DevTopics

If all publicity is good publicity, then Apple is basking in the glow of its hot new gadget, the iPad, which is not only the talk of the tech world, but has also become the favorite butt of jokesters worldwide. 

Following are some of the best jokes about the Apple iPad found online and especially on Twitter.  Warning: Given the subject matter, these jokes are not always tasteful.

The iPad: Protecting your data from embarrassing incidents.  (kathycacace)

Uncomfortable cramping and bloating?  There’s an app for that.  (Attagrrrl)

Continue reading »

Popularity: 1% [?]

I ran across a novel new tool called SharpKit that generates JavaScript code from C#.  I’m not using JavaScript in my current projects, so I haven’t tested this tool yet, but anyone who has worked with JavaScript knows what a hassle it can be compared to the polished managed code environment of C# and Visual Studio.

SharpKit is a free Web Toolkit that enables you to write and maintain code in C#, then convert it to JavaScript during compilation.  SharpKit enables web development teams to take advantage of C# and Visual Studio benefits such as compile-time syntax verification, code-completion, XML documentation and refactoring.  Many developers prefer this managed code environment versus the expensive and error-prone world of JavaScript programming.

In addition, SharpKit is a nonintrusive, compile-time solution.  SharpKit does not change native JavaScript syntax, require server-side changes, nor affect your existing file structure.  This non-lock-in model enables you to stop using SharpKit at any time and work directly with the JavaScript source code, if desired.

You can also use SharpKit with VB.NET, and use SharpKit to create iPhone and SmartPhone mobile browser applications.

SharpKit Home Page

Popularity: 1% [?]

Do you need help convincing your boss that your company needs to upgrade to Visual Studio 2010?  Or perhaps you are looking for additional ammo in your .NET vs. Java religious wars with your programming colleagues?

Microsoft has produced a Silverlight-based “Myth Busting Matrix” for Visual Studio.  This nifty web tool details the benefits of upgrading to Visual Studio 2010 and helps dispel some widely-held myths about Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET Framework.  You can browse all three supported versions of Visual Studio (2005, 2008 and 2010) by your areas of interest and click on the myths for more information.

Visual Studio Myth Buster

Popularity: 1% [?]

Zain Naboulsi, a Senior Developer Evangelist at Microsoft, has started the “Tip of the Day” series for Visual Studio 2010, taking the reins from Sara Ford.

Visual Studio 2010 Tip of the Day

Popularity: 1% [?]

It’s holiday time, and hopefully most of you are home enjoying time with your family and loved ones.  But if you’re like me, at some point over the holidays you will escape to your computer for a little diversion.  So to keep you in the holiday spirit, here are some Christmas and Santa Claus-related goodies for computer programmers.

Continue reading »

Popularity: 1% [?]

Today the world’s most popular social network Facebook introduced its biggest interface change since the complete revamp in March.

Continue reading »

Popularity: 16% [?]

The second beta version of Visual Studio 2010 and Microsoft .NET Framework v4.0 are now available.  VS 2010 and .NET 4.0 deliver significant new capabilities and improvements.  The Beta 2 release was focused on performance, stability, and the integration of the overall feature set.  The development team is awaiting our feedback on the product and preparing for the final release candidate (RC).  Beta 2 includes a “go-live” license, which means you can start using these tools for your production projects.

VS 2010 and .NET 4.0 are slated to be released on March 22, 2010.

Download VS 2010 and .NET 4.0 Beta 2
More details about Beta 2 from Scott Gu

Popularity: 1% [?]

Windows Live Writer is free software from Microsoft that enables you to easily create, edit and publish blog articles.  It’s like a simple “Word for Blogs.”  Click here for a list of features in Windows Live Writer.

Following are instructions on how to download, install, and setup Live Writer for your blog.

Continue reading »

Popularity: 1% [?]

The good news is that Microsoft .NET Framework is installed on a majority of Windows PCs.  The bad news is if you are developing an application with the newest version of .NET (3.5), nearly half of Windows PCs cannot run your app.

Alexander McCabe has produced a detailed and thoughtful analysis of the penetration of the various versions of Microsoft .NET Framework installed on Windows PCs.  As of October 2009, his study shows the following distribution of .NET versions:

Continue reading »

Popularity: 2% [?]

BugSpy crawls the web in search of the latest bug reports in open source software.  It tries to display only open bugs.  You can search by tag or product name.

Popularity: 1% [?]