Free ebook: Programming Windows 8 Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript - Microsoft Press - Site Home - MSDN Blogs

Free ebook: Programming Windows 8 Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
Hello, Kraig Brockschmidt here. To help celebrate //build/, I’m delighted to announce the completion of Programming Windows 8 Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript!
You can download the ebook in PDF format here: http://go.microsoft.com/FWLink/?Linkid=270056 (17.9 MB)
EPUB format is here: http://go.microsoft.com/FWLink/?Linkid=272592 (37.3 MB)
MOBI format is here: http://go.microsoft.com/FWLink/?Linkid=272591 (69.5 MB)
The ebook’s companion content is here: http://go.microsoft.com/FWLink/?Linkid=270057 (59.9 MB) (Note: An updated version of the companion content was made available on November 8, 2012, to fix a line of code.)
This free ebook provides comprehensive coverage of the platform for Windows Store apps. Since its second preview in August, we’ve added the remaining chapters on live tiles, notifications, background tasks, background transfers, networking, devices, printing, WinRT components, accessibility, localization, and the Windows Store itself. The final ebook contains 17 chapters. And of course all of the earlier chapters have also been reviewed and refined—over 800 pages in total, along with new and updated companion content!

Using the open xml format sdk 2.0 version | social.msdn.microsoft.com

Using the open xml format sdk 2.0 version | social.msdn.microsoft.com.

Here's a quickie on navigating to a cell in an Excel 2007 XML document, using the Open XML Format SDK verison 2.0 released recently...

Using LINQ to Query Tables in Excel 2007 | MSDN

Using LINQ to Query Tables in Excel 2007

Microsoft LINQ allows for database style queries against object data. Although you cannot run LINQ queries directly against data stored in Microsoft Office Excel 2007 workbooks, it is possible to load the data into objects that do support LINQ.

This Visual How To illustrates how to use the Open XML Formats to load information stored in Excel worksheets into generic lists that support LINQ.

This Visual How To uses the Open XML Format SDK 2.0, which you need to install before you begin.

Windows Version of Kinect Features 'Near Mode' | TeamXbox

Windows Version of Kinect Features 'Near Mode'

A firmware update allows the Windows version of Kinect to sense subjects as close as 40 centimeters from the sensor.

How Microsoft Can Lock Linux Off Windows 8 PCs - Slashdot

How Microsoft Can Lock Linux Off Windows 8 PCs - Slashdot

Julie188 writes "Windows 8 PCs will use the next-generation booting specification known as Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). In fact, Windows 8 logo devices will be required to use the secure boot portion of the new spec. Secure UEFI is intended to thwart rootkit infections by using PKI authentication before allowing executables or drivers to be loaded onto the device. Problem is, unless the device manufacturer gives a key to the device owner, it can also be used to keep the PC's owner from wiping out the current OS and installing another option, such as Linux."

TFS is destroying your development capacity | Derek Hammer

TFS is destroying your development capacity | Derek Hammer

Team Foundation Server (TFS) from Microsoft is an application lifecycle management (ALM) solution that is deployed across many development teams and organizations. After working with TFS for 3+ years, I have come to the conclusion that organizations are better off without it and should look to adopting best of breed tools (of which, I claim, TFS is not part).
This post addresses three topics: the technical flaws of TFS and its subsystems, the culture TFS encourages and strategies on how to get out.

iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows 8? A coder's guide | Technology | guardian.co.uk

iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows 8? A coder's guide | Technology | guardian.co.uk

It's patently obvious to anyone in the world of IT that app development can be used to create serious wealth. Microsoft's re-entry into the battle for dominance over the mobile computing space signaled by its Build conference in Anaheim, California, this week makes it far easier for talented developers to advance their careers and, perhaps, even make life-changing sums of money.

Microsoft Wants Your Feedback On Its New Python IDE - Slashdot

Microsoft Wants Your Feedback On Its New Python IDE - Slashdot

First time accepted submitter phoolishcyrus writes "Dear Slashdot: would you kindly take a look at our little project, PTVS — Python Tools for Visual Studio? It helps you develop Python (using any interpreter, not just IronPython) and comes with a few other goodies. Spare no punches."

Was .NET All a Mistake? - Slashdot

Was .NET All a Mistake? - Slashdot

mikejuk writes "The recent unsettling behavior at Microsoft concerning .NET makes it a good time to re-evaluate what the technology is all about. It may have been good technology but with the systems guys building Windows preferring to stick with C++ the outcome was inevitable. Because they failed to support its way of doing things .NET has always been a second class Windows citizen unable to make direct use of the Windows APIs — especially the latest. .NET started out as Microsoft's best challenge to Java but now you have to ask what has the excursion into managed code brought the Microsoft programmer and indeed what good has it done Microsoft? From where we are now it begins to look very much like an unnecessary forced detour and Windows programmers are going to be living with the mess for years to come."

Netduino :: Netduino : Overview

Netduino :: Netduino : Overview

Netduino is an open source electronics platform using the .NET Micro Framework.

Featuring a 32-bit microcontroller and a rich development environment.
Suitable for engineers and hobbyists alike.

Windows Azure | Microsoft PaaS | Cloud Services | Application Hosting

Windows Azure | Microsoft PaaS | Cloud Services | Application Hosting

Windows Azure and SQL Azure enable you to build, host and scale applications in Microsoft datacenters. They require no up-front expenses, no long term commitment, and enable you to pay only for the resources you use.

Microsoft TouchStudio Uses Phone To Program Phone - Slashdot

Microsoft TouchStudio Uses Phone To Program Phone - Slashdot

theodp writes "Over the weekend, Microsoft released the beta of TouchStudio, a free Windows Phone app that allows one to write programs for a phone on the very same phone, no computer required. According to the Microsoft Research project page, the work-in-progress TouchStudio aims to bring 'the excitement of the first programmable personal computers to the phone.' Among the code examples provided is a four-liner that scans a phone's music collection for songs less than three minutes long and produces a fairly slick, clickable playlist complete with track info and artwork. Easier than iPhone SDK programming, no?"

I would love to see something like this for tablet development on Android Honeycomb / iPad.

Update:

 asnelt (1837090)

Android has had more powerful scripting for quite some time: http://code.google.com/p/android-scripting/ [google.com]