Under Whidbey, VC++ supports both CLR generics and C++ templates for managed code. In this post, Brandon Bray, a PM on the VC++ team, lays out the differences, while also laying out the differences between C++ templates and CLR generics in general.
Some folks have had trouble with ieexec.exe throwing a System.IO.FileLoadException when using my No-Touch Deployment command line handling code for .NET 1.0 and 1.1. Andrew Duncan burned a PSS call to figure out the problem and I've updated the sample code to match (ieexec.exe needs a Last-Modified header). Thanks, Andrew!
How cool is this? Infragistics, UI component giant, has released a technology demo of their UltraGrid control for Avalon, including source!
Apparently it took 2 guys 1 month to build this control from a standing start, i.e. no previous Avalon experience. There are a bunch of limitations and Infragistics is clear that you shouldn't use this code as a template for writing your own components, but it's still fun to see. Thanks, Infragistics!
If you have questions or comments about Longhorn/WinFX development, be sure to post them on one of the WinFX newsgroups. Digging through the recent activity, I'm hard-pressed to find a post that isn't addressed by a member of the appropriate MS product team. These guys are *dying* for your feedback, so post away!
Mike Deem, PM on the WinFS team, lays out the core story of WinFS. It's an object store, not a file system. WinFS uses XML to describe the types of items that can be stored and then exposes .NET types for creating and finding items in the store.
Also, and this is where the confusion comes from (and the codename of the technology doesn't help), when a file is created in a certain part of the system (\\localhost\DefaultStore), an item is created in the underlying store automatically. This item is used to allow the same finding code to work for things that are file-backed, like images, and for things that aren't file-backed, like contacts.
Unfortunately, the story that Mike tells isn't complete yet, because custom item types can't be added using the PDC Longhorn bits, but a few of today's facts shouldn't ruin a good story of tomorrow. : )
Brad Wilson and Chris Anderson list their first computing experiences. My first was in the library where I grew up (my mom was a single librarian for a while and needed to bring me to work). I was about 5 years old and the "computer" was a giant VT paper terminal. Every command I typed when onto 132-column pin-feed paper and was also sent across town to the U of MN's computers. I played maze and hunt the wumpus for hours.
My first programming experience was Applesoft Basic on an Apple II+ (my mom asked if I wanted an Apple //e, but I thought that 80 columns and lower case was just a fad : ). During high school, I spent 4 years as a full-time Basic programmer (only attending school during the day). And, like all Basic programmers seem to, I was writing database applications (to track my D&D characters, of course!).
If you're a GDN workspaces fan, but pine for a stand-alone client outside of VS.NET and the browser, have I got a deal for you! Andy Oakley, the GDN Workspaces PM, has posted a stand-alone WinForms client for GDN workspaces. Enjoy.
