Partner Otaku

Man vs. Food on this particular fast food delight…

Each month through June 2010, we’ll bring you a 90-minute Architect focused Webcast focused on new and emerging technologies.

These webcasts are free, just visit the link and register using the event ID(s) below.

October 27, 2009 at 11:00-13:30pm PST

An Architect’s perspective on Silverlight

Presenter: Tim Heuer

Abstract: Many .NET developers are becoming more and more interested in the Rich Internet Application development space, and in particular Silverlight.  In this session we will step back from a detailed implementation technology and take a higher level look at Silverlight from the architect’s perspective.  We will discuss the types of applications where Silverlight makes sense and some scenarios where Silverlight may not be the appropriate technology.  We will also delve into some of the architectural decisions that the architect must consider when writing applications for this platform and where some of the tradeoffs may lie.

Event ID: 1032427862

Link to Register: An Architect’s perspective on Silverlight3

October 28, 2009 at 11:00-13:30 PST

Deploying Windows 7 from an Infrastructure Architect’s Perspective

Presenter: Doug Klokow

Abstract:

We’ll discuss 5 key areas centered on deploying Windows 7: Developing business justification – Evaluate the capabilities provided by Windows 7 and develop a plan for how to realize business value from these solutions; Where are you today – Explore the differences of preparing for Windows 7 based on your current desktop operating system; Application readiness – Explore the tools and resources available to gain insight into your readiness to deploy Windows 7, Internet Explorer 8, and/or Office 2007/2010; Deployment readiness – Explore the tools and resources available to create a design and deployment solution for your enterprise; Training your employees – Discuss available resources for training your IT Staff and End Users.

Event ID: 1032427863

Link to Register: Deploying Windows 7 from an Infrastructure Architect’s Perspective

Speaker Bios

Tim Heuer

I currently work for Microsoft as a program manager for Microsoft Silverlight, a web technology for delivering rich internet experiences to users.  Before this current role, I was a developer evangelist for Microsoft serving the Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana and Utah areas aiming to strengthen and support communities and software developers in these geographies.

Doug Klokow

Part of Microsoft Consulting Services for 9 years focused on client desktop deployment solutions. He is part of the Virtual Deployment Practice focused on driving early customer deployment on Microsoft client technologies and is also supporting Microsoft’s Desktop Virtualization capabilities and service offerings.

I love Win7 but I’m not so sure I would throw a party . Seriously, the video is hilarious!

Microsoft Pri0 | Microsoft employees throw Windows 7 parties, and friends show up | Seattle Times Newspaper

I’ve been running Win7 since before Beta 1 and there is no way I’ll go back to Vista on my notebooks. If you’ve installed Win7 you’ll most likely agree with me.  The buzz has been very positive. 

Here’s an opportunity to get a great discount on Win7 without having to stand outside in a line.

This begins on June 26,2009 and will end on July 11, 2009 or while supplies last, whichever comes first – so get ready for tomorrow!

Windows 7: Be first. Save half.

Pre-order Windows 7 today at Microsoft Store. You’ll get it for at least half off and be one of the first to get it. Hurry, quantities are limited.*

It’s pretty simple

Windows 7 is coming on October 22, 2009. Here’s an easy way to get it fast and save a bundle: Pre-order a Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade for $49 or a Windows 7 Professional Upgrade for $99 at Microsoft Store.   That’s about half off the estimated retail prices.

Want more info? 

Go to the Windows team blog and find out all the details. 

* The offer begins on June 26, 2009 and will continue while supplies last, or until July 11, 2009, whichever comes first.

Just a reminder if you aren’t already aware.  On July 1, 2009, the Beta will start to reboot every 2 hours and expire August 1, 2009.  You need to move to the Release Candidate fast. 

The RC download program closes August 15th. After that, you won’t be able to get the download, but you can still install the RC and get a key if you need one. (To get a key, just go to the Downloads page and follow the instructions.)

If you’re using the Windows 7 Release Candidate, we hope you like what you see. Let us know — go to http://input.microsoft.com and tell us what you think. You’ll be able to give feedback on various aspects of the operating system.

I like the new login screen in the RC1 build of Win7, but when I read this article by Rafael Rivera, I thought it would be nice to customize mine as well.  Below you can see Rafael’s login screen – which looks really nice.  

The problem that I encountered was that the logon text is often very light and difficult to read. I searched online and couldn’t find anything to either change the font or add formatting.  

I read this article in Life hacker today and found that this hack helps in readability. Not perfect, but better than the default text as you can see below.

The Windows 7 Touch Pack was recently announced.  It’s a show case of 6 sample touch applications. I haven’t had a chance to try these yet. Unfortunately, I don’t have the hardware .  However, I’ve been to various events with a Surface unit and I can say that it’s definitely a crowd magnet. Cool stuff and read the post at the Win 7 blog for more info.

I’ve embedded one of the examples below:

Today we released the Windows 7 RC Training Kit for Developers as part of our ongoing effort to enrich existing content and provide additional valuable content for the developer community. This version of the training kit includes 10 presentations and 8 Hand-On-Labs, covering most of the Windows 7 light-up features as well as application compatibility topics.

If you haven’t seen the news, Win7 will ship in the fall.  I’ve been using Win7 after PDC and each major milestone has seen improvements in both user experience and stability. Most of my friends outside of work, use either Vista or XP and often ask me why should upgrade to Win7.  I usually

discuss features that would be useful to how they use their computers. It’s often met with  “Ok…” Clearly it’s hard to visualize a new or improved feature. However, whenever they use Win7 they are deeply impressed with it’s performance and usability.  It’s like night and day. I can’t imagine having to go back to Vista. 

If you’ve been considering a netbook and heard that Win7 Basic would impose a 3 applications limit, well thankfully that decision was changed.

Quick note, the first link is still being built out, if you wish to register go the “Register here” link. 

Location – www.WindowsPartnerReadinessDay.com

Time – 8:00-2:45pm (Pacific Standard Time)

Registration – The event is FREE, Register here and be notified the day prior with the link to the live feed of the event.

At this event you will have the opportunity to learn about Windows 7, the next-generation operating system from Microsoft. Online attendees can take advantage of the readiness and marketing tools made available specifically for partners to help prepare for the Windows 7 business opportunity. 

Windows 7 Partner Readiness Day will provide the resources you need to become a Windows 7 expert and help better prepare you for customer conversations. Microsoft executives and product experts will be on hand to answer all your questions and to provide you with a look at the following Microsoft product strategies:

• Industry trends and how Windows 7 will affect the marketplace 
• The business opportunities that Windows 7 brings for partners
• An overview of the key steps and programs to get ready for Windows 7

The ISV track includes information on the Windows 7 Compatibility Tool and the Windows 7 Logo Program.