Kurt Shintaku's Blog

Damn.  This is a cool, geeky post.  Once again, I’m breaking my rule of cross-posting to another blog… partially because this post is a really good one and the result of a lot of effort and partially because Robert is a good guy – despite all his recent rant-filled hysterics. 

(Robert – Lighten up buddy.  We all love you but there’s been a few posts where your ranting is beginning to sound impatient, irrational and just downright grouchy… kinda like like Steven Smith’s (a.k.a. the Zune Tattoo Guy) final “Farewell” video, which by the way was a shame too because I thought that dude’s heart was in the right place… he just lacked sufficient patience to get to the goal line of v3.0.  And based on your previous posts, that’s just not ‘you’.)

Robert wanted to install the new Windows Live beta software releases on Windows Server 2008.  The only problem is, we have a lame installer filter that bounces any attempt to install Windows Live on anything other than Desktop client operating systems.

So, he medieval on the installer and went about figuring out how to get the .MSIs to download on a client OS temp directory, then moved the .MSIs over to his server install and… walla!  It installed just fine.

And yeah, I agree with you Robert on this one:  This sort of maniacal control over where software gets installed is weak sauce… kinda like what Apple does with, well, everything in their products.  The Live group obviously does this because because, hey, we don’t test on those OS’s and they want to minimize the support call/mail volume.  But the least they could do is provide a documented way of accomplishing the same thing you did, without all the ProcMon B.S..

In any case, nice job Robert. 
(Robert McLaws is the creator of Windows-Now.com)

LINK: 
http://www.windows-now.com/blogs/robert/installing-windows-live-wave-3-betas-on-windows-server.aspx

Yes.  It’s free.  100% free.

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 provides a simplified, reliable, and optimized virtualization solution, enabling improved server utilization and reduced costs. Since Hyper-V Server is a dedicated stand-alone product, which contains only the Windows Hypervisor, Windows Server driver model and virtualization components, it provides a small footprint and minimal overhead. It easily plugs into customers’ existing IT environments, leveraging their existing patching, provisioning, management, support tools, processes, and skills.

Key Benefits

• Improved server utilization
• Small footprint
• Minimal overhead

IT Pros can easily to leverage their existing knowledge and skills with Microsoft virtualization products, as well as the collective knowledge of the community, minimizing any learning curve. In addition, with Microsoft providing comprehensive support for Microsoft applications and heterogeneous guest operating systems, customers can virtualize with confidence and peace of mind.

When to Use Hyper-V Server 2008

Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 is a great choice for customers who want a basic and simplified virtualization solution for consolidating servers as well as for development and test environments. Hyper-V Server 2008 only offers the most basic of virtualization features, making it ideal for:

• Test and Development
• Basic Server Consolidation
• Branch Office Consolidation
• Hosted Desktop Virtualization (VDI)

Customers who require richer and more robust virtualization features, such as Quick Migration, multi-site clustering, large memory support (greater than 32 GB of RAM), and more than four processers on the host server, should use Windows Server 2008. Windows Server 2008 provides business continuity, disaster recovery, greater scalability for consolidating large workloads, and flexible and cost-effective virtualization rights (one free virtual instance for Standard Edition, four free virtual instances for Enterprise Editions, and unlimited virtual instances for Datacenter Edition with the purchase of a license of Windows Server 2008).

—————————–

COMPARISON TABLE BETWEEN HYPER-V SERVER & WINDOWS SERVER 2008 w/ HYPER-V: 
http://www.microsoft.com/servers/hyper-v-server/default.mspx

FULL HYPER-V SERVER DOWNLOAD:
http://www.microsoft.com/servers/hyper-v-server/how-to-get.mspx

Wanna get credit for the searches you do?

There’s a new program we released this week called “SearchPerks” that essentially allows you to get credit for the searches you do… and most importantly, collect on that credit.

The way it works is:

1. You sign up using your Windows Live ID at http://www.getsearchperks.com.
2. You install the SearchPerks! Perk Counter which is a simple .MSI that installs into Internet Explorer 6.0+.
3. Every time you search for something using http://search.live.com, you get a “ticket” which is essentially credit toward some benefit in the future.  (There is a maximum of 25 tickets per day per user)
4. The Perk Counter sits in your toolbar and counts the number of times you search on Live.com – and reports that number to Microsoft so that you get the right amount of credit.
5. You can later cash out those “tickets” at the SearchPerk’s Prize site at http://www.getsearchperks.com/Prizes.aspx?campaignid=perks.

That’s it.

(I’m a little annoyed that the Music Downloads are from PureTracks.com and not from Zune Marketplace or anything like that.  Ooh.  Imagine if this gave your Xbox Marketplace points that you could use for Xbox Live Arcade games?)

Announcing:  Encarta on MSN Mobile!
MSN Mobile 2.0 has launched and with it, an Encarta channel! 

If you have a smart phone, you can check it out by going to MSN.com and in the channel menu, select “All”, then “Encarta”.  You can see our Quote of the Day, peruse three editorially-programmed articles of the day, take a quiz, guess the Mystery Picture of the day, and do an Encarta article search.   

If you don’t have a smart phone, you can view it here.

One of my customers has been trying to mitigate compatibility issues between Internet Explorer 8.0 & Sharepoint Server 2007.

Yes, that’s right:  IE8 & MOSS 2007.  I told y’all to test, test, test.  At least someone listened. 

It turns out that the traditional Sharepoint masterpage solution that’s documented online to automatically request IE7 Compatibility Mode doesn’t always work because ASP.Net themes render code in front of the all-important meta tag that tells the browser about the need to change modes. 

My customer found this article and added the metatag info to the HTTP Headers instead and it fixed the IE8 display problem. 

Here’s the tag they copied and pasted directly under the <head>.

<!– Use IE7 mode –> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=EmulateIE7" />

For more information, visit the article referenced below:

• ASP.NET Themes Don’t Like IE8’s X-UA-Compatible header; Neither Do I
  http://weblogs.asp.net/jgalloway/archive/2008/08/05/asp-net-themes-don-t-like-ie8-s-x-ua-compatible-header-neither-do-i.aspx

Looks like HTC is coming out with yet another phone.  The Touch HD looks to be a bit larger than the HTC Touch Diamond and Touch Pro models (via MobileCrunch).

The Windows Mobile 6.1-enabled Samsung Omnia will be coming to AT&T as the Mirage.  Hopefully next month.

Palm’s Treo Pro looks like it’ll be sold through AT&T by the end of hte year.  It’s currently priced above $500 however after subsidies from AT&T, it’ll likely be closer to $200.

http://www.cellaz.com/news/2764/fcc-unveiled-the-cdma-samsung-omnia/

Microsoft Partner VLSystems and K2 presents:
Online Webinar: Getting More Out of Your SharePoint Investment

Thursday, October 2, 2008 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Pacific Time

If you are looking for manageable, easy to design workflow capabilities that go beyond what MOSS or SharePoint Designer offers without writing code, you need K2 blackpoint, a new exciting offering from K2 dedicated to SharePoint.  In this session you will see an application built with K2 Studio, an Office-style process designer, using SharePoint-specific task wizards and integration with InfoPath Forms Services.

Agenda:
Learn how K2 blackpoint can be used to build workflows and process-driven applications quickly — without code, without complexity.

K2 blackpoint overview:

• Introduction to K2 blackpoint
• K2 blackpoint features

Demonstration of a process built in K2 blackpoint that manages all aspects of an Internal Recruitment process, including:

• Managing candidate resumes within SharePoint
• Automatic provisioning of sites
• Creation of calendar items
• Sending notifications to all participants
• Providing a process report dashboard within SharePoint

Who Should Attend:
Developers and non-developers who are interested in learning how to get more out of their SharePoint investment by using K2 blackpoint to quickly build workflows within the SharePoint environment.

Registration:
https://www.clicktoattend.com/invitation.aspx?code=131402

Work Anywhere | Work is something you do, not somewhere you go.

Working Anywhere is about ‘working’ – and deploying the right combination of infrastructure, tools, training, and support for employees that can be tailored to the business requirements of any specific firm. It involves managing people, property, IT, and communications complexity across the globe.  Our extensive global experience helps our customers build a new cultural and business environment.

Attend this executive peer-networking event and hear how BT and Microsoft^© are uniquely positioned to under­stand the challenges you are facing and help you deter­mine the best path toward implementing flexible working practices that contribute to your bottom line.

Learn how BT and Microsoft^© can help you:

• Transform the way you communicate by offer­ing simple means to connect with your col­leagues
• Improve the way you work through people-oriented services that ease daily processes
• Enhance the way you access communications and corporate data through secure and com­pliant outlets.

BT takes the complexity out of implementing flexible working by providing a scal­able ‘single point of contact’ solution that is designed around the way you work.

BT and Microsoft^© will work with you to imple­ment a solution that will:

• Reduce office costs to accommodate an increas­ingly mobile workforce
• Improve operations to take advantage of new commu­nication channels
• Improve employee reten­tion through the advan­tages of flexible working and see lower costs for training and recruitment
• Provide environmental benefits that come from fewer commutes and less travel during the work day

Who should attend: Senior Managers/Directors/Vice Presidents of IT, Finance, Operations, HR, Sales and Marketing

• Ritz Carlton  – Marina del Rey
  October 14, 2008 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM
• The Lodge at Torrey Pines
  October 15, 2008, 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM

To register for this invitation-only event, please contact me for details.

Complimentary 1-day Developer’s Hands-on Workshop
for Office for Business Applications Using Visual Studio 2008

Microsoft invites you to a hands-on training experience created specifically for our Enterprise customers. You learn how to do Office 2007 development using Visual Studio 2008.  The format of this session will be brief topic presentations followed by hands-on labs (HOLs).  The intent is to spend a majority of the day in the HOLs.

Date: Monday November 10, 2008

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Location: Microsoft Corporation
333 S GRAND AVE STE 3300
Los Angeles, CA 900711537
Wells Fargo Building

Lunch will be served. Please see parking instructions below on where to park.
Parking Instructions (please read carefully): Parking will be hosted for this event and is available at Joe’s Auto Parks (Lots 220 & 240) located (220 So. Hope & 240 So. Hope, Los Angeles, CA 90071).  Please park in either lot and we will validate; you will need to pay a parking fee of $10.00  ($12 after 9:00 a.m.; check or cash only) for the full day. Joe’s Auto Parks will reimburse you at the end of the seminar upon receipt of the validation.
Microsoft will validate your parking at Joe’s Auto Park.  Please note that Joe’s Auto Park is an unaffiliated, independent vendor and that Microsoft  is in no way  liable for any negligence or any damage that may be incurred by attendees who utilize this parking facility.

Topics will include:

• Overview of Office 2007 Development with VSTO 2008
• Customizing the Office 2007 UI
  • Extending the Office Fluent Ribbon
  • Creating Custom Task Panes
• Integrating LOB Data in Office Applications
  • Integrating Business Data with Office Documents
  • Business Entity Integration with the BDC
• Office 2007 Native XML Format – Implications for Developers
  • Generating and Managing OpenXML Documents
• Deploying VSTO 2008 Applications
  • Deploying VSTO 2008 Applications with ClickOnce

Prerequisites:
Attendees should have a general development background (all examples will be in C#).  No previous Office development experience is required, since this is intended to be an introduction to the Office 2007 development experience with Visual Studio 2008.

Registration:
Registration is limited to managed Microsoft customers.  If you are interested in attending and you are a customer of mine, please contact me and I will get you the appropriate information for registration.  Note:  My customers take priority.  Individuals that are not directly managed will be bumped from the list in favor of those who are.

Introducing Games for Windows – LIVE, the free gaming service built for Windows that makes great Windows games even better. 

With Games for Windows – LIVE, you get an online identity – called a gamertag – and a friends list that works across multiple games, the XBOX 360, and even the Zune music service. 

You can easily find and communicate with your friends online with text and voice chat.  Earn achievements and Gamerscore that lets you track and compare your accomplishments. 

Play multiplayer games with your friends, or play against new opponents online using our exclusive TrueSkill™  matchmaking system – with other Windows® players or with or against XBOX 360 players (in supported games.)

All of this is possible today – and at no charge.  

LINK:
http://www.gamesforwindows.com/en-US/Live/Pages/AboutLive.aspx