Reading Notes #160

Suggestion of the week

• Azure Blob Storage Uploading Large Blobs - Great post that explains all possible scenarios to upload file in Azure storage and how to do it.

Cloud

• Azure Service Bus – ‘NamespaceType’ default value change (Piyush Joshi) - Better to know before, is time to reviews our scripts.
  
• Microsoft Azure Websites WebJobs is now GA in the Microsoft Azure Platform - This post, besides bringing a fantastic news, is the perfect place to get started with webjob.
  
• La courbe d’adoption de l’infonuagique (André Giroux) - Good analogy that explains how we can start moving to the cloud.

Programming

• A basic Katana application - This tutorial is a nice little dive in the Katana world.

• Don't Frown on CSVs - Nice post that explains why we shouldn't over look the good old CSV format.

Miscellaneous

• Modeling exercise: The grocery store’s checkout model (Ayende Rahien) - Interesting exercises, some kind of brain push-up. I like it.

• Business Benefit from Public Data (The Open Group Blog) - Interesting post that explains how well it would be if more enterprise were sharing some data.

• Put yourself out there and publish that Open Source project today (Scott Hanselman) - Again a really inspiring post.

~Frank Boucher

Reading Notes #137

Suggestion of the week

• Windows Phone 8.1 has my attention now - This update is really exciting. It not only removes some irritants but adds really nice polish new features.

Cloud

• Automating Environment Creation using Microsoft Azure PowerShell - Nice scrit!
  
• Static Internal IP Address for Virtual Machines (Corey Sanders) - This post answered to a very frequent question about static IP for Azure virtual machine.
  
• Stupid Azure Trick #10 – Use SSL on MSDN Visual Studio Azure VMs (Bill Wilder) - This post explains an easy solution to fix some certificate issue present in the current Azure VM image when using SSL.

Programming

• Download PowerShell Script Browser 1.0 - Developer Top Scenarios and Solutions - That's a great idea.
  
• A World of Scripts at your Fingertips – Introducing Script Browser - Really good idea a scripts gallery, now available inside the tool.
  
• Source Code Control with Git and Mercurial -- Visual Studio Magazine (Terrence Dorsey) - This post is really complete. It is the post to get started with distributes source control. Reference to other sources of information, tools, and online repository are 0also presented.
  
• Why Katana should be on your radar (AnhPhan, Tom Dykstra - MSFT, Joost de Nijs, Yatajga, Ralph Rick_Anderson) - If you never eared about Katana, this post is for you.

Mobile

• Why jQuery Mobile didn’t succeed - Interesting thoughs about jQuery mobile.
  
• "Windows Phone 8.1 for Developers" series with 19 posts so far... - Nice reference to a great source of tutorial.

Miscellaneous

• Pas de croissance sans marketing (David Chabot) - Interesting post about what's really suppose to be the marketing.

~Frank

Reading Notes #115

Suggestion of the week

• Windows Azure: Import/Export Hard Drives, VM ACLs, Web Sockets, Remote Debugging, Continuous Delivery, New Relic, Billing Alerts and More - So many good news that I don't know where to start. Some of my clients are waiting for this features since long time... A post that you must read.
  
• How to install the nodejs Ghost blogging software on Azure Websites (Scott Hanselman) - Very exiting project. Thanks Scott to share all that with us.

Cloud

• Clone an Azure VM using Powershell - Powershell scripts are so useful, and code sample are always welcome.
  
• Getting started with Windows Azure - part 2 (Usman Ur Rehman Ahmed) - Second part of a serie that offer a nice tutorial.
  
• Evolving IT for Today and Tomorrow - Interesting event that's coming in many Canadian city...
  
• Announcing the Preview of Windows Azure Import/Export Service and Several Enhancements for Web and Mobile Solution Scenarios (Steven Martin) - Quick summary about the new Windows Azure release of this week.
  
• Programming Windows Azure Media Services - An Overview (Albert (Gong) Cheng) - Very clear introduction to what is Windows Azure Media.
  
• Azure Websites vs Cloud Services (Tyler Doerksen) - Great post that amazingly clarifies the differences between these two Azure services.
  
• Why does an Azure storage account have two access keys? - This post answered a more than often asked question.
  
• Amazon CTO: Open source software and the cloud allows startups to focus on innovation (Ben Woods) - Interesting thoughts: the cloud is more a business evolution than a technology evolution.
  
• My List of Windows Azure Podcasts (Alexandre Brisebois) - Nice Windows Azure podcast list.

Databases

• WebLog of Ken Cox - I find out that using the migration wazard was the best option in my case... Until they update Sql Management Studio.

UX

• Build a Responsive and Modern UI with CSS for WinJS Apps - Good article to start doing your apps with the good tools and best practices.

Programming

• Using ASTs with ISE to make scripting more productive - Great PowerShell 3 scripts, this idea is genial.
  
• Microsoft Swings Its Web Sword - This post explains the context of the "new" Katana project and its relation with OVNI, Aspnet MVC, etc.
  
• Why do my Font Awesome icons show up as blank squares? (Scott Hanselman) - Nice catch. A lot of time could be saved.
  
• Getting Started with Oak - This article describes the C# / Ruby projects this Oak. A project to follow.
  
• Getting Started with the Katana Project - Looking forward to see where this project is going. This post explains the basics.
  
  

Miscellaneous

• PowerCfg - The hidden energy and battery tool for Windows you're not using (Scott Hanselman) - Really interesting investion about power consuption.

~Frank

Reading Notes #114

Suggestion of the week

• Episode 117: Introducing the new Windows Azure Management Libraries (Channel 9) - Very good explanation from Brady in this Cloud Cover show episode.
  
• Using a Surface 2 (RT/ARM) to get actual work done + Remote Desktop + Visual Studio + Azure - Amazing post full of tips and golden information. A must-read article.

Cloud

• Windows Azure Storage Queues VS Windows Azure Service Bus Queues - Nice and useful post that compares azure storage queues and Azure Service Bus queues.
  
• Remote PowerShell in Azure IAAS Virtual Machines (Sri Harsha BS) - Troubleshooting and resolving of different issues using Remote PowerShell.
  
• Snip/Shot by Toddy Mladenov - Good clarification about the very popular buzzword: as a Service.
  
• SoundCloud Now Reaches 250 Million Listeners In Its Quest To Become The Audio Platform Of The Web - See how this company has grown in the past few months.
  
• Some tips and tricks for azure table storage (Purbasha Ghosh) - Very interesting post that shows why it is to think differently to really take advantage of the cloud capabilities.
  
• Windows Azure Guidance - Cloud Design Patterns Alpha drop... - This post announced a new drop of an incredible source of information about Cloud Desing Pattern.
  
• Exploring the AutoScale feature in Windows Azure Websites - Nice tutorial that shows some of the new feature in Azure autoscale.

Database

• Create Database Diagrams of Your Windows Azure SQL Databases - Really? I though it was possible to connect with sql manager and make a diagram. I must try the dbforge tool, looks pretty slick.
  
• SQL Express v LocalDB v SQL Compact Edition (jerry-nixon) - Excellent post to demystify the differences between these Microsoft's database.

Programming

• Adaptive Access Layers + Dependency Injection = Productivity - Nice article that told how a company implemented some pattern to improve their productivity.
  
• Programming CSS: Bundling and Minification - Excellent article to get started with the bundling and minifying concept to get better performance.
  
• Configuring DB Connection and Code-First Migration for Identity Accounts in ASP.NET MVC 5 and Visual Studio 2013 - Good tutorial that explains really clearly how to use the migration feature in EF with the new as.net and VS.
  
• MVC Patterns (Active and Passive Model) and its implementation using ASP.NET Web forms (Khademul Basher) - Interesting post about MVC pattern using pasove Model.
  
• Katana 2 is Available! (Brian Benz) - This post announced the release of Katana 2.0 and reference another post to get started with this project.
  
• Command Pattern - Simple and very clear introduction to Commands Patter.

UX

• You Definitely Want to Beta Your App - Nice post where the author shares is experience about the benefit of beta testing our application.

Miscellaneous

• Got a HOT Post on Your Blog? Here’s What to Do To Find and Optimise It (Darren Rowse) - Interesting tips.

~Frank