MikeFitz with overflow bit set…

At this month’s QMSDNUG meeting, we are fortunate to have Brendan Kowitz along to repeat his presentation to the recent DDD!Day in Sydney.

Brendan Kowitz, Readify
Building Windows Phone 7 Apps for the Enterprise

We already know that Mobile Phones are a powerful tool in the hands of the right people.  In this session we look at how we can use the Windows Phone 7 platform to integrate with the greater enterprise to deliver precise, clear, visual information to key stakeholders who are on the move.

We’ll also look at strategies around how to make data available by leveraging Windows Azure as well as how it can be consumed in respect to importance and urgency.  Lastly we’ll discuss all those important questions around delivering our enterprise apps to the right people.

About Brendan Kowitz
Brendan is a Senior Developer working for Readify.  All things .NET, Web, Mobile, HTML5, WindowsPhone, Project Management and Leadership.
His blog is at kowitz.net.

Date: Tuesday 19 July 2011
Time: 17:30 for 18:00, finishing approx 19:30
Location: Microsoft Brisbane office, Level 28, 400 George St, Brisbane.

RSVP
All welcome. Bring your colleagues.
On this occasion, please do NOT respond via e-mail.  Registration via Eventbrite is essential at http://qmsdnugjul2011.eventbrite.com.

These details are also on QMSDNUG’s website at www.qmsdnug.org.

An MVC 3 double-header!
Two excellent and entertaining speakers this month.  A walkthrough of MVC 3 and then a look at how it can be applied to mobile devices.

Leon Bambrick and Joseph Cooney
Asp.net MVC 3 — “Third time’s a charm”

First up, Leon will run from the basics of MVC3 into some advanced scaffolding scenarios, with hard-won lessons from real world usage.  A transcendent experience is expected, though not guaranteed.  There’ll be free hugs for silverlight devs, as Leon welcomes them to his html and javascript world.

Update 21-Jun-11: Excellent turnout.  Photo courtesy @soulsolutions.

Then, using the MVC fundamentals described earlier by Leon, Joseph will show us how to create an ASP.NET MVC application targeting a variety of mobile devices, using MVC Razor, C#, jQuery Mobile and modern CSS.

If time allows, we might see an MVC media-centre add-in to allow you to control your Windows Media Centre application.

About the speakers
Leon Bambrick is a software development consultant, and miscreant based in Brisbane.
Joseph Cooney is also a software development consultant and Microsoft MVP based in Brisbane.
Leon and Joseph are both currently working for Microsoft Australia.

Date: Tuesday 21 June 2011
Time: 17:30 for 18:00, finishing approx 19:30
Location: Microsoft Brisbane office, Level 28, 400 George St, Brisbane.  Note our new meeting location; watch the QMSDNUG website for details of new entry/security requirements.

RSVP
All welcome. Bring your colleagues.
If you haven’t already done so, an immediate rsvp by email to mike@fitzsimon.com.au will help with planning.

These details are also on QMSDNUG’s website at www.qmsdnug.org.

While watching Q&A two nights ago, the question of asylum seekers arriving by boat came up again; this time in response to the government’s announcement that it will be directing “irregular maritime arrivals” to Malaysia.

With both Labor and the Coalition now vying to pander to the least compassionate members of Australian society, I’ve had enough of this unfairness.  I’ve said it before, but I thought it was time to let this Tweet go again…

My aboriginal mate still defines “irony” as one wave of boat people complaining about another. #qanda
10:12 PM May 9th via TweetDeck
MikeFitzAU
Mike Fitzsimon

Within a few minutes, it was on the Q&A screen.

Tony Jones, Nazeem Hussain (obscured), Malcolm Turnbull; Q&A 37:02, May 9, 2011

(Full video and transcript of the episode are avaliable on the Q&A website.)

Thanks for the RTs

Within minutes, the replies and re-tweets were filling my screen.  I was pleased to see this sentiment strike a chord with so many thinking Australians.

I was even more pleased to see the cross-section of society who responded positively.  Of course, I haven’t quizzed anybody, but a cursory glance at the Twitter profiles will reveal that the Australian sense of a “fair go” is embraced by people from all States, of all genders, all races, all religions - including “no” religion.

“Thanks for the RT” to @AdrianJSClark, @alexpagliaro, @alia_p, @Andy_Downunda, @anthonybaxter, @AugustusBrown, @awmau, @beaniidean, @beejeebus, @benrhughes, @BigRedRanter, @bkfitzgerald, @BlakandBlack, @brookemopolitan, @carrieav, @cheezle_, @chili_chai, @chris_stevenson, @claireh427, @cory_prowse, @creamcheeks, @danielnaumann, @darkdirk, @dclark_spc, @deanrcornish, @dontbother, @dontbother, @Drag0nista, @drhoctor2, @eatdrinkstagger, @ElliotG78, @ern_malleyscrub, @Ethnian, @evmcl, @frogpondsrock, @genomematt, @geofficate, @gmarsau, @greglow, @GustationGurl, @heidistella, @helime, @IanLoveridge, @Inyunay, @JayKaySan, @jayrad90, @John_Hanna, @johnsroad, @jonkudelka, @JUSTsalvos, @kateparrott, @KateSoutham, @kimworldwide, @laeger, @lagershins, @lauren_fatrice, @LazarusCato, @LisaOtotheD, @liz_baillie, @loretta7366, @mallonray, @melanged, @merinnan, @miranda18may, @MiranianDilemma, @Miss__Lovely, @mtats, @mudsurfer, @musingandthings, @mysskitn, @Naomiy007, @NehaMadhok, @NewyMichael, @nukolator, @omnesensual, @OrgasmicChef, @OzzieAli, @p_raph, @paulymaldini, @presidentdalby, @prettyychanel, @ptiggerdine, @puggle01, @PutUpAustralia, @ratkins, @RonaldMiz3n, @schoujar, @senthorun, @simehobbs, @SirBarnalot, @sirquack, @SleeplessNights, @Songlines_au, @srshti, @Steepstyle, @Steve_Hayes, @sueGCB, @sunili, @ThomasEGraham, @thomasking, @tirsen, @top_tw_politics, @top_tw_tech, @venessapaech, @whereisdaz, @whyallabaptist, @wolfcat, @yaaaaaaasmin and apologies to those I missed.

At this month’s QMSDNUG meeting,
Joel’s Back!
Regulars will recall Joel Pobar’s excellent presentations on F#, particularly using it to relate disparate datasets.  His low key, casual style belies the cutting-edge nature of the work he does.  Now that he has had opportunities to put it all into commercial practice, Joel is ready to share his experience.

Joel Pobar:
some high performance, high throughput .NET stuff he’s been working on with an “unnamed Investment Bank”

“From a clock cycle, to the loading and running of a managed .NET assembly over multiple CPU cores: come and have a bit of fun exploring the binary world of CPU caches, bus bandwidth, and instruction sets, abstracting right through to code execution, JIT compilation and managed execution.  We’ll cobble all this together and walk through some high performance, high throughput scenarios borrowed from the finance domain.”

About Joel Pobar
Joel describes himself as a .NET nerd and F# evangelical.  Learn more at his blog, callvirt.net/blog/.

Date: Tuesday 17 May 2011
Time: 17:30 for 18:00, finishing approx 19:30
Location: Microsoft Brisbane office, Level 28, 400 George St, Brisbane.  Note our new meeting location; watch the QMSDNUG website for details of new entry/security requirements.

RSVP
All welcome. Bring your colleagues.
If you haven’t already done so, an immediate rsvp by email to mike@fitzsimon.com.au will help with planning.

These details are also on QMSDNUG’s website at www.qmsdnug.org.

We’re going out with a BANG!  A double-bunger for April, our last meeting at Waterfront Place^*.

Damian Maclennan, Readify
Turbo charging Coded UI Tests in Visual Studio 2010

Patterns for creating flexible and maintainable UI tests
With Visual Studio 2010 came a suite of testing tools including CodedUI Tests, a UI automation and testing framework.  These tools, while powerful, have a number of pitfalls which can trip up teams on agile projects.

In this session Damian will demonstrate some patterns for creating flexible and maintainable UI tests using Visual Studio Coded UI for testing without tears.

About Damian Maclennan
Damian Maclennan is a technologist and a strong advocate of agile project management and engineering practices such as TDD, CI and automated deployment.  As a Principal Consultant with Readify he regularly works with teams looking to improve their skills and processes and provides consulting, training and mentoring on the .NET platform.

Andrew Coates, Microsoft
LightSwitch

LightSwitch is a new product in the Visual Studio family aimed at developers who want to easily create business applications for the desktop or the cloud.  LightSwitch simplifies the development process by letting you concentrate on the business logic, while LightSwitch handles the common tasks for you.

In this demo-heavy session, you will see, end-to-end, how to build and deploy a data-centric business application using LightSwitch.  We’ll also go beyond the basics of creating simple screens over data and demonstrate how to create screens with more advanced capabilities.

About Andrew Coates
Andrew is a Developer Evangelist for Microsoft in Australia.  Before joining Microsoft, Andrew was an independent consultant specialising in database applications using Microsoft technologies including SQL Server, Visual FoxPro and Microsoft Office.
Andrew’s wide range of experience includes telecommunications, SMB inventory, dispatch and accounting systems, using both web and rich client front ends.  He has developed and delivered class room training and has mentored a number of developers in Visual FoxPro and SQL Server technologies.
Andrew has spoken at international conferences on Geographical Information Systems, health statistics and database maintenance and is a regular presenter at TechEd both locally and internationally.  An MCPD, MCTS and MCSD, Andrew also holds a Masters degree in Civil Engineering.  Andrew blogs at http://blogs.msdn.com/acoat

Date: Thursday 14 Apr 2011
Time: 17:30 for 18:00 (with 2 excellent speakers, we might be finishing a little later than usual.)
Location: Microsoft Brisbane office, Level 9, Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle St, Brisbane

RSVP
All welcome. Bring your colleagues.
If you haven’t already done so, an immediate rsvp by email to mike@fitzsimon.com.au will help with planning.

These details are also on QMSDNUG’s website at www.qmsdnug.org.

———————
^* Yes, after meeting monthly at Microsoft’s office in Waterfront Place for over 12 years, we are moving.  Actually, Microsoft are moving and have kindly agreed to allow user groups to continue meeting on their premises.  Our May meeting will be in their new office at 400 George St.

Uni of Qld Newman Society
70s Reunion - Sunday 29 May 2011

Were you a member of (or loosely associated with) the Newman Society at University of Queensland in the early to mid 1970s?  Are you in any of these photos?  Or do you know any of these folks?  Can you identify any of these smiling young faces?

Newman Orientation Camp - Tallebudgera Jan 1973

Sundry Newman-ites 1975?

If so, we need your help to contact folks about a reunion planned for Sunday 29 May, 2011.  Click here for contact and RSVP details for the UQ Newman 70s Reunion.

At this month’s QMSDNUG meeting we are pleased to hear from MVPs John O’Brien and Bronwen Zande, excellent speakers and always innovative with combining leading-edge technologies.

Bronwen Zande and John O’Brien, Soul Solutions:
Using .Net tools to visualise natural disasters

Australia is a country of extreme climates and is no stranger to devastating natural disasters. Join John and Bronwen as they show you ways you can utilise your current .net skills to prepare, monitor and analyse available information using historical flood maps, social media feeds, flickr photos and nearmap imagery.

Date: Tuesday 15 Mar 2011
Time: 17:30 for 18:00
Location: Microsoft Brisbane office, Level 9, Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle St, Brisbane

RSVP
All welcome. Bring your colleagues.
If you haven’t already done so, an immediate rsvp by email to mike@fitzsimon.com.au will help with planning.

These details are also on QMSDNUG’s website at www.qmsdnug.org.

What an excellent day that was!  Actually, I reckon every day one spends on the correct side of the earth-air interface is an excellent day; and I’ve just clocked up another 365 of them.  Yep, it’s a bloke’s birthday today.

You know what I enjoy most about my birthday?  It’s feeling the earth rotate.

My birthday started with well-wishes just after midnight from some night-owls and early risers on the other side of the planet.  Then as the sun rose over Australia, the Aussies started up.  A little later the Asians then Europeans chimed in, followed later by my friends in North and South America.

E-mails, tweets, Facebook wall posts, phone calls, text messages, even snail-mail cards; they came from everywhere.  “Happy Birthday“, “Bon Anniversaire“, “Feliz Aniversário“.  One needs no better demonstration of how small our planet is and how inter-connected we all are than to experience the birthday I’ve just enjoyed.

Thank you all; I’ve been privileged.

Mike

PS
And if I wasn’t already a winner, one of those snail-mail birthday cards was from one of my sisters.  It contained a scratchie.  I’ve won $12 on top of all today’s joy.

Welcome back to the first QMSDNUG meeting for 2011.

Sly Gryphon, Readify:
Web sign in with Windows Identity Foundation

This month’s presentation will introduce you to using Windows Identity Foundation to make your existing ASP.NET web applications claims-aware.  The WIF library from Microsoft makes it easy to provide federated access to your application, and talk will include a demonstration of implementing web single sign on (SSO) as a relying party

The evening will also include a brief overview of related security technologies from Microsoft, including Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) and CardSpace.

About Sly Gryphon
Sly is a Senior Consultant at Readify, and has been working with .NET since being trained on the beta in December 2001.  He has over 15 years experience with the web, and has worked on some of Australia’s largest web sites.

Sly has recently moved from NSW to Queensland, and this will be his first presentation at QMSDNUG.  You can find Sly’s blog at http://sgryphon.wordpress.com/.

Date: Tuesday 15 Feb 2011
Time: 17:30 for 18:00
Location: Microsoft Brisbane office, Level 9, Waterfront Place, 1 Eagle St, Brisbane

RSVP
All welcome. Bring your colleagues.
If you haven’t already done so, an immediate rsvp by email to mike@fitzsimon.com.au will help with planning.

These details are also on QMSDNUG’s website at www.qmsdnug.org.

Click to view “Future Filter” in Chinese.

A recent outlier in the blog stats showed that someone from Shanghai had recently visited my “Future Filter” blog post, part of my campaign against Senator Conroy’s plan to censor Australia’s internet.  Interestingly, they had viewed it in Chinese, and this is what they saw.

As a geek, I was interested to see another use of Google Translate.

As an anti-internet censorship campaigner, I’m sure I have nothing to worry about.  Nobody from the People’s Republic of China would be particularly interested in opponents of internet censorship.  Or would they?