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Visual Studio 2010 and the .NET Framework 4.0 mark the next generation of developer tools from Microsoft. Designed to address the latest needs of developers, Visual Studio and the .NET Framework deliver key innovations in the following pillars:

Democratizing Application Lifecycle Management
Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) crosses many roles within an organization and traditionally not every one of the roles has been an equal player in the process. Visual Studio Team System 2010 continues to build the platform for functional equality and shared commitment across an organization’s ALM process.

Enabling emerging trends
Every year the industry develops new technologies and new trends. With Visual Studio 2010, Microsoft delivers tooling and framework support for the latest innovations in application architecture, development and deployment.

Inspiring developer delight
Ever since the first release of Visual Studio, Microsoft has set the bar for developer productivity and flexibility. Visual Studio 2010 continues to deliver on the core developer experience by significantly improving upon it for roles involved with the software development process.

Riding the next generation platform wave
Microsoft continues to invest in the market leading operating system, productivity application and server platforms to deliver increased customer value in these offerings. With Visual Studio 2010 customers will have the tooling support needed to create amazing solutions around these technologies.

Breakthrough Departmental Applications
Customers continue to build applications that span from department to the enterprise. Visual Studio 2010 will ensure development is supported across this wide spectrum of applications.

Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2010 – Democratizing Application Lifecycle Management

Visual Studio Team System 2010 will deliver new capabilities that embrace the needs of the users in the lifecycle – from architects to developers, from project managers to testers.
Among the great new functionality in VSTS 2010:

• Discover and identify existing code assets and architecture with the new Architecture Explorer.
• Design and share multiple diagram types, including use case, activity and sequence diagrams.
• Improve testing efforts with tooling for better documentation of test scenarios and more thorough collection of test data.
• Identify and run only the tests impacted by a code change easily with the new Test Impact View. Enhanced version control capabilities including gated check-in, branch visualization and build workflow.

Key to a shared understanding of the application is the use of modeling tools. Modeling has traditionally been done by professional architects and system designers. Our approach is to enable both technical and non-technical users to create and use models to collaborate and to define business and system functionality graphically.

Visual Studio Team System 2010 includes a new Architecture Explorer for the discovery and exploration of existing code assets and application architectures.
 
From the design of the application through to the actual writing of the code, one of the most difficult problems has always been that of the bug that can’t be reproduced – the “no-repro” bug. There are a lot of factors that drive these types of bugs and we have worked to create tools to help isolate the issue and allow faster fixes. One of the common blockers to reproducing a bug is the collection of actionable data on the bug.  By dramatically simplifying the tools required to integrate testing across the lifecycle, we are further introducing new non-technical users to the application lifecycle.

Visual Studio Team System 2010 provides testers with a set of tools for managing test cases and execution as well as improved support for filing actionable bugs.
 
Better Together – Visual Studio Team System Development Edition and Database Edition
In recognition of the increased need to integrate more of the lifecycle members together, we will provide a unified Development and Database product in Visual Studio Team System 2010. Beginning October 1, 2008 Development Edition and Database Edition MSDN subscribers will have access to both products.
 
See Visual Studio 2010 in Action on Channel 9
During the week of September 29, 2008, Channel 9 will be publishing new Visual Studio Team System 2010 videos daily. During the week you can watch videos covering many of the aspects of Visual Studio Team System 2010, including an overview of new capabilities, software quality, project management and Team Foundation Server, featuring Brian Harry. Watch the videos now.

More Info: Microsoft.Com

Visual Studio

So finally Microsoft has launched new wave of Windows Live Hotmail.  I just noticed it when I signed-in Hotmail. The wave 3 includes lots of changes over last version. Here is the summary:

Liveside.net says:

Speed: The coming soon page says that for broadband users, the new Hotmail will be up to 70% faster on sign in (50% for non-broadband users). That’s a pretty big claim, and one which should provide for some interesting testing once the beta is open to the public.

Ever-increasing storage: Microsoft have carefully avoided using the phrase “unlimited storage”, as Yahoo has done, but in a sense this is what is being offered. The figures we last heard for this were the the existing 5GB free accounts would be getting growth of 250MB per month, but this is pre-beta and could have changed and so our usual disclaimer applies. Obviously the PR definitely looks better leaving the figures out, but a free inbox of 8GB by the end of year 1 gives us a warm feeling. (For comparison, Gmail is currently on 7GB and still growing.)

New UI: Along with the new Wave 3 UI, in particular the new header and themes available shown below, the new promotion site suggests that the classic and full versions of Hotmail will be combined together. This potentially means that full functionality could be available across all browsers. Also worth mentioning here are improvements around deadling with spam.

In terms of Hotmail integrating with other Windows Live services, there’s also some details on that:

WebIM built-in: This feature doesn’t really need much explaining and should be a popular addition. From what we’ve heard it’ll support most of the basic needs such as presence, notifications and chat via the WebMessenger dogfood. Yes its been a while since we’ve spoken about that!

Integrated Calendar: No surprise if you’re on the new Windows Live Calendar beta to hear there will be integration between the two services.

Easier to send group emails: Thanks to the new Windows Live Groups service (go ABCH!) it’ll be easier to email all those contacts in one go.

And of course there is stuff not on the PR site that we’ve heard about, including the long-rumoured POP support for other mail clients and using Skydrive for storing photos sent via Photo Mail.

Unfortunately if you’re now excited about giving the new Hotmail a try, we haven’t seen any links to sign up for a public beta. As soon as we do though, we’ll let you know. Keep those tips coming, either in the comments or via email.

Download beta release of Windows Live Programs

Windows Live

The Access team wants to learn more about who uses Access, and what new features people would find valuable. Microsoft would appreciate it if you help out by taking this short 12 question survey.

Your feedback is valuable and will help shape future versions of the product. There are 12 short questions that should take less than 10 minutes. Thank you.

Source: Official Access Team Blog | Take Survey

Microsoft Office, Uncategorized

After doing lots of R & D on Windows Vista, I have found a registry hack that enables all tasks control panel and system settings at one place…! (Works with Windows Vista 32bit editions only)

It’s much similar to Windows 7’s (M1 Build 6519) Control Panel (Classic View) or you can say, it’ll explorer more controls and tasks than Windows 7 Control Panel.

Method 1:

1) Create a new folder and name it Master Control.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

2) The icon will be changed automatically to Control Panel’s icon. Now open the folder and see the magic of Windows Registry!

Method 2: (Thanks to my friend Marc F.)

Create a shortcut and type explorer.exe shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} in the location n finish the icon create wizard with appropriate icon and name.

Note: Sometimes…it kills explorer.exe
To get rid of this issue run cmd and copy paste this command and hit enter:

rd “Master Control.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}”

How do I ?, Windows Vista

We were hearing some gossip of next service pack for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Earlier this week it was revealed that Microsoft may go for Vista SP2 before Windows 7, But today I have found something new of Vista SP2. Neowin.net stated that Microsoft sent Vista SP2 invitations and the first beta might be in next 4 weeks.

Neowin.net says:
Thanks to a tipster we have learned Microsoft has started sending Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 invites to select testers today.

Earlier this week it was revealed the company will release SP2 before Windows 7. Microsoft recently put a placeholder online for the upcoming betas of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2.

Microsoft will include Windows Search 4 in Vista SP2 along with Bluetooth wireless support (including latest BT 2.1 fixes), support for the new VIA 64-bit CPU and additional application compatibility updates.

For Windows Server 2008 SP2, Microsoft will include Backwards compatibility with Terminal Services licensing keys, improved manageability features with DFS/FRS console, and Storage Resource Manager, print server and spooler performance improvements for printers in Windows Vista and Server 2008 and improved error reporting in DFSR to help identify incorrectly configured deployments which lead to failed replication.

Both builds are “anticipated” to be released within the next four weeks.

Source: Neowin.net

Windows Vista

Microsoft Press is celebrating the 25th Anniversary with a “Free E-book Offer of the Month”.  Sign up for Microsoft Press Connection newsletter to get monthly update.

This month:

Windows Server(r) 2008 TCP/IP Protocols and Services by Joseph Davies: This in-depth technical reference delivers must-know information for any IT professional working with TCP/IP in the Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista operating systems.
Download this e-book today!

Programming Microsoft Robotics Studio by Sara Morgan: Visualize, build, and deploy the next innovation in robotic applications with this practical guide to Microsoft Robotics Studio.
Download this e-book today!

Source: Microsoft.Com

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