Kurt Shintaku's Blog

The official Release Candidate for Configuration Manager 2007 R3 can be downloaded by navigating to http://connect.microsoft.com downloads section of the Configuration Manager 2007 Open Beta program. Please read the release notes, they are separate from the build and also located in the download section.

Support and Feedback:

• All registered Open Beta users can submit bugs and make product suggestions using the Feedback tools provided on Microsoft Connect. This feedback is triaged daily by members of the Product Group. It is your feedback that helps drive feature changes and improvements. See the help link on the ConfigMgr MSConnect homepage for more instructions.
• Newsgroups for ConfigMgr07 R3 can be accessed on Microsoft Connect, they are a great way to post questions and receive general support for specific R3 related questions and answers.

ConfigMgr07 R3 was announced at the 2010 Microsoft Management Summit by Brad Anderson during his keynote. Power management is at the core of the R3 release, it addresses the need that many organizations have to monitor and reduce the power consumption of their computers. ConfigMgr07 R3 Power Management leverages the power management features built into Windows to apply relevant and consistent settings to computers in the organization. There are three major components to power management in ConfigMgr07 R3:

1. Monitoring and Planning: Power Management collects information about computer usage and power settings for computers in the origination. Reports are provided to allow the administrator to analyze this data and determine optimal power management settings for computers.
2. Enforcement: Power management allows the administrator to create power plans which can be applied to collections of computers. These power plans configure Windows power management settings on computers, and different power plans can be configured for peak and non-peak working hours.
3. Compliance: After applying power plans to computers in the organization, the administrator can run reports to validate that power settings were correctly applied and to calculate power and carbon footprint savings across collections of computers.

In addition to power management, ConfigMgr07 R3 will provide customers with enhanced scale and performance support (scale to 300K managed clients per hierarchy, Active Directory delta discovery, dynamic collection updates), as well as enablement of further capabilities for operating system deployment. A full list of the R3 features can be found on Microsoft Connect at the “What’s new in R3” post.

Navigate to Microsoft Connect today and download the ConfigMgr07 R3 Release Candidate (RC) product. Please review the Release Notes before performing any installation and the help (chm) file for specific deployment and supportability guidance.

Microsoft constantly seeks to improve your product experience.

This update requires you to download an executable (.exe) file to your hard drive. You must have your LifeCam Cinema camera plugged in to a USB port for the entire update process. Please follow the update instructions carefully, as unplugging your camera during an update may have adverse effects. Click here to begin downloading the firmware update.

New features:

• TrueColor compatibility
• Improved Audio
• Improved auto-focus
• Other firmware upgrades

DOWNLOAD: Microsoft LifeCam Cinema Webcam Firmware Update
http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/digitalcommunication/lifecam/CinemaFW/en-US/default.mspx

As we announced on Friday, today we released Security Bulletin MS10-046 out-of-band to address a vulnerability in Windows.

This security update addresses a vulnerability in the handling of shortcuts that affects all currently supported versions of Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. As our colleagues over in the MMPC have noted, several families of malware have been attempting to attack this vulnerability. The security update protects against attempts to exploit this issue.

For customers using automatic updates, this update will automatically be applied once it is released. Customers not using automatic updates should download, test and deploy this update as quickly as possible.

As we do with every bulletin release, we will be hosting a webcast to address your questions today at 1PM Pacific Time. Register now.

• SOURCE:  MSRC post “MS10-046 Released Out-of-Band Today”
  http://blogs.technet.com/b/msrc/archive/2010/08/02/ms10-046-released-out-of-band-today.aspx

<taken from the Microsoft Press blog>

Just in time for VSLive in Redmond, here’s a second draft preview ebook of Charles Petzold’s upcoming Programming Windows Phone 7! The first preview ebook contained six chapters. This one contains eleven chapters (and 265 pages):

Part I   The Basics

• Chapter 1   Hello, Windows Phone 7
• Chapter 2   Getting Oriented
• Chapter 3   An Introduction to Touch
• Chapter 4   Bitmaps, Also Known as Textures
• Chapter 5   Sensors and Services
• Chapter 6   Issues in Application Architecture

Part II   Silverlight

• Chapter 7   XAML Power and Limitations
• Chapter 8   Elements and Properties

Part III   XNA

• Chapter 20   Principles of Movement
• Chapter 21   Textures and Sprites
• Chapter 22   Touch and Play

Download the PDF here. Download the XPS here. And download the sample code here.

We’ll be finishing Charles’s full book in time for PDC10 (October 28). And, guess what: it will also be free.

As always, enjoy!

This is a little late in posting but I thought I’d make up for it by getting a little more in depth that what’s been already reported about this great deal that we’re offering this Holiday season.

The Xbox Live Family Pack is essentially a bulk purchase of Xbox Live GOLD accounts for an entire family of 4 for the cost of 2 separate GOLD accounts.  It will cost $100/year for all 4 accounts whereas a single account would normally cost $50/year alone. 
…and it couldn’t arrive at a better time considering the people that will be getting on board with Xbox 360 with the release of Kinect on November 4th.

Featuring the BEST, most configurable Family Controls on any console bar none, the Xbox 360 makes family play easy to manage with the right controls to meet your family’s standards.  Xbox 360 features controls for two areas: Xbox 360 Console Family Settings & Xbox LIVE Family Settings:

Xbox 360 Console Family Settings:

• Game Ratings: Select the games you want your child to play, from EC (Early Childhood) to M (Mature).
• Video Ratings: Xbox 360 recognizes ratings encoded into movies, TV shows, and other videos.
• Access to Xbox LIVE: Allow or prevent the console from connecting to Xbox LIVE.
• Xbox LIVE Membership Creation: Decide whether to allow or prevent the ability to create new Xbox LIVE memberships from the console.
• Xbox LIVE Marketplace Content: Decide whether you want to be able to see restricted content while browsing Xbox LIVE Marketplace. This setting also affects access to the Inside Xbox news feed from the Xbox Dashboard.
• Family Timer: Set the amount of time that the console can be used on a daily or weekly basis.
• Set Pass Code: Limit who can access or change the Family Settings on your console.
• Turn off Family Settings: No kids? No problem! Shut down Family Settings!

Xbox LIVE Family Settings:

• Control access to all the features of Xbox LIVE.
• Set a pass code to limit who can change your Family Settings.
• Decide what your kids can play, both online and off.
• Decide who your child can communicate with online.
• Control who can see your child’s profile or friends list.

For information on setting these up, visit:  http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/familysettings/. 

And Family Controls are getting better!  Coming soon, you’ll be able to:

• Control Family Controls from the web sites
• Distribute Microsoft Points to family accounts like allowances
• Reports on what the accounts are doing – what’s played, how much, etc.
• Funnel all Billing to a single primary account – no need for a credit card on kids accounts!
• Exclusive family-friendly content & discounts for Family Pack subscribers

Watch for the Xbox Live Family Pack… coming this November!

• LINK:  Xbox Live Family Pack
  http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/familypack

Have you ever sat down and found yourself so content & happy, you were at complete peace with everything in your life?

What you see to the right is a photo I took during an exceptionally elated moment this past Thursday evening when I concluded that in that moment – “it was all goooooood.”  [insert contented sigh here]

I’ve been tweeting the past week or so about the internal company training I’ve been attending at Microsoft, a week-long event somewhat similar in nature to what IT folks know as “TechEd North America” where training sessions are given 6 times a day, sometimes opening with keynotes from our executives. 

The difference however is that it’s held only for Microsoft employees and it’s consequently very “unplugged”.  It’s basically a Microsoft-focused IT professional’s dream.

THE PARTY
At the end of the event, to celebrate the success of the training and to begin the new year off right, we have a big party, and this party is held at the Microsoft Commons. (right next to Building 92, one of the reasons I have so many photos of Building 92)  I actually have a lot more photos but this is the only one that I think I can actually blog about.

The party was just… well… fantastic.  Here’s a small sample:  (Don’t know how much of this I can talk about so…)

• Food from oodles of vendors (the Microsoft Commons has something akin to a massive food court selling everything from All-America beef ribs, to chinese food like egg rolls, to prime rib sandwiches, to stir fried noodles, to meatballs & spaghetti to… my favorite, as depicted in the photo: SUSHI.  Lots and lots of SUSHI.)
• Xbox 360’s.  Everywhere.  With games, tourneys, and… “new stuff”. (Not gonna go into what “new stuff” means, but I’ll leave that for you to interpret.)
• Live music, Karaoke, Performance acts, Artists, etc.  (I’m not going to go into the details but it was all fun, fun, fun!)
• …and most importantly, all my friends/coworkers from around the globe.  Some folks I hadn’t seen in a year.  The opportunity to catch up with folks that are extremely smart, and share a similar role is invaluable.  I must have talked to one guy for 4 hours on just… “stuff” we needed to be successful this upcoming fiscal year.

Anyway, my point was that I took photo of one of the sushi hand rolls I’d liberated from the sushi restaurant at our training next to a can of ThinkWeek branded Talking Rain.

UH… “THINKWEEK”?
So, ThinkWeek is basically something that Microsoft prepares for for a couple months before it happens.  It’s a time when our executive management sits and reads through thoughtful papers that are submitted by Microsoft’s employees about ideas & concepts that we believe we as a company should be involved with.

People that submit ThinkWeek papers are usually the brightest minds in the company.  Our highest executives in the company including Steve Ballmer, Ray Ozzie, & Bill Gates (yes, he still reads them) read through ThinkWeek papers that are ‘accepted’:  You don’t want to submit a ThinkWeek paper if you’re an idiot.  Many of Microsoft’s best ideas have come from ThinkWeek submissions.  I’ve known a lot of guys that have submitted ThinkWeek papers.  (No, I myself have not done so.  I got started on one many years ago on the economics of portable gaming then concluded that there were people that were more insightful than me that were submitting papers on the same topic, so I bailed out.)

WHAT’S WITH THE “THINKWEEK” CAN?
You probably noticed that the word ThinkWeek” is plastered along the side of the can in the photo above.  That’s because we have this deal with a company called “Talking Rain”, our supplier of water to make aluminum cans with water in them. 

As a company, we’re big on recycling and we wanted water provided “in a can” because aluminum is the most recyclable material available for creating containers.  A long time ago, the story goes that when we made the declaration that campus-purchased beverage containers should be aluminum.  This company, “Talking Rain” stepped up to the plate and basically said that, instead of losing the contract as Microsoft’s supplier of water, they would custom-create cans of water just for us.

To date, Microsoft is the only recipient of “Talking Rain” water, as far as I know.  So the cans themselves can technically have anything on them and so sometimes, Talking Rain is contracted to create cans with special designs on them – hence the ThinkWeek “reminders” on them.

Here’s a few random pictures of our beloved Building 92 – the place where Microsoft’s visitors go to see the Company Store, the library, the museum, etc.

The Entrance of the Visitor’s Center

The Visitor’s Center entrance is kinda cool because it’s a very modern looking walkway that can’t help but remind you a little of Disneyland and part of “Tomorrowland”.  Any “PeopleMover” fans out there? 

The centerpiece is what catches your eye.  There’s a floating globe that hovers over the area and it rotates in a counterclockwise direction constantly showing information and even statistics about Microsoft. 

For example, if you wait long enough, one of the stats that are shown are the total users of certain Microsoft products at a given moment.

The Microsoft Company Store’s Checkout

Yes, the clocks in the photo are operational.  And there’s a lot more that those panels show actually.  I intentionally didn’t take many photos of the Microsoft Company Store because I’m not sure what we can and can’t photograph but suffice it to say that it’s a very well run operation using Microsoft’s Retail Management System.  (http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/en/us/products/rms-overview.aspx)  For geeks like me (and likely you) it’s kinda like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory because you can’t help but get a little excited at the drastically reduced prices and incredible amounts of uber-geeky technology & clothing available for discounted purchase.

Microsoft software, technical books, Xbox games, Mice, Keyboards, Console peripherals, Microsoft & Microsoft product branded clothing, geeky toys from 3rd parties that we just think are cool enough to sell in the store, mugs & drinking containers, luggage/backpacks/laptop cases, mouse pads, umbrellas, etc. etc. etc.  Stuff for both women & men… and kids.  I bought a ton of clothing & toys for my infant son for example.

Do you blog?

Do you use Windows Live Writer? 

Did you install the Twitter Notify Plug-in? 

Does it annoy you that you have to use TinyURL.com as your shortener?

• GOOD NEWS: 
  Turns out some guys out there figured out how to use OTHER shortening services.
• BAD NEWS: 
  It requires hacking the registry, which for most technophobic bloggers is akin to an unnatural act.
• GOOD NEWS: 
  Someone wrote a tool to make the registry edit an automated process i.e. safe too.

In fact, this post will be the first attempt for me to use this new Bit.ly mod:

• INSTRUCTIOONS:  Using bit.ly with The Twitter Notify plug-in for Live Writer
  http://livewriterblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/using-bit-ly-with-the-twitter-notify-plug-in-for-live-writer/
• TOOL:  Twitter Notify Mod Tool  (Because no one should be hacking the registry)
  http://dev.scottisafool.co.uk/2010/07/02/twitter-notify-because-no-one-should-be-hacking-the-registry/

(Epilogue:  SICKNESS!  It worked on the first try!  Me = Happy!)

The Microsoft Museum, a place that used to exist in Building 27 on our campus, was for all intents and purposes moved over to the Microsoft Visitor Center in the new Building 92.

Carried over were several interesting artifacts from the history of Microsoft and from the golden age of computers that I was able to take photos of using my HTC Touch Pro 2 camera phone.  Here’s just a quick sample of some of the things on display:

“The MITS Altair Personal Computer”
This was the fabled computer that Bill Gates & Paul Allen created BASIC for.  A kit computer that was produced and manufactured out of Albuquerque, NM, The Altair was a monstrosity that brought out the true geek in everyone at the time, giving rise to computer clubs and software companies like “MicroSoft”.

I recall Paul Allen & Bill Gates recounting the day that Paul had flown to Albuquerque to demonstrate their version of BASIC which had to be hand entered into the Altair slowly and painstakingly using switches.  Paul was on the phone will Bill during it’s first run through and Bill asked him, “What’s going on?”  and Paul responded, “It’s doing something!”  An it started to do arithmetic. 

Yup.  In case you missed that, their BASIC ran and executed perfectly on it’s first run through.  Awesome.

“Technology from the past”
Here some other classics that you can find on display at the Microsoft Visitors Center:

There’s actually quite a bit on display but these are the items that I couldn’t help but take a photo of for posterity.  It’s interesting how the center is designed to take you past the historical areas before you hit the areas focusing on Windows “today” sections, Xbox, Windows Phone, Bing, Surface, etc.

I’ve been with Microsoft for 14 1/2 years. 

THE DAWN OF 32-BIT
When I joined in late 1995, Microsoft was still in the buzz of releasing Windows 95, our first truly 32-bit consumer operating system, transitioning the industry from DOS-based computing. 

Windows NT experience & certification was very uncommon (the reason I was hired) and we had just released “Daytona”, Windows NT Server 3.5 which was for all intents and purposes the dawn of the CAL model of licensing that we have today.

THE CLASS OF ‘95
There were about 19,000 employees at the time worldwide and it was fairly rare to find someone at the company for longer 3-4 years if you were in sales.  If you’d been at the company for longer than that, it meant you’d persisted past the great stock drought of the early 90’s, a period between 92-94 where MSFT stock was essentially flat, similar to what we’ve sustained recently. 

Individuals that had been around since before then had witnessed a few very relevant stock splits back in 1991 that likely made them multi-millionaires in the mid-90’s when the stock skyrocketed and people’s stock options grants went galactic.

THE ‘OLD’ TENURE AWARDS
The awards people used to get granted were as follows:

1. The “5-year” Aluminum Clock
   People were given a clock commemorating their 5th year of employment.  I still have mine sitting on my desk at work.  The batteries have died obviously but it’s a funny reminder of where we’ve come from.
2. The “10-year” Stock Certificate
   We got 10 shares of Microsoft stock and a glass award commemorating the grant.  With the stock hoving around $25 these days, it’s not worth much so I keep mine for  posterity.  This was the first award I was really excited about.  I never imagined I’d be here 10 years later.
3. The “15-year” Sabbatical
   This was the first award that I was kinda upset about because it used to be that every Microsoftie, after 15 years, got a ‘rest’ or a sabbatical of I think a couple months.  Since then, they’ve recinded this policy and I think only managers at a certain level are granted a sabbatical.  Sob.

Back then, I wasn’t aware of anyone that had been with the company for 20 years or more other than ‘founding fathers’.

THE ‘NEW’ TENURE AWARDS
So over the last few years, they re-standardized the awards we employees get.  The photo in this post shows what the awards look like now.  I think they look pretty cool and I’m actually a bit excited about getting my big-assed “orange crystal” for 15 years!  (Assuming I make it halfway through FY11, God willing.) 

I’ve known a few cynical, ungrateful, mightier-than-thou types here at Microsoft that have made some not-so-nice comments about the awards but personally, I think that at the very least, it’s a really beautiful piece of art symbolic of a wonderful career thus far.  And who knows – as an engineer, maybe I can turn it into a cool laser!

Obviously these crystal awards get larger and heavier as more tenure is accrued.  It was recently advertised that our CEO/President Steve Ballmer, at our latest Worldwide Sales meeting was awarded by our COO Kevin Turner, a monstrous, one-of-a-kind 30-YEAR CRYSTAL.