Windows Workflow Foundation: Missed it at PDC?

For all you folks that weren't there or missed the breakout sessions at PDC, Paul Andrew has kindly posted up a list of resources on WWF.

But wait, there's more. From the team that brought you WWF at PDC, they are doing a series of webcast on Windows Workflow Foundation.

So what are you waiting for?
Download it here and give it a go!
You know you want to :)


Currently reading: Presenting Windows Workflow Foundation

Tags: Windows WorkFlow Foundation, PDC05

Back From PDC [and into work :| ]

Sorry for the lack of blogs from PDC. Last week has been a crazy sort of a week for me at PDC'05. Crazy but in good way though.

So many cool things to see/learn but yet so little time. I managed to squeeze as much out it as humanly possible on 5-6 hours sleep each night. Don't ask how, but let just say that Starbucks made a tidy profit from me.

Saw lots of new cool technologies...

• Windows Workflow Foundation (WWF) -> Creating workflows in your custom app. Very cool and exciting :)
• "Sparkle" --> Part of the MS Expressions family.

and many many more...

I will start blogging on some of the cool new technologies that I've seen at PDC'05, once I've had a go at them and investigated them further. Which can only mean one thing, more late nights for me. I don't know about you, but trying new bits has always been one of my favourite past time. Call me a geek, but that what makes me tick. ;)


Personally, I see tremendous opportunities in the WWF. It will change the way we think when building custom solutions.

In most cases, the business logic is hard-coded as a series of if..else statements, procedures calls and database lookups. Hopefully with WWF, we can start being more productive when building workflow solutions in our custom apps.


Some links to get you started:

1. Main Page on MSDN: Link
   
2. Dave Green's Blog [he's one of the architect on the WWF team]: Link
   
3. Introductory article on MSDN: Link
4. Paul Andrew's Blog [the technical product manager]: Link
   

Tags: PDC05

PreConference at PDC

Just out for a short break. Its Monday 4pm here in LA. Been having an absolute blast at the P&P for Designing SOA - An illustrated example. Beat Schwegler posted the agenda for the pre-conference session here.

Saw a few cool tools and tips and one of them was the Guidance Automation Toolkit (GAT). I have heard of it and read the introductionary article on MSDN, but its only when I saw Project Batman being demo by Don Smith and Beat Schwegler that it really hit me how powerful this tool was.

As its name implies, its all about providing guidances to developers. I think the introductory article on GAT describes it perfectly.

Using the patterns & practices of the Guidance Automation Toolkit, you can make reusable code and pattern assets directly available in Visual Studio 2005.

The toolkit is designed to simplify integrating reusable code into applications allowing architects to automate development activities that developers would usually have to perform manually; often by following a series of instructions. By using the toolkit, architects can also ensure that repetitive and often error-prone activities are performed in a consistent manner, streamlining and accelerating the development process.

The toolkit can be used with assets developed in-house or by third parties; such as the assets created by the Microsoft patterns & practices team. These assets can be exposed to developers within Visual Studio, and in some cases, configured by using configuration files, templates, and wizards.

I think the take-home point on this is that with the GAT, the architect's intent can be clearly expressed in a series of instructions which the developers then completes in a consistent manner.

That's about the coolest tool I've seen so far. Definately looking forward to Project Batman, which is guidance in building services for your SOA solutions.

Tags: PDC05

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Back to the Future!

Arrived safely in LA, went through customs without any problems. The guy at custom was a bit of a grump, well can't blame him considering all the people he had to process.

Finally here and all I can say is that is extremely hot and dry in LA compared to Wellington. Been drinking heaps of water just trying to keep alive in the heat here.

Meet up with my relatives here and was taken out to dinner. Had a fantastic Vietnamese, good thing we went early cause there was a line outside the restaurant by the time we left. Great food and good service. (I'll have to get you the address, once I ask my cousin. The name keeps escaping me.)

Headed down to CostCo to get the lots of confectionery for the colleagues (Got bags of Reese's peanut butter cups and even a bottle of KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce for the boss. Stewart you owe me one. Its a big bottle and heavy)

About to turn in. Been the longest Friday ever for me. Got to love those time-zones ;)
Will start planning my PDC schedule tomorrow. *sleepy*

PDC'05 Here I come!!

I'll be flying off in a few hours. Off to my first ever PDC!!

I'm so stoked that I managed to convince work to send me there. (There's a long story to that, had to write a business proposal why they should really send me instead of the other guy down the hall).

Enough said, leaving Friday 7:00pm (NZ time) and looking forward to the whole PDC experience. Will blog on all entire cool new tech that Microsoft will announce.


Hey Pablo, I'll bring you back some Reese's peanut butter cups you love so much.

<homer>mmm... reese's</homer>