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Migrating from BlogEngine.NET to WordPress

October 7, 2009BlogEngine.NET
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After too much pain with both BlogEngine.NET and GoDaddy hosting I moved this site over to WordPress (on DreamHost) last week.
I’ve been using WordPress and DreamHost for years on my other sites, so it was only a matter of time before my personal blog finally made the move. Recent issues with BlogEngine.NET – including [...]

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Predictably Irrational

October 6, 2009General
Predictably Irrational

You’ve probably heard of Dan Ariely’s book Predictably Irrational by now. It seems to be garnering a cult like following of late, and will likely be one of those books that everyone has an opinion on (along with The Tipping Point, Freakonomics, Purple Cow, and of course Twilight )
Aaron Wall put me on [...]

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Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) at SBTUG

September 25, 2009Community
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Next Wednesday (Sep 30) at SBTUG we’re lucky to have Kristin Rohan from SassySEO along to give us a Beginners Guide to SEO For Business.  Make sure you RSVP here.
It kicks off at 6pm next Wed 30 Sep at Microsoft, North Ryde (full details and map here). (We ask for a [...]

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CodePlex.org versus CodePlex.com

September 21, 2009Community
CodePlex.org

At one time in the not-too-distant past, the mention of ‘open source’ carried a stigma with it. Perhaps an inkling that it was not high quality. Or managed by socially inept geeks. Or not well supported.
But those days are long gone, and the adoption of open-source in the enterprise is high. And while this in [...]

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Virtualisation Smackdown next Wed 26 August

August 20, 2009Main
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I’m pretty excited, I gotta say, about this month’s Sydney Business & Technology User Group meeting – we’re having a Virtualisation Smackdown! It’s this coming Wednesday, starting at 6pm.
Here’s the details:

Date: Wed 26 August 2009
Time: 6pm – 9pm
Location: Microsoft, North Ryde (map)
Web: www.sbtug.com
Phone: 0413 489 388 (call me if you get there after 6pm [...]

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Windows Marketplace for Mobile

March 14, 2009Main

I was a little disappointed to read Microsoft’s Developer Strategy for the Next Generation of Windows Phones.
Unveiled last week, this PressPass piece indicates that Microsoft will be sharing 70% of sales revenue with developers for any Windows Mobile 6.5 applications sold through Windows Marketplace for Mobile. (Note: 70% is the same as Apple shares [...]

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Photosynth and Location

March 12, 2009Main

Perhaps you missed this little gem: Photosynth Map Explore.
I hope not, because I think it represents an interesting insight into the future of location.
A little while back I was underwhelmed with Photosynth, but I did look forward to improvements with location being tied in. Photosynth Map Explore is the answer. It’s early days, but [...]

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The Twitter Popularity Contest

March 12, 2009Main

I’ve been wondering what’s next after Twitter. Where are all the cool kids heading these days?
After all, it has become so mainstream now that the inevitable transformation from intimate community to marketing broadcast is all but complete. The vibe on Twitter has changed.
Yes I know, that’s what the Un-follow option is for, but that doesn’t [...]

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Suggestions for Microsoft – Engage the Developer Community better

March 3, 2009Main

This was originally titled: “Frustrations with Microsoft – Part II” and is a follow on from my post in January. But I decided to change the title so that it comes across more positive. I don’t actually like complaining (seriously!) and my real aim is to provide constructive thought, so tweaking the words a bit [...]

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Silverlight 2 update gets it right

February 18, 2009Main

Last month I lamented the complexity Microsoft was imposing on products. Today’s Silverlight refresh is a simple example of them getting it right – it’s, um, simple.
Here’s the upgrade screen you see when hit the Silverlight install page. I especially appreciate the message (marked in the red box). One big button. Simple.

(Of course if [...]

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Microsoft Windows Mobile seems a little lost

February 18, 2009Main

It’s been heartening to see some glimmer of hope on the Microsoft Windows Mobile horizon (in spite of disheartening trends). The announcements at Mobile World Congress this week show that Microsoft is at least trying to improve their offering, with UI improvements in Windows Mobile 6.5 as well as various integration strategies including My Phone [...]

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Frustrations with Microsoft – Part 1 – Complexity

January 25, 2009Main

In a word: Complexity
Yes, I know I’ve touched on this before, but it seems more apparent than ever that one of the problems crushing Microsoft at the moment is a set of overly complex experiences. We need simplicity.
One the strongest marketing messages you can broadcast is: It just works! Give me a product that just [...]

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Trimming the fat?

January 25, 2009Main

The Microsoft layoffs (they’re reducing headcount by approx 5.21%) announced last week have been well and truly covered, with many (like Mini) saying it’s too little, too late, and others lamenting that a company of Microsoft’s stature has ‘steeped’ to get rid of it’s biggest asset.
My opinion? Well, it’s just business right? I’m sure [...]

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SBTUG: Wed 28 Jan 2009 – SharePoint, Windows 7 and Touch

January 25, 2009Community

[Ooops! Forgot to post this on my own blog (but it’s over on the new SBTUG blog - and while you’re there let me know what you think of the revamped SBTUG site).]
Quick details: The Sydney Business & Technology User Group
When: Wed 28 January 2009

Time: 6pm (until approx 8:30pm)
Where: Microsoft, North Ryde
Contact: [...]

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Windows Live Tools for Visual Studio Getting Started Guide

January 14, 2009Live

As Nick has mentioned we’ve released a Getting Started guide for the Windows Live Tools for Visual Studio controls. The November CTP (details here, download here) has a bunch of controls for implementing Live Services in your web apps.
It includes ASP.NET controls for Contacts, Login status, Maps, Messenger chats, Silverlight streaming etc. The November [...]

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nsquared Microsoft Surface apps

January 13, 2009Link

I thought you might be interested in this video – in it Neil chats with Eric Havir and demonstrates some of the educational apps we’ve been building for Microsoft Surface. The chemistry one at the end of the video is my favourite.
It’s a little difficult to make out exactly what is on the screen at [...]

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Running Google Chrome on Windows 7 Beta 1

January 12, 2009Main

If you are having trouble running Chrome on Windows 7 then chances are you are running the 64bit version of Windows 7.
The solution is pretty simple. I’ve put it below, and note that it is almost entirely copied from Sandip’s BlogsDNA blog here – I’ve simply incorporated some of the comments into the screenshot.
Right click [...]

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Live Mesh gains credibility

January 11, 2009Link

You’ve hopefully seen the news about Live Mesh winning the Best Technology Innovation of 2008 at the Crunchies.
I think this is an important award for Microsoft, since it indicates that there is at least some mainstream acceptance that they’re doing something cool and innovative (note: by mainstream, I’m talking about people in tech as a [...]

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New Generation workers and Email

January 4, 2009General

I had to shake my head when I read this Accenture survey on the demands of the Millennial Generation. The usual ‘demands’ of wanting to choose their technology, insisting on state-of-the-art technology, not wanting to seek corporate approval, requiring new communication channels, etc all came up.
It seemed odd that a survey like this would [...]

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Outliers

January 4, 2009General

Malcolm Gladwell is a great story-teller, no doubt about it. I loved his latest book Outliers.
And whilst I agree with Joel Spolksy that the book is little more than cleverly strung together anecdotes, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value. For example, Gladwell’s chapter on the necessity of hard work (you must do your [...]

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