qEyI/AAAAAAAAAJk/obNMuJGyW3g/s1600/WinRT.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h4BRd3mpKHI/UFkbue5qEyI/AAAAAAAAAJk/obNMuJGyW3g/s320/WinRT.png" height="192" width="320" /></a></div>
WinRT is the new Windows 8 runtime used to create <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2012/03/why-has-microsofts-metro-design.html">Windows Store apps</a>. WinRT provides language projections (bindings) for C#, Visual Basic, C++, and Javascript. <br />
<br />
Loosely speaking, WinRT can be thought of as an object-oriented sandboxed secure replacement for Win32.
<br />
<br />
<br />
In my view, the top WinRT .NET needs are as follows:
<br />
<br />
<strong>Need: Mock testing framework</strong>
<br />
Mock objects are simulated objects that mimic the behavior of real objects in controlled ways. A programmer typically creates a mock object to test the behavior of some other object, in much the same way (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mock_Object">Source</a>).
<br />
<br />
Currently, there are no mock testing frameworks such as RhinoMocks available for "Windows Store" app development.
<br />
<br />
The reason: there is no dynamic proxy generation due to a missing namespace in the "Windows Store" profile: System.Reflection.Emit.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Workarounds</strong>
<br />
Use other kinds of test doubles such as fakes and stubs instead; this has been my approach.
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh441482.aspx">Microsoft Fakes</a>, is a new framework that generates test code for interfaces instead of dynamically mocking them but in a mock like fashion. Microsoft Fakes is only available in Visual Studio 2012 Ultimate.
<br />
<br />
MoQRT like Microsoft Fakes in that it generates the test code for an interface instead of dynamically mocking them.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Need: ADO.NET and other APIs
</strong><br />
The API for "Windows Store" apps is very tight and does not contain ADO.NET and Entity Framework. Mobile apps should also work when you are offline. Since WinRT is the future platform for Windows development, then there will be very sophisticated apps developed with WinRT. Sophisticated apps need sophisticated storage.
<br />
<br />
The WinRT profile is a significant subset of the full .NET 4.5 profile. In addition, many classes were moved into the Windows.* namespace (WinRT) which helps make them available to C++ and Javascript. This just creates an exercise in mapping the old to the new.
<br />
<br />
On the other hand, WinRT is tight. We are back to time where it is possible for the system to be understood by a single person.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Workarounds</strong>
<br />
Storage alternatives; these bits are even fresher than WinRT’s so be aware:
<a href="http://winrtstoragehelper.codeplex.com/">http://winrtstoragehelper.codeplex.com/</a>
<br />
<a href="http://winrtdatabase.codeplex.com/">http://winrtdatabase.codeplex.com/</a>
<br />
<a href="http://siaqodb.com/">http://siaqodb.com/</a>
<br />
SQLite
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Conclusion</strong>
<br />
Despite the needs, developing for Windows 8 still feels years beyond developing for iOS. Developing for iOS is like being back in 1995. Hey, the 90's were a blast, but it is time to move forward. Luckily, tooling is not a problem for Windows 8 development.
<br />
<br />
I
have been developing with Visual Studio 11 (2012) and Windows 8 since I was
given a prototype tablet about a year ago at <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/09/five-perspectives-why-build-could-be.html">Build</a> by Microsoft. These needs
have been on my mind since.<br />
<br />
Please share any new frameworks or workarounds that you discover, and also the needs that are at the top of your list. <br />
<br />
<strong>Update</strong>: Removed one of the needs thanks to a clarification by Jayson Go. It also inspired me to do an entire series on async programming and design.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-61640081289640773632012-06-13T11:39:00.000-05:002012-06-19T20:53:14.157-05:00How to identify an under-abstracted design?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9C7_KOi9_U4/T9fwRlJguVI/AAAAAAAAAIc/EXI73z-AQ_0/s1600/design.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9C7_KOi9_U4/T9fwRlJguVI/AAAAAAAAAIc/EXI73z-AQ_0/s200/design.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<strong>What is an under-abstracted design?</strong>
<br />
A design can be over-abstracted in some areas and under-abstracted in others. Just as over-abstracted designs can have too many abstractions and classes, under-abstracted designs have too few to handle interactions and satisfy requirements. Intuitively, it might seem that an under-abstracted design would be good, easy, and simple, but the real problem is that an under-abstracted design is difficult to understand, change, and maintain. Ironically, the result of under-abstracted design is high complexity and excessive amounts of code. <br />
<br />
The good news is that is easy to identify and address these areas. Once addressed, your confidence and development velocity will increase; and more importantly, you will be able to satisfy new business needs.
<br />
<br />
<strong>What is the best indicator of an under-abstracted design?</strong>
<br />
In my view, high complexity is the best indicator. Not only will it help identify under-abstracted areas of your design, but real problem areas within your codebase.
<br />
<br />
A simple and long standing complexity metric is cyclomatic complexity. Cyclomatic complexity (or conditional complexity) is a software metric developed by Thomas J McCabe in 1976.
Basically, it is a measure of the number of control flows with a method, function, or module. The metric is computed by counting the number of decision points + 1. For a more formal definition, check out McCabe’s original paper: <em><a href="http://www.literateprogramming.com/mccabe.pdf">A Complexity Measure</a></em>.<br />
<br />
With Visual Studio Pro and above, you can identify these areas within a couple of minutes even if you are not familiar with the codebase. To do this in Visual Studio, use the following menu item: <em>Analyze->Calculate Code Metrics for Solution</em>. Visual Studio 2012 allows you to export the metrics to excel so that you can more easily identify the methods that have the highest complexity.
<br />
<br />
<strong>How to evaluate risk by cyclomatic complexity?</strong>
<br />
There is a strong correlation between defect density and high cyclomatic complexity.
Below is a risk evaluation for methods as defined by <a href="http://www.sei.cmu.edu/reports/97hb001.p">Software Engineering Institute</a> (SEI):
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 125px;">
<strong>Cyclomatic Complexity Risk Summary</strong>
<br />
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1-10 </td><td>Simple, low risk</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>11-20</td><td>Moderate complexity, medium risk</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>21-50</td><td>Complex, high risk</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>51+</td><td>Untestable (Very high risk)</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<strong>Why is using cyclomatic complexity metric important?</strong>
<br />
In short, complicated methods and classes are tough to understand, difficult to test, challenging to debug, and usually require vast amounts of time and attention to maintain.
<br />
<br />
To understand code, it must be readable. The concept, although not the method, is somewhat similar to that of general text complexity measured by the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test.
Methods with lower cyclomatic complexity are much easier to test. <br />
<br />
When modifying a method with 50+ cyclomatic complexity, chances are very strong that you will introduce at least one defect while either adding a new feature or fixing another defect.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Other good indicators…</strong>
<br />
Here are a few other indicators to help identify under-abstracted design:
<br />
<ul>
<li><strong>Duplicate code</strong>
<br /><em>How to identify</em>: In Visual Studio 2012, you can identify duplicate automatically using the following menu item: <em>Analyze->Analyze Solution for Code Clones</em>
</li>
<li><strong>No business, service, or data access layers </strong><em><br />How to identify</em>: All the code is in the User Interface layer represents a lack of “separation of concerns”; that is, where all of the business logic, security, data access is performed in the user interface layer. This indicator might be obvious to many, but is not followed even more. Even if your design has a clean separation of concerns, there can still be high cyclomatic complexity in the business and UI layers.
</li>
<li><strong>Too many methods and members per class (Large classes)</strong><em><br />How to identify</em>: Look for large classes in terms of Lines of Code (LOC) and perform manual inspection. Look for classes that are doing more than one thing. The number of methods and LOC can be subjective, but here is a discussion on <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4338831/when-is-a-class-too-big">stackoverflow</a> of what that number might be. </li>
</ul>
<strong>Conclusion</strong>
<br />
Under-abstracted design is definitely not <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2010/07/what-is-great-design.html">great design</a>. In my view, cyclomatic complexity is a simple, well established, metric that can identify under-abstracted areas of your design and codebase. The irony: under-abstracted design results in high complexity and excessive duplicate code.<br />
<br />
Remember, <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2010/11/what-is-killer-of-software-projects-and.html">complexity is our common enemy</a> so keep fighting it.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Upcoming</strong>: How to advance an under-abstracted design?
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Enjoy.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-49925588294077868292012-03-05T06:46:00.000-06:002012-06-16T12:20:33.566-05:00Why has Microsoft's Metro design language captured the essence of modern interface design? 5 key elements.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gLtdKHu35LU/T1QZ8-PQwGI/AAAAAAAAAHk/cS0-gdZhw5Y/s1600/Signs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gLtdKHu35LU/T1QZ8-PQwGI/AAAAAAAAAHk/cS0-gdZhw5Y/s200/Signs.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<strong>What is Metro? </strong><br />
Metro is a typography-based design language. Metro style is guiding a new unified experience on Windows 8, Xbox, Windows phone 7, and can even be experience on Windows 7 in the form of Zune, and Windows Live. A design language, such as Metro, is used to guide the architecture of a group of products by capturing the principles and elements of a design approach into a single concise set. Metro gets its name from <em>way finding</em> systems found in metropolitan areas such as airports, subways, and urban areas. Metro gets its inspiration from modern design (reductionism), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Typographic_Style">Swiss design</a> (clear, honest, and beautiful), and motion design (the force of time—the way we experience the world).<br />
<br />
In my view, great interface design <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/08/who-makes-best-keyboard-7-reasons.html">gets out of the way</a> and Metro gets out of the way by focusing on the content. Metro has captured the essence of modern interface design based on five key elements. <br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The 5 key elements</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>1. Typography</strong><br />
Metro is founded upon clean beautiful typography. <br />
Proper color, weight, and size can help eliminate all of the chrome, color, and graphically over manipulated design elements. Even hierarchy can be easily and cleanly shown with just typography. It is not just about typography, it is about the content. <br />
<br />
<strong>2. Authentically Digital (Inversion of Focus)</strong><br />
With Metro, the user is not focused on the chrome elements such as menus, buttons, panels, and color images with in the chrome that are shaded, the user is focused on the content. <br />
<br />
With Metro, there has been an inversion of focus. Great interfaces get out of the way.<br />
<br />
Metro is not just about typography, it is about content. By removing all chrome, it helps put the focus on the content whether it is text, images, or video.<br />
<br />
With a modern interface, we do not need <em>chrome</em> to indicate what can be pressed or manipulated. Now, the content can be manipulated. After 40 years of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WIMP_(computing)">WIMP</a> based interfaces, we all know how to use a computer.<br />
<br />
<strong>3. Spacing with thoughtful reduction</strong><br />
Spacing is important—and made possible with the removal of all of the chrome and over-manipulated design elements. Even if there is room for another button or feature, it certainly does not mean that you should add it. In fact the opposite, you should challenge every element. It takes <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/09/what-is-key-to-developing-great-mobile.html">focus</a>. From a visual design perspective, no longer do we need chrome on top of chrome nested in chrome. <br />
<br />
<strong>4. Motion (fast and fluid)</strong><br />
Motion, used properly, can create a fun fluid interface. It brings the experience to life. In my view, motion is more important than graphic design. Metro uses animation in the right places and for the right reasons:<br />
<br />
Delight the user<br />
Simplify the task<br />
Hint towards interaction<br />
Provide a feeling of moving forward<br />
Respond to user behavior<br />
Teach the user how to interact<br />
<br />
<strong>5. Asynchrony and intelligence</strong><br />
It is easy to overlook the importance of this element just as Steve Jobs admittedly missed object-oriented programming when he visited Xerox Parc where he became inspired to produce the Mac. It is easy to miss <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/11/why-is-next-major-paradigm-shift-in.html">Async Programming</a> in the same way.<br />
<br />
Asynchrony helps make an experience fluid. <br />
<br />
<strong>Closing</strong><br />
Originally <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PARC_(company)">developed by Xerox over 40 years ago</a>, the traditional desktop metaphor is a bit tired at least from a design and metaphor perspective. In addition, <a href="http://www.wired.com/magazine/2012/01/st_thompson_analog">analog design elements</a> and metaphors are not what digital design needs today. We know that live elements can be tapped or swiped. We do not need 10 pixels of shading and blasted with color inside of a box that is further shaded wrapped in a panel with indentation—you get the idea.<br />
<br />
There is a <em>design revolution</em> at Microsoft. In my view, Microsoft is leading Apple at interface design—I know sounds like heresy. Metro and Windows 8 are not perfect, but the direction is game changing. It is easy and safe to jump on the Apple design bandwagon because mostly their designs are great. But <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2010/07/quiet-your-lizard-brain-in-order-to.html">I am not afraid</a> to point out that <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/08/who-makes-best-keyboard-7-reasons.html">Apple</a> is not the only company that is doing great design and appreciates great designers. Now, it seems that almost every company cares about great design. Design matters.<br />
<br />
In my view, the Metro design language has captured the essence of modern interface design. Metro is modern and clean—fierce reductionism, <a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2010/11/what-is-killer-of-software-projects-and.html">simple</a>, and fluid. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.pursuitofgreatdesign.com/2011/08/y1-in-pursuit-of-great-design.html">Enjoy the pursuit</a>. <br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-30953398192367535532012-01-30T21:27:00.001-06:002016-02-11T12:36:06.706-06:005 Reasons to use the Feature pattern in your product<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mbSCGIDKwJA/VrzUidDrKgI/AAAAAAAABQ0/Z2h9XjbEuWA/s1600/zuck.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mbSCGIDKwJA/VrzUidDrKgI/AAAAAAAABQ0/Z2h9XjbEuWA/s320/zuck.png" width="320" /></a></div>
A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Alexander">design pattern</a> is a formal way of documenting a solution to a design problem. <br />
<br />
The "Feature" design pattern is a simple yet powerful mechanism that enables you to rollout features based on configuration settings. It provides the ability to turn these high-level features "on" or "off" by changing the configuration parameter values.
The basic idea: use a simple mechanism to control the features that are presented to the end user.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">5 Reasons to use the "Feature" pattern in your product</span></strong>
<strong></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>1</strong><strong>. Reduces the need to branch</strong>: The longer your branch remains unmerged, the greater chance that it will never make it.
By being able to not turn the feature "on" until ready in production, but continue to work in the main or trunk branch is valuable.<br />
<br />
<strong>2. Partial rollbacks (isolated)</strong>: A single new feature will not hold up a production deployment, it can be turned "off" until ready.
It keeps progress moving and a feature rollout does not have to necessarily coincide with a code rollout.<br />
<br />
<strong>3. Different features for different folks</strong>: Will make it easier to turn a feature "on" for testing in a particular environment, but "off" for your production environment. It can also help with partial user and A/B testing.<br />
<br />
<strong>4. Helps reduce risk</strong>: With the ability to turn features "off" until ready, it can allow you to increase development velocity without necessarily increasing risk. <br />
<br />
<strong>5. Used by #winners</strong>: Facebook, Amazon, and many others. Today, Facebook has many new features that are not yet turned on yet but deployed to their production environment. Although not an intended reason, Facebook has even turned on features in production to react to new features from Google+. Features ready to be turned "on."<br />
<br />
My hope: the "Feature" pattern will help you for the same reasons.<br />
<br />
For more details about the Feature pattern, see the somewhat terse pattern description below along with the source code. There is not much to this simple yet powerful pattern. <br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Pattern Name: Feature</span></strong>
<br />
<br />
<strong>Intent</strong><br />
Provide a simple yet powerful way to turn features "on" and "off" via configuration. This enables certain environments to have certain features turned "on."<br />
<br />
<strong>Also Known As</strong><br />
Feature toggle.<br />
<br />
<strong>Motivation (Forces)</strong><br />
Demand for high development velocity and the need to mitigate risk.<br />
<br />
<strong>Applicability</strong>
<br />
Web apps, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemium">freemium</a> business models, mobile apps, services, etc.
<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Structure</strong>
<br />
The pattern structure is simple and consists of the Feature class.
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sesI_sF1aKU/TycLkKzsklI/AAAAAAAAAHE/Q_EjV77eixk/s1600/Feature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sesI_sF1aKU/TycLkKzsklI/AAAAAAAAAHE/Q_EjV77eixk/s1600/Feature.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>Participants</strong><br />
<em><strong>Feature</strong></em>: Represents a Feature that can be turned on or off based on an app setting. You can take an action if it is on, off, or both.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Collaboration</strong><br />
Here is an example code fragment that interacts with Feature:<br />
<br />
<div class="csharpcode">
<pre class="alt"> Feature.BasedOn(<span class="str">"Product.Feature.IsOn"</span>)</pre>
<pre> .IfOn(() =></pre>
<pre class="alt"> {</pre>
<pre> <span class="rem">// do the feature</span></pre>
<pre class="alt"> })</pre>
<pre> .IfOff(() =></pre>
<pre class="alt"> {</pre>
<pre> <span class="rem">// do the alternative or not</span></pre>
<pre class="alt"> });</pre>
</div>
<br />
If the the configuration parameter "Product.Feature.IsOn" is set to "true," then the IfOn action will be invoked; otherwise, the IfOff action will be invoked.<br />
<br />
<strong>Consequences</strong><br />
Be sure to get granularity right. Be wary of <a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-is-killer-of-software-projects-and.html">adding features</a> at too fine of detail. Complex feature interaction can also complicate testing.
Although a more <a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-is-killer-of-software-projects-and.html">general discussion</a>, make sure that each feature is justified. However, even in a design world driven by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YAGNI">YAGNI</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KISS_principle">KISS</a> principles, you still need some flexibility—just make sure that it is justified.<br />
<br />
<strong>Implementation</strong><br />
Here is a simple implementation of the Feature pattern in C# below:<br />
<br />
<pre class="csharpcode"><span class="kwrd">using</span> System;
<span class="kwrd">using</span> System.Collections.Generic;
<span class="kwrd">using</span> System.Linq;
<span class="kwrd">using</span> System.Web;
<span class="kwrd">using</span> System.Configuration;
<span class="kwrd">namespace</span> Product.Support
{
<span class="rem">/// <summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// Represents a Feature that can be turned on or off</span>
<span class="rem">/// based on an app setting. You can take an action if it is </span>
<span class="rem">/// on, off, or both.</span>
<span class="rem">/// </summary></span>
<span class="kwrd">public</span> <span class="kwrd">class</span> Feature
{
<span class="rem">/// <summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// Based on this app setting. </span>
<span class="rem">/// </summary></span>
<span class="kwrd">public</span> <span class="kwrd">string</span> AppSettingKey { <span class="kwrd">get</span>; <span class="kwrd">set</span>; }
<span class="rem">/// <summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// Create a feature based on the given setting.</span>
<span class="rem">/// </summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// <param name="appSettingKey">The app setting that determines whether the feature is turned on or off.</param></span>
<span class="rem">/// <returns>Newly created feature.</returns></span>
<span class="kwrd">public</span> <span class="kwrd">static</span> Feature BasedOn(<span class="kwrd">string</span> appSettingKey)
{
<span class="kwrd">if</span> (<span class="kwrd">string</span>.IsNullOrEmpty(appSettingKey)) <span class="kwrd">throw</span> <span class="kwrd">new</span> Exception(<span class="str">"setting key cannot be null or empty."</span>);
Feature feature = <span class="kwrd">new</span> Feature();
feature.AppSettingKey = appSettingKey;
<span class="kwrd">return</span> feature;
}
<span class="rem">/// <summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// Whether the feature is turned on; that is, if the app setting</span>
<span class="rem">/// has a value of true; otherwise, false.</span>
<span class="rem">/// </summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// <returns>Whether the feature is on; that is, if the app setting</span>
<span class="rem">/// has a value of true.</returns></span>
<span class="kwrd">public</span> <span class="kwrd">bool</span> IsOn()
{
<span class="kwrd">if</span> (AppSettingKey == <span class="kwrd">null</span>) <span class="kwrd">return</span> <span class="kwrd">false</span>;
<span class="kwrd">string</span> value = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings[AppSettingKey];
<span class="kwrd">return</span> (value != <span class="kwrd">null</span> && value.ToLower() == <span class="str">"true"</span>);
}
<span class="rem">/// <summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// Performs the given action if the feature is turned on.</span>
<span class="rem">/// </summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// <param name="action">The action to take.</param></span>
<span class="rem">/// <returns>The feature</returns></span>
<span class="kwrd">public</span> Feature IfOn(Action action)
{
<span class="kwrd">if</span> (IsOn())
action.Invoke();
<span class="kwrd">return</span> <span class="kwrd">this</span>;
}
<span class="rem">/// <summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// Performs the given action if the feature is turned off.</span>
<span class="rem">/// </summary></span>
<span class="rem">/// <param name="action">The action to take.</param></span>
<span class="rem">/// <returns>The feature</returns></span>
<span class="kwrd">public</span> Feature IfOff(Action action)
{
<span class="kwrd">if</span> (!IsOn())
action.Invoke();
<span class="kwrd">return</span> <span class="kwrd">this</span>;
}
}
}
</pre>
<br />
<strong>Sample Code</strong><br />
As sample code, here are some unit tests that interact with the Feature class:<br />
<pre class="csharpcode"><span class="kwrd">using</span> System;
<span class="kwrd">using</span> System.Text;
<span class="kwrd">using</span> System.Collections.Generic;
<span class="kwrd">using</span> System.Linq;
<span class="kwrd">using</span> Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
<span class="kwrd">namespace</span> Product.Support
{
[TestClass]
<span class="kwrd">public</span> <span class="kwrd">class</span> FeatureTests
{
[TestMethod]
<span class="kwrd">public</span> <span class="kwrd">void</span> Feature_IsOff_Success()
{
<span class="rem">// arrange</span>
<span class="kwrd">bool</span> isPass = <span class="kwrd">false</span>;
<span class="rem">// act</span>
Feature.BasedOn(<span class="str">"Product.Feature.IsNotOn"</span>)
.IfOn(() =>
{
isPass = <span class="kwrd">false</span>;
})
.IfOff(() =>
{
isPass = <span class="kwrd">true</span>;
});
<span class="rem">// assert</span>
Assert.IsTrue(isPass);
}
[TestMethod]
<span class="kwrd">public</span> <span class="kwrd">void</span> Feature_IsOn_Success()
{
<span class="rem">// arrange</span>
<span class="kwrd">bool</span> isPass = <span class="kwrd">false</span>;
<span class="rem">// act</span>
Feature.BasedOn(<span class="str">"Product.Feature.IsOn"</span>)
.IfOn(() =>
{
isPass = <span class="kwrd">true</span>;
})
.IfOff(() =>
{
isPass = <span class="kwrd">false</span>;
});
<span class="rem">// assert</span>
Assert.IsTrue(isPass);
}
}
}
</pre>
<br />
<strong>Known Uses</strong>
<br />
Facebook, Amazon, and others.
<br />
<br />
<strong>Related Patterns</strong><br />
For a couple more previously unpublished patterns (Instrumentation and Service Protector), check out this article that I wrote for the Microsoft Developer Network last year, <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh273114.aspx">WCF Decision Framework</a>:<br />
<a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-use-decision-framework.html">http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2011/08/why-use-decision-framework.html</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2011/08/y1-in-pursuit-of-great-design.html">Enjoy the pursuit of great design</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-73995103538265664572011-12-24T15:05:00.000-06:002012-06-16T12:52:33.501-05:00What geeks do during the holidays?Just so you know: geeks have a bright inner spirit that is just hidden beneath a few layers of logic and critical thinking. Although not comforting to think about, geeks even require a bit of love.<br />
<br />
In this spirit, here is my <a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-design-your-own-command-center.html">workstation</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xYAnMhTMvkQ/TvYwMLXE6JI/AAAAAAAAAG4/mOqQ5Qji8eM/s1600/Front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xYAnMhTMvkQ/TvYwMLXE6JI/AAAAAAAAAG4/mOqQ5Qji8eM/s640/Front.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aHwLoXw205w/TvYwJUtSARI/AAAAAAAAAGw/Yq2V-IgxlL0/s1600/Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Moreover, here is the other side sporting some <a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2011/09/five-perspectives-why-build-could-be.html">Windows 8</a>.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aHwLoXw205w/TvYwJUtSARI/AAAAAAAAAGw/Yq2V-IgxlL0/s640/Back.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
Happy Holidays! Do great work for people that you care about and it will lead to happiness. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One last thing: don't forget to treat your geek right.</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-57306143749862867962011-11-20T08:08:00.001-06:002014-05-25T21:25:02.501-05:00Why is the next major paradigm shift in software design about to happen?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_ENDyzWOcA/TskKE0ahpnI/AAAAAAAAAGI/iWXRtBk700c/s1600/hal9000-med.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_ENDyzWOcA/TskKE0ahpnI/AAAAAAAAAGI/iWXRtBk700c/s1600/hal9000-med.png" /></a></div>
<b>What is the next major paradigm shift?</b><br />
In my view<b>,</b> the next major paradigm shift in software development will be asynchronous (or <i>async</i>) programming and design. It is our next paradigm shift because it helps alleviate pressures and follows a surprising progression. Only when we change the way that we program, does it change the way we design. When we significantly change the way we design—a major paradigm shift occurs. This change has been brewing for over ten years, but only now is it about to happen.<br />
<br />
<b>What is async programming?</b><br />
Async programming uses asynchronous method calls instead of synchronous calls especially for potentially long-running methods. The idea: you make an asynchronous call and then provide a mechanism to run code when the result returns. Async programming is necessary for responsive browser, mobile, and upcoming Metro style apps that are mono-threaded as well as for intensive multi-threaded server applications. When all components are async, it can be fluid, natural, and resilient.<br />
<br />
<b>Why is async design the next major paradigm shift?</b><br />
The main reason is that it helps satisfy a strong and growing need: to make use of multi-core processors and to make mono-threaded user interfaces highly responsive. In-browser apps allow only one thread. Async programming makes both possible. New mechanisms for async programming in upcoming <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/gg316360">C# 5.0</a> makes it much easier. Asynchrony dramatically affects design.<br />
<br />
The shift also follows a surprising progression. Realize that for the past 50+ years, we have had stable high-level programming elements: data, functions, and threads; although combining them was a challenge.<br />
<br />
Even though <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structured_design#Structured_Design">structured programming and design</a> (SP/SD) techniques are still used today, before the mid 90's, it was the conventional or mainstream way to build applications. The problem: structured design treated data, functions, and threads as complete separate abstractions.<br />
<br />
Today, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Object-oriented">object-oriented programming and design</a> (OOP/OOD) techniques are the conventional way to build applications. Object-oriented programming and design combine data and functions into a single mechanism: the class or object. <br />
<br />
Async Programming and Design (AP/AD) gives us a simple way to combine all three into a simple unified mechanism. An async object or agent consists mostly of asynchronous method calls. New mechanisms in async programming make it easy to combine data, functions, and threads.<br />
<br />
These paradigm shifts (structured, object-oriented, and async) have gradually combined these high-level programming elements. Each paradigm shift has always started with changes to programming, and then to our designs. Only when it moves to design do we realize that a paradigm shift has occurred.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nujHvd7xc-o/TskQv_bSwbI/AAAAAAAAAGY/UxGeYFuJ-YU/s1600/SD-OP-AP.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nujHvd7xc-o/TskQv_bSwbI/AAAAAAAAAGY/UxGeYFuJ-YU/s1600/SD-OP-AP.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 9.75pt; margin: 0in;">
High-level programming elements in relation to paradigm shifts.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
If this is truly the progression, then async programming will lead to async design. It might also hold true that async design is a natural evolution in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_thinking">computational thinking</a>. Moreover, it provides an easy way to map to multi and mono-threaded applications and to avoid deadlock, latency issues, and race conditions.<br />
<br />
<b>Why is it about to happen?</b><br />
It is about to happen because great mechanisms for Async Programming are about to become mainstream that will make it much easier. And once async programming becomes mainstream, then so will async design. Our designs are about to significantly change and a major paradigm shift will follow. This has been brewing for over ten years. Just as with structured design and object-oriented design, it took over ten years <a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2010/09/why-will-it-take-30-years-for-cloud.html">for it to evolve and become mainstream</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>What are the implications?</b><br />
Today, best of breed architectures consist of a directed-acyclic graph (DAG) of object-oriented components. Fully async objects or agents can help flatten this DAG of components reducing overall dependencies. Realize that most of today’s software architectures are probably not the best of breed.<br />
<br />
Looking back, structured design led to some of the least desirable forms of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cohesion_(computer_science)">cohesion</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coupling_(computer_programming)">coupling</a>. OOP/OOD led to much more desirable defined shapes of software. For me, the revelation at a time of uncertainty for the OOP/OOD paradigm shift was that it naturally led to more desirable forms of cohesion and coupling. <br />
<br />
One of the key benefits of Async Design is that it leads to even better shape, and reduces overall dependencies. Flattening the DAG will be the required for ever-increasing architectural complexity. Great software design will, eventually, require software intelligence.<br />
<br />
Asynchronous systems are radically different and will require new patterns, architectural viewpoints, mechanisms, and education. Unlike synchronous systems, asynchronous systems will not be halted like an assembly line due to a single point of failure or delay. Asynchronous systems will be even a truer reflection of the way a real company operates—like an organism—not an object-oriented an system.<br />
<br />
A new category of software patterns will emerge. These new patterns will help us deal with more autonomy and system intelligence.<br />
<br />
We will begin to design fully autonomous objects that consist primarily of async methods that leverage mono and multi-threaded environments.<br />
<br />
<b>Where can you go from here?</b><br />
Change the way you program and it will change the way you design. Check out some of the resources below for more information on async programming for .NET.<br />
<br />
You know you are close to crossing this chasm within your company or team when the last objection is performance. Unbelievably, functions were thought too costly for structured programming and dynamic binding was thought too costly for object-oriented programming. Once people overcome the performance objections of asynchronous methods, we will know that the industry is about to shift.<br />
<br />
Soon, great designs that are fluid, intelligent, natural, and resilient will be async.<br />
<br />
Where ever we go, make the most of it. If you do not enjoy programming and design, then you are probably doing <a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2010/07/can-great-design-be-produced-in.html">something wrong</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>Additional Resources</b><br />
<a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudio/archive/2011/04/13/async-ctp-refresh.aspx">Async CTP</a> (can be used with .NET 4.0) <br />
<a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/hh452713(v=vs.85).aspx">Metro async/await</a> <br />
<a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/hh191443.aspx">C# 5.0</a><br />
<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=23753">C# Specification</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-56470176963597709102011-11-17T08:06:00.003-06:002013-06-23T14:44:19.017-05:00Why should you read Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o4c42yA1K8g/UcdPy9QKpYI/AAAAAAAAANg/6Zg17NxBT5o/s1600/SteveJobs.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o4c42yA1K8g/UcdPy9QKpYI/AAAAAAAAANg/6Zg17NxBT5o/s200/SteveJobs.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<i>Steve Jobs</i> by Walter Isaacson is a great read especially for the 2011 holidays. The book is authentic, compelling, inspiring, informative, surprising, and even sad. So sad, that you will likely cry.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Read it, if you want to feel inspired, surprised, sad, confident, spiritual, or compelled to build something great. You will enjoy. <br />
<br />
While the book is over 600 pages, it was not enough. Steve's life was messy. He was petulant and took credit for many others work. Johnny Ives, one of Steve’s best friends, admitted that it hurt deeply when Jobs took credit for many of his designs. At times, he was unusually cruel and rude. Even though he could be a jerk, he deeply admired other great designers, spiritual leaders, and “A” players.<br />
<br />
There are many surprises in the book such as he knew that his cancer had metastasized and would likely kill him. At times, he thought that diet and magical thinking could overcome it. He should have opted for surgery nine months earlier. Ironically, it put him in overdrive to produce the iPad. Steve was obsessed with the pursuit of great design.<br />
<br />
I was surprised and oddly comforted that Steve was often unsure of his decisions, direction, designs, and leadership. Bad reviews would devastate him. He was human. <br />
<br />
Walter Isaacson took an honest, authentic, and interesting look into Steve's life.<br />
<br />
In typical Jobsonian manner, the last chapter is a "one more thing", that is mostly in the words of Steve Jobs instead of traditionally the Biographer. The words are from one of the last interviews that Isaacson did with Jobs. <br />
<br />
<b>Steve</b>: you are one of the crazy ones. You definitely were able to <a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2010/07/quiet-your-lizard-brain-in-order-to.html">quiet your lizard brain</a> to consistently produce great designs.<br />
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-79924630576791627202011-10-02T16:13:00.000-05:002011-10-02T19:37:57.089-05:00Does video playback flicker on your new Windows 8 Samsung 700t1a tablet that you got at Build a few weeks ago?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DLocJ9xhDDU/TojTWYHzD0I/AAAAAAAAAFk/aEkZyKHSBRk/s1600/My+Station.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DLocJ9xhDDU/TojTWYHzD0I/AAAAAAAAAFk/aEkZyKHSBRk/s200/My+Station.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Over the weekend, I
got the following recommended update to Windows 8:</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Intel Corporation
driver for Intel® HD Graphics Family (Microsoft Corporation - WDDM 1.2)
(Recommended) Windows Update</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
It started causing
flicker during any video playback including backgrounds such as in the Weather
app. If you are having the same problem,
there is an easy fix.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Rollback to the
Intel Corporation driver for Intel® HD Graphics Family (Microsoft Corporation -
WDDM 1.2) to 8/3/2011 v 9.16.10.2472</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
I used the Driver
rollback feature but did not work remove the flicker even after reboot, so, I
loaded the driver from the USB drive that was given to us at build. It fixed
this issue.</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;">
Hope this helps some of the attendees from <a href="http://www.buildwindows.com/">Build</a>. It was the <a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2011/09/five-perspectives-why-build-could-be.html">best conference ever.</a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-88273665360284229762011-09-12T09:45:00.000-05:002012-06-16T12:18:23.253-05:00What is the key to developing great mobile apps?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eTQ26w8gsYg/Tm4aIwpotmI/AAAAAAAAAFg/Sx_LBke1Kbg/s1600/Focus.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eTQ26w8gsYg/Tm4aIwpotmI/AAAAAAAAAFg/Sx_LBke1Kbg/s1600/Focus.png" /></a></div>
The key is focus. You must find the essence of the product. You must deliver the key features needed—not all of them—just the essential ones. It requires focus because that is what people want and expect. People want the NUI (Natural User Interface) experience to be better, simpler, and to satisfy their goals in a simple natural way. Just because there is room for another link, gadget, button, or ad, does not mean you should add it. The friction that is created, conceptual weight, and maintenance usually don't justify it. It is just a different way of thinking. Simple, minimal, and beautiful—the attributes all apps should have. By focusing on what is important, you could even change your whole company. Focus leads to great design.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16163431.post-26408198163685873332011-09-11T17:32:00.000-05:002014-11-10T14:19:11.264-06:00Five perspectives why Build could be the best conference ever<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-766JbWcB9-0/Tm00WBWyCkI/AAAAAAAAAFc/dAM0HNC5LNI/s1600/Build.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-766JbWcB9-0/Tm00WBWyCkI/AAAAAAAAAFc/dAM0HNC5LNI/s320/Build.png" height="74" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.buildwindows.com/">Build </a>is a new Microsoft conference that replaces the PDC (Programmers Developer Conference), and also possibly combines MIX and even WinHEC (Windows Hardware Engineering Conference) moving forward. The idea for the first Build: combine developers, designers, and hardware partners to create a new platform and a unified ecosystem around Windows 8. Build 2011 is in Anaheim, CA from 9.13 – 9.16.<br />
<br />
Build sold out by the end of August even though there is no real agenda defined yet—even now two days before the conference begins. While Windows 8 has been demoed and talked about before, Microsoft is keeping most of the details to be revealed at Build (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p92QfWOw88I">Source</a>, <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/01/microsoft-unveils-windows-8-tablet-prototypes/">Source</a>). We do know that it will be about Windows 8. Windows 8 or whatever it might be called could be a radical departure from traditional Windows architecture and create an entirely new ecosystem.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Five perspectives why Build could be the best conference ever</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Perspective #1: Personal </b><br />
<br />
One of the main reasons why I switched from Java to .NET over seven years ago is because of the CLR. When Microsoft originally launched .NET, I thought, “Wow, Microsoft finally has great technology and it is the CLR with .NET. Eventually, I know it will become Microsoft’s future platform someday.” I went out and bought a copy of the original Visual C# .net that was launched in 2002 to begin learning C# and the .NET framework.<br />
<br />
In my view, the CLR is great technology. Microsoft had dedicated big resources to .NET, Visual Studio, CLR, etc. The CLR is fundamental technology that now makes many things now possible such as the Azure fabric controller, which is really a utility of computing by hosting CLRs in different roles. <br />
<br />
Could the CLR be the future of Windows 8 as well? Will the CLR become the future of Microsoft’s platform? What will Microsoft’s core API be for Windows 8? How radically different could it be? What is the name of it? Rumors of Silverlight’s death been greatly exaggerated?<br />
<br />
As it could turn out based on a leaked Windows 8 build (<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/under-the-windows-8-hood-questions-and-answers-from-the-trenches/9738">Source</a>), Hyper-V will run both Windows 8 and the traditional Windows (think 7 branded as 8) side-by-side—not one on top of the other. The distinction is important. This traditional Windows is said to not even load until it is touched.<br />
<br />
Therefore, Windows 8 could be a CLR with a new framework based on top of DirectUI and a XAML based NUI (Natural User Interface). Could it be the CLR a top MinWin? It appears that this Modern Shell will not sit on top of Win32. It will likely be a departure. Windows 8 will also need to incorporate XNA. XNA an Silverlight can be mixed even with Windows Phone 7.<br />
<br />
I have also been using Silverlight for the past 3 years. I want to find out if it is the primary way to develop for Windows 8 and what are the other ways? Is there HTML5 tooling? <br />
<br />
No doubt, Java developers are doing just fine especially with mobility dev. Some of my Java friends must be at least a little curious about this conference. My plan is to live blog the entire event (details at end the end of the post).<br />
<br />
The great thing from a personal perspective: I will have a front row seat to find out that I could be very wrong Windows 8. Either way, it will unfold in a couple of days.<br />
<br />
<b>Perspective #2: As a Developer and Designer</b><br />
<br />
From a developer and designer perspective, a week of energy, time, and focus dedicated to understanding many new technologies and a new ecosystem that could potentially unify the three screens (with NUI) and the cloud. Think NUI with Xbox 360 and Kinect. As a developer, the CLR, .NET, Visual Studio, and other frameworks makes it easier to develop for Windows 8, Mango, and potentially the Xbox. Clearly, development will be much easier with better technology when compared to iOS development. This factor should help the ecosystem grow.<br />
<br />
Some of the new technology areas and sessions to attend (although no session titles announced yet):<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>RedHawk (<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-codename-redhawk-lives-in-windows-8/9233">Source</a>)</li>
<li>Jupiter</li>
<li>AppX</li>
<li>Visual Studio 2012</li>
<li>Expression Blend/Web Next</li>
<li>New Windows 8 frameworks and APIs</li>
<li>MOSH (MOdern SHell) Design</li>
<li>Azure</li>
</ul>
<br />
I will post more of these with sources. <br />
<br />
<b>Perspective #3: Product Development</b><br />
<br />
From a new product development perspective, there could be many new product opportunities for this new ecosystem with a marketplace that could unify an API and tools for Windows Phone, Xbox, PC, and tablet. Clients are already waiting for Windows 8 for a possible large field deployment.<br />
<br />
The screens combined with Azure can create new opportunities for consumer and line of business apps. This new ecosystem will provide opportunities and potential for new products.<br />
<br />
<b>Perspective #4: As a User</b><br />
<br />
From Windows 8 user perspective, it will be interesting to experience and review Windows 8 in the tablet form factor. The rumor is that a quad core arm HD tablet will be issued to all conference attendees (<a href="http://www.intomobile.com/2011/09/08/samsung-quadcore-windows-8-tablet-could-land-next-week-build/">Source</a>). If it is true, I will take some images and video of the tablet and a review. I will even try to use it to help with the live blogging, email, etc. if possible. I believe that it could finally be a great NUI content creator not just mostly consuming. <br />
<br />
No doubt: the iPad is great design with a beautiful form factor. My view is that the experience with a Windows 8 tablet could even be better than the iPad for some of the same reasons <a href="http://gregcowin.blogspot.com/2010/11/top-10-reasons-why-windows-phone-7-is.html">why Windows Phone 7 is better than the iPhone</a>. I look forward to experiencing and reviewing the interface first hand.<br />
<br />
<b>Perspective #5: Pure Fun</b><br />
<br />
Build is at the <a href="http://www.bing.com/maps/Default.aspx?encType=1&v=2&ss=ypid.YN102x1626271&style=r&mkt=en-us&FORM=LLDP">Anaheim Convention center</a> which is just a couple of towns north of where I went to high school. It is a very nice area in Orange County. <br />
<br />
The only thing really on the agenda so far is a Tuesday night reception and a Wednesday Party. There should be some great conversations and energy. Sushi!<br />
<br />
One other fun factor: all you have to do is give a bunch of geeks a quad core arm HD tablet with Windows 8 and they will go wild (Source). Geeks gone wild. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Live Blog of Build 2011</b><br />
<br />
Follow the live blog (text, photos, audio, and videos) of Build including any geeks gone wild: <a href="http://build2011.tumblr.com/">http://build2011.tumblr.com</a> or <a href="http://build2011.tumblr.com/mobile">http://build2011.tumblr.com/mobile</a><br />
<br />
I have been excited about Windows 8 since Sinofsky showed it off at D9 (<a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20068119-260/sinofsky-shows-off-windows-8-at-d9/?tag=topStories1">Source</a>) in June this year.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><script type="text/javascript"><!--
google_ad_client = "pub-9074963644326242";
google_ad_width = 728;
google_ad_height = 90;
google_ad_format = "728x90_as";
google_ad_type = "text_image";
google_ad_channel ="";
//--></script>
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
</script></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0