Want to work in one of the best teams at Microsoft? Both the Shell (as in Explorer, not cmd.exe (or Monad)*) and Internet Explorer teams are hiring SDEs and SDETs. Heck, maybe you could be the one who helps implement tabbed browsing, rendering transparent PNG files, or CSS 2.0.   [via Tony Schreiner's WebLog]

 With the implication, since one would help, that tabbed browsing etc are in the pot (see disclaimer in original entry).

.... We then applied the same hack (uhm, i mean design) to the element explar ....  [via simplegeek]

And there we have it - they came across some problems with the initial (very cute) idea and its been one hack after another thereafter. That a hack is 'by design' doesn't make it any less of an inelegant, unsatisfactory hack. This does explain some of the bizarre syntax I have previously complained about. One wonders if the implementation of XAML is becoming like writing Word Processors - you end up putting in kludges/hacks in the code to cope with particular strange cases. That's OK a) the hack works and b) its invisible to the 'user' (they just see the programming formatting correctly as they expect) - hacking implementation of a 'programming' language ain't going to work.

Something has been nagging me about XAML for a while - why didn't I like it? After all, it ought to be right up my street have spent a bunch of time in HTML etc with Zeepe. Marc Clifton (of MyXAML) comes up with a very good list of the problems - it's design is horrible.

ASP.NET: Issue Tracker Starter Kits Beta Release.  - the ASP.NET Issue Tracker Starter Kit Beta is available. 

Technologies and Design Approaches Demonstrated:

• Best practices for building applications in preparation for ASP.NET 2.0
• Multiple database support (Access (Jet) and SQL Server)
• Mobile web application development

[via Microsoft WebBlogs]

 Another one to look at.

Avalon SDK Team posts Performance Tips.  

In the microsoft.public.windows.developer.winfx.sdk news group the Avalon SDK team has begun posting Performance Tips.  They're great nice short notes that include sample code.  Perfect for a blog entry.  Avalon SDK team, why don't you setup a blog on LonghornBlogs.com?

I believe that they might reach more people and will then also make it into Google's search index.  If you don't want to run a blog, I can syndicate your posts for others to enjoy. :)

 [via LonghornBlogs.com]

So there's a significant chunk of the PMs etc of the Longhorn development teams blogging their hearts out and the SDK team do it in the newsgroups - will any of it ever make it into MSDN - that increasingly wierdo thing we pay $ for.

And while we're at it, perhaps the Avalon SDK team would like to take a few moments off and do an SDK for XP SP2 - something that's just around the next corner rather than over the hill and far away.

But Mr Clarke said he was "irritated that amendments to the Bill have not been thought through".  [via BBC NEWS | Education | Clarke attacks fee rebel plans]

 And some of us over here are irritated that Mr Clarke's Bill has not been thought through.

that party leadership was a "24-7" job [via BBC NEWS | Politics | Kennedy to go for medical advice]

 Somewhat over-valuing themselves again - for goodness sake 24x7 to do 'party leader', gimme a break.

Microsoft have released the first Release Candidate of Windows XP SP2 to wider testing. Existing versions of ScriptX are not fully compatible with this release.

All licensees and evaluators who are testing the RC1 version of XP SP2 should go here for access to a compatible build of ScriptX.

XAML's benefit is to bring the web page design culture into the richer world of native UI...Good-looking native user interfaces are key, along with integration with the rest of the operating environment.

 [via Edd Dumbill's Weblog: Behind the Times]

Been reading around a bit - XAML/.NET/Longhorn certainly seem to have caused some pause for thought in at least certain areas of the Java and Linux communities. It also seems to be catching on that non-native look just doesn't cut it, your code may be 'write-once-use-anywhere' cross-platform but the compromises that involves in terms of appearance seem to mean that you loose out.

DotNetNuke Version 2.0 Final Release - Tuesday, March 23, 2004. The long anticipated DotNetNuke 2.0 release is ready for official download. This marks the end of a 6 month development cycle and 5 week Beta Test cycle. Thanks to the Core Team for their extreme dedication.   read more...  [via DotNetNuke - The Web of the Future > Home ( DNN 2.0.3 )]

 Hmmm, gotta be worth a look.