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July 2007 - Posts
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Lots of education establishments are already using Windows Vista and even more are using Office 2007. And if you are one of those, then here's your chance to tell others why you like it...and win a prize. There are two Tablet PCs up for grabs in the competition (one each for the best Student and Staff entry). And 20 x 2GB memory sticks for the first 10 featured entries in each category.
All you need to do is answer the question "How have the new features in Windows Vista and Office 2007 helped you with your teaching and lesson planning?".
The competition runs from now until the end of October, so there’s plenty of time to find the ways that Windows Vista and/or Office 2007 is helping you, even if you haven’t yet started using it.
You can enter through the website, which contains all of the detail and fine-print too, at http://www.microsoft.com/education/lovecompetition/ 
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Are you planning to go to TechEd 2007, 5th - 9th November in Barcelona? If so you can save €300 by registering byTuesday 31st July (tomorrow).
Designed to provide developers with deep dive technical training, information and community resources, this conference focuses on building software solutions with Microsoft development tools for current and soon-to-release products and technologies. This event is ideal for:
- Developers
- Software Engineers
- Solution Architects
- Development Managers
- Web Developers
- Database Developers
If your aim is to architect and build secure, scalable applications, to migrate applications to Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 and Windows Vista, or to address complex technical issues and accelerate development, then TechEd Developers will help you unlock your potential.
Register here and start thinking about how you will spend your €300
Claire 
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Mix:UK 07 is the premier event for web designers and web developers to
- Get creative inspiration from design and development gurus, web agencies and innovators
- Discover how technologies like Silverlight, Expression and Live Services are already being used to create a new generation of rich media experiences and RIAs (Rich Interactive Applications)
- Connect with others in the industry who, like yourself, have a passion for innovation and creativity and have built personal and business success on that passion.
SIgn up now to qualify for an early bird price of just £199, a saving of £100 valid until 10th August. Register here
Claire 
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Microsoft's Chris Satchell presented at Games Edu yesterday and underlined the need for interesting curriculi to boost recruitment into Computer Science degrees.Here in the UK we are already working with 20 universities and are seeing great enthusiasm for putting XNA on the curriculum. If this is something that your university would like to do then please get in touch. Read the article here
There was also a great buzz around Schizoid, the Torpex game being developed using XNA. You can read all about it and see a preview here
Claire
i-claipe@microsoft.com 
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Did you ever find yourself wondering about the maths behind your favourite simulation game? Did you know that the motion physics of a car are much more complicated than the those of an airplane? Anybody who thinks about the thinking behind things that they experience in a simulated environment should watch this interview with Brian Beckham, academic, physicist and programmer, who recently worked on games such as Forza. http://channel9.msdn.com/Showpost.aspx?postid=314874
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Those of you who teach Embedded programming, including those of you involved in our Embedded Pilot Group, should treat your bookshelves to a copy of Embedded Programming with the MIcrosoft .NET Microframework. This useful tome by Donald Thompson (Microsoft Research) and Rob S. MIles (University of Hull) is your essential guide to developing for next generation embedded devices.
Find it here
Microsoft Press ISBN13 -978-0-7356-2365-1 ISBN10- 0-7356-2365-1
Happy Reading
Claire 
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As I'm sure you're aware the WorldWide finals of the Imagine Cup Korea are just around the corner. So I wanted bring to your attention that the Imagine Cup Gallery is now live in Second Life and is showcasing 21 of the Software Design teams and their applications from Europe, the Middle East and Africa before they head off to compete.
Why not come along and meet the teams, check out their presentations and videos or even hang out at the Korean bar and pavilion.
The Imagine Cup Gallery in Second Life runs until August 5th 2007 so you can visit anytime. However we’re holding two open events for you to come and meet the different teams and these will be held from 18:00 – 20:00 GMT on July 19th and 26th 2007.
Find out more, watch the video or if you already have a Second Life Avatar teleport directly to the Microsoft Island. Otherwise simply sign up for a Second Life ID and Avatar and install the Second Life application today. We look forward to seeing you at the Imagine Cup in Second Life soon.
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Microsoft is pleased to announce that registration for the Microsoft Developer Network Academic Alliance Technology Day is now open. This is a one day event for all IT professionals within academic institutions, aimed at providing you with the skills and knowledge to get the maximum benefit from your subscription whether you’re an existing user, new to MSDN AA or are thinking about buying a subscription.
Agenda
The sessions will take you through the key technology areas that are vital for you and your role:
- Deploying and Managing Windows Vista
- Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007
- New developments from the Education product group
- Exchange Server 2007,
- Groove 2007
- Real time scenarios
All of which, will really make a difference to how effectively you work. You will also have the opportunity to talk to Microsoft’s technology experts about any questions you have making this a must attend event for 2007.
Cost:
The event is free to attend and lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Venue:
The event will be held at Microsoft’s UK Campus at Thames Valley Park, Reading.
Booking Enquires:
I look forward to meeting you at the MSDN AA Technology day 2007.
Kate 
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Last December we had the pleasure of meeting many of you at the XNA worldwide launch held at Warwick University. Games Development has become one of our hot topics with many requests for talks, books, resources and advice. At the same time we also had the pleasure of working with many of you and your students with the Imagine Cup.
It will therefore come as no surprise that more and more universities are linking the Imagine Cup into Games Development courses. If you are thinking along these lines then I can recommend you read IntroducingCSWithProjectHoshimi. by Berrelleza Perez, Ramiro, Chavez Echeagaray, Maria Elena and Gonzalez Sanchez, Javier.
Claire 
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I know the last thing on your mind is next term however I thought you would like to know of a couple of free events that we holding early September, the 6th to be specific .
The first is a broad technology day for Academics and will provide a high level overview of the current and future Microsoft developer platform and technologies. We will cover everything from windows embedded, WPF, Silverlight and much much more.
The second is for System Administrators where we will cover the basic’s of Exchange Server and it’s new features in 2007, Office Sharepoint Server 2007 and the new Sharepoint Learning Kit, deploying and managing Windows Vista plus the opportunity to talk to Microsoft experts throughout the day.
So hold the 6th September in your diaries and look out for more information early next week.
Kate
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The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted that a link to Ed Dunhill's blog has appeared on this site. Ed is one of our Academic Developer Evangelists (ADEs) which means he aims to help students get the most from our technologies.
Last week Ed blogged about free Micrososft Expression Studio training. Microsoft Expression is a suite of tools for professional designers building web and Windows client applications and rich media content. The suite includes:
- Espression Web,
- Expression Blend,
- Expression Design
- and Expression Media
It has never been easier for designers and developers to collaborate to create content with the WOW factor. For lectures, labs, tutorials, webcasts and more visit the Microsoft Expression Knowledge Center
Claire 
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It may be July and raining but hopefully the sun will soon appear and we can all head to the beach with a good book. Make sure you pack some sun-cream and at least one of the following. Happy holidays!
Mobile Development
Microsoft® Mobile Development Handbook
by Andy Wigley; Daniel Moth; Peter Foot,
Publisher: MS Press
ISBN-10 0-7356-2358-9
ISBN-13 9780735623583
WPF
Applications = Code + Markup
by Charles Petzold,
Publisher: MS Press
ISBN-10 0-7356-1957-3
ISBN-13 9780735619579
Windows Presentation Foundation Unleashed (WPF)
by Adam Nathan,
Publisher: Sams
ISBN-10: 0-672-32891-7;
ISBN-13: 9780672328916
Silverlight
Silverlight 1.0 (Due October 2007)
by Devin Rader, Jason Beres, J. Ambrose Little, Grant Hinkson
Publisher: Wrox
ISBN-10 0470228407
ISBN-13 978-0470228401
XNA
Professional XNA Game Programming: For Xbox 360 and Windows
by Benjamin Nitschke,
Wiley
ISBN: 9780470126776
Expert One-on-One XNA Game Programming : For Xbox 360 and Windows
by S. Boyd,
Publisher: Wiley (due in Aug)
ISBN: 9780470149485
AJAX
Introducing Microsoft® ASP.NET AJAX
by Dino Esposito,
Publisher: MS Press
ISBN-10 0-7356-2413-5
ISBN-13 9780735624139
WCF
Microsoft® Windows® Communication Foundation Step by Step
by John Sharp,
Publisher: MS Press
ISBN-10 0-7356-2336-8
ISBN-13 9780735623361
General .NET introduction
Understanding .NET, 2/E
by David Chappell,
Publisher: Addison-Wesley and Benjamin Cummings
ISBN-10: 0321194047
ISBN-13: 9780321194046
C#
Programming for .NET in C# (C# for Java Developers)
By Allen Jones, Adam Freeman
Publisher: MS Press
ISBN-13 9780735617797
ISBN-10 0-7356-1779-1
Microsoft Visual C# 2005 Step by Step
By John Sharp
Publisher: MS Press
ISBN-10 0735621292
ISBN-13 978-0735621299
ASP.NET
Programming Microsoft® ASP.NET
By Dino Esposito
Publisher: MS Press
ISBN 9780735619036
ISBN-10 0-7356-1903-4
ADO.NET
Microsoft® ADO.NET
By David Sceppa
Publisher: MS Press
ISBN 9780735614239
ISBN-10 0-7356-1423-7
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