Next Gen Developer

I had a fun task of finding an alternative solution to an Aeronet 350 PCMCIA card that is still available and is still being manufactured that would run on a Windows CE 4.2 operating system.  It sounds like such a simple task... but no... it has taken me about 6 months to find any sort of wifi solution that would do this.  However we did have a bit of a power constraint as well, so that may have hindered things a bit too!

Anyway, what I have managed to find is a PCMCIA to CF converter and a CF Wifi card 802.11g that has wifi drivers for it for Windows CE 4.2.  It looks like a promising solution, it is low power, it does more than the old 802.11b card and it is made by Socket. 

Datasheet - http://www.socketcom.com/pdf/default.asp?Document=Datasheet&Product=WiFi-P500

User Guide - http://www.socketcom.com/pdf/default.asp?Document=User%20Guide&Product=WiFi-P500

Quick Start Guide - http://www.socketcom.com/pdf/default.asp?Document=Quick%20Start&Product=WiFi-P500

 

 Below are some useful resources that I fell across as I did my first windows service.  I thought putting them all together on one page would be a good idea.  I hope you find it useful

There is a really useful article on the Microsoft website about how to create a Windows Service and how to use a compiled setup project to install the service.  A link to this article is here (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816169)

One thing I did find out even after I followed these instructions is that if you create a Windows System Log with the same name as the Windows Service you can not get the service to uninstall.  As such do not name System Event Logs with the exact same name as the service.

 

Another resource that describes the installation of a windows service in a bit more step by step detail is one written in Advisor Answers (http://zones.advisor.com/doc/17602)

 

There are also instructions on how to manually install a windows service within the MSDN library (search on How To: Start Services).  This comes in useful if you are struggling with an installer program where you may have altered a parameter that is required for the installer to run properly or like in my case where I managed to have the service name and the log name the same.  (you get better debug logging with the manual install on a failure)

 

Some very useful tips on how to manually remove a windows service when the installutil fails to do it for you can be found here: http://jayseae.cxliv.org/2005/02/03/manually_remove_a_windows_service.html

 

Last night I took part in my second team go-karting competition over at the track at Eastleigh.  It was great fun, and the track there was much longer, faster and wider than the one over in Andover.  I personally preferred it… less chance to crash into barriers and a bit more forgiving on under steer which I do sometimes o if I am not concentrating.

 

There were 11 teams this time and we were team number 5.  We were supposed to have 5 people in our team but one of our drivers didn't turn up.  So we each had 30 minutes on the track and 7 minutes warm up time.  Again it was an endurance race so it was all about consistency, speed and planning changeovers.  I think we got it down to an art on the changeovers.  :)  (apart from when I forgot to put down the pedal extension thingys… :S I couldn't reach the pedals to race at that point… it lost me a few seconds.

 

I didn't end up in any real crashes and avoided lots, which was good coz it meant that I didn't end up with too many bruises.  There was one corner that most people struggled with, and it made for some comedy racing from some of the other teams out there.  I personally liked the corner that everyone else seemed to be struggling with, but then again I was watching how the best drivers were getting round it both during warm up and in the race to get the hang of it…  

 

We started off in 5th place and dropped down to 6th for about 15 minutes but soon started climbing up the rankings.  After my first 15 minute stint we were up to 4th place and at the end of my second one we were up in 3rd.  Then with fuel stops and changeovers and our closest competitors getting black flagged and penalty time we got into second place and by the end of the race we were 7 laps up on 3rd place. :)  First place were 10 laps ahead of us, which was pretty remarkable considering how well they drove, I expected them to be even further ahead than they were.  Even so kudos to team 10 coz they were awesome and a pleasure to watch.  I learnt a lot from them just by watching.  They got a well deserved first place.  I was very happy with second place as were the rest of our team coz there was some pretty stiff competition.

 

So I am now the proud and happy owner of 2 silver trophies for go-karting.  One from Andover and one from Eastleigh…. I can't wait to race again… :) 

 Well with going over to San Diego some time around 20th June to 20th August for work I am wondering if there are any other tech females over there up for getting together at some point during that time for a San Diego Girl Geek Dinner. 

 

I don't know how hard it is to book a restaurant area etc over there or even which ones are good restaurants… so am up for ideas & suggestions. 

 

Also if anyone over there would like to talk on a subject… see if we can get it going in a similar format to over here in London?

 

If you are female and like the idea then do let me know and I will see if it is a possibility… the rules will be the same… if you are male and would like to attend you must bring a girly geek with you. :) 

 

As soon as I know confirmed dates for my arrival I will start to do the organisation properly… look out for updates on this blog.