"Photo Pile" Screensaver from Coding4Fun

Coding4Fun - Photo Screensaver

"Everyone loves screensavers!  Photo screensavers are fun because you can show off your own photos in creative ways.  This Coding 4 Fun article will step you through creating a Windows screensaver to show off your photo collection.  Learn about GDI+ and what it takes to build a custom screensaver.

..."

 

With VB & C# source (as usual for Coding4Fun articles) this project walks you through creating a "photo pile" screensaver (cause you just can't have too many photo screensavers ;)

Halo 3 Multiplayer Beta Press Kit (High Rez Images)

Microsoft Downloads - Xbox.com Halo 3 Press Kits

... because it's Halo 3 stuff... Dugh!  ;)

These are high resolution color tif's. For example the first one I opened was 6400 x 3600 @ 65.9MB in size.

Here's a tree of what's in the kit.

.
│   Halo3_High-Ground-1stperson-01.tif
│   Halo3_High-Ground-3rdperson-01.tif
│   Halo3_Snowbound-3rdperson-01.tif
│   Halo3_Valhalla-3rdperson-01.tif
│
├───Environments
│       Halo3_High-Ground-env-01.tif
│       Halo3_High-Ground-env-02.tif
│       Halo3_Snowbound-env-01.tif
│       Halo3_Valhalla-env-01.tif
│       Halo3_Valhalla-env-02.tif
│
├───Spartans
│       Halo3_Spartan_Blue_ar.tif
│       Halo3_Spartan_Blue_missilepod.tif
│       Halo3_Spartan_Blue_mongoose.tif
│       Halo3_Spartan_Blue_turret2.tif
│       Halo3_Spartan_Red_missilepod2.tif
│       Halo3_Spartan_Red_mongoose2.tif
│       Halo3_Spartan_Red_spikerifle.tif
│       Halo3_Spartan_Red_turret2.tif
│
└───Third-Person
        Halo3_High-Ground-3rdperson-01.tif
        Halo3_Snowbound-3rdperson-01.tif
        Halo3_Valhalla-3rdperson-01.tif

Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar v1 Released

IEBlog - Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar - Get it Now!

"...

Today I’d like to announce that v1 of the IE Developer Toolbar is complete! Please download the toolbar and read release notes here.

What’s changed since Beta 3?

This release of the Developer Toolbar does not add any major functionality but includes a number of important reliability and “fit-and-finish” improvements. For example, the installation process will automatically remove Beta 2 and newer builds so you don’t have to do so manually...

..."

Microsoft Downloads - Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar

"...

The Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar provides several features for exploring and understanding Web pages. These features enable you to:

• Explore and modify the document object model (DOM) of a Web page.
• Locate and select specific elements on a Web page through a variety of techniques.
• Selectively disable Internet Explorer settings.
• View HTML object class names, ID's, and details such as link paths, tab index values, and access keys.
• Outline tables, table cells, images, or selected tags.
• Validate HTML, CSS, WAI, and RSS web feed links.
• Display image dimensions, file sizes, path information, and alternate (ALT) text.
• Immediately resize the browser window to a new resolution.
• Selectively clear the browser cache and saved cookies. Choose from all objects or those associated with a given domain.
• Display a fully featured design ruler to help accurately align and measure objects on your pages.
• Find the style rules used to set specific style values on an element.
• View the formatted and syntax colored source of HTML and CSS.

..."

That about says it all...

My install on Vista was quick, easy and painless.

Related Past Post XRef:
IE Developer Toolbar Beta 3 Released
DOM Helper: A new and improved CSS Editor for IE
Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar Beta 2 Now Available for Download
IEDevToolbar

Microsoft SharedView (fka "Tahiti") Beta Download Available

Microsoft Downloads - Microsoft SharedView Beta

"Overview

More effective meetings and phone calls
Connect with up to 15 people in different locations and get your point across by showing them what's on your screen.

Work together in real time
Share, review, and update documents with multiple people in real time.

Use anytime, anywhere
SharedView is easy to use, from anywhere, at a moment's notice.

Click here to learn more about the SharedView Beta." [Description Leached in Full]

I like the promise/idea. I work remotely/out of the office much of my time and I see how this could really help me.

I do think it's pretty funny that the "Business" SKU's for Vista are not listed as supported (Vista Home Premium and Ultimate are the only listed supported Vista versions). Personally I think there's more draw for business related usage than anything. Think about meetings, training sessions, presentations, conference calls, etc.

In any case, I think this is one beta I'm going to give a go (I reached a beta burnout plateau during the Vista/Office 2007 period...but this looks cool enough to try out sooner than later...).

(via All About Microsoft (Mary Jo Foley) Microsoft rebrands Tahiti collaboration service as ‘Shared View’)

 

Update #1 5/10/2007 @ 1:25PM (PDT):

Okay I have to say this beta is pretty darn smooth...

Installed on Vista Ultimate, XP and Win2k3 with no problems. Creating a session is drop dead easy as is joining an existing one. No firewall, VPN, etc issues. Inside the corporate network to external, external to internal, etc, etc, was all very very smooth and easy.

It's not the fastest remote app sharing method, but it easily gets the job done.

The one thing that I'd like to be able to do is have an option to turn off the advertising. I accept that the advertising is what's paying for the app and backend services. Nothing is free...but still I hope there's some method/service/subscription/etc that will allow SharedView to run without ad's.

Also I REALLY want an SDK/API for this. Given that it runs on XP and later, I would like to build/connect this into my app's... (think something like the Windows Desktop Sharing API but for XP and later).

Now to see if I can "encourage" it's usage with people at work... ;)

Free PowerShell Introduction/Getting Started book from MS Switzerland

Schweizer IT Professional und TechNet Blog - English version of Windows PowerShell course book available for download

"Due to its great popularity, we have decided to translate the Windows PowerShell course book to English. So if your mother tongue is not German, maybe you are interested in the English version instead. The book gives you a short introduction with many exercises about the interactive part of Windows PowerShell as well as some hints how to use other objects like WMI, .NET or COM objects like Excel or Internet Explorer.

The book is available for free and you can share it with all your colleagues or friends if you leave it as it is. The books can be used with or without the demo files available at this blog as well." [Post Leached in Full]

For English only speakers/readers, when going to the book download link above (i.e. "book is available" link) and you get to the "Download Windows PowerShell Handbuch" page, click on the "Fertig stellen" button to start the download. (Having a 50/50 chance, I of course hit the wrong one the first time  ;)

Here's an excerpt from the forward from the 44 page printable PDF.

"This “Windows PowerShell” book will give you an introduction to Windows PowerShell as well as practical examples, in order to give you a quick introduction to this subject even if you have no significant previous scripting experience. The book is explicitly not aimed at professional scripters; the extensive Windows PowerShell help and the many Internet forums and additional literature are designed to give experts everything they need. However, the newbies amongst you will hopefully find everything you need in this book to enable you to think about scripting in more detail, and hopefully quickly learn to enjoy being able to operate a computer even without a mouse.

..."

Speedfan Vista Sidebar Gadget - Speedfan Meter

Beta Network/Hobby Lounge - Speedfan Meter v1.5 New! - Downloads

Speedfan Meter is nice looking Vista Sidebar gadget that shows you all the cool information that the SpeedFan utility (available separately here) gathers about your system.

I'm a long time fan of Speedfan so this is in a cool find...

sigh... The sad part is that my old notebook (currently my only home Vista install) doesn't have a sensor chip supported by Speedfan. :(

Still this will be useful when I finally upgrade some of my other systems.

(via The Electric Wand - Finally, a sidebar gadget worth having)

Two Cool LOTRO Map Sites

If you play LOTRO (Lord of the Rings Online) then you know one of the most common OOC (Out Of Character) chat topics is "Where is [item/place/point of interest/quest/NPC/etc] ..."

At first you try to be helpfull and provide said information, but after a while it gets pretty old...

So now what I try to do is first provide said information (if I know it) AND provide a link to one of my favorite LOTRO Fan map sites (www.mehq.net).

Middle Earth Headquaters provides a very cool dynamic map and search feature, marking up a copy of the ingame map with item/place/POI/NPC/etc locations.

Today, I found a another too cool LOTRO map site, http://www.arda-online.com/map/ (via Programable Web - Lord of the Rings Maps).

Arda Online's map is cool in that it provides dynamic, searchable LOTRO maps via a Google Map mashup interface. Think Google maps for LOTRO... It's not as complete as MEHQ's maps, but the interface is pretty darn cool.

Added to my Favorites.  ;)

Microsoft Office Outlook Connector (Think Outlook to Hotmail Connector)

Microsoft Downloads - Microsoft Office Outlook Connector

"With Outlook Connector, you can use Outlook 2002, Outlook 2003, or Outlook 2007 to access and manage your Windows Live Mail or Office Live Mail accounts, including e-mail messages, calendar, tasks, notes, and contacts.

Microsoft Office Outlook Connector enables you to use your Live Mail accounts with Outlook:

• Read and send your Office Live Mail/Windows Live Mail/MSN e-mail through the Outlook interface
• Manage and share your Calendar schedule.
• Manage your Live Mail Contacts.
• Access your Tasks and Notes.
• Use advanced options for blocking junk e-mail.
• Manage multiple e-mail accounts in one place.

" [Description leached in full]

I've been using this since it came out last last year and I'm here to say I am very happy with it.

Hooking Outlook to Hotmail via this Connector makes Outlook kind of think your Hotmail account is an Exchange mail server. At least as far the user can see.

Your calendar is connected between Outlook and Hotmail, yours contacts, etc. Like I was saying, it's like using Outlook with a backend email server. (i.e. like using Outlook at work, etc).

THIS is the way to go if you want to hook your Outlook to your Hotmail.

Update #1 5/17/2007 @ 3:55 PM PDT:

An important thing to note (that I missed the first time);

"...

The following is also required:

• A paid subscription-based e-mail account from MSN Hotmail, Windows Live Mail, Office Live, or Windows Live Custom Domains

..."

So you'll need a Windows Live Hotmail Plus (fka Hotmail Plus, etc) or like paid subscription for this Connector to work.

I've had Hotmail Plus for years and didn't think about/consider/remember that when I posted this. My bad and my apologies.

(via The Road to Know Where - Microsoft Launches Windows Live Hotmail)

Scott Adams, I know you're hiding in a cube in my building ...

... and when I find you, I'm buying you lunch.  ;)

LOL