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• What’s new in Silverlight 4 RC?

  - by pluginbaby

  I am here in Las Vegas for MIX10 where Scott Guthrie announced today the release of Silverlight 4 RC and the Visual Studio 2010 tools. You can now install VS2010 RC!!! As always, downloads links are here: www.silverlight.net He also said that the final version of Silverlight 4 will come next month (so april)! 4 months ago, I wrote a blog post on the new features of Silverlight 4 beta, so… what’s new in the RC ?   Rich Text · RichTextArea renamed to RichTextBox · Text position and selection APIs · “Xaml” property for serializing text content · XAML clipboard format · FlowDirection support on Runs tag · “Format then type” support when dragging controls to the designer · Thai/Vietnamese/Indic support · UI Automation Text pattern   Networking · UploadProgress support (Client stack) · Caching support (Client stack) · Sockets security restrictions removal (Elevated Trust) · Sockets policy file retrieval via HTTP · Accept-Language header   Out of Browser (Elevated Trust) · XAP signing · Silent install and emulation mode · Custom window chrome · Better support for COM Automation · Cancellable shutdown event · Updated security dialogs   Media · Pinned full-screen mode on secondary display · Webcam/Mic configuration preview · More descriptive MediaSourceStream errors · Content & Output protection updates · Updates to H.264 content protection (ClearNAL) · Digital Constraint Token · CGMS-A · Multicast · Graphics card driver validation & revocation   Graphics and Printing · HW accelerated Perspective Transforms · Ability to query page size and printable area · Memory usage and perf improvements   Data · Entity-level validation support of INotifyDataErrorInfo for DataGrid · XPath support for XML   Parser · New architecture enables future innovation · Performance and stability improvements · XmlnsPrefix & XmlnsDefinition attributes · Support setting order-dependent properties   Globalization & Localization · Support for 31 new languages · Arabic, Hebrew and Thai input on Mac · Indic support   More … · Update to DeepZoom code base with HW acceleration · Support for Private mode browsing · Google Chrome support (Windows) · FrameworkElement.Unloaded event · HTML Hosting accessibility · IsoStore perf improvements · Native hosting perf improvements (e.g., Bing Toolbar) · Consistency with Silverlight for Mobile APIs and Tooling · SDK   - System.Numerics.dll   - Dynamic XAP support (MEF)   - Frame/Navigation refresh support   That’s a lot!   You will find more details on the following links: http://timheuer.com/blog/archive/2010/03/15/whats-new-in-silverlight-4-rc-mix10.aspx http://www.davidpoll.com/2010/03/15/new-in-the-silverlight-4-rc-xaml-features/   Technorati Tags: Silverlight

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• Vodacom Call Center Management on the NetBeans Platform

  - by Geertjan

  If you live in South Africa, you know about Vodacom. Vodacom is one of the dominant mobile communication companies in South Africa, and beyond, providing voice, messaging, data, and similar mobile services. Inside Vodacom there's an application named Helios, which is a call centre application that had its inception in 2009 and consists of two parts. Firstly, a web-based front-end that allows a call centre agent to service subscribers using a Google-like search on a knowledge base structured as a collection of FAQs. The web-based front-end uses plain-old HTML + CSS + a good helping of JQuery and JQueryUI. This is delivered via JSR-168 portlets running on a cluster of IBM Portal 6 servers. In turn, the portlets communicate via RMI with several back-end EJB's containing the business logic. These EJB's are deployed on a cluster of Weblogic Application Servers, version 10.3.6. The second part is a NetBeans Platform application used for maintaining and constructing the knowledge base, i.e., the back-end of the web-based front-end. Helios is also used for a number of other maintenance functions, such as access permissions, user maintenance, and news bulletins. Below, in the web-based front-end, call centre agents can enter search terms and are presented with a number of FAQs from the knowledge base. Upon selecting a FAQ article, the agent is presented with the article text, the process to guide the subscriber, system checks that display information specific to the subscriber, and links to related applications and articles: Below, you can see that applications are searchable and can be accessed using the same web-based front-end as shown above. And, as can be seen below, knowledge base FAQs are maintained using the Helios Maintenance Application, which is the Vodacom application built on the NetBeans Platform: Several thousand call centre agent user accounts are administered using the Helios Maintenance Application. Below the main FAQ page is shown, together with the About dialog: Vodacom is happy with the back-end NetBeans Platform application. However, the front-end stack runs on quite old technology. Ideally Vodacom would like to migrate the portlets to Oracle Weblogic Portal or Oracle WebCenter, but this hasn't been accomplished yet. Migrating makes sense as the rest of the application server environment consists entirely of Oracle products.

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• Create a Shortcut to Put Your Windows Computer into Hibernation

  - by Mysticgeek

  Putting your Windows computer into Hibernation Mode allows you to save power, and quickly access your desktop again when you need it. Here we show how to create a shortcut to put your PC in Hibernation Mode quickly. Note: Here we show how to create the shortcut in Windows 7 and add it to the Taskbar. But creating the shortcut should work in XP and Vista as well. Create Shortcut  Right-click an empty area on your desktop and select New \ Shortcut from the Context Menu. In the Create Shortcut window type or copy the following in the location field… C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe powrprof.dll, SetSuspendState 0,1,0 Now give the shortcut a name such as Hibernate Computer or whatever you want to call it. Now you have the shortcut on your desktop, but you might want to change the icon to something else. Change Shortcut Icon Right-click the shortcut icon and select Properties. Select the Shortcut Tab and click the Change Icon button. In the Look for icons in this file field copy and past the following then click OK. %SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll This brings up a list of included Windows icons you can choose from. Select whatever you want it to be. There are a couple of Power icons in the directory…click OK. Of course you can choose any icon you want, if you customize your icons just browse to the directory they are in. For more on selecting icons check out our article on how to customize your icons in Windows 7 or how to change a file type’s icon. Now you will see the icon in the Shortcut Properties window, click OK. Here we have a nice looking shortcut that you can use to put your machine into Hibernation. Or here we used a customized Star Trek icon just to make things more interesting… You can pin the shortcut to the Taskbar for easy access. Conclusion If Hibernation is not enabled on your Windows 7 system you can easily manage it. By creating a shortcut and pinning to the Taskbar, it allows you to put your machine into Hibernation Mode quick and easy. If you like to customize your desktop with unique icons check out our posts on a Sci-Fi icon pack or Video Game icon pack. Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Create a Shortcut for Locking Your Computer Screen in Windows 7 or VistaCreate Shutdown / Restart / Lock Icons in Windows 7 or VistaHow To Manage Hibernate Mode in Windows 7Microsoft Releases Pre-SP1 Updates for Windows VistaCreate a Shortcut or Hotkey to Run CCleaner Silently TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips Xobni Plus for Outlook All My Movies 5.9 CloudBerry Online Backup 1.5 for Windows Home Server Snagit 10 10 Superb Firefox Wallpapers OpenDNS Guide Google TV The iPod Revolution Ultimate Boot CD can help when disaster strikes Windows Firewall with Advanced Security – How To Guides

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• Friday Fun: Factory Balls – Christmas Edition

  - by Asian Angel

  Your weekend is almost here, but until the work day is over we have another fun holiday game for you. This week your job is to correctly decorate/paint the ornaments that go on the Christmas tree. Simple you say? Maybe, but maybe not! Factory Balls – Christmas Edition The object of the game is to correctly decorate/paint each Christmas ornament exactly as shown in the “sample image” provided for each level. What starts off as simple will quickly have you working to figure out the correct combination or sequence to complete each ornament. Are you ready? The first level serves as a tutorial to help you become comfortable with how to decorate/paint the ornaments. To move an ornament to a paint bucket or cover part of it with one of the helper items simply drag the ornament towards that area. The ornament will automatically move back to its’ starting position when the action is complete. First, a nice coat of red paint followed by covering the middle area with a horizontal belt. Once the belt is on move the ornament to the bucket of yellow paint. Next, you will need to remove the belt, so move the ornament back to the belt’s original position. One ornament finished! As soon as you complete decorating/painting an ornament, you move on to the next level and will be shown the next “sample Image” in the upper right corner. Starting with a coat of orange paint sounds good… Pop the little serrated edge cap on top… Add some blue paint… Almost have it… Place the large serrated edge cap on top… Another dip in the orange paint… And the second ornament is finished. Level three looks a little bit tougher…just work out your pattern of helper items & colors and you will definitely get it! Have fun decorating/painting those ornaments! Note: Starting with level four you will need to start using a combination of two helper items combined at times to properly complete the ornaments. Play Factory Balls – Christmas Edition Latest Features How-To Geek ETC The Complete List of iPad Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials The 50 Best Registry Hacks that Make Windows Better The How-To Geek Holiday Gift Guide (Geeky Stuff We Like) LCD? LED? Plasma? The How-To Geek Guide to HDTV Technology The How-To Geek Guide to Learning Photoshop, Part 8: Filters Improve Digital Photography by Calibrating Your Monitor Exploring the Jungle Ruins Wallpaper Protect Your Privacy When Browsing with Chrome and Iron Browser Free Shipping Day is Friday, December 17, 2010 – National Free Shipping Day Find an Applicable Quote for Any Programming Situation Winter Theme for Windows 7 from Microsoft Score Free In-Flight Wi-Fi Courtesy of Google Chrome

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• Perfect Your MySQL Database Administrators Skills

  - by Antoinette O'Sullivan

  With its proven ease-of-use, performance, and scalability, MySQL has become the leading database choice for web-based applications, used by high profile web properties including Google, Yahoo!, Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia and thousands of mid-sized companies. Many organizations deploy both Oracle Database and MySQL side by side to serve different needs, and as a database professional you can find training courses on both topics at Oracle University! Check out the upcoming Oracle Database training courses and MySQL training courses. Even if you're only managing Oracle Databases at this point of time, getting familiar with MySQL Database will broaden your career path with growing job demand. Hone your skills as a MySQL Database Administrator by taking the MySQL for Database Administrators course which teaches you how to secure privileges, set resource limitations, access controls and describe backup and recovery basics. You also learn how to create and use stored procedures, triggers and views. You can take this 5 day course through three delivery methods: Training-on-Demand: Take this course at your own pace and at a time that suits you through this high-quality streaming video delivery. You also get to schedule time on a classroom environment to perform the hands-on exercises. Live-Virtual: Attend a live instructor led event from your own desk. 100s of events already of the calendar in many timezones. In-Class: Travel to an education center to attend this class. A sample of events is shown below:  Location  Date  Delivery Language  Budapest, Hungary  26 November 2012  Hungarian  Prague, Czech Republic  19 November 2012  Czech  Warsaw, Poland  10 December 2012  Polish  Belfast, Northern Ireland  26 November, 2012  English  London, England  26 November, 2012  English  Rome, Italy  19 November, 2012  Italian  Lisbon, Portugal  12 November, 2012  European Portugese  Porto, Portugal  21 January, 2013  European Portugese  Amsterdam, Netherlands  19 November, 2012  Dutch  Nieuwegein, Netherlands  8 April, 2013  Dutch  Barcelona, Spain  4 February, 2013  Spanish  Madrid, Spain  19 November, 2012  Spanish  Mechelen, Belgium  25 February, 2013  English  Windhof, Luxembourg  19 November, 2012  English  Johannesburg, South Africa  9 December, 2012  English  Cairo, Egypt  20 October, 2012  English  Nairobi, Kenya  26 November, 2012  English  Petaling Jaya, Malaysia  29 October, 2012  English  Auckland, New Zealand  5 November, 2012  English  Wellington, New Zealand  23 October, 2012  English  Brisbane, Australia  19 November, 2012  English  Edmonton, Canada  7 January, 2013  English  Vancouver, Canada  7 January, 2013  English  Ottawa, Canada  22 October, 2012  English  Toronto, Canada  22 October, 2012  English  Montreal, Canada  22 October, 2012  English  Mexico City, Mexico  10 December, 2012  Spanish  Sao Paulo, Brazil  10 December, 2012  Brazilian Portugese For more information on this course or any aspect of the MySQL curriculum, visit http://oracle.com/education/mysql.

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• Using Pandora in Boxee

  - by Mysticgeek

  Boxee is a very cool multimedia app that lets you access and stream your digital media in many different ways. There’s also a lot of extra apps included with it, and today we take a look at the Pandora application in Boxee. Pandora has been a favorite free music streaming service that’s been around for some time now. Though there are new services like Grooveshark and Spotify that are competing, Pandora is still a reliable choice. It’s now included in Boxee, and here we take a look at using it. Create a Pandora Account If you don’t already have a Pandora account, you can easily create one at their website (link below). Pandora in Boxee To start using Pandora from Boxee, launch Boxee and from the main menu select Apps. Now from the My Apps section select Pandora. When the Pandora app menu comes up, select Start. Now you need to log into your Pandora account. After signing in you can starting listening to your stations, viewing artist info, and cover art. All while enjoying some cool visuals in the background. From the controls at the top you can control playback, skip songs, control volume, get information on why a song was picked, and give a song a thumbs up or down. Of course you can also pull up your stations and switch between them and add more. The same features you’ve come to expect from Pandora are available. One thing we noticed missing is not being able to click on the band or artist to get additional information about them –which you can do on the Pandora site and desktop app. But that isn’t a deal breaker by any means, and we’re hoping the feature will be added in the future. Then while you’re checking out other apps, shows, and setting within Boxee, the cool visuals continue and the songs from you stations keep playing. Conclusion Pandora is a great streaming music service and a welcome edition to Boxee. If you’re a fan of Pandora now you can listen to it on your home theater system. If you’re new to Boxee, make sure to check out our article on getting started with Boxee. Create a Pandora Account Download Boxee Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Integrate Boxee with Media Center in Windows 7Getting Started with BoxeePandora One is a Worthwhile Upgrade for Your Current Pandora AccountCreate Music Video Playlists with TubeRadio.fmSpotify is an Awesome Music Streaming Service TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips Revo Uninstaller Pro Registry Mechanic 9 for Windows PC Tools Internet Security Suite 2010 PCmover Professional Draw Online using Harmony How to Browse Privately in Firefox Kill Processes Quickly with Process Assassin Need to Come Up with a Good Name? Try Wordoid StockFox puts a Lightweight Stock Ticker in your Statusbar Explore Google Public Data Visually

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• Show raw Text Code from a URL with CodePaste.NET

  - by Rick Strahl

  I introduced CodePaste.NET more than 2 years ago. In case you haven't checked it out it's a code-sharing site where you can post some code, assign a title and syntax scheme to it and then share it with others via a short URL. The idea is super simple and it's not the first time this has been done, but it's focused on Microsoft languages and caters to that crowd. Show your own code from the Web There's another feature that I tweeted about recently that's been there for some time, but is not used very much: CodePaste.NET has the ability to show raw text based code from a URL on the Web in syntax colored format for any of the formats provided. I use this all the time with code links to my Subversion repository which only displays code as plain text. Using CodePaste.NET allows me to show syntax colored versions of the same code. For example I can go from this URL: http://www.west-wind.com:8080/svn/WestwindWebToolkit/trunk/Westwind.Utilities/SupportClasses/PropertyBag.cs To a nicely colored source code view at this Url: http://codepaste.net/ShowUrl?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.west-wind.com%3A8080%2Fsvn%2FWestwindWebToolkit%2Ftrunk%2FWestwind.Utilities%2FSupportClasses%2FPropertyBag.cs&Language=C%23 which looks like this:   Use the Form or access URLs directly To get there navigate to the Web Code icon on the CodePaste.NET site and paste your original URL and select a language to display: The form creates a link shown above which has two query string parameters: url - The URL for the raw text on the Web language -  The code language used for syntax highlighting Note that parameters must be URL encoded to work especially the # in C# because otherwise the # will be interpreted by the browser as a hash tag to jump to in the target URL. The URL must be Web accessible so that CodePaste can download it and then apply the syntax coloring. It doesn't work with localhost urls for example. The code returned must be returned in plain text - HTML based text doesn't work. Hope some of you find this a useful feature. Enjoy…© Rick Strahl, West Wind Technologies, 2005-2011Posted in .NET   Tweet (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();

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• SnagIt Live Writer Plug-in updated

  - by Rick Strahl

  I've updated my free SnagIt Live Writer plug-in again as there have been a few issues with the new release of SnagIt 11. It appears that TechSmith has trimmed the COM object and removed a bunch of redundant functionality which has broken the older plug-in. I also updated the layout and added SnagIt's latest icons to the form. Finally I've moved the source code to Github for easier browsing and downloading for anybody interested and easier updating for me. This plug-in is not new - I created it a number of years back, but I use the hell out it both for my blogging and for a few internal apps that with MetaWebLogApi to update online content. The plug-in makes it super easy to add captured image content directly into a post and upload it to the server. What does it do? Once installed the plug-in shows up in the list of plug-ins. When you click it launches a SnagIt Capture Dialog: Typically you set the capture settings once, and then save your settings. After that a single click or ENTER press gets you off capturing. If you choose the Show in SnagIt preview window option, the image you capture is is displayed in the preview editor to mark up images, which is one of SnagIt's great strengths IMHO. The image editor has a bunch of really nice effects for framing and marking up and highlighting of images that is really sweet. Here's a capture from a previous image in the SnagIt editor where I applied the saw tooth cutout effect: Images are saved to disk and can optionally be deleted immediately, since Live Writer creates copies of original images in its own folders before uploading the files. No need to keep the originals around typically. The plug-in works with SnagIt Versions 7 and later. It's a simple thing of course - nothing magic here, but incredibly useful at least to me. If you're using Live Writer and you own a copy of SnagIt do yourself a favor and grab this and install it as a plug-in. Resources: SnagIt Windows Live Writer Plug-in Installer Source Code on GitHub Buy SnagIt© Rick Strahl, West Wind Technologies, 2005-2012 Tweet !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();

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• A Small Utility to Delete Files recursively by Date

  - by Rick Strahl

  It's funny, but for me the following seems to be a recurring theme: Every few months or years I end up with a host of files on my server that need pruning selectively and often under program control. Today I realized that my SQL Server logs on my server were really piling up and nearly ran my backup drive out of drive space. So occasionally I need to check on that server drive and clean out files. Now with a bit of work this can be done with PowerShell or even a complicated DOS batch file, but heck, to me it's always easier to just create a small Console application that handles this sort of thing with a full command line parser and a few extra options, plus in the end I end up with code that I can actually modify and add features to as is invariably the case. No more searching for a script each time :-) So for my typical copy needs the requirements are: Need to recursively delete files Need to be able to specify a filespec (ie. *.bak) Be able to specify a cut off date before which to delete files And it'd be nice to have an option to send files to the Recycle bin just in case for operator error :-)(and yes that came in handy as I blew away my entire database backup folder by accident - oops!) The end result is a small Console file copy utility that I popped up on Github: https://github.com/RickStrahl/DeleteFiles The source code is up there along with the binary file you can just run. Creating DeleteFiles It's pretty easy to create a simple utility like DeleteFiles of course, so I'm not going to spend any talking about how it works. You can check it out in the repository or download and compile it. The nice thing about using a full programming language like C over something like PowerShell or batch file is that you can make short work of the recursive tree walking that's required to make this work. There's very little code, but there's also a very small, self-contained command line parser in there that might be useful that can be plugged into any project - I've been using it quite a bit for just about any Console application I've been building. If you're like me and don't have the patience or the persistence (that funky syntax requires some 'sticking with it' that I simply can't get over) to get into Powershell coding, having an executable file that I can just copy around or keep in my Utility directory is the only way I'll ever get to reuse this functionality without going on a wild search each time :-) Anyway, hope some of you might find this useful. © Rick Strahl, West Wind Technologies, 2005-2012Posted in Windows  CSharp   Tweet !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); (function() { var po = document.createElement('script'); po.type = 'text/javascript'; po.async = true; po.src = 'https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(po, s); })();

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• Simple Hack To Install iOS 5 Beta On iPhone/iPad Without Developer Account

  - by Gopinath

  Apple released iOS 5 beta couple of days ago with loads of new features(watch the keynote video) . This beta version of iOS is available to iPhone developers who pay Apple $99 per annum. What if you are not a developer or not willing to pay $99 for a developer account but desperately looking for ways to upgrade your iPhone to iOS 5? Here is a simple hack to install iOS 5 beta without having a developer account.   1. Download iOS 5 installer with the help of Google or Torrent sites 2. Manually update your iPhone with the help of iTunes. Connect your phone to computer -click on Update button with Shift (PC) or Option (Mac) key pressed — Select the downloaded iOS 5 IPSW file and let the iTunes update your iPhone. 3. After update completes you see Activation screen. 4. Triple click the home button. This will activate the Voice Over. Again triple click the home button and Emergency Call option will appear. 5. Click the Emergency Call option and while it’s opening, swipe your three fingers down to open Notification Center 6. Click on the Weather widget. The Weather application will load. 7. Click on the home button. Bam!! Your iPhone is loaded with iOS 5. Note: Upgrade iPhone to iOS 5 at your own risk. You can’t blame us if something goes wrong. I know that you are aware of the side effects in using the hacks, but just reminding you once again . via Gizmodo This article titled,Simple Hack To Install iOS 5 Beta On iPhone/iPad Without Developer Account, was originally published at Tech Dreams. Grab our rss feed or fan us on Facebook to get updates from us.

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• Is 4-5 years the “Midlife Crisis” for a programming career?

  - by Jeff

  I’ve been programming C# professionally for a bit over 4 years now. For the past 4 years I’ve worked for a few small/medium companies ranging from “web/ads agencies”, small industry specific software shops to a small startup. I've been mainly doing "business apps" that involves using high-level programming languages (garbage collected) and my overall experience was that all of the works I’ve done could have been more professional. A lot of the things were done incorrectly (in a rush) mainly due to cost factor that people always wanted something “now” and with the smallest amount of spendable money. I kept on thinking maybe if I could work for a bigger companies or a company that’s better suited for programmers, or somewhere that's got the money and time to really build something longer term and more maintainable I may have enjoyed more in my career. I’ve never had a “mentor” that guided me through my 4 years career. I am pretty much blog / google / self taught programmer other than my bachelor IT degree. I’ve also observed another issue that most so called “senior” programmer in “my working environment” are really not that senior skill wise. They are “senior” only because they’ve been a long time programmer, but the code they write or the decisions they make are absolutely rubbish! They don't want to learn, they don't want to be better they just want to get paid and do what they've told to do which make sense and most of us are like that. Maybe that’s why they are where they are now. But I don’t want to become like them I want to be better. I’ve run into a mental state that I no longer intend to be a programmer for my future career. I started to think maybe there are better things out there to work on. The more blogs I read, the more “best practices” I’ve tried the more I feel I am drifting away from “my reality”. But I am not a great programmer otherwise I don't think I am where I am now. I think 4-5 years is a stage that can be a step forward career wise or a step out of where you are. I just wanted to hear what other have to say about what I’ve mentioned above and whether you’ve experienced similar situation in your past programming career and how you dealt with it. Thanks.

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• Ubuntu 11.10 - can't adjust brightness on my laptop

  - by Danny

  Using every method possible I'm unable to change my laptop brightness.. It's stuck on super max brightness.. Using the slider in the "screens" window int he control panel doesnt do anything, and using the fn keys doesn't do anything... Some info about my system: laptop is a MSI VR420 Running ubuntu 11.10 video card is an integrated intel card Used to work when I ran ubuntu 10.10 and earlier versions (not sure if it worked out of the box or if I inadvertly fixed it in previous versions while installing lots of other packages) Brightness slider on the "screen" window doesn't do anything, "dim when on battery -power" doesnt do anything When I use the fn+f4/f5 keys to adjust brightness there is a popup showing that its receving the input, but i can only go from between 0 brightness and max brightness.. (that is what the output is showing, the brightness does not change though) when attempting to change the brightness with fn+f4/f5 my dmesg log reports "ACPI: Failed to switch the brightness" Here are some outputs from some terminal commands, not sure if any of this is useful or not.. lspci - http://pastebin.com/EimZSGs3 "ls /sys/class/backlight/*/brightness" will output "/sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness" "cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness" = 0 (when I use the fn+f4/f5) this will change betwene 0 and, but the actual brightness doesn't change) "cat /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/max_brightness" = 1 "lsmod | grep ^i915" = i915 505108 3 here is the list of things I've tried through searching google..... Edit /etc/default/grub?GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT: acpi_osi=Linux, acpi_backlight=vendor, nomodeset. (as well as several different combinations of these settings being on or off) Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf (file doesn't exist on my system) Edit /proc/acpi/video/VGA/LCD/brightness (file doesn't exist) sudo setpci -s 00:02.0 F4.B=XX (does nothing) xbacklight -set XX (does nothing) I've tried about everything with no luck... The only thing i haven't tried is adding the ppa that someone suggested here: Unable to change brightness in a Lenovo laptop .... However according to the notes on the ppa.. all of the changes that are in the ppa are now actually apart of 11.10 and the ppa is only for people with 11.04.. Does anyone have any ideas for me? edit:by setting acpi=off in my /etc/default/grub file I was about to get my fn+f4/f5 keys to work, also "dim when display to save power" now makes my laptop dim when on battery power.. the dimness slider however still doesn't do anything.. also xbacklight doesn't do anything stil or any of the other methods... The thing i don't get is why setting acpi=off makes my fn+f4/f5 keys work? Isn't acpi supposed to be enables the backlight to be dimmed? does anyone know what ubuntu is deciding to do behind the scenes when acpi=off? Does anyone know what/if any features I might be losing with it off?

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• Getting Started With nServiceBus on VAN Mar 31

  - by van

  Topic: nServiceBus is mature and powerful open source framework that enables to design robust, scalable, message-based, service-oriented architectures. Latest improvements in the configuration API enables developers to quickly get started and build a working simple system that uses messaging infrastructure. The goal of this session is to give a jump start with the framework, introduce basic concepts such as message handlers, Sagas, Pub/Sub, Generic Host and also create a working demo application that uses publish/subscribe messaging. The content of the session is addressed to developers that are interested in learning how to get started using nServiceBus in order to design and build distributed systems. Bio: Bernard Kowalski is currently a Software Developer at Microdesk, one of Autodesk's leading partners in providing variety of Geospatial and Computer-Aided Design solutions. Bernard has experience developing .NET framework-based applications utilizing Windows Forms, Windows Services, ASP.NET MVC, and Web services. In a recent project, Bernard architected and implemented a distributed system based on SOA principles using an open source implementation of an Enterprise Service Bus. Bernard develops software with Agile patterns and practices using Domain Driven Design combined with TDD (Test Driven Development). He is familiar with all of the following APIs: Autodesk Vault/Product Stream API, AutoCAD ActiveX/VBA/.NET API, AutoCAD Mechanical API, Autodesk Inventor API, Autodesk MapGuide Enterprise. Prior to joining Microdesk, Bernard worked as a researcher and teacher at the University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland where he was awarded with a PhD in Computer Methods in Materials Science. He also participated in research projects where he developed applications for analysis of hot compression test results using advanced optimization techniques. He also developed Finite Element Method-based programs for thermal and stress analysis using C++ and FORTRAN. Bernard is a member of the Domain Driven Design and ALT.NET user groups in NYC. Virtual ALT.NET (VAN) is the online gathering place of the ALT.NET community. Through conversations, presentations, pair programming and dojos, we strive to improve, explore, and challenge the way we create software. Using net conferencing technology such as Skype and LiveMeeting, we hold regular meetings, open to anyone, usually taking the form of a presentation or an Open Space Technology-style conversation. Please see the Calendar(http://www.virtualaltnet.com/Home/Calendar) to find a VAN group that meets at a time convenient to you, and feel welcome to join a meeting. Past sessions can be found on the Recording page. To stay informed about VAN activities, you can subscribe to the Virtual ALT.NET Google Group and follow the Virtual ALT.NET blog. Times below are Central Standard Time Start Time: Wed, Mar 31, 2010 8:00 PM UTC/GMT -5 hours End Time: Wed, Mar 31, 2010 10:00 PM UTC/GMT -5 hours Attendee URL: http://www.virtualaltnet.com/van Zach Young http://www.virtualaltnet.com

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• Back home :-)

  - by Mike Dietrich

  Wrote this entry last night in the ICE from Stuttgart to Munich but the conncetion broke: 28.5 hour journey - and close by now. Actually I would have been even closer if our TGV wouldn't have had break problems as soon as we had entered German territory. And you don't want a train which goes up to a speed of 200 mph having issues with its breaks, right? So we missed the connection in Stuttgart but I've catched the last train this night towards Munich. Distance approx 1900 km all together. Usually it takes 2.5 hours with a direct flight with Air Lingus from Munich or a bit more when you'll go through Zurich or Frankfurt. But at least you meet more people and see a bit more from the landscapes passing by :-) Except for the break problem everything worked out well so far (I'm no there finally!). I had 4 hours to change in Paris from Gare de Nord to Gare de l'Est and one thing I really have to point out: the people working for SNCF, the French National Railways, were so organized and helpful, purely amazing. I asked the man at the counter where I had to pick up my prepaid tickets for directions to Gare de l'Est - and after we had a chat about Marlene Dietrich he just grabbed his iPhone, started Google Earth and showed me the way to walk. I pretty sure it's a stupid stereotype that people in Paris or France are so unfriendly to foreigners if they don't speak French. In my past 3 stays or travels to Paris in the past 2 years I had only great experiences. And another thing I really enjoy when being in France: the food!!! The sandwich I had at the train station was packed with yummy goat cheese. And there's always Paul. You might ask yourself: Who the heck is Paul? That's Paul - or actually their website. And at Paul's they serve usually excellent fruit tartes - and this time a nice Gateau Au Chocolate. And very good Cafe Cremé as well :-) That's actually the positive part traveling this way: the food you'll get is much better than the airline food - if your airline still serves something called food ...

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• Do I need to match hardware on a Mac to my PC to get the same user experience?

  - by Darth

  I've been playing around with the thought of moving from a PC to a Mac. if you don't want to read this, skip to the "upgrade options" My current setup Most of my time I spent moving back and forth between Linux and Windows. During the last upgrade to Vista, I got myself pc with Core 2 Quad, 8GB of RAM and GeForce 9800GTX+. Currently I'm running dual boot between Ubuntu 10.04 and Windows Vista x64. Most of my work, around 80%, I can do on Ubuntu, which is mostly Ruby/Java programming. If that was all I needed, Ubuntu would be really great. However, I also do quite a lot of Photography and Design, which forces me to use Adobe software (not only Photoshop). I also work with Wacom Intuos4 tablet, which doesn't really have great support on Linux machines. I've tried virtualization both ways (Linux in Win and Win in Linux), but neither was anywhere near satisfying. These are those of many many reasons I want to move to OS X. Upgrade options This is how I see my upgrade options: Mac Mini - cheapest solution, but worst performance iMac - more expensive, better performing with second LCD for free Mac Pro - could match my current PC performance, currently outside of the price range When I compare the Mac hardware vs my current PC, it will be always worse, unless I decide to pump in a lot of money. The question that comes to my head, do I need to match my current PC hardware to get the same user experience with a Mac? If I look at it from the Vista point of view, 2GB RAM is as low as it gets, 4GB is usable ... and the 8GB runs very smoothly. PC HW != Mac HW? If I bought the Mac Mini for roughly the same price I paid for my PC (Core 2 Quad with 8GB RAM), I'd get Core 2 Duo with 4GB RAM. But I don't want to run Vista on it, so I can't compare the hardware directly. Say that I want to do the same things on the Mac Mini as I do on my PC, eg. open up 50 tabs in Google Chrome and start working with a large PSD in Photoshop (couple hundred MB), would running on Mac OS X compensate for the lower hardware performance? My point is, that if I'm about to upgrade, I wouldn't like to upgrade to hardware that runs a lot slower. Good analogy for this is Vista vs Ubuntu, where you can run Ubuntu smoothly on a low end laptop, but in Vista, you'd be happy to open a browser. Does the same principle apply to OS X?

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• Paying by Cash

  - by David Dorf

  I'll grant you paying by cash in the context of stores isn't particularly interesting, but in my quest to try new payment methods I decided to pay by cash at an online store. Using a credit card means I have to hoist myself off the couch, find the card, and enter all those digits. Google Checkout certainly makes that task easier by storing my credit card information, but what happens to all those people that don't have a credit card? What about the ones that are afraid to use credit cards over the internet. There are three main options for cash payment, not all of which are accepted by every merchant. The most popular is PayPal. The issue I have with them is that returns and disputes have to be handled with PayPal, not the merchant. I once used PayPal at a shady online store and lost my money. Yeah, my bad but they wouldn't help me at all. PayPal was purchased by eBay in 2002. BillMeLater is best for larger purchases, because at checkout they actually run a credit check to make sure you're credit worthy. Assuming you are, they pay the merchant on your behalf and mail you a bill, which you better pay quickly or interest will start to accrue. That's nice for the merchant because they get paid right away, and I presume there's no charge-backs. BillMeLater was purchased by eBay in 2008. Last night I tried eBillMe for the first time. After checkout, they send you a bill via email and expect you to pay either via online banking (they provide the instructions to set everything up) or walk-in locations across the US (typically banks). The process was quick and easy. The merchant doesn't ship the product until the bill is paid, so there's a day or two delay. For the merchant there are no charge-backs, and the fees are less than credit cards. For the shopper, they provide buyer protection similar to that offered by credit cards, and 1% cashback on purchases. Once the online bill-pay is setup, its easy to reuse in the future. Seems like a win-win for merchants and shoppers.

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• What was missing from the Content Strategy Forum?

  - by Roger Hart

  In April, Paris hosted the first ever Content Strategy Forum. The event's website proudly proclaims: 170 attendees, 18 nationalities, 17 speakers, 1 volcano... Content Strategy Forum 2010 rocked the world! The volcano was in Iceland, and the closest we came to rocking the world was a cursory mention in the Huffington Post, but I'll grant the event was awesome. One thing missing from that list, however, is "94 companies" (Plus a couple of universities and freelancers, and what have you). A glance through the attendees directory reveals a fairly wide organisational turnout - 24 students from two Parisian universities, countless design and marketing agencies, a series of tech firms, small and large. Two delegates from IBM, two from ARM, an appearance from RIM, Skype, and Facebook; twelve from the various bits of eBay. Oh, and, err, nobody from Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Amazon, Play, Twitter, LinkedIn, Craigslist, the BBC, no banks I noticed, and I didn't spot a newspaper. You get the idea. Facebook notwithstanding, you have to scroll through a few pages to Alexa rankings to find company names from the attendee list. I find this interesting, and I'm not wholly sure what to make of it. Of the large, web-centric, content-rich organizations conspicuously absent, at least one of two things is true: They didn't know about the event They didn't care about the event Maybe these guys all have content strategy completely sorted, and it's an utterly naturalised part of their business process. Maybe nobody at say, Apple or Play.com ever publishes a single piece of content that isn't neatly tailored to their (clearly defined, of course) user and business goals. Wouldn't that be lovely? The thing is, in that rosy and beatific world, there's still a case for those folks to join the community. There are bound to be other perspectives, and things to learn. You see, the other thing achingly conspicuous by its absence was case studies. In her keynote address, Kristina Halvorson made the point that what content strategy really needs is some big, loud success stories. A point I'd firmly second as a content strategist working within an organisation. Sarah Cancilla's presentation on content strategy at Facebook included some very neat, specific examples, and was richer for it. It didn't hurt that the example was Facebook - you're getting impressively big numbers off base. What about the other big boys? Is there anybody out there with a perspective? Do we all just look very silly to you, fretting away over text and images and users and purposes? Is content validation and maintenance so accustomed a part of your business that calling attention to it is like sniffing the air and saying "Hmm, a lot of nitrogen about today."? And if it is, do you have any wisdom to share?

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• Set App Windows to Always be on Top

  - by Asian Angel

  Sometimes you have a small app or other software that you want to keep topmost but how do you keep it on top without a lot of hassle? If this sounds like your situation then you might want to have a look at OnTop. Before For our example we had four individual apps open…any of the four could easily be on top at the moment. OnTop in Action The exe file for the app comes in a zip file. Simply unzip the file, place it in the Program Files Folder, create a shortcut and you are ready to go. Once you start OnTop you will see a new System Tray Icon…right click to access the Context Menu with a list of currently open apps. We decided to set Winamp to be always topmost first. Note: OnTop detected all three individual sections of our Winamp Player along with the individual monitors running in our Taskbar. Clicking on Paint.NET brought it forward over Firefox and Microsoft Word but Winamp was still sitting on top. Clicking on Microsoft Word next still did not affect Winamp’s topmost status. Nice. As soon as we switched the topmost status to Microsoft Word you can see that it immediately came to the front. One thing that we did note in our tests…the best method for switching topmost status is either to choose a different app or close the app that was topmost. Conclusion OnTop might be considered niche software but if you have an app window that you need to keep on top of other windows then you might want to give this small app a try. Links Download OnTop at Softpedia Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Use the Windows Key for the "Start" Menu in Ubuntu LinuxIncrease the Cached Logon Count for Windows Computers on a DomainUsing Windows 7 or Vista Compatibility ModeQuick Tip: Change the Registered Owner in WindowsMake Safari Stop Crashing Every 20 Seconds on Windows Vista TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips Xobni Plus for Outlook All My Movies 5.9 CloudBerry Online Backup 1.5 for Windows Home Server Snagit 10 2010 World Cup Schedule Boot Snooze – Reboot and then Standby or Hibernate Customize Everything Related to Dates, Times, Currency and Measurement in Windows 7 Google Earth replacement Icon (Icons we like) Build Great Charts in Excel with Chart Advisor tinysong gives a shortened URL for you to post on Twitter (or anywhere)

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• SOCharts: Charts by Tags

  - by abhin4v

  Screenshot I created this small app as a weekend hack. It shows the reputations, upvotes, downvotes and accepted answers for a user against the tags for the answers. About I wanted to know how may upvotes I was away from getting the bronze badge for the clojure tag. But I could not find any straightforward way of doing that. So I wrote this app (in Clojure, of course). The SO API is used for the data and the charts are created using the Google Chart API. The charts are opened in the default browser. License Licensed under EPL 1.0. Download If you have Clojure and Leiningen installed, you can simply get the code from https://gist.github.com/725331, save it as socharts.clj and then run lein repl -e "(load \"socharts\")(refer 'socharts.socharts)(-main)" for launching the Swing UI If you don't have Clojure installed, but have Java then download the standalone jar from http://dl.dropbox.com/u/5247/socharts-1.0.0-standalone.jar and run it as javaw -jar socharts-1.0.0-standalone.jar Once the UI is launched, just type your user id in the input box and press <ENTER>. It will take some time to download the data from the SO API (the progress bar shows the download progress) and then it will open the charts in your default browser. You can also run it as a command line app by running lein repl -e "(load \"socharts\")(refer 'socharts.socharts)(-main <userid>)" or java -jar socharts-1.0.0-standalone.jar <userid> where you replace <userid> with your user id. Be warned that because of a missing feature in the SO API, it will fetch the data for each question you have answered. So the maximum limit is 10000 answers (the SO API call limit). Platform All platforms with Java 1.6. Contact You can reach me at abhinav [at] abhinavsarkar [dot] net. Please report bugs/comments/suggestions as answers to this post. Code Code was written in Clojure with the UI in Swing. It is available at https://gist.github.com/725331. It's a public gist so your can fork it if you like to do some changes.

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• Spritebatch node animation appears to be broken in cocos2d-x 2.0.3

  - by George Host

  Hi I have spent aprox 2 days trying to get this to work doing a google searches left and right and I did get it working except for sprite batch nodes. So in my class I am able to load kuwalio_stand.png and I tested kuwalio_walk1.png and 2 and 3 from the FrameCache(). They work for sure 100%. I run this code and it does not animate does anyone else have the same issue with sprite batch nodes? cocos2d::CCSprite * player = Player::create(); player->setPosition(cocos2d::CCPointMake(0.0f,0.0f)); player->setDisplayFrame(cocos2d::CCSpriteFrameCache::sharedSpriteFrameCache()->spriteFrameByName("kuwalio_stand.png")); player->setTag(PlayerTag); cocos2d::CCAnimation * walk = cocos2d::CCAnimation::create(); cocos2d::CCSpriteFrame * walk1 = cocos2d::CCSpriteFrameCache::sharedSpriteFrameCache()->spriteFrameByName("kuwalio_walk1.png"); cocos2d::CCSpriteFrame * walk2 = cocos2d::CCSpriteFrameCache::sharedSpriteFrameCache()->spriteFrameByName("kuwalio_walk2.png"); cocos2d::CCSpriteFrame * walk3 = cocos2d::CCSpriteFrameCache::sharedSpriteFrameCache()->spriteFrameByName("kuwalio_walk3.png"); walk->addSpriteFrame(walk1); walk->addSpriteFrame(walk2); walk->addSpriteFrame(walk3); cocos2d::CCAnimate * actionWalk = cocos2d::CCAnimate::create(walk); cocos2d::CCRepeatForever * actionRepeat = cocos2d::CCRepeatForever::create(actionWalk); walk->setDelayPerUnit(0.1f); actionWalk->setDuration(10.1f); player->runAction(actionRepeat); // Change camera to a soft follow camera. this->runAction(cocos2d::CCFollow::create(player)); mSceneSpriteBatchNode->addChild(player); // Have the CCNode object run its virtual update function as fast as possible. // Every frame for this layer. this-scheduleUpdate(); Counter example without the sprite batch node... cocos2d::CCSprite * sprite = cocos2d::CCSprite::create("kuwalio_walk1.png"); this->addChild(sprite,0); sprite->setPosition(cocos2d::CCPointMake(60,60)); sprite->retain(); cocos2d::CCAnimation * actionAnimation = cocos2d::CCAnimation::create(); actionAnimation->setDelayPerUnit(0.01f); actionAnimation->retain(); actionAnimation->addSpriteFrameWithFileName("kuwalio_walk1.png"); actionAnimation->addSpriteFrameWithFileName("kuwalio_walk2.png"); actionAnimation->addSpriteFrameWithFileName("kuwalio_walk3.png"); cocos2d::CCAnimate * a = cocos2d::CCAnimate::create(actionAnimation); a->setDuration(0.10f); cocos2d::CCRepeatForever * actionRepeat = cocos2d::CCRepeatForever::create(a); sprite->runAction(actionRepeat);

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• Problem to match font size to the screen resolution in libgdx

  - by Iñaki Bedoya

  I'm having problems to show text on my game at same size on different screens, and I did a simple test. This test consists to show a text fitting at the screen, I want the text has the same size independently from the screen and from DPI. I've found this and this answer that I think should solve my problem but don't. In desktop the size is ok, but in my phone is too big. This is the result on my Nexus 4: (768x1280, 2.0 density) And this is the result on my MacBook: (480x800, 0.6875 density) I'm using the Open Sans Condensed (link to google fonts) As you can see on desktop looks good, but on the phone is so big. Here the code of my test: public class TextTest extends ApplicationAdapter { private static final String TAG = TextTest.class.getName(); private static final String TEXT = "Tap the screen to start"; private OrthographicCamera camera; private Viewport viewport; private SpriteBatch batch; private BitmapFont font; @Override public void create () { Gdx.app.log(TAG, "Screen size: "+Gdx.graphics.getWidth()+"x"+Gdx.graphics.getHeight()); Gdx.app.log(TAG, "Density: "+Gdx.graphics.getDensity()); camera = new OrthographicCamera(); viewport = new ExtendViewport(Gdx.graphics.getWidth(), Gdx.graphics.getWidth(), camera); batch = new SpriteBatch(); FreeTypeFontGenerator generator = new FreeTypeFontGenerator(Gdx.files.internal("fonts/OpenSans-CondLight.ttf")); font = createFont(generator, 64); generator.dispose(); } private BitmapFont createFont(FreeTypeFontGenerator generator, float dp) { FreeTypeFontGenerator.FreeTypeFontParameter parameter = new FreeTypeFontGenerator.FreeTypeFontParameter(); int fontSize = (int)(dp * Gdx.graphics.getDensity()); parameter.size = fontSize; Gdx.app.log(TAG, "Font size: "+fontSize+"px"); return generator.generateFont(parameter); } @Override public void render () { Gdx.gl.glClearColor(1, 1, 1, 1); Gdx.gl.glClear(GL20.GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT); int w = -(int)(font.getBounds(TEXT).width / 2); batch.setProjectionMatrix(camera.combined); batch.begin(); font.setColor(Color.BLACK); font.draw(batch, TEXT, w, 0); batch.end(); } @Override public void resize(int width, int height) { viewport.update(width, height); } @Override public void dispose() { font.dispose(); batch.dispose(); } } I'm trying to find a neat way to fix this. What I'm doing wrong? is the camera? the viewport? UPDATE: What I want is to keep the same margins in proportion, independently of the screen size or resolution. This image illustrates what I mean.

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• Android app to remote control Samsung Smart TVs

  - by Gopinath

  Smart TV Remote is an unofficial Android app that lets you control Samsung Smart TVs connected over a local WiFi network. This app comes very handy when you want to control your TV which is not in line of sight of your TV remote control or just want to use your mobile phone/tablet to control the TV. Setting up a TV  is very easy using auto scan feature . Once the TV is setup, you are all set to start using the app as a remote control. A traditional remote controls makes use of infra red technology and it needs to be in the line of sight of the TV receiver to work. But this app make use of WiFi technology which give it flexibility of controlling the TV as long as the mobile & TV is connected to WiFi network. It just works even if the TV is behind a wall. The App provides very easy to use options to switch between channels and separate remotes with media controls, smart hub features and a numeric key pad if you want to navigate to a channel through its number. The App also provides a home screen widget with volume controls and channel navigation options. I use  this App to control Samsung E Series Smart Tv at home and it works very well. I’m impressed by the ease at which it allows to setup a TV, support for multiple TVs, controlling the TV though I’m not in the line of sight and using volume buttons of smart phone to control volume of TV. What’s annoying and missing with the app As advertised the app works very well in controlling Samsung TVs (B-, C-, D- E-, and F-Series) except it is very painful to move mouse pointer while browsing web on TV. When you try to move mouse pointer using the App, it mouse painfully slow especially. I gave us using the app to control mouse pointer after trying couple of times. I installed this App thinking that it may help me browse web on Smart TVs, especially a key board support to type web urls. App does not supports entering text either while browsing web or searching through Smart TV apps like YouTube, App Store etc. Developers of this App never advertised keyboard support so no complaints about this. But it would be very helpful if the developers allow this app use as a keyboard and rescue me from the pain of typing text using TV Remote control. Overall this is a very nice app and worth trying out – Download Smart TV Remote from Google Play

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• Changing Focus on my Blog

  - by D'Arcy Lussier

  I try to limit these types of blog posts – the ones where I communicate some change as if I have a loyal subscriber base that will be somehow affected. Still, I think its of worth if for nothing else than to document for myself an acknowledgement that my career is evolving. For the last who knows how long, I’ve had this as my banner: It’s funny how technology focuses change over time. 3.5 – 4 years ago I was wanting to immerse myself in BizTalk. Then I shifted, focussing on Silverlight. I even started a short-lived Silverlight user group here in Winnipeg that had, IMO, one of the *best* UG logos ever (do a Google search for the old school Winnipeg Jets logo if you don’t catch the reference)… And even how I identified myself – as a Developer – isn’t really accurate anymore as I’ve shifted more into an architect/analyst role at Online Business Systems as well as getting much more involved in business development. So I’m switching the focus of this blog a bit. Nothing too great, but you’ll find my posts aren’t necessarily tied to a technology or platform. Instead I’ll be focussing on current passions and interests. Solution Architecture Before a line of code is written, a solution is envisioned. The process of performing solution analysis and architecture is an intriguing process that encompasses negotiation and interpersonal skills as much as technical knowledge. Business & Entrepreneurship Creating things, building things, and working with others – business is fascinating and exciting! Entrepreneurship, and intrapreneurship, are growing trends that I’ve been exploring over the last few years through my conference (www.prairiedevcon.com) and within Online. Microsoft At Online one of my roles is “Microsoft Practice Lead” and my entire career has been built around the Microsoft stack of technologies. That focus won’t change here on my blog, and there’s tonnes of exciting new products and technologies coming out of Redmond. Adoption This is a very personal subject that’s extremely close to my heart. I’m not talking about technology adoption, I’m talking about human adoption. Almost three years ago we adopted our first daughter, Sadie, and two years ago we adopted our second daughter, Skylar; an amazing new chapter in my life as I became a “parent”. Adoption is very much misunderstood, and many people have questions about it. Hopefully I can shed some light into our experiences and provide some guidance for those that are looking into it. So come along with me as I start chronicling the next phase of my career and life.

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• Appropriate response when client empowered with CMS destroys content to his own will

  - by dukeofgaming

  So, I just recently closed a website project that pretty much was The Oatmeals' Design Hell, but with content. The client loved the site at the beginning but started getting other people involved and mercilessly bombarding us with their opinions. We served a carefully thought content strategy (which the client approved) and extremely curated copywriting that took us four months after at least 5 requirement changes (new content, new objectives for the business, changed offerings, new mindfaps, etc.) that required us to rewrite the content about 3 times. The client never gave timely feedback even though we kept the process open for him and his people to see (content being developed transparently in Google Docs). Near the end of the project he still wanted to make changes but wanted us to finish already (there are not enough words in the world to even try to make sense of this). So I explained to him the obvious implications of the never-ending requirement changes and advised him to take the time to gather his thoughts with his own team and see the new content introduced as a new content maintenance project. He happily accepted, but on the day of training/delivery things went very wrong and we have no idea why. The client didn't even allow the site to be out for a week with the content we developed for him and quickly replaced us with a Joomla savvy intern so that he completely destroy the content with shallow, unstructured, tasteless and plain wordsmithing (and I'm not even being visceral). Worst insult of all, he revoked our access from his server and the deployed CMS not even having passed 10 minutes of being given his administrator account (we realized the day after that he did it in our own office, the nerve!). Everybody involved in the team is enraged and insulted. I never want to see this happen again. So, to try to make sense of this situation and avoid it in the future with new clients I have two concrete questions: Is there even an appropriate course of action with a client like this?, or is he just not worth the trouble of analyzing (blindly hoping this never repeats again). In the exercise to try and blame ourselves instead of the client and take this as a lesson of... something, how should we set expectations for new clients about the working terms, process and final product so that they are discouraged from mauling the content to their own contempt once they get the codes to the nukes (access to the CMS)?

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• SQL SERVER – Manage Help Settings – CTRL + ALT + F1

  - by pinaldave

  It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. ~ Albert Einstein I have 3 years old daughter and she never misses any chance to play with the system. I have multiple computers and I always make sure that if I am working with production server, I never leave it open but when I am doing some experiment I often leave my computer open. My daughter loves the part when I have left the computer open and I am not observing her. Recently I had the same scenario, I got urgent call and I moved away from my computer and when I returned she was playing with SSMS left open my computer. Here is the screen which was visible on the screen. For a moment, I could not figure out what was this screen and what was about to get updated. I tried to ask her what keys she pressed the reaction was “I wanted – eya eya o”. Well, what more I expect from 3 years old. She is no computer genius – she just learned to use notepad and paint on my machine. Finally, when I saw the above screen in detail, I realize that this screen was from the help screen and something got updated. I have been using SQL Server for a long time but I never updated help on the screen. When I need to search something if I remember that I have written it earlier I will go to http://search.sqlauthority.com and will search there or will search on Google. As this computer was already updated I fired up Virtual Machine and tried to look recreate how my daughter was reached to above screen. Here are the steps which I have to do to reach to above screen. Go to SSMS >> Toolbar >> Help >> Manage Help Settings (or type CTRL+ALT+F1) and click it. Above click brought up following screen. I clicked on Check for update online brought following screen up. When I clicked on Update it brought me back to original screen which my daughter was able to bring up earlier. I found it so interesting that what took me 2-3 minutes to figure out and the screen which I have never come across in my career I learned from my curiosity like my daughter. Reference: Pinal Dave (http://blog.sqlauthority.com) Filed under: Database, PostADay, SQL, SQL Authority, SQL Query, SQL Server, SQL Tips and Tricks, T SQL, Technology

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