Visual Studio code name “Orcas” delivers on Microsoft’s vision of smart client applications by enabling developers to rapidly create connected applications that deliver the highest quality rich user experiences. This new version enables any size organization to rapidly create more secure, manageable, and more reliable applications that take advantage of Windows Vista and the 2007 Office System. By building these new types of applications, organizations will find it easier than ever before to capture and analyze information so that they can make effective business decisions.

This release includes a whole host of new stuff, including Linq to SQL which was missing from the last CTP.  If you have any requests for topics/screencasts then give me a shout and I'll try and fit them in. 

Download it from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=b533619a-0008-4dd6-9ed1-47d482683c78&displaylang=en&tm#Overview

The highlights of this CTP include (but not limited too):

• The LINQ Project: this CTP represents a major milestone in the LINQ project.
• VB 9.0 Language Support
• C# 3.0 Language Support
• LINQ to ADO.NET
• LINQ To SQL Designer
• LINQ over XML (XLinq)
• System.Xml Bridge Classes added
• LINQ to Objects API
• ADO.NET vNext
• Web
• Client App-Level Services
• C# Workflow Rules
• XML
• MSBuild
• UAC Manifests in the Managed Build Process
• IDE
• CLR
• Office
• Team Architect
• Team Developer
• Team Test 
• Team Foundation Server
• Visual C++

Sorry readers about the lack of updates on the blog.  Been really busy this last week, hopefully I will be able to say why come Friday and not just ignore the work done... ;) 

But fear not, I have loads of topics I want to cover on WPF and of course the Vista Gadget video (a USB Mic has been delivered to me so I am all set).

As previously posted, NxtGenUG are doing a day long event in Reading in May.  For this event I have created a countdown gadget for your vista sidebar.

Download it here:
http://blog.benhall.me.uk/downloads/NxtGenUGFestCountDown.gadget

The gadget looks like this (sorry about the quality of the screenshot):

If you use the following code you can have it on your own blog
<iframe src="http://blog.benhall.me.uk/downloads/NxtGenUGFestCountDown/countdown.html" frameborder="0" width="130" height="130"></iframe>

which looks something like this:

At some point over the next two weeks I will create a screencast on how I created the gadget from start to finish.  Let me know what you think to it.

NxtGenUG have just announced Fest07 - "Into the future" which is "a unique one day event featuring TOP European speakers (we mean top!) as we look at what Microsoft technology is here, what is just around the corner and what the future may hold" on the 23rd May 2007 at Microsoft Reading, TVP.

This is free to members but you can sign up as a non-member with a special early-bird price!

More information (well actually, nothing more but there will be soon, I think they are updating the site as I write this) here:
http://www.nxtgenug.net/fest07/

I'll be attending unless they have managed to put it on one of the four days when I have an exam :)

Hope to see you there.

The planned date for DDD5 is 30th June 2007.  If you want to speak, or do a GrokTalk then start having a think - the call for speakers opens on the 24th March.

Tonight, me and Sarah made a snow baby and his name is Frosty :)

This is me constructing his head (very badly...)

And this is Frosty with Sarah

Finally a full body shot.

And they say students do nothing all day.....

Darren Straight has uploaded some of the photos he took while at Designertopia last week.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrenstraight/sets/72157594514567740/

This is one of all the attending MSPs in front of the Expression stand

http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrenstraight/377925503/

Then one in front of the Imagine Cup stand

http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrenstraight/377928421/

WOW.  That was an amazing day.  Scott Guthrie is a great presenter and knows his stuff.  Such an amazing event, oh already said that...

It was an early start for me, 6am to get the train to Reading, got there a little bit early so just chilled in Reception.  Soon came the breakfast, bacon, egg or sausage rolls for all which is great - but maybe mix it up a little?  Like egg and bacon?

The sessions where amazing, but the queuing outside made it more difficult to have a chat if you wanted a good seat but they where worth it.  The session on Orcas was amazing, can't wait for the CTP (End of February).

Afterwards I went to the Geek Dinner. Second time I had attended a dinner and really enjoyed myself, meet up with Simon Middlemiss again and others, its great to have a chat with people about technology and the world.

After that, it was off to the bar, where I had a excellent chat with Plip and Granville until the small hours (think I got to bed around 4am).

Overall, amazing day. Really looking forward to the next one, but for now - bring on DDD5!

The photos Plip took are available here : http://www.flickr.com/photos/plip/sets/72157594518882702/

Remember to fill in the feedback forms: 

http://www.webdd.org.uk/Feedback.aspx

Keep an eye out for the slides, but Scott should have his on his blog soon

http://www.webdd.org.uk/Slides.aspx

Yesterday and today I attended the Designertopia event in London, which I got invited to as part of my Microsoft Student Partner program, this was a great event while being different to may of the other microsoft events.  There where also five other MSPs there, it was great to meet up with some of the guys again.

Yesterday started off with a keynote with the program managers from Redmond giving a demonstrate of the applications (Ajax and Expression), while showing off some cool applications which had been created using WPF, Blend and Ajax.  I always love to see real world applications using this, so this was great. 

The room was then split into two halfs, one for the more creative people, with one for the more technical attendees (I stayed on the technical side for the two days).  The first technical event was given by two employees from partners who had worked on applications which where created by Blend and WPF.  Again, this was really great to see and gave some insight into how the technologies could be used together - plus they used Vista on a MacBook Pro to do the demos (see image).  Next up was Expression Web, saw some cool features which I just hadn't realised where there before.  The last one of the day was not technical, but based on the idea of "connecting design to real business value".  This was really interesting, giving a insight into what happens in the design world while discussing when to focus on design and how to bring up the discussion with clients.  At the end of the day they opened the bar for everyone to do a bit of networking.  Sadly, I couldn't take full advantage of the free bar but I managed to squeeze in a few beers before having to head home.

Today (Day 2) was a mixture of different styles of discussions.  The first two sessions where based on UX with a talk on how the Vista UX came about, with some interesting screenshots from previous releases and UI mock-ups - some things from way back in 2002 which people said Microsoft had copied ;) The creators of UniveRSS gave a demo of the app and how to use the Z axis, shame no code.

Carrie Longson from Microsoft then gave a great presentation on some of the apps which had been created with partners, this included IMG's Golf and Fashion application and Transport for London's tube application.  Saw this before, but still great.

Jon Harris then did a truly amazing talk on Blend.  He covered a lot of ground in a short space of time and I now feel confident I could use Blend.  The best talk of the two days for me.  It was great!  Really want to use Blend now.

Overall, great event.  Hope they hold another one (with more talks from Jon)

Got to do it all over again at WebDD tomorrow, can't wait!

Karsten Januszewski has just announced Expression Blend Beta 2 and Design Beta 1. Go check it out.

http://blogs.msdn.com/karstenj/archive/2007/01/30/announcing-expression-blend-beta-2-and-expression-design-beta-1.aspx

With WPF/E Feb CTP available here http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/asp.net/bb187358.aspx