Managed|Core

Writting exactly after One Year

Rai Umair — Mon, 04 Apr 2005 18:14:00 GMT

My tudoes to all the new bloggers who have made GeekswithBlogs.net there blogging home on the net. I must add that a lot of people and some very notable names with I share my blog now.

I am writing after a whole year - a very eventful one, indeed! I moved over from Pakistan to Australia, got a new job and also studying for a new degree.

Witnessed the SQL 2005 Beta, BizTalk 2004 launch and now waiting for Whidbey. I have decided to write again because of my new job here - I am a Microsoft Certified Trainer at New Horizons Melbourne and my day revolves around solving the problem of our clients - it’s always a tricky line between training and consultation in the software training domain - I am sort of tip toeing on it at the moment.

From now on the Blog is going to be about my answers to the client problems, some stuff about the Geelong .NET User Group - I can't seem to miss on INETA based Microsoft supported community can I? And some other thoughts from here and there, usually something that I will probably end up writing on my new Notebook - the Toshiba M30 (SE) while traveling on the train from Geelong to Melbourne and back.

It’s nice to come back on - and a real huge gap can be seen from this post and the last in April 2004. Just ignore that. Lastly for the curious types I left the blog scene because of my last two jobs in Pakistan. I was just not getting enough time to think let alone write.

Cheers Mate!

GRE Computer Science Test

Rai Umair — Mon, 26 Apr 2004 15:02:00 GMT

We have a comprehensive examination at the end of our Bachelors degree at SZABIST, almost all the people who don’t study for it passes it at the first attempt. I gave mine as soon as I came back from Dubai in December last year in 2003, not to mention I did not study for it at all. Last night I was working on going aboard for higher studies in 2005 and I came across this sample test from ‘GRE Computer Science’ its different from the general GRE test it consist of questions which computer science students cover in courses such as ADS, discrete mathematics and programming basics. Following is the test I found it very useful resources in evaluating the three years of stuffy I have taken and am now planning to attempt it in the second quarter of this year.

What I have been doing ?

Rai Umair — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 20:14:00 GMT

Two words 'not much'... at least not remotely as much as I would like, lazing most the past week in thoughts I have no control over or watching TV and chatting aimlessly on MSN (something I rarely do). But I still managed to do a few things geeky :).

Introducing GMail

Free email with 1000 MB of email space from Google.com! It's relatively not a new thing for geeks with there own POP accounts or people using Outlook Express or other popular mail readers but for end users stuck up with Hotmail, CoolMail and WhatNotMail offering a meager 4MB (God, a descent attachment today takes a MB or more) for such email users it will mean a lot. It will translate to better email management and sort of bring a revolution when every one saves his mails and some sort of tracking is enabled check GMail.com and read the interesting FAQ page here for more information.

My up with Avalon and Office 2003

I was really impressed updating Office XP to MS Office 11 suite, the most notable application in the package will the the Publisher, maybe because I used it for the first time. Like all office versions learning the basics was easy as sitting for 20 minutes and playing with the controls. I still can’t believe the templates I created for INETA Pakistan from email to letterheads, from newsletters to business cards without much effort at all!!!. I must say the ‘MaterSet’ in Publisher feature rocks!

InfoPath is a cool concept but without SharePoint Portal Server it is almost useless. FrontPage has gained a lot on new features, I liked the IFrame editing feature, Layer support, ASP.NET database forms and views but I am lost why they changed the table creation mechanism, and it basically really sucks for me right now.

Other then working on INETA Pakistan content using MS Office 11. I was also catching up on Longhorn and reading new articles on MSDN. My interest in Avalon (codename given to the preseantion layer of the next windows version) rejuvenated as I prepared a introductory presentation for a whole bunch of my class mates at my university as a Multimedia systems assignment. Avalon is really slick I must say. XAML is a much needed evolution and also matches with the upcoming W3C standard of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) where vector graphics are made based on XML input.

Wow! What a day...

Rai Umair — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 04:04:00 GMT

Well like most week days today started as a usual at day SZABIST but then right around in middle everything changed. I missed my MIS class to enjoy sheesha with my friend Nanuman Sikandar who came in around midday whilke I was busy reading this very recently published and by all standerds, a gem of a book, titled “Software Design: From Programming to Architecture” by Eric J. Braude, in the university's library. That was a bad move, I like sheesha (Hubble bubble) also made available at our university for the past 4 days and not surprisingly like always it turned my mood down.

This happens with me when ever I smoke up something instead of going up I go down in my mood, I don’t know why, but this is the case :-(. I repeated the same mistake again later in the evening with the change of flavout from mint to rose (due learning something new about the mint flavored tobacco) and my feelings went down further the drain, I came home really feeling bad and all dull and hazy. But then all things took a positive note.

Back home the best part of the day started. I sat and planned a great little Birthday surprise for my best friend Nauman Sikandar thanks to Rahim, Raheel, Anis, Rickey, Honey and not to forget Lady X. We fooled Nauman that there was a big fight about to take place at Royal Club near sea view and we need troops. He reached there around 12:00 and then just when the clock stuck 12: we sprang on him with two dozen eggs on the tune of “Happy Birthday to You, Nauman“. That was so very cool. More memories are left to share like having the house to my self for the next 10 days but I am too tired to write about them right now. Cheers.

Microsoft SAT 2004 Karachi, Notes from the Day

Rai Umair — Sun, 28 Mar 2004 09:14:00 GMT

Microsoft Software Architect Tour Karachi went away quite well. Although the event started a little later then 9:30 but the 150 seated auditorium was jam packed as we entered to take to our seats, Gurkan Sulk, Vaqar Khasmani, Haseeb (the Winqual Guys) represented Microsoft from MEA, Pakistan and USA while I from INETA Pakistan and Khurram from Kalsoft were the local speakers there.

I also met Jawad Rehman the Microsoft’s country manager for Pakistan and Dr. Wahab (former IBA chief) and had very interesting conversations on history, Pakistan and their polices and outlooks before the event started and in the lunch break.

The day was long and I got a headache in the end but I am was really pleased to be offered sponsorship of a venue by the kind MAJU people and the general reaction of the 150+ attendees to bring in the developer community revolution in Pakistan. My speech was in fact accepted quite well by all the senior architects and members. In the end 15 lucky people got Microsoft goody bags and all the speakers got bouquets of flowers and table clocks from MAJU as a token of appreciation for being there and all participants got the SAT 2004 trapper keeper with printouts of all the slides.

There was a lot of still photography and also a video recording of the event. I will get some pictures up as soon as I get my hands on them.

The Lahore and Islamabad events to happen on the 3rd and 4th of April are completely booked and Microsoft is planning to fly in speakers from Belgium. While INETA Pakistan is using the services of our User Group Leaders Misbah and Yawar to make there speeches.

Whats better than?

Rai Umair — Sat, 27 Mar 2004 03:33:00 GMT

Live your life better, always ask yourslefd the question: Whats better than?

What's better than focusing on the negative? Focus on the positive. (If you do this you are happy being!)
What's better than working hard? It's working smart. (Oh yes! Learn to beat the system, think different.)
What's better than dreaming? Imagining. (A Disney term combination of Imagining stuff and Engnearing)
What's better than doing something for yourself? Doing something for your country.
What's better than a vision? A cause. (When Vision fights wih cause, Cause always prevails...)
What's better than a long speech? Definitely, a short one. (That's why you read this in a snap!)

(condensed via: Anil, enjoy his full version taken from a speech)

INETA Pakistan – A new revolution in the Planning

Rai Umair — Wed, 24 Mar 2004 22:22:00 GMT

Arsalan Minhas the INETA Chair for Pakistan and also my friend has left off to Korea to pursue a master’s degree and I have formally taken over all his responsibilities a few days ago. I have taken on me to bring a developer community revolution in Pakistan.

Right now I am in things way over my head, lots and lots of work do to which I am not deliberately delegating at this stage because I want to keep it all very tightly coupled. I sit here at home waiting for the clock to strike 10 (PST) or GMT 4 for my first weekly INETA–MEA meeting in which all the INETA MEA region chairs and managers participate online.

Wow! MSN messenger is an innovative new global conference room now. (ummm.. without the food though...)

I am very excited about the possibilities we can achieve here together (with you people). I will talk a lot about our work as we progress along our preparations. I am looking out for volunteers to assist us in our job. So if you feel passionate enough , pleae contact me, we will be gald to have your in our team.

Upcoming Speech at the SAT, 2004

Rai Umair — Wed, 24 Mar 2004 22:35:00 GMT

Ah...I forgot, I'll be speaking in Software Architect Tour, 2004 at the Muhammad Ali Jinnah Untervarsity (MAJU) next week on March the 29th. Its at 22-E Block-6 P.E.C.H.S, Karachi. Damn ! Why do I have to miss an important MMS hourly back here in my university? Bad timing... I guess.

I'll be giving my not so infamous (cos its the fist time):

INETA Pakistan - The Developer Community Revolution Speech

I'll talk about User Groups, INETA, INETA Pakistan, the new User Group Structure for Pakistan and our Vision Forward. My talks are very interactive, much like Ihab's (Microsoft Dubai) so even if you know about INETA Pakistan, you'll still have fun.

Should be fun, please stop by!

Microsoft Software Architect Tour, 2004 - Pakistan

Rai Umair — Thu, 18 Mar 2004 06:45:00 GMT

Microsoft Pakistan is organizing a ‘Software Architect Tour’ in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad on March 27, 2004, April 3, 2004 and April 4, 2004 respectively.

If you are serious about software development then this event is not be missed.

Call in at these numbers for Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore, For free registration please use ‘Rai Umair/INETA' as reference.

111-878-787 – Bushra Jaffer
111 11 – MSFT - Syed Wahaj
0300 8291049 – Abdel Cader

Registrations end on March the 20th, so register for the event as soon as possible and don't forget to pass the word.

The Top Guns on Radar at Microsoft

Rai Umair — Sun, 21 Mar 2004 05:47:00 GMT

Ever wanted to know who the top guns in Microsoft are and how the software giant works. Heres the secret, I found the answer to this question in an all in one PDF based wall chart from the Directions On Microsoft people, the Organization chart basically describes the top 1000 individuals at Microsoft.

Download your own copy at:
http://www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/sample/DOMIS/orgchart/orgchart.pdf

Weblogs.com.pk Goes Live

Rai Umair — Sat, 20 Mar 2004 22:39:00 GMT

Now all the Pakistani Blogs have a place the can call home!

Based on the popular .NET .Text blogging tool. It’s a Free and easy way to blog.

http://weblogs.com.pk

An Introduction to WebLogs

A Weblog site contains pages comprises of the short posts submitted by the weblog authors. The posts can be of variety of types, giving the author feel of journal or a cyber diary.

The weblog space provides an author a platform to publish their words, thoughts and ideas of mind. The author can publish a technical material so others may get a benefit or something that he or she wants to show to the rest of the world.

There can be anonymous visitors to the weblog as well as subscribers. XML gives the platform and RSS is the tech word for this. People subscribe to a weblog using XML Feed/Syndicate, also called RSS feed. There are number of RSS harvesters, ranging from plug-in for Email clients (Outlook) to separate programs.

Weblog in simple is a next generation publishing and communication platform, using which the authors can feed the web his thoughts and can easily communicate with the subscribers and visitors that can be his teammates, department colleagues, company or class fellows and family members.

http://weblogs.com.pk is the ideal place for the authors and visitors whom mother land is Pakistan. This site gives you a single platform to find weblog mates and a launching pad to show the world the potential we have!

Visit How Do I Get Started page, to signup for “http://weblogs.com.pk/YourOwnWebLog “.

Happy Blogging, See you there... :)

We win the match!

Rai Umair — Wed, 17 Mar 2004 01:09:00 GMT

Although our class went into the final of the Josh cup and also won it today around 6 PM PST, a historic event for all of us indeed after four years we finally are past our semifinal curse (if there is such a thing).

I was wating for the results of the Pakistan vs. India 2nd match to post this rant, indeed a very well done again by both the teams and guess what Pakistan has won to even the series, Mashallah!

Three cheers for the BCS 6 A and the Pakistani team, We are proud of you.

Microsoft Security Symposium at Karachi Goes Well

Rai Umair — Thu, 18 Mar 2004 06:27:00 GMT

The security symposium today went great we had three speakers from Microsoft operations in Egypt and Redmond. Mr. Zoadain, and two whose names I can not recall. Zoadain was the most interesting of the lot, he talked and showed us how Microsoft was securing its own IT infrastructure and intellectual property using pins, smart cards, polices and what not.

I learned many interesting things today: Security is not only technology put also the people and processes, basically the 4 P’s of security. Almost all solutions come suggested blocking access at all layers and levels. The easiest security measure is to limit the services running when you don’t need them just stop using them and always keep your updates on the toes in terms of patches or virus scanners.

There was also a lot of talk about SUS and SMS both used for patch management and software upgrades. We also looked at the best practice security guides [available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/practices] from the PAG, the best thing to happen at Microsoft for years.

One cool link I would suggest all to visit is the live implementation of ‘Outlooks Web Access’ internally in use by Microsoft employees to manage emails without RAS support at https://mail.microsoft.com.

I observed a lot of potential in the developer community in Karachi while enjoying lunch, around 300 faces emerged some of them I have seen at previous events last year like the Pakistan Developer Conference in May 2003 and MSDN road show in August 2003. Lastly we got the 'IT Showcases' CD, the latest to come this year in our collateral bags. I plan to open up and speed read some case studies when I reach back home.

3 .NET Goodies from Microsoft

Rai Umair — Thu, 18 Mar 2004 07:28:00 GMT

Free .NET Skills Assessment:
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/assessment/default.asp

Free .NET online training & labs:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/using/training/seminarlabs/default.aspx

Free MEA Developer Support Center Support till April 30, 2004:
http://www.microsoft.com/middleeast/developers/meadsc/form.asp

INETA Community leaders get geeky gifts and more...

Rai Umair — Wed, 17 Mar 2004 01:14:00 GMT

INETA is sending in community kits from today… I was pleasingly surprised to be treated with 80 points which I get to spend for DNUG ordering cool ms press books and gadgets like webcams and USB drives…

Thankyou so much INETA. I wish MSDN Quarterly Kits could start coming in again too. I only got one last May 2003 and never heard from the staff responsible for the kits again.

Secondly I found this item very interesting… Have a look:

"What's the point of Mono and dotGNU?"
(http://developers.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/02/13/1416226&mode=thread)
and in The Code Project gives nine reasons not to use serialization
(http://www.codeproject.com/showcase/noserialise.asp).

3 cool resources worth checking out for sure...

Rai Umair — Mon, 15 Mar 2004 08:06:00 GMT

1. Design and Architecture get a boost in .NET, the gang of four design patterns book source code now available in C#, I even have a PDF copy of a book on design patterns in C#, but i guess the original one is the best: http://www.dofactory.com/Patterns/Patterns.aspx

2. The second resource, is some thing that I wish i get my hands on but I guess have to wait a long time before I do that, the worlds meanest number crunching desktop PC's: http://www.go-l.com/desktops/machl38/features/index.htm

3. Lastly the .NET road map in black and white from Microsoft is out last week after a revision, man it's so cool and efficient to know a year in advance of Microsoft's great plans, now thats some thing to cheer about :-):
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/productinfo/roadmap.aspx

(via Ramesh)

Microsoft.com from 1993 to Present

Rai Umair — Mon, 15 Mar 2004 03:09:00 GMT

I just love to read stuff about Microsoft, today I manged to get a scoop of the history there on an interesting article on Microsoft.com the website by Dave Kramer.

Heres the first paragraph read and enjoy:

In the beginning, www.microsoft.com was just one computer tucked under a table at the end of a long hallway. It was designed to test Microsoft's first 32-bit Windows implementation of TCP/IP, the software plumbing in Windows that enables Internet communications. Read more...

My msn messenger just screwed up

Rai Umair — Sun, 14 Mar 2004 23:28:00 GMT

I woke up today to find that MSN is showing the contacts emails and not the nicks… It has happened to all of my contacts in my contact list…. I wonder what’s going on?

.NET User Group Karachi Quiz – Security Symposium - INETA MEA

Rai Umair — Sat, 13 Mar 2004 23:11:00 GMT

I got 15 free passes to the security symposium and I am holding a quiz for my INETA based user group in Karachi, The initial response has been over whelming. I am currently thinking of some tricky questions that I will mail to all people on the DNUG mailing list by Monday, and the first 10 participants with all questions right will win a place to the Microsoft Security Symposium being held at Marriott, Karachi on Wednesday the 17th. More information about the event is available here.

I also mentioned about this on INETA Pakistan (dotnetPakistan.com) a website running but still under construction, I will finish it of as soon as I have the chance. Customizing the ASP.NET Portal Starter kit was piece of cake I even added my own RSS reader to download and show MSDN news (RSS) on the site but there’s something wrong with caching issues there, all the changes I make revert back to default values at random, I don’t know what’s going on even after going throw the source code again and again.

Lastly if you live in the (Microsoft’s) south gulf region visit dotnetPakistan.com for some very good free resources, Cd's and magazines. Lastly all INETA people can visit the INETA MEA (Middle East and Africa) site still under construction again as Zeeshan is not able to get access from the webmaster at INETA.

WebServices HTTP Get in .NET 1.1 - Now not included in default.

Rai Umair — Sun, 14 Mar 2004 02:42:00 GMT

.NET Framework 1.1 saw a slight change for the web services, now the HTTP get is now not included in default in fact you have to override the default settings to use the Get behavior of the Webservice as was possible with framework 1.0.

All you have to do is add this entry to the Web.Config file in the same directory or above.

Add this code to your Web.Config file (this is case-sensitive):

<webServices>
 <protocols>
  <add name="HttpGet" />
 </protocols>
</webServices>

I found this annoying change of settings about eight months back but working on a new pair of Webservices for a new project I was surprised to find the problem again and this time I am writing in on my blog as to remembering it better.

Hurray! I am a Gold Member at CodeProject.com – Authors Needed

Rai Umair — Sat, 13 Mar 2004 22:51:00 GMT

Well not the best of the things to happen in a while but it’s worth mentioning. After all out of the one million plus registered users there, only about a 1000 would be anything near touching the gold status.

I have written two articles for CodeProject.com and made around two dozen posts in all but the years in accumulation which are now two have raised me the rank of GOLD users. My own page on codeproject is located at: http://www.codeproject.com/script/profile/whos_who.asp?id=28982

I am pleased, CodeProject is the best website out there with the best '.NET how to content', I am amazed to find quality articles there every week after week. Way to go CodeProject!, and a great thanks to all the helpfull submitters.

I have about two dozen articles half complete sitting on my hard disk and I would really encourage readers to come co-author the articles with me, all articles are on tech related issues and I will be looking forward to all the help I can get. Please get in touch using the contact me form, now it up and running and I will be glad to respond back.

Ramblings from SZABIST

Rai Umair — Sat, 13 Mar 2004 22:37:00 GMT

While kids in the other class are having a difficult time. I am having a bang in my MIS class at SZABIST. I have never been into marks and stuff but can’t help mentioning that my tally is coming real nice. Out of the current allotted set of 70 marks out of 100 I have somehow managed to score 65. So now the 30 marks are just a piece of cake as I see it. I like classes where there is brainstorming but nothing to practice; I tend to incline better towards theoretical subjects other then programming and software development which are an exception to the rule, I guess that makes me more left minded then right.

On another note I was surprised to be appointed the counsel for the IEEE selected team at SZABIST for the upcoming quarter and although I know what IEEE is all about I need ideas from the lot to help me out in promotional activities I can arrange to get the mass at my university to take on the US $ 12.5 (Rs 625) student membership with IEEE.

Lastly I would like to mention how frustrated I am not being able to log in into my email account being hosted on SZABIST’s mail server available at http://www.szabist.net.pk. Actually all my mail accounts forward email to my SZABIST email account as I enjoy infinite amount of space with fast POP access at SZABIST. The problem is that there is no forget my password service running currently and all accounts are linked with the active directory on the domain. As its a holiday today I have to wait, to be in person tomorrow for the damn working Sunday at the university to get access to my email.

Interesting Quotes (Part 3)

Rai Umair — Sat, 13 Mar 2004 11:15:00 GMT

The last of the three posts on quotes alone, it’s the icing on cake, real witty quotes from a developers/geeks perspective, read and enjoy.

Quotes For/From Programmers

- C program run. C program crash. C programmer quit.

- You ASCII stupid question, you get stupid ANSI

- Damn the documentation, full speed ahead!

- Real Programmers don't need comments -- the code is obvious!

- He who laughs last probably made a backup - Rai Umair

- If at first you don't succeed, call it v1.0!

- COBOL.....(C)ompiles (O)nly (B)ecause (O)f (L)uck

- COFFEE.COM not found: A)dd more, R)eheat F)reak out

- If at first you don't succeed, work for Microsoft

- Hackers: We've got what it takes to take what you've got!- Rai Umair

- 99 percent of programmers give the rest a bad name.

- Mostly, when you see programmers, they aren't doing anything.

- Life would be much simpler if we could just look at the source code

- I saw, I bought, and I pirated. - Rai Umair

- Constants aren't; variables don't

- I had a life once...now I have a computer. - Rai Umair

- If you can't fix a bug - write it in the documentation as a feature

- Avoid Computer virus - practice safe HEX!

- My computer's sick. I think my modem is a carrier

Interesting Quotes (Part 2)

Rai Umair — Sat, 13 Mar 2004 11:12:00 GMT

This is the second installment to the quotes series. This is not as serious as the quotes I shared in my last post but read between the lines and you will find that the meaning goes much deeper.

Quotes For/From Rest of the world

- You can't have everything. Where would you put it?

- You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, and then used against you.

- Creativity: Not referencing your sources .

- Learn from your parents' mistakes - use birth control!

- If a = b and b = c, then we've got a messed up alphabet.

- Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

- He, who laughs last, thinks slowest.

- Romance is like a game of chess - one false move and you're mated!

- Income Tax Dept.: We've got what it takes to take what you've got!

- If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.

- Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before.

- A fool and his money are soon partying.

- Bumper Sticker: You're driving a car. It isn't a telephone booth, a beauty parlor or a restaurant.

- Cats, proof that eating and sleeping isn't all bad.

- Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine

- Choose heaven for climate, hell for society.

- A man may be a fool and not know it - but not if he is married

- Remember when the air was clean and sex was dirty?

- Missing dog and wife. Reward for dog