Everything Silverlight, and more!

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GOAL: Simplify referencing JavaScript libraries from CRM forms for code-centric developer types like me.

I have always been a fan of “code beside” JavaScript files that contain all my main code for a corresponding HTML page.  For example, if I have a page called hello.htm, then I will have a file called hello.htm.js that is the main code file for that page.  One of the things I have always been a bit frustrated with when using this approach is that all the JavaScript libraries my hello.htm.js page uses are actually referenced in the HTML page.  This leads to a lot of switching back and forth between the files when you need to add script references.  It also becomes a burden when you are reviewing code you haven’t worked with in a while.  You inevitably have to switch to the hello.htm page to familiarize yourself with what other js files the page references.  My brain has challenges with this context switch.  Coming from a .NET development background, I am used to namespaces at the top of my C# files that help me with this.  I’ve recently gotten hip to RequireJS which is a library that makes it really easy to add JavaScript references to a page right from JavaScript.  While you can technically do this without RequireJS, the library wraps the verbose code and all the cross browser nuances plus adds some nice features.  Check it out!

Ok, now to the CRM 2011 context…

… read more …

Register today for the Legacy App Maintenance with Visual Studio TFS Webcast. at 2:00pm EST.

This webcast is intended for any individual involved in software development & related processes, who would like to know more about leveraging Visual Studio & MSDN Subscriptions to more effectively maintain & advance legacy application projects. In this session, we will cover topics such as migrating legacy code (Best Practices & partners that have great tooling), maintaining projects until they are retired, upgrading from Visual SourceSafe & other SCCM products to Team Foundation Server and other related technologies. In the end, we hope this webcast will give you the information you need to make the best decisions in when to advance your development projects & technologies, as well as how to move forward when the time is right.

REGISTER TODAY using the links below!

Fast Track Your First App:
May 29, 2012

11am-12:30pm Eastern Time OR

4pm-5:30pm Eastern Time

Give Your App Some POP:
May 31, 2012

11am-12:30pm Eastern Time OR

4pm-5:30pm Eastern Time

Government and citizen-oriented apps represent a huge emerging market for mobile developers. These “Let’s Build Something Mobile” Workshops will walk you through the basics of creating, testing and deploying a Public Sector app, so that No Developer is Left Behind taking advantage of this new market. As a participant you will have the opportunity to create your own unique Public Sector Windows Phone app that is ready to be deployed to the Windows Phone Marketplace. During each of the two sessions, experts from Microsoft and ComponentOne will be available to answer questions and offer guidance.

Session 1-Fast Track Your First App

During this workshop, you’ll be exposed to the basics of creating a Windows Phone App and deploying to the Marketplace. As an attendee, you will be given some time during the session to use what you’ve learned to develop your own apps which access freely-available Public Sector data. The presenter along with resources from Microsoft and ComponentOne will be available to support you along the way.

Session 2-Give Your App Some POP

Enhance the look and functionality of your existing Windows Phone app (or one created in the Fast Track Your First App session) by leveraging capabilities specific to the Windows Phone API and by using advanced UI controls. You’ll get a feel for Microsoft’s Expression Blend design tools too. As an attendee, you will be given some time during the session to use what you’ve learned in order to make improvements to your apps. The presenter along with resources from Microsoft and ComponentOne will be available to support you along the way.

*Attendees will receive a complimentary 1-year subscription for ComponentOne Studio® for Windows Phone

Pre-requisite: Download/Install

* Visual Studio Express & Tools

* ComponentOne Studio(r) for Windows Phone (Trial Edition) http://www.componentone.com/SuperProducts/StudioWindowsPhone/

Notice to all Public Sector Employees: Due to government gift and ethics laws and Microsoft policy, government employees (including military and employees of public education institutions) are not eligible to participate in any raffles that may be associated with these events. Further information on Microsoft compliance with U.S. government gift and ethics rules can be found here.

Microsoft Public Sector DPE announces the launch of a nationwide mobile application development campaign today to bring citizens and developers together to build MOBILE AMERICA. Mobile America – the people hackathon is inspired by America itself–an event for the people, by the people.

Are you a concerned citizen with ideas on how technology could solve social problems? A developer with the knowledge, technical skills, vision, and desire to contribute to the future? Here’s your opportunity to develop an app or app prototype that contributes to America, using Microsoft Windows Phone, Windows Azure or Windows 8, and win prizes!

Click here today to learn more about the hackathon and how you can participate.

Please contact askdpeps@microsoft.com with questions.

-Nandita

Devices, Devices, Devices, Devices, Devices, Devices, Devices, Devices, Devices, Devices

WHAT IS A PUBLIC SECTOR APP?

We Still Have Devices Ready To Test Your Apps!

This Device Loan Program consists of TWO simple options:

1. For Government Developer: You can request a device (as a loaner) for 30 days – after which you must return it. No exceptions!
2. For non-Government Developer: If you publish the Public Sector app to Marketplace we’ll let you keep the device longer to build more apps. Otherwise, option 1 applies.

This program is available to United States Developers Only…
(for non-US please install this app Find My Champ, and find the Windows Phone Champ nearest you.)

Fill out this form and press submit… it is THAT EASY!!!

Don’t know where to start? NO PROBLEM! – Here are some pointers:
Phone InfoKit, Phone SDK, Azure SDK, Azure Trial, WebMatrix, Apps Ideas

Joel Reyes – Windows Phone Champ
DPE.Public Sector

G E T F-R-E-E
Phone: Tools, Devices
Cloud: Tools, Account
Client: WebMatrix
Resources: Infokit
Apps Ideas: Ideas

Its 11:30 PM on a Thursday night, my father is to my right in bed scared about one thing, drowning. He’s not afraid of dying; he made peace with the concept of what happens next long ago. He’s more concerned about drowning in whatever is pooling inside his chest due to the cancer aggressively growing inside of him. The doctors have said plain and to the point, that what will eventually take my father from this earth will be via drowning on his own internal chest fluids (among other things).

In order to defeat this, he has decided to cheat his fears and up the dosage of morphine and another drug that I can never recall. This will let him pass in a peaceful sleep, much like those ones you have after pulling an all-nighter and crashing at the end of it (Deep dreamless sleep).

I’m not one for talking about death, for me it’s one of those subjects I like to keep at the dark corners of one’s mind, tucked behind the bad memories and stupid mistakes I often make. I don’t seek this subject out; it often seeks me in the form of a friend or relative of some sort dying.

The last time I saw someone die was on a train station platform, this overweight man was slumped on the ground with a railway staff worker performing CPR on his chest and for me it was the most unsettling sight of all. With each compression, his stomach would inflate like a bull frog croaking and what made me stare with shock wasn’t the sight of CPR. It was the scary and most profound thought of a man dying on his own, on a random train platform in the middle of the day with a stranger fighting to keep him alive.

Once the ambulance came and went with his still body, I gathered my thoughts and boarded the next train. I went to work and thought “well, that’s how life goes I guess?” hoping that this new found event in my life wouldn’t fester. Watching that man die has always stayed with me though, I did want to find out his name and offer some comfort to his family, telling them something positive about their loved ones last moments on this earth.

I didn’t, I chickened out and put it down to lack of information to follow up.  That’s a lie though, I could have found out as my old boss from many jobs ago is now the CEO of the Rail Company and I went to School with one of the cops that attended the scene, so getting that information was easy, all I had to do was ask.

I didn’t move, I just sat there staring at others fight to keep someone alive they have never met and put it all behind me.

Tonight, my father lies beside me in a hospital bed, fighting with each breathe to buy one more day, as that’s what his life has now come to – fighting for a day or hour from now.

Dad has put up a fight, he can be stubborn like that, as he was told he had hours to live before, and I think that pissed him off. So much so, he decided to rally, live a few more weeks, probably out of spite or his dislike at being told what to do?

This time, he’s exhausted, it’s the 10^th round in a long and brutal battle with cancer, he’s weak and mentally he’s ready. He’s made his peace with god, he’s told his children and loved ones repeatedly how much he loves them and why he’s proud of us all.

Punching out though isn’t still something he will yield on, as despite his exhaustion and all the conditions for a peaceful death are before him, he won’t go. It’s like he needs to go around that corner just one more time to see what’s next, read that next chapter to get closure on the plot or wait to see what happens after the credits in a new Marvel movie for that last nugget of “what’s next”. Curiosity is what I think keeps him alive the most – what happens next?

This is what my dad does, he fights. When the odds are against him, he always seems to dig deep, hunker down and duke it out with whatever is front of him.

My dad all my life has been the guy who refused to let a bully push him/loved ones around him around. The amount of times I’ve seen him push back on this has always left me with a sense of pride. He has always taught my brother & sister that you fight for those who can’t fight for themselves and thinking about all my child hood fights, turns out we did. I did get into a lot of trouble growing up, mostly for being a spoiled know it all brat but also for not letting someone push others around (teachers, school yard bullies etc.).

Yet again, dad sees a bully before him, its name is cancer and he’s simply saying “knock it off”. If he’s going to die, it’s now on his terms and despite the overwhelming amount of force cancer has over him, he’s still throwing some punches.

It’s hard to watch him fade like this, it’s not like the movies and it’s a lot more painful than hearing about a colleague or friend dying. Those are events to people that you are fond of but this is personal, this is your father.

It’s painful for a lot of reasons, as it feels like you’re the one who’s been given the diagnosis of an untimely end which would be easier as that means you’re in control. This however isn’t fair, as it’s the same feelings but you’re not in control, you can’t help them, all you can do is sit beside them, hoping for some Hollywood / Disney moment of a miracle to shine forth.

It won’t come, I get that and I’m not a religious guy to assume this is some “master plan”  – fuck that, there is no plan, there is just existence.

My father will die in the next few hours/days/weeks (hopefully), but he will die with his wife and children beside him, all in agreement that our lives where richer and thankful for his existence.

He won’t die like that stranger on a train platform, he will die on his own terms and surrounded by his loved ones and that for me is a rare gift. Not many of us can get that opportunity in life, to pass away with some forward notice whilst being surrounded by those you love the most.

Watching my father die is more of a gift than I had original realized. I get to say goodbye and tell him how proud and loved he will be..

Cancer you may have won the battle, but like all bullies you will eventually lose.

Filed under personal.

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MoDev Developer TechCast on May 15, 2012: Porting your Government Apps from iPhone to Windows Phone

REGISTER TODAY!

Event Time: 2:00pm – 3:00pm Eastern Time

Event ID: 1032511183

Abstract: You have successfully built your government app for iPhone and now you would like to further expand your customer base. The Windows Phone team has developed techniques, technology and best practices to make the process of porting your app much easier. This webcast will walk you through the process of taking your government iPhone app and successfully migrating it to Windows Phone. We will discuss existing open data sources, user experience, navigation, services, application life cycle, language considerations, tools and much more!

Join us for this webcast and you'll have a chance to win a brand new developer device to get you started in migrating your current iPhone solution.

Facilitator: Pete Erickson, Founder, MoDev Pete Erickson is the creative force behind MoDev and Disruptathon, two companies that have helped shape the DC technology scene over the past four years. MoDev has grown from a grass roots meetup group to one of the nation’s premier mobile development, design and business communities; hosting multiple free meetup events monthly and putting on premium conference events that attract world renowned speakers and cutting edge content. Pete is a speaker for O'Reilly's global webcast series and has appeared nationally on NPR, ABC and CBS News and is a regular guest on local TV affiliates in the DC area commenting on mobile and technology trends.

Presenter: Joel Reyes, Senior Developer Evangelist, Microsoft Joel’s career expands 15 years over a multitude of industries from education, construction, banking, manufacturing, and now at Microsoft (financial services, retail, and government). As a Platform Developer Evangelist, Joel engages developers and architects promoting Microsoft’s next wave of emerging technology products for developers. Joel has a background in systems engineering and acquired a degree in computer science from Rochester Institute of Technology. He is located in the Charlotte metro area where he spends time with his three kids and wife; he is also heavily involved in his community helping those less fortunate. He enjoys reading technical magazines, keeping up with some world-news, and of course, trying anything beta that comes his way!  You can follow his blog at http://joelcitizen.com/.

Guest Panelist: John Cromartie, Senior Mobile Developer and Technical Architect, Mobomo Mr. Cromartie is a senior mobile developer and technical architect with 10+ years of software development experience. Mr. Cromartie is unique in that he is a “full stack” developer. He enjoys solving problems through a combination of knowing the right tool for the job and working at any level of abstraction necessary. He is comfortable with low-level native code, as well as high-level managed languages and APIs. He can design a UI, create graphics, write markup, style, back-end and front-end code to make it all come together. Mr. Cromartie has contributed to a number of mobile apps including Mobomo's Traffic Tweet, Tweeb, HexOut, and PocketBiz.

Please also register to join us for the next MoDev Developer TechCast: Porting your Government Apps from Android to Windows Phone on June 12, 2012!

Please join us for the Microsoft Developer Tools Webcast on May 16, 2012: Legacy App Maintenance with Visual Studio & TFS

REGISTER TODAY!

Event ID: 1032510695

Topic: This webcast is intended for any individual involved in software development & related processes, who would like to know more about leveraging Visual Studio & MSDN Subscriptions to more effectively maintain & advance legacy application projects. In this session, we will cover topics such as migrating legacy code (Best Practices & partners that have great tooling), maintaining projects until they are retired, upgrading from Visual SourceSafe & other SCCM products to Team Foundation Server and other related technologies. In the end, we hope this webcast will give you the information you need to make the best decisions in when to advance your development projects & technologies, as well as how to move forward when the time is right.

Presenter: David Baliles is a Developer Technical Specialist for Microsoft working with US State and Local Government customers.

Please register for our other upcoming Developer Tools Webcasts:

• May 29th, 2-3pm EDT: Developer Desktop Asset Management
• May 30th, 2-3pm EDT: MSDN Administration via VLSC