Scancode Mapper is a GUI tool for setting the Scan Code Mapper for Windows Registry settings for Win2K+:

As an example of what this tool does to the Registry, this .reg file turns off the CapsLock key. Of course, changing scancode mappings is a risky business, so be sure of what you’re doing before committing the changes and restarting Windows. No warranties extended. Use at your own risk. Enjoy. : )

From Husein Choroomi: The programming language C#, as well as the CLI (Common Language Infrastructure), have passed through a working group within the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and will likely be approved by January, said John Montgomery, group product manager with Microsoft's .Net developer platform group.

From Keith Wedinger: Microsoft and its allies have quietly expanded an effort to gain acceptance for C#, the software giant's competitor to Java and a foundation for its next-generation Internet services.

"SQL Server Centric .NET Code Generator (code named OlyMars) is both a flexible and powerful code generator based on database modeling. It allows instant generation of both SQL and .Net code providing a complete library of stored procedures, .NET classes and ready-to-use Windows/Web form controls (including associated documentation). SQL Server Centric .NET Code Generator is also fully extensible to use one's own custom templates and consequently can be adjusted to generate any custom code respecting a homogeneous implementation scheme within the company (can be written either in VB .NET or C# .NET)." This isn't particularly new, but it's new to me and it's from Microsoft France. I also saw that Justin Rudd has used it. Can anyone contribute any comments about OlyMars? [pinetree-tech.com/weblog]

Can't be at the DevCon? Check out Brian Jepson’s talk-by-talk coverage on his blog. I'm sorry if you can't be there, though. We're having a blast!

10. You start using URIs to address real envelopes while paying the bills
9. You use XPath to refer to family members
8. You can’t understand why nobody thinks that SOAP is “simple” anymore
7. You try to determine what portTypes your spouse exposes
6. You don’t have any trouble expanding BPL4WS
5. You prefer to write code to find something on Google
4. You ask for vanilla instead of doc/lit
3. You purchase the “Infoset” license plate for your car
2. You challenge people to say “UDDI’s UUIDs” 10 times fast
1. You no longer see the angle brackets, “just blond, brunette, redhead”

Reasons from Aaron Skonnard, Tim Ewald and Chris Sells
Presented at the Web Services DevCon East
Thu 10/10/2002, 8:55am

"Many developers will be surprised to learn that SOAP isn't the only game in town for Web services interfacing. REST offers a perfectly good solution for the majority of implementations, with greater flexibility and lower overhead. Developers need to stop reaching immediately for SOAP and start choosing the right technology for the application." I thought that this article would be an interesting counter-point to Peter Drayton's "Designing a RESTful SOAP API" at the DevCon this week.

"With current versions of Outlook, losing a network connection or working with a slow or unreliable network connection produces horrible results. If Outlook loses its network connectivity, error messages pop up before Outlook freezes completely. Outlook 11 eliminates this problem. Details have not been fully released, but Outlook 11 will work in what is termed "cached Exchange mode." When a fat pipe (a high-speed network connection) is present, Outlook will run much like it does now, where headers and message bodies will be downloaded as new messages arrive. When Outlook detects a slower pipe, either a dial-up or a cellular modem connection, only message headers will be downloaded. If a user wants to display a message, the entire message body will then be downloaded from the server. Outlook's default behavior will be to work against its local cache." Now this sounds more like it!