Nov 29
Following are some simple but useful FREE tools for software developers. Each tool is freely distributable and includes the original C# source code so you can modify the tool to your needs. These tools are not supported. Enjoy!
Color Gadget
Select a .NET KnownColor or other color, copy RGB and hex values to the clipboard.
Free Download
Guid Generator
Generate a new globally-unique ID and copy it to the clipboard.
Free Download
Hex Converter
Quickly convert between hex and decimal numbers.
Free Download
Shortcut Replace
Search/replace the path and working directory in a collection of shortcut (.lnk) files.
Free Download
Visual Studio Toolbox Installer
Console program that installs/removes tabs and custom controls and components in the Visual Studio .NET Toolbox.
Free Download
Window Watcher
Shows the form and client bounds of the active window.
Free Download
Tags: C#, Color, Guid, Hex, Search-Replace, Tools, Visual Studio
Nov 26
Microsoft has released Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Framework v3.5. These upgrades enable .NET software developers to rapidly create more secure, manageable, and reliable applications and take advantage of new features found in Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007.
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Tags: .NET, AJAX, C#, LINQ, Tools, Visual Basic, Visual Studio, Visual-Studio-.NET
Oct 08
Microsoft has announced that it will release the source code for the .NET Framework with .NET version 3.5 later this year. Microsoft will release the code under its Reference License. This is essentially “read-only mode,” meaning that you can view the source code for reference and debugging, but you cannot modify or distribute the code. This is Microsoft’s most restrictive shared-code license and should not be confused with “open source” code such as Linux and the projects on SourceForge.Net. Continue reading »
Tags: .NET, Open-Source, Visual Studio, Visual-Studio-.NET
Jul 20
I was having lunch recently with a colleague when he asked, “Are you still messing around with that .NET stuff?” I could tell by the tone of his voice that he—like many computer users—still viewed .NET with suspicion.
And perhaps with good reason. Purposefully kept separate from the Windows operating system, the 22MB Microsoft .NET Framework is an hour download on dialup and four minutes on broadband. For .NET developers, this extra step adds one more hurdle for a potential customer to overcome when purchasing our software.
So in this article I attempt to demystify .NET, encourage you to download the latest version of the .NET Framework so you can run the latest and greatest .NET software, and help convince Microsoft that it needs to ensure every PC user has the newest .NET.
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Tags: .NET, Bill-Gates, CLS, Common-Language-Specification, FCL, Framework-Class-Library, Microsoft, Microsoft-.NET, Visual Studio, Visual-Studio-.NET, Windows
Jun 14
Blogs are becoming an important and prevalent method for software developers to share knowledge, tips and code. Unlike code-sharing sites that have publication guidelines and restrictions, blogs are typically privately-owned, which gives developers freedom to deliver and format their content in many ways. But this freedom can also result in a poor experience for the blog reader, ranging from code samples that won’t compile, to the equivalent of a messy desk where nothing useful can be found.
Following are several tips for software developers to write and manage their blogs, and to make the blogs easier to use and navigate for their readers.
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Tags: Blog, Blogging, categories, Live-Writer, More-Tag, Spam, Spam-Blog, Splog, Splogger, Splogging, Tags, Visual Studio, Web, WordPress
May 23
Upgrading to Windows Vista takes time, money and patience. And after much sweat and a few tears, it was all for naught, and I ultimately retreated back to Windows XP.
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Tags: Software, UAC, Vista, Visual Studio, Windows, Windows-Vista
May 16
Developers for the Microsoft .NET platform are blessed to have three high-quality .NET magazines available to them: CoDe Component Developer Magazine, MSDN Magazine, and Visual Studio Magazine.
Why would a tech savvy software developer want to read a paper magazine when so much information is available online? Well, some of us “old timers” still appreciate the fresh smell and slick feel of a high-gloss monthly. Also, magazine articles are often produced by professional writers who explain subjects in greater clarity and detail than one may find on the Web. And there are times when a developer may not be connected, such as when riding the train, sitting in a meeting, or eating lunch.
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Tags: .NET, Development, Magazines, MSDN, Visual Studio
