New Build of Windows Vista Released

Newest version improves performance, Media Center features, company says.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Microsoft continues to make changes to Windows Vista as the OS creeps along until its scheduled release later this year. The company today released an interim build of the OS that improves its overall performance and makes specific tweaks recommended by beta testers.

The release, build number 5472, is now available to Windows Vista Technical Beta program participants, select Technology Adoption Program (TAP) customers, and Microsoft Developer Network subscribers. About 500,000 users should receive the build, said Mike Burk, a Microsoft product manager for Windows Client.
Specifics
The build makes setting up and controlling a user account on the OS "less chatty," Burk said. "Testers said there were too many prompts and dialogs, so we reduced the number of those," he said.
The build also improves the Windows Media Center feature in the OS so it more quickly shuts down and starts up, Burk said.
In conjunction with the build, Microsoft also released an updated SDK (software development kit) so developers and software vendors can develop applications on top of the new release, he added.
Vista Release Date Update
Overall, build 5472 of Vista shows some of the final tweaking Microsoft is making for performance and quality as it prepares to finish Release Candidate 1 of Vista, which is due out by Aug. 31, Burk said. Microsoft is still targeting a final release of Windows Vista for business customers in November, with general availability of the OS on PCs in January 2007.
However, Burk echoed similar sentiments expressed by top Microsoft executives that these release dates are only targets, and the "actual and final dates will be based on quality of the product." It's this kind of talk that has led many to believe the release of Windows Vista will be delayed even further.
To add fuel to that belief, Microsoft recently announced that business customers will have to wait until the end of the year for Office 2007, which has been on a similar release track to Vista and was scheduled to reach business customers in October. The company also pushed the consumer release of Office 2007 a few months beyond its scheduled January 2007 release.

Smart Client Software Factory

I found this while browsing MSDN thought you may like it

With the Smart Client Software Factory, architects and developers can quickly incorporate many of the proven practices and patterns of building composite smart client applications. These practices and patterns have been identified during the development of many smart client applications and their components.
By using the software factory, architects and developers can focus their efforts on business opportunities and create smart client applications that effectively address the needs of their organizations.
The Smart Client Software Factory provides an integrated set of guidance that assists architects and developers in creating composite smart client applications. These applications have one or more of the following characteristics:

• They have a rich user interface that takes advantage of the power of the Microsoft Windows desktop.
• They connect to multiple back-end systems to exchange data with them.
• They present information coming from multiple and diverse sources through an integrated user interface, so the data looks as if it came from one back-end system.
• They take advantage of local storage and processing resources to enable operation during periods of no network connectivity or intermittent network connectivity.
• They are easily deployed and configured.

for more detail you may like to visit microsoft at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnpag2/html/scsflp.asp

Overview of the .NET Framework 3.0

Again i was browsing through MSDN and found this nice article about .NET framework 3.0
I am sure you may like the same.

It says "Deploying Microsoft .NET Framework Version 3.0"

here is index:

Introduction

• About Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0
• How .NET Framework 3.0 Relates to .NET Framework 2.0 and Earlier
• Servicing Policy for the .NET Framework 3.0
• Roadmap for Future .NET Framework Releases

Installing the .NET Framework 3.0

• Version Numbers for .NET Framework Assemblies

Deploying .NET Framework 3.0

• Software Requirements
• Hardware Requirements
• Redistribution Rights for the .NET Framework
• IT Administrator Tools for Deploying the .NET Framework 3.0
• Redistributing the .NET Framework with Your Application

Detecting .NET Framework 3.0 and Earlier Releases

• Reading a Registry Key
• Reading the User-Agent String in Internet Explorer

Command Line Options for the .NET Framework 3.0 Redistributable
Error Codes for the .NET Framework 3.0 Redistributable
Appendix A: Detecting .NET Framework Language Packs
Appendix B: Sample Script for Detecting the .NET Framework 3.0 Using Internet Explorer

For detail you may want to go to http://msdn.microsoft.com/winfx/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnlong/html/netfx30.asp

SQL Server 2005 Everywhere Edition

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Everywhere Edition offers essential relational database functionality in a compact footprint ideal for embedding in mobile and desktop applications including a new generation of occasionally connected dynamic applications.
Sharing a familiar SQL syntax and common ADO.NET programming model with other SQL Server Editions, and management via SQL Server 2005 Management Studio, SQL Server Everywhere allows developers and administrators to apply their existing skills and be immediately productive.
In addition, SQL Server Everywhere enables scale-up of an application, either via a robust synchronization with other SQL Server Editions, or by moving to a higher edition of SQL Server. SQL Server Everywhere allows you to extend your integrated data management platform deeper into your enterprise and into your mobile workforce.

For more detail you can go to: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/ctp_sqleverywhere.mspx

Tips for buying a printer

Useful pointers for choosing a printer to suit your needs
Published: June 6, 2006By Cindy Waxer

Remember when buying a printer meant choosing between a putty-colored dot-matrix clunker and its counterpart in gunmetal grey? Nowadays, The Matrix is a movie starring Keanu Reeves and printers come in all different colors, shapes, and sizes with varying print quality, output speeds, and price tags.

Just ask Laura Dallal. She's been searching for nearly two months for a printer that will produce high-quality photos of her three children as well as print out spreadsheets and reports. "I've put less thought into buying a car!" laughs the lawyer and mother.
Fortunately, there are ways to weed out models that don't fit your needs. Consider these factors when shopping around for a new printer.

Model type
There are two main printer categories: inkjet and laser. An inkjet printer holds ink cartridges while a laser printer relies on electrostatic charges to transfer toner to paper.
Known for their speed and text quality, laser printers can cost upwards of a thousand dollars. Inkjet printers, on the other hand, are far more family-friendly, can print photos at almost true photographic quality, and can be purchased for as little as $100 without sacrificing quality.
Dan Gookin, author of Buying A Computer for Dummies (IDG Books Worldwide, 1998), says the average lifespan of a printer can be four years, but they tend to last longer, especially laser printers. A delicate touch and maintenance measures such as keeping a printer out of direct sunlight and using a dry cloth to wipe away dust build-up can add years to a machine's existence.

Print quality
An inkjet printer's resolution is determined by the number of dots of ink it can spray on a square inch of paper. As a general rule, high resolution is important for sharp graphics and text. A printout should feature crisp edges and solid areas of black and color. Before you open your wallet, ask a salesperson to print out a test page of text and images on a variety of paper from low-grade to photographic inkjet paper.
After all, says Dallal: "Once you put all that effort into taking that perfect picture, you want a printer that's going to be able to produce a high-quality resolution. Otherwise, it's a waste of time."

Speed
Don't be swayed by manufacturers' promises of printing at breakneck speed. Ultimately, a printer's speed hinges on the output quality you require.
"You have to consider what you want to do with a printer," advises Mark Shanahan, category manager of imaging hardware at the corporate office for Staples Business Depot. "Are you going to want to print photos, make calendars, or create gift cards?"
That's why it's crucial to test a printer's speed for both the highest-quality output and for day-to-day printing. Check a printer's ppm (page per minute) rate to find out how fast it prints.
When it comes to printing photographs, expect greater quality from photo printers than from their all-purpose counterparts. Multifunctional machines might be able to churn out graphic images, spreadsheets, and book reports at record rates, but photo printers are built to deliver high-quality detailed images. Assess your needs before being swayed by ppm figures.

Price
Don't bank on saving dollars by sacrificing color for a monochrome printer. These days, a high-quality inkjet printer can be purchased for as little as $100.
In fact, an inkjet printer is only as expensive as the cost of replacing its cartridges. Sift through as many online product reviews as you can to get an idea of how often you'll need to change a particular model's ink cartridge. Web sites such as ZDNet, Epinions.com, and Amazon offer editorial reviews and consumer feedback.
Gookin warns of hidden costs. He recommends selecting printers with separate color cartridges "so that if your eight-year-old is in his blue phase and everything he prints out is blue, you're not paying $50 for a whole new color cartridge when you still have plenty of yellow and red ink available." Black ink cartridges tend to cost more since they generally contain more ink and are larger than color cartridges.

Today's popular four-color inkjet printers often hold two cartridges—one black and one with color inks including cyan, magenta, and yellow. However, printers capable of holding four separate cartridges, each one containing a unique color, are your best bet. They allow you to replace cartridges individually and therefore more affordably.

Gookin also suggests keeping an eye out for bargains. These days, retailers are overstocked with high-tech merchandise and are often willing to offer rebates or negotiate a discounted rate to win your business.

Microsoft allows open document format for software

Responding to government requests for interoperability, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it will offer free software that will allow Word, Excel and PowerPoint to handle documents in rival technology formats.
The translation tools will be developed and licensed as open source software, and will be offered as downloadable add-ins for several older versions of the Microsoft Office system, the Redmond, Washington-based company said.
Microsoft also said the translation tools will be broadly available to the industry to accelerate document interoperability and expand customer choice between Open XML and other technologies.
Electronic document translation between different fixed formats is always going to be somewhat inexact, said Andrew Hopkirk, director of the UK's National Computing Center's e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) program.

Like human language translations, concepts and specifications will differ in detail, Hopkirk said in a statement released by Microsoft.
"This tool promises to be a very significant development in the trend toward practical open document standards and, critically, customer-friendly means to move between them," he said.
Microsoft is developing the translation tools in collaboration with the France-based IT solution provider Clever Age and several independent software vendors, including Aztecsoft in India and Dialogika in Germany.

RFID: An Introduction

I have found this very good article in MSDN. thought y'ol would love that too.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/architecture/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnbda/html/RFIDIntro.asp

It provides a general introduction to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, and discusses the benefits and challenges of this technology for organizations that are involved in the production, movement, or sale of retail goods. (30 printed pages)

Contents :
Executive Summary
The Origins of RFID
What Is RFID Really?
Market OverviewUnderstanding the Challenges
Data Privacy
RFID in Practice
RFID Business Benefits
Applications for RFID
How Does Microsoft RFID Architecture Address the Business Needs
Conclusion
Appendix A - More Information About The Microsoft RFID Solution


Hope y'ol will find it informative