Windows Azure SDK - July CTP Released

Microsoft announced release of the July CTP of the Windows Azure SDK and Tools.

Download them here. 

What’s new in the Windows Azure SDK?

• The Windows Azure SDK supports developing and deploying services containing multiple web and worker roles. A service must include at least one role, of either type, and may include zero or more web roles, and zero or more worker roles.
• The new PowershellRole sample hosts the Powershell runtime within a Windows Azure role. It demonstrates a simple remote console web role as well as a worker role whose implementation is a Powershell script. The host also includes the CloudDrive sample snap-in to provide access to Windows Azure Storage from script.

What’s new in Windows Azure Tools for Visual Studio

• New project creation dialog
• Support for developing and deploying services containing multiple web and worker roles. A service may contain zero or more web roles and zero or more worker roles with a minimum of one role of either type.
• Ability to associate any ASP.NET Web Application project in a Cloud Service solution as a Web Role
• Support for building Cloud Services from TFS Build
• Enhanced robustness and stability

Source: Windows Azure Official Blog.

PUG DevCon 2009 Final Session list

Finally we are done with list of all  sessions in PUG DevCon 2009 which is planned on 8th and 9th August, 2009

you can check event website at http://devcon.puneusergroup.org  for event details

so here is the final list of topics decided for PUG DevCon 2009

• Inside the guts of .NET 4.0 – Part I
• Inside the guts of .NET 4.0 – Part II
• Introduction to the Azure Services Platform
• Silverlight internals & Expression Blend 3
• Office for developers
• Using ADO.NET Data Services
• Silverlight for Developers
• Parallel Computing APIs with the Microsoft .NET Framework 4
• Developing MVC based web apps using ASP.NET MVC 1.0
• Using Data Mining for Analyzing Data, Predictions and Forecasting
• Overview of Windows Azure
• Visual Studio 2010: Making your day easier
• Living on Live Services – Introduction to Microsoft Live Framework
• What’s New in C# 4.0 and VB 10
• Developing AJAX application for Windows mobile
• Team Development with Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2010 and Team Foundation Server
• Rapid application development using Windows Mobile Line of Business Solution Accelerator 2008 [Level 200]
• PowerShell - Use it, Extend It, Embed It

Now Expression Blend 3 also got TFS integration!

Last week Microsoft announced Expression Blend 3 along with Silverlight 3. I was just going through the list of features available in Expression Blend 3 and found something different and interesting feature.

Integrate with Team Foundation Server (TFS)

Stay in sync with your team by taking advantage of Team Foundation Server integration in Expression Blend. Team Foundation Server ensures the designers work is safe, versioned, up to date and available to the whole team.

really cool feature.

you need to install a Patch to your TFS 2008 to make TFS work with Expression Blend. checking an article how to patch your TFS at http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/KB967483

some links for your Ref:

http://blogs.msdn.com/edhintz/archive/2009/07/13/tfs-integration-a-top-10-new-feature-of-expression-blend-3.aspx

http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Blend_Overview.aspx#tabs-2

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/KB967483

Announcing PUG DevCon 2009.

I am pleased to announce Pune User Group’s most important event of the year,

PUG DevCon 2009

This year we are hosting PUG DevCon 2009 on

8th & 9th August, 2009

2 days, 2 parallel Tracks and total 16 sessions on various Microsoft Technologies by industry experts…

I will be posting more details about agenda very soon…

keep your eyes open…

you can also follow Pune User Group on Twitter / Face book / LinkedIn  here are the URLs

http://twitter.com/puneusergroup

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pune-India/Pune-User-Group/

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2023294

and

PUG’s official website http://www.puneusergroup.org

Acceptance Test Engineering Guide Beta 2 Now Available on codePlex

patterns & practices Acceptance Test Engineering Guide, Volume 1 (Beta 2) is now available on CodePlex. 
The Acceptance Test Engineering Guide will provide guidance for technology stakeholders (developers, development leads, testers, test leads, architects, etc.) and business stakeholders (managers, customers, end users, etc) on the discipline of acceptance testing.
Common Scenarios
Here are the key scenarios the guide addresses:

• How to Plan for Acceptance Testing
• What Kinds of Acceptance Tests to Run
• How to Create and Run Acceptance Tests
• Defining What “Done” Means
• How to Justify Your Approach
• How to Streamline Your Acceptance Process

Parts

• Part I - Thinking About Acceptance
• Part II - Perspectives on Acceptance
• Part III - Acceptance Software

Part I - Thinking About Acceptance
Chapter 1            The Acceptance Process
Chapter 2            Decision-Making Model
Chapter 3            Project Context Model
Chapter 4            System Requirements Model
Chapter 5            Risk Model
Chapter 6            Doneness Model
Part II - Perspectives on Acceptance
Chapter 7            Business Lead’s Perspective
Chapter 8            Product Manager’s Perspective
Chapter 9            Test Manager’s Perspective
Chapter 10          Development Manager’s Perspective
Chapter 11          User Experience Specialist’s Perspective
Chapter 12          Operations Manager’s Perspective
Chapter 13          Solution Architect’s Perspective
Chapter 14          Enterprise Architect’s Perspective
Chapter 15          Legal Perspective
Part III - Acceptance Software
Chapter 16          Planning for Acceptance
Chapter 17          Assessing Software
Chapter 18          Managing the Acceptance Process
Chapter 19          Streamlining the Acceptance Process
More at Codeplex site: http://codeplex.com/TestingGuidance

Download the guide

• http://testingguidance.codeplex.com/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=29464