Sessions

(May 1, 2010)

NoSQL: I can’t relate to my database, anymore Speaker: Dennis Burton Abstract: It’s not you, it’s me. Or rather, my needs have changed. The kind of apps we build today are different than the ones we built two decades ago. The scale requirements are different as are the levels of abstraction we work with. Relational databases are not our only option. The NoSQL movement is coming to an app near you. Will you be ready? In this session we will look at some non-relational databases with a focus on the document database style using MongoDB. Scalability may get your attention, but there is more to the story. See what happens when we take another perspective on persistence.
Windows Phone 7 Series, A Deeper Dive Speaker: Nino Benvenuti Abstract: Done with Hello, World and ready to dig in and build your apps and games for Windows Phone 7 Series? This session will start by taking a deeper look at the new APIs for accessing input and interfacing with built-in applications, as well as location and notification services. Next, we’ll cover details of user experience, security, performance, and deployment. You’ll leave this session armed with a deeper knowledge and understanding of the platform, tools, APIs, and services so that you can build great applications for Windows Phone 7 Series.
Windows Phone 7 Series Development 101 Speaker: Nino Benvenuti Abstract: Silverlight and XNA. On a phone! Windows Phone 7 Series presents us with an exciting new development paradigm and a great opportunity to leverage your .NET experience on this new platform. Whether or not you’ve developed for Windows Mobile before, there is a lot to learn about this new platform. You’ll leave this session with a basic understanding of the Windows Phone 7 Series platform architecture, knowledge of how to access the various input mechanisms, phone APIs, and services, as well as insight into the tools used to build applications and games for this platform . We’ll leverage Expression Blend and Visual Studio to build a basic, but useful, application to demonstrate the concepts discussed.
Cloud Computing with Microsoft Azure Speaker: James Bender Abstract: Cloud computing is poised to be the next big breakthrough in Enterprise computing. Companies like Amazon, Google, IBM, Oracle and Microsoft are making large investments in this new paradigm and positioning themselves to be leaders in this new space. But why is cloud computing so important? This session will answer that question and help you as a developer and/or architect get a handle on cloud computing. You will also see how easy cloud computing can be with Microsoft Azure in a variety of Enterprise scenarios.
JavaScript is Real Code: SOLID and TDD in the browser Speaker: Len Smith Abstract: Most good programmers wouldn’t consider their clipboard a tool for code reuse. They wouldn’t write sixty line methods. They wouldn’t write code without tests. They wouldn’t flagrantly violate good design principles. Unless they were writing in JavaScript. In 2010 it is no longer acceptable to post-back for every request. This means writing more JavaScript than ever before. If we don’t treat our JavaScript with the same respect as our server-side code it will yield maintenance nightmares. In this session we’ll discuss techniques and practices that allow us to create maintainable JavaScript.
Real World Deployment of SharePoint 2007 Solutions Speaker: Brian T. Jackett Abstract: “All I have to do is run some STSADM commands to deploy my SharePoint solutions, right?” If you are saying that to yourself then you are missing out on some of the more advanced processes you can employ to deploy and maintain your SharePoint solutions and farm. In this session we will overview using a combination of STSADM, PowerShell, SharePoint API and a number of other tools in a real world situation to deploy an entire suite of custom SharePoint solutions. This session is targeted to farm administrators and developers. Prior experience with SharePoint solutions, STSADM and minimal PowerShell experience is suggested.
Silverlight 101: Write your first Silverlight Application Speaker: Michael Eaton Abstract: Are you wondering where Silverlight fits in to your development toolkit? Have you seen Silverlight introductions that do nothing but show you how to create spinning ghosts and gradient fills? Are you ready to for an introduction to Silverlight that focuses on real-world usage? This session will include an overview of XAML, containers and commonly used controls found in Silverlight. This talk expects no knowledge of Silverlight or XAML.
Introduction to ASP.NET MVC with a Splash of jQuery Speaker: Jamie Wright Abstract: The ASP.NET MVC framework and the jQuery javascript framework work very well together in order to build up to date, rich client web applications with no need for silly plugins. ASP.NET MVC is a alternative to the traditional ASP.NET web forms from Microsoft. They both use ASP.NET as the mechanism to talk between a web browser and IIS but the patterns they implement are far different. ASP.NET MVC is modeled after popular model-view-controller web frameworks such as Ruby on Rails. It was not built to replace ASP.NET web forms but rather as an alternative to the viewstate/post back model of web forms. We will look at the patterns of the ASP.NET MVC framework and explore the work flow of requests and responses to and from a server as well as how it differs from the traditional web forms applications. jQuery is a javascript framework that is designed to make cross-browser DOM programming easier and make developing with javascript suck less. In this presentation, we will go over the basics of jQuery which will allow you to go home and get started right away. We will cover concepts such as DOM manipulation, CSS manipulation, ajax requests, and user interface effects. jQuery makes performing these tasks trivial and allows you to add ajax calls and Flash-like effects to your web site easily.
Leadership 101 Speaker: Jim Holmes Abstract: It doesn’t matter what point you’re at in your career, you need to understand some fundamentals about good leadership. If you’re well into your career you need to know how to get the most out of your teams. If you’re just starting then you need to learn what good leadership looks like – and how to help ensure you’re getting the leadership you and your colleagues need to succeed. In this session you’ll learn basic concepts about respect, responsibility, communication, and teamwork, based on experience drawn from Jim’s years of serving in the military, playing competitive sports, and working in a wide range of jobs.
3 Tips to Improve Your Development Process Speaker: Jim Holmes Abstract: It doesn’t matter if you’re doing Agile or if you’re working in an environment like RUP or CMMI, there are several things you can do to improve your development process. This highly interactive session will show you three specific tips: improve your estimation, use a daily standup to keep a close focus on your progress, and work in retrospectives to empower your team’s ability to drastically improve your entire software development process, regardless of what that process is, even if it’s no process! You’ll leave this session with a handle on ways to smooth out your project’s environment.
Entity Framework 2010 Speaker: Sam Nasr Abstract: The latest version of Microsoft’s Entity Framework includes 11 new features for 2010. Some of these features are intelligent entity naming, support for foreign keys, POCO objects, as well as foreign language support. Utilizing these features will not only make application development easier but it will also make EF4 a more sought-after tool by developers in 2010.
How to Work Effectively with a Designer/ How to Work Effectively with a Developer Speaker: Jeff McWherter Abstract: Many developers don’t have the opportunity to work with a designer; they create their own designs, and implement the HTML and CSS themselves. Some lucky developers have the benefit of having a designer put a pretty face on their hard work. For these fortunate few, the relationship between the developer and the designer can sometimes be rocky to say the least. We will discuss tips and tricks, as well as pain points from both sides (developers and designer), and offer solutions to make this relationship a match made in heaven. This session will be co-presented by Jeff McWherter and Amelia Marschall, it is your job to figure out who the developer is.
Anatomy of an E-commerce Web Site Speaker: Joe Wirtley Abstract: In this presentation, we will examine the technical components supporting the Chefs Catalog web site and the choices and challenges created when integrating third party systems into an ASP.NET web form site. We will look at systems for order processing (CommercialWare), search (IBM OmniFind Discovery Edition, Baynote Social Search), recommendations (Baynote Product Recommendations), product ratings (Bazaarvoice), international shipping (FiftyOne E4X) and others. In examining these components, we will discuss design ideas you may use in your own development and integration pitfalls to avoid. We will also talk about ASP.NET technical concerns including caching and asynchronous tasks.
Dev Basics: The ASP.Net Page Life Cycle Speaker: Jay Harris Abstract: When a request occurs for a ASP.Net page, the response is processed through a series of events before being sent to the client browser. These events, known as the Page Life Cycle, are a complicated headache when used improperly, manifesting as odd exceptions, incorrect data, performance issues, and general confusion. It seems simple when reading yet-another-book-on-ASP.NET, but never when applied in the real world. In this session, we decompose this mess, and turn the Life Cycle into an effective and productive tool. No ASP.NET MVC, no Dynamic Data, no MonoRail, no technologies of tomorrow, just the basics of ASP.NET, using the tools we have available in the office, today.
Getting up to speed with C# 3.5 — Just in time for 4.0! Speaker: Patrick Steele Abstract: Yes, C# 4.0 is just around the corner. But if you haven’t had the chance to use C# 3.5 extensively, this session will start from the ground up with the new features of 3.5. We’ll assume everyone is coming from C# 2.0. This session will show you the details of extension methods, partial methods and more. We’ll also show you how LINQ — Language Integrated Query — can help decrease your development time and increase your code’s readability. If time permits, we’ll look at some .NET 4.0 features, but the goal is to get you up to speed on .NET 3.5.
The next phase of the web: HTML 5 and CSS 3 Speaker: Amelia Marschall Abstract: There is a lot of buzz lately about the newest versions of HTML and CSS in the works – when they will be released, what browser versions support them, etc… This session will discuss some of new features and how you can start using them NOW. Learn about HTML 5 video players, rounded corner and drop shadow CSS classes, displaying real web fonts with @font-face and more. We’ll also discuss the varying browser support and how to determine if your project is ready to use the new features.
Extending your Application with the Managed Extensibility Framework Speaker: David Giard Abstract: Microsoft Managed Extensibility (MEF) framework allows developers to create applications consisting of composable parts. Composable parts provide the flexibility to change and add parts at runtime. You can use MEF to create more flexible and extensible applications. In this session, we will review the MEF tool set, build an extensible application and extend that application using MEF.
The Demise of Xcopy Deployment Speaker: David Truxall Abstract: One of the great features of .Net when it first released was Xcopy deployment. No more .dll registrations, just copy the files to the web server. While this was a great feature for Microsoft developers, new problems emerged, specifically around managing web.config. Sections like connection strings and custom errors need to be managed between environments, which meant many copies of the files or scripts to change them. Other necessary steps, like managing permissions and IIS configuration were still outside the Xcopy process. A recent tool, MSDeploy, is now integrated into Visual Studio 2010 and makes managing these issues easier. Besides web.config, MSDeploy also manages file deployments and synchronization, ACLs, and IIS settings. If your deployments have multiple steps, need ReadMe files, or can’t be done by someone outside your team, you need to learn MSDeploy!
SOLID Software Design Principles Speaker: Jon Kruger Abstract: We all know that software development is hard, but learning how to design good object-oriented solutions can decrease the friction in software development, reduce bugs, and make your code easier to change. In this talk, we’ll go through the “SOLID” software design principles, separation of concerns, a brief overview of inversion of control containers like StructureMap and Ninject, and more object-oriented goodness that will help you write better code.
Wii Will, Wii Will, Rock You! Version II Speaker: Aydin Akcasu Abstract: Did you know it communicates via a Bluetooth wireless link? Using C#, and a bluetooth adaptor, see how easy it is to communicate with a Wii Remote, and access many features of the device. This includes buttons, LEDS, IR sensor data (actually a IR camera). Most interesting, though, is accessing the 3-axis linear accelerometer, which allows sensing motions and movements. Join Aydin and see how easy it is to read data from a Wii Remote and control a remote Dragonfly. In addition to the Wii Remote , Aydin has added interfacing to the Wii Balance board as well as using the Wii Motion Plus addition (gyroscopes).
Prototyping with Sketchflow Speaker: Mike Woelmer Abstract: Everyone can doodle. In this session you will learn how Sketchflow can turn your doodles into a prototype using Sketchflow animations, styled controls and custom drawn images. Now your customers can give you early feedback before you commit your design to code.
I want to work outside: Sensor and Location Platform in Windows 7 Speaker: Jennifer Marsman Abstract: The Windows 7 Sensor and Location Platform enables your computer and applications to adapt to their current environment and change the way they look, feel, or behave. For example, imagine an application that uses a light sensor to detect the difference between indoor and outdoor light, and changes the brightness and contrast of its displayed content accordingly. In this session, we will dive into the SDK and walk through some code to demonstrate how to implement this scenario. In addition, we’ll learn about how to utilize location to build better applications.
Writing Awesome Windows 7 Desktop Gadgets Speaker: Mike Ward Abstract: Windows 7 Desktop Gadgets are fun to write. In this session we’ll start with the basics and then quickly move to more advanced topics like testing, debugging and deployment. From there we’ll add “Flyouts”, Configuration dialogs and discuss how to store and retrieve user preferences. I’ll also highlight some of the limitations of the platform and how to work around them. We’ll even touch briefly on how to get more out of JavaScript. With the addition of a good Ajax library and some good old fashion programming discipline, you can write powerful and useful desktop gadgets.
Introduction and State of Mono Speaker: Jay R. Wren Abstract: Mono is an open source implementation of EMCA 334 and 335 better known as the Common Language Infrastructure and C#. Just what does this mean for .NET developers? Why should Joe regular C#er care? How good is Mono these days anyway? Come take a look at Mono, see how easy it is to get running, see how it can help your day to day Windows .NET development. Do you still target .NET 2.0 and wish you can use LINQ? Mono can help there. Do you need to target Mac and Linux desktops? Mono can help there.
INTRODUCTION TO PRISM Speaker: Brian Genisio Abstract: If you develop software with WPF or Silverlight, you have probably heard of “Prism”. Microsoft’s “Patterns and Practices” group has recently released the second version of Prism with support for Silverlight. Prism is both a set of guidelines and a framework created to aid in the development of composite applications in WPF and Silverlight. You will learn how to de-couple your code with Prism’s dependency injection and weak event model. You will also learn how code can be shared between WPF and Silverlight using Prism

NoSQL: I can’t relate to my database, anymore Speaker: Dennis Burton
Abstract: It’s not you, it’s me. Or rather, my needs have changed. The kind of apps we build today are different than the ones we built two decades ago. The scale requirements are different as are the levels of abstraction we work with. Relational databases are not our only option. The NoSQL movement is coming to an app near you. Will you be ready? In this session we will look at some non-relational databases with a focus on the document database style using MongoDB. Scalability may get your attention, but there is more to the story. See what happens when we take another perspective on persistence.

Windows Phone 7 Series, A Deeper Dive Speaker: Nino Benvenuti
Abstract: Done with Hello, World and ready to dig in and build your apps and games for Windows Phone 7 Series? This session will start by taking a deeper look at the new APIs for accessing input and interfacing with built-in applications, as well as location and notification services. Next, we’ll cover details of user experience, security, performance, and deployment. You’ll leave this session armed with a deeper knowledge and understanding of the platform, tools, APIs, and services so that you can build great applications for Windows Phone 7 Series.

Windows Phone 7 Series Development 101 Speaker: Nino Benvenuti
Abstract: Silverlight and XNA. On a phone! Windows Phone 7 Series presents us with an exciting new development paradigm and a great opportunity to leverage your .NET experience on this new platform. Whether or not you’ve developed for Windows Mobile before, there is a lot to learn about this new platform. You’ll leave this session with a basic understanding of the Windows Phone 7 Series platform architecture, knowledge of how to access the various input mechanisms, phone APIs, and services, as well as insight into the tools used to build applications and games for this platform . We’ll leverage Expression Blend and Visual Studio to build a basic, but useful, application to demonstrate the concepts discussed.

Cloud Computing with Microsoft Azure Speaker: James Bender
Abstract: Cloud computing is poised to be the next big breakthrough in Enterprise computing. Companies like Amazon, Google, IBM, Oracle and Microsoft are making large investments in this new paradigm and positioning themselves to be leaders in this new space. But why is cloud computing so important? This session will answer that question and help you as a developer and/or architect get a handle on cloud computing. You will also see how easy cloud computing can be with Microsoft Azure in a variety of Enterprise scenarios.

JavaScript is Real Code: SOLID and TDD in the browser Speaker: Len Smith
Abstract: Most good programmers wouldn’t consider their clipboard a tool for code reuse. They wouldn’t write sixty line methods. They wouldn’t write code without tests. They wouldn’t flagrantly violate good design principles. Unless they were writing in JavaScript. In 2010 it is no longer acceptable to post-back for every request. This means writing more JavaScript than ever before. If we don’t treat our JavaScript with the same respect as our server-side code it will yield maintenance nightmares. In this session we’ll discuss techniques and practices that allow us to create maintainable JavaScript.

Real World Deployment of SharePoint 2007 Solutions Speaker: Brian T. Jackett
Abstract: “All I have to do is run some STSADM commands to deploy my SharePoint solutions, right?” If you are saying that to yourself then you are missing out on some of the more advanced processes you can employ to deploy and maintain your SharePoint solutions and farm. In this session we will overview using a combination of STSADM, PowerShell, SharePoint API and a number of other tools in a real world situation to deploy an entire suite of custom SharePoint solutions. This session is targeted to farm administrators and developers. Prior experience with SharePoint solutions, STSADM and minimal PowerShell experience is suggested.

Silverlight 101: Write your first Silverlight Application Speaker: Michael Eaton
Abstract: Are you wondering where Silverlight fits in to your development toolkit? Have you seen Silverlight introductions that do nothing but show you how to create spinning ghosts and gradient fills? Are you ready to for an introduction to Silverlight that focuses on real-world usage? This session will include an overview of XAML, containers and commonly used controls found in Silverlight. This talk expects no knowledge of Silverlight or XAML.

Introduction to ASP.NET MVC with a Splash of jQuery Speaker: Jamie Wright
Abstract: The ASP.NET MVC framework and the jQuery javascript framework work very well together in order to build up to date, rich client web applications with no need for silly plugins. ASP.NET MVC is a alternative to the traditional ASP.NET web forms from Microsoft. They both use ASP.NET as the mechanism to talk between a web browser and IIS but the patterns they implement are far different. ASP.NET MVC is modeled after popular model-view-controller web frameworks such as Ruby on Rails. It was not built to replace ASP.NET web forms but rather as an alternative to the viewstate/post back model of web forms. We will look at the patterns of the ASP.NET MVC framework and explore the work flow of requests and responses to and from a server as well as how it differs from the traditional web forms applications. jQuery is a javascript framework that is designed to make cross-browser DOM programming easier and make developing with javascript suck less. In this presentation, we will go over the basics of jQuery which will allow you to go home and get started right away. We will cover concepts such as DOM manipulation, CSS manipulation, ajax requests, and user interface effects. jQuery makes performing these tasks trivial and allows you to add ajax calls and Flash-like effects to your web site easily.

Leadership 101 Speaker: Jim Holmes
Abstract: It doesn’t matter what point you’re at in your career, you need to understand some fundamentals about good leadership. If you’re well into your career you need to know how to get the most out of your teams. If you’re just starting then you need to learn what good leadership looks like – and how to help ensure you’re getting the leadership you and your colleagues need to succeed. In this session you’ll learn basic concepts about respect, responsibility, communication, and teamwork, based on experience drawn from Jim’s years of serving in the military, playing competitive sports, and working in a wide range of jobs.

3 Tips to Improve Your Development Process Speaker: Jim Holmes
Abstract: It doesn’t matter if you’re doing Agile or if you’re working in an environment like RUP or CMMI, there are several things you can do to improve your development process. This highly interactive session will show you three specific tips: improve your estimation, use a daily standup to keep a close focus on your progress, and work in retrospectives to empower your team’s ability to drastically improve your entire software development process, regardless of what that process is, even if it’s no process! You’ll leave this session with a handle on ways to smooth out your project’s environment.

Entity Framework 2010 Speaker: Sam Nasr
Abstract: The latest version of Microsoft’s Entity Framework includes 11 new features for 2010. Some of these features are intelligent entity naming, support for foreign keys, POCO objects, as well as foreign language support. Utilizing these features will not only make application development easier but it will also make EF4 a more sought-after tool by developers in 2010.

How to Work Effectively with a Designer/ How to Work Effectively with a Developer Speaker: Jeff McWherter
Abstract: Many developers don’t have the opportunity to work with a designer; they create their own designs, and implement the HTML and CSS themselves. Some lucky developers have the benefit of having a designer put a pretty face on their hard work. For these fortunate few, the relationship between the developer and the designer can sometimes be rocky to say the least. We will discuss tips and tricks, as well as pain points from both sides (developers and designer), and offer solutions to make this relationship a match made in heaven. This session will be co-presented by Jeff McWherter and Amelia Marschall, it is your job to figure out who the developer is.

Anatomy of an E-commerce Web Site Speaker: Joe Wirtley
Abstract: In this presentation, we will examine the technical components supporting the Chefs Catalog web site and the choices and challenges created when integrating third party systems into an ASP.NET web form site. We will look at systems for order processing (CommercialWare), search (IBM OmniFind Discovery Edition, Baynote Social Search), recommendations (Baynote Product Recommendations), product ratings (Bazaarvoice), international shipping (FiftyOne E4X) and others. In examining these components, we will discuss design ideas you may use in your own development and integration pitfalls to avoid. We will also talk about ASP.NET technical concerns including caching and asynchronous tasks.

Dev Basics: The ASP.Net Page Life Cycle Speaker: Jay Harris
Abstract: When a request occurs for a ASP.Net page, the response is processed through a series of events before being sent to the client browser. These events, known as the Page Life Cycle, are a complicated headache when used improperly, manifesting as odd exceptions, incorrect data, performance issues, and general confusion. It seems simple when reading yet-another-book-on-ASP.NET, but never when applied in the real world. In this session, we decompose this mess, and turn the Life Cycle into an effective and productive tool. No ASP.NET MVC, no Dynamic Data, no MonoRail, no technologies of tomorrow, just the basics of ASP.NET, using the tools we have available in the office, today.

Getting up to speed with C# 3.5 — Just in time for 4.0! Speaker: Patrick Steele
Abstract: Yes, C# 4.0 is just around the corner. But if you haven’t had the chance to use C# 3.5 extensively, this session will start from the ground up with the new features of 3.5. We’ll assume everyone is coming from C# 2.0. This session will show you the details of extension methods, partial methods and more. We’ll also show you how LINQ — Language Integrated Query — can help decrease your development time and increase your code’s readability. If time permits, we’ll look at some .NET 4.0 features, but the goal is to get you up to speed on .NET 3.5.

The next phase of the web: HTML 5 and CSS 3 Speaker: Amelia Marschall
Abstract: There is a lot of buzz lately about the newest versions of HTML and CSS in the works – when they will be released, what browser versions support them, etc… This session will discuss some of new features and how you can start using them NOW. Learn about HTML 5 video players, rounded corner and drop shadow CSS classes, displaying real web fonts with @font-face and more. We’ll also discuss the varying browser support and how to determine if your project is ready to use the new features.

Extending your Application with the Managed Extensibility Framework Speaker: David Giard
Abstract: Microsoft Managed Extensibility (MEF) framework allows developers to create applications consisting of composable parts. Composable parts provide the flexibility to change and add parts at runtime. You can use MEF to create more flexible and extensible applications. In this session, we will review the MEF tool set, build an extensible application and extend that application using MEF.

The Demise of Xcopy Deployment Speaker: David Truxall
Abstract: One of the great features of .Net when it first released was Xcopy deployment. No more .dll registrations, just copy the files to the web server. While this was a great feature for Microsoft developers, new problems emerged, specifically around managing web.config. Sections like connection strings and custom errors need to be managed between environments, which meant many copies of the files or scripts to change them. Other necessary steps, like managing permissions and IIS configuration were still outside the Xcopy process. A recent tool, MSDeploy, is now integrated into Visual Studio 2010 and makes managing these issues easier. Besides web.config, MSDeploy also manages file deployments and synchronization, ACLs, and IIS settings. If your deployments have multiple steps, need ReadMe files, or can’t be done by someone outside your team, you need to learn MSDeploy!

SOLID Software Design Principles Speaker: Jon Kruger
Abstract: We all know that software development is hard, but learning how to design good object-oriented solutions can decrease the friction in software development, reduce bugs, and make your code easier to change. In this talk, we’ll go through the “SOLID” software design principles, separation of concerns, a brief overview of inversion of control containers like StructureMap and Ninject, and more object-oriented goodness that will help you write better code.

Wii Will, Wii Will, Rock You! Version II Speaker: Aydin Akcasu
Abstract: Did you know it communicates via a Bluetooth wireless link? Using C#, and a bluetooth adaptor, see how easy it is to communicate with a Wii Remote, and access many features of the device. This includes buttons, LEDS, IR sensor data (actually a IR camera). Most interesting, though, is accessing the 3-axis linear accelerometer, which allows sensing motions and movements. Join Aydin and see how easy it is to read data from a Wii Remote and control a remote Dragonfly. In addition to the Wii Remote , Aydin has added interfacing to the Wii Balance board as well as using the Wii Motion Plus addition (gyroscopes).

Prototyping with Sketchflow Speaker: Mike Woelmer
Abstract: Everyone can doodle. In this session you will learn how Sketchflow can turn your doodles into a prototype using Sketchflow animations, styled controls and custom drawn images. Now your customers can give you early feedback before you commit your design to code.

I want to work outside: Sensor and Location Platform in Windows 7 Speaker: Jennifer Marsman
Abstract: The Windows 7 Sensor and Location Platform enables your computer and applications to adapt to their current environment and change the way they look, feel, or behave. For example, imagine an application that uses a light sensor to detect the difference between indoor and outdoor light, and changes the brightness and contrast of its displayed content accordingly. In this session, we will dive into the SDK and walk through some code to demonstrate how to implement this scenario. In addition, we’ll learn about how to utilize location to build better applications.

Writing Awesome Windows 7 Desktop Gadgets Speaker: Mike Ward
Abstract: Windows 7 Desktop Gadgets are fun to write. In this session we’ll start with the basics and then quickly move to more advanced topics like testing, debugging and deployment. From there we’ll add “Flyouts”, Configuration dialogs and discuss how to store and retrieve user preferences. I’ll also highlight some of the limitations of the platform and how to work around them. We’ll even touch briefly on how to get more out of JavaScript. With the addition of a good Ajax library and some good old fashion programming discipline, you can write powerful and useful desktop gadgets.

Introduction and State of Mono Speaker: Jay R. Wren
Abstract: Mono is an open source implementation of EMCA 334 and 335 better known as the Common Language Infrastructure and C#. Just what does this mean for .NET developers? Why should Joe regular C#er care? How good is Mono these days anyway? Come take a look at Mono, see how easy it is to get running, see how it can help your day to day Windows .NET development. Do you still target .NET 2.0 and wish you can use LINQ? Mono can help there. Do you need to target Mac and Linux desktops? Mono can help there.

INTRODUCTION TO PRISM Speaker: Brian Genisio
Abstract: If you develop software with WPF or Silverlight, you have probably heard of “Prism”. Microsoft’s “Patterns and Practices” group has recently released the second version of Prism with support for Silverlight. Prism is both a set of guidelines and a framework created to aid in the development of composite applications in WPF and Silverlight. You will learn how to de-couple your code with Prism’s dependency injection and weak event model. You will also learn how code can be shared between WPF and Silverlight using Prism

In Ann Arbor

May 1, 2010

Sessions

(May 1, 2010)

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