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20.11.06
WCF Service Factory
Aaron Skonnard’s latest article has just been published on MSDN. It’s about the Service Factory, one of the Guidance Packages that can be run using the Guidance Automation Extensions and customized using the Guidance Automation Toolkit.
The Service Factory comes in two flavours: one suited for ASMX Web Services and the other suited for WCF Services.
I only had the chance to skim the article, but the proposed architecture seems to be sound and the possibilities of customizing every aspect of the Guidance look very promising. I really like the idea of Software Factories (aka Guidance Packages). Packaging a set of best practices, principles and how-tos in the form of code-based guidance has ever been my idea of developing software and achieving a high degree of productivity and maintainability. It seems that Visual Studio 2005 along with the Guidance Packages are a great leap forward towards this goal.
Have a look and judge yourself!
Posted by Hartmut Wilms at 21:56 | TrackBack
17.11.06
Windows Vista RTM
I’m currently downloading Windows Vista RTM (english). Windows Vista is available for MSDN Volume Licence customers. Go get it!
If your download speed is somewhat low, have a look at Jason Mauss’ Blog, who explains how to speed things up. I followed his instructions and jumped from 22 KB/sec to 140 KB/sec:
- Edit your hosts file in windir%\system32\drivers\etc. Don’t forget to start Notepad or any other editor with Administrator Rights when using Vista with UAC turned on. Add an entry for the global/US Microsoft Server:
207.46.252.185 global.ds.microsoft.com - In Internet Explorer add https://global.ds.microsoft.com to your Trusted Sites:
- Tools > Internet Options > Security > Trusted Sites -> [Sites]
- Tools > Internet Options > Privacy -> [Sites]
- If you’re already downloading, suspend your download and ACTIVATE “Place application shortcut on the desktop” in the Microsoft File Transfer Manager Options in order to resume after rebooting.
- Reboot.
- Start Microsoft File Transfer Manager (from the Desktop) and Resume your download.
- Enjoy!
I wasn’t able to obtain a product key yet. I got a very obscure error message when trying. I hope this whole licencing/product key issue will work out soon. There are several issues with the Office 2007 installation/activation as well.
At themoment I’m running WIndows Vista RC2 on my IBM Thinkpad R50p. No problems at all. I really like to make a clean install instead of updating RC2 to RTM. I’ve also installed Office 2007 Beta 2 TR and already downloaded the RTM. Hm, I’ll have to think about it. After all, no risk no fun ;-).