Today, I had the opportunity to present at the 2nd Student Workshop on Wireless Sensor Networks, at the Microsoft Innovation Center in Athens. Of course, I would again like to thank the organizing committee for the generous invitation to participate in the event.

I’m including here some of the links that I mentioned

• Windows Sensor and Location Platform: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/sensors/default.mspx
• Windows 7 Sensor and Development Kit: http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/SensorsAndLocation/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=2359
• Windows 7 Training Kit for developers:
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1c333f06-fadb-4d93-9c80-402621c600e7&displaylang=en
• Windows 7 API Code Pack:
  http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/WindowsAPICodePack
• Windows 7 Sensor and Location Platform samples: http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/SensorsAndLocation
• Virtual Light Sensor: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd318911(VS.85).aspx
• uBlox GPS Windows 7 Driver: http://www.u-blox.com/en/usb-drivers/windows-7-driver.html
• Freescale sensor board: http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/site/prod_summary.jsp?code=JMBADGE&fsrch=1
• Windows 7 Developer Blog: http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/developers/default.aspx

I really enjoyed the discussions afterwards, and got really happy when I found out that some of the students were not only involved building applications using the Windows 7 Sensor and Location Platform, but tried to create their own sensor driver using Windows Driver Kit.

Some screenshots of applications that I demoed and use Windows 7 Sensor and Location platform:

You can find the presentation hosted on Skydrive at this share.

Thanks!

1. LAB TEACHING RESOURCES : Faculty Resource Center:  Here are the links for your reference. Courtesy of Singapore

· Introduction to Silverlight – Lab 1 of 5

· Key Features of Silverlight – Lab 2 of 5

· Designer & Developer Collaboration – Lab 3 of 5

· Media, Ink, & Deep Zoom – Lab 4 of 5

· Navigation Framework – Lab 5 of 5

2. Expression STARTER KITS (with Video links)

Main link: http://expression.microsoft.com/en-us/cc184875.aspx

3. Other examples

Some examples:

(a) Introduction to Prototyping with Sketchflow in Expression Blend 3: Assets, Guide and Video Package

Discover Sketchflow, a new feature set in Expression Blend 3 that helps you define the concept for user experiences in early stages of the design process. From sketches to wireframes to protoypes of simple or high definition, Sketchflow provides you the right tools to communicate your ideas and gather feedback from others.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/A/4/9/A49AB02F-F035-402C-9B26-84860EEAF7DC/Prototyping_with_Sketchflow_StarterKit.zip

(b) Venture into Gaming with Behaviors in Expression Blend 3: Assets, Guide and Video Package

Learn more about how to build a traditional "bricks" game using Expression Blend 3 Behaviors. Simply drag and drop Behaviors over objects in your artboard to easily add powerful and sophisticated functions like animation, physics, interactivity, data connection, effects and more. All without coding. The ever growing Behaviors Gallery at expression.microsoft.com is always avaialable for you to download new behaviors.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/1/C/11C8F2E2-711B-4581-A688-6B66DA4D1124/VentureIntoGaming_ExpressionBlend3_StarterKit.zip

(c)Discovering SuperPreview in Expression Web 3: Assets, Guide and Video Package

Learn more about SuperPreview, a new visual diagnostics tool in Expression Web 3. In this Starter Kit you will be provided with detailed guidance on how to leverage SuperPreview to diagnose issues across multiple browser, all with full rendering fidelity and detailed control.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/3/4/F343C86B-FEE4-4448-8715-CA768BB305FE/ExpressionWeb3_SuperPreview_StarterKit.zip

(d) Support for Silverlight in Expression Web 3: Assets, Guide, Video Package

Learn how to leverage the new and easy to use Silverlight support features in Expression Web 3. Then take your websites and publish them to an FTP location without having to leave Expression Web.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/B/9/8/B9874A4F-58F8-4D01-8E2F-E1DAC62ED4A3/SilverlightSupport_Web3_StarterKit.zip

4. Other resources and links:

Here is the essential collection of online destinations for Silverlight/Expression learning resources:

– expression.microsoft.com – Expression Community Site (all sorts of resources)

– microsoft.com/expression – Expression Marketing Site (good demo videos)

– microsoft.com/video – Look under the Expression channel (150+ videos)

– nibblestutorials.net – From Celso Gomes, Designer in the Expression Blend team

– kirupa.com/blend_silverlight – From Kirupa, Expression Blend PM and very popular in the Flash community

– kirupa.com/blend_wpf – From Kirupa, Expression Blend PM and very popular in the Flash community

– blogs.msdn.com/expression – The Expression Blend team blog. Great resources and posts.

– blog.nerdplusart.com – Robby Ingebretsen’s site with blog and lab section.

– SilverZine.com – Alex Knight brings us this great online resource for Designers

– Internally visit: http://silverlight/training where you will also find more content (like pre-recorded events) and signing up to the monthly Silverlight workshop we host in Redmond.

– electricbeach.org – Best on-going SketchFlow blog by engineering manager

– Jesse Liberty's blog – Excellent technical Silverlight blogger

– Ben Waggoner’s blog – An internal expert on video encoding, codec and all things WMV.

Σήμερα, στα πλαίσια της παρουσίας μας στην έκθεση Web World Expo 2009, είχα την ευκαιρία να πραγματοποιήσω μια παρουσίαση για Internet Explorer 8 και Expression Studio 3, την οποία μπορείτε να δείτε εδώ. Παραθέτω μερικά links σχετικά με το περιεχόμενο της παρουσίασης

• Internet Explorer 8, η κύρια ιστοσελίδα
• Internet Explorer 8 addons
• Internet Explorer 8 features test
• Expression Studio 3
• Η βασική σελίδα για το Silverlight
• HardRock Memorabilia (η σελίδα με το εξαιρετικά βαθύ επίπεδο μεγέθυνσης σε φωτογραφίες, με τεχνολογία Deep Zoom)
• Controls για Silverlight για ιατρικές – και όχι μόνο – εφαρμογές
• Deep Zoom Composer, για κατασκευή Deep Zoom Silverlight εφαρμογών
• Πολύ καλό tutorial για το Deep Zoom Composer από το φίλο Άγγελο Μπιμπούδη
• Και φυσικά, μην ξεχνάτε και τα resources για Silverlight στο StudentGuru

Αξίζει να αναφέρω και το πρόγραμμα WebSiteSpark το οποίο έγινε επίσημα launch στην Ελλάδα σήμερα στην έκθεση, και το οποίο απευθύνεται σε Επαγγελματίες που αναπτύσσουν WEB εφαρμογές και ιστοσελίδες. Το πρόγραμμα WebsiteSpark παρέχει λογισμικό, υποστήριξη και πολύ σύντομα το marketplace (διαδικτυακή τοποθεσία ανάδειξης των websites των συμμετεχόντων) με στόχο την υποστήριξη και την ενίσχυση της επιχειρηματικότητας στο χώρο γύρο από το Web.

Ακόμη, στην έκθεση έγινε επίδειξη της τελικής έκδοσης (RTM) του Web Platform Installer 2.0 οποίο παρέχει ένα πολύ εύκολο τρόπο χρήσης εξελιγμένων χαρακτηριστικών που διευκολύνουν στην ταχύτερη διάθεση υπηρεσιών και εφαρμογών στο WEB. Το Web PI 2.0 προσφέρει πλέον χαρακτηριστικά όπως το IIS SEO Toolkit και το Windows Web Application Gallery το οποίο περιλαμβάνει περισσότερες από 20 ASP.NET και PHP (π.χ. Sugar CRM, Drupal, DotNetNuke, Gallery κ.α) γνωστές εφαρμογές.

Get the Microsoft Web Platform

In a few words: MSDN subscribers can download Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 *NOW*!! The rest of the world can wait till Wednesday, when public availability will be announced, as Soma mentioned here. I was reaaaly looking forward to this release, the download has just started

This blog post is dedicated to provide a list about the open source sites at Microsoft. Most of the following sites have rather extensive content in regards to open source and interoperability and I believe most of you will be surprised with them!

• http://www.microsoft.com/opensource News and resources about Microsoft and open source
• http://port25.technet.com/ Communication from the Open Source Community at Microsoft
• http://www.codeplex.com Open Source Project Hosting
• http://codeplex.org The newly announced CodePlex Foundation (nothing to do with the afore mentioned!)
• http://twitter.com/openatmicrosoft Twitter account for information on Microsoft and Open Source
• http://www.interoperabilitybridges.com/ Bridges between Microsoft and non-Microsoft technologies
• http://channel9.msdn.com/interoperability Interoperability topic area
• http://www.microsoft.com/interop Microsoft and Interoperability
• http://interopvendoralliance.com/labs/ The Interop Vendor Alliance is a community of software and hardware vendors working together to enhance interoperability with Microsoft systems on behalf of our mutual customers.
• http://blogs.msdn.com/interoperability Interoperability blog

Today, Microsoft has announced the launch of a new Program for Web Professionals, WebsiteSpark that provides software, support and coming soon, a marketplace to help Web Professionals grow their business.

What does the program provide?

WebSiteSpark provides software licenses that you can use for three years at no cost.  Once enrolled, you can download and immediately use the following software from Microsoft:

• 3 licenses of Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition
• 1 license of Expression Studio 3 (including Expression Blend, Sketchflow, and Web)
• 2 licenses of Expression Web 3
• 4 processor licenses of Windows Web Server 2008 R2
• 4 processor licenses of SQL Server 2008 Web Edition
• DotNetPanel control panel (enabling easy remote/hosted management of your servers)

That means, the program provides with with everything you need in order to create, deploy, host and manage your web applications!

Who can join the program?

WebSiteSpark is available to independent web developers and small web development companies.  The only two requirements to join the program are:

1. Your company builds web sites and web application on behalf of others.
2. Your company currently has less than 10 employees.

If you meet these requirements you can visit the WebsiteSpark website and sign-up today. 

Also announced is the RTM of the Web Platform Installer 2.0 which provides even more features such as the IIS SEO Toolkit and the Windows Web Application Gallery now with over 20 ASP.NET and PHP applications. Beginning now and through 2009 all of this will be localized in 9 languages making the Microsoft Web Platform the choice for web developers and designers around the world to build better web experiences.

Applications in the Web Application Gallery

• ResourceBlender.NET
• Gallery
• Umbraco
• mojoPortal
• DotNetNuke® Community Edition
• BlogEngine.NET
• nopCommerce
• Kentico CMS for ASP.NET
• WordPress
• ScrewTurn Wiki
• Acquia Drupal
• nService
• DasBlog
• Amplifeeder
• SilverStripe CMS
• Subtext
• Gallery Server Pro
• SugarCRM
• Sitefinity Community Edition
• AtomSite
• Moodle

You can find these newly-added Silverlight resources on Faculty Resource Center (www.facultyresourcecenter.com)

· Introduction to Silverlight – Lab 1 of 5

· Key Features of Silverlight – Lab 2 of 5

· Designer & Developer Collaboration – Lab 3 of 5

· Media, Ink, & Deep Zoom – Lab 4 of 5

· Navigation Framework – Lab 5 of 5

Εδώ μπορείτε να βρείτε τη σημερινή παρουσίασή μου στα πλαίσια των χαιρετισμών στα 13ο Πανελλήνιο Συνέδριο Πληροφορικής (PCI, http://pci2009.ionio.gr/) και 3ο Πανελλήνιο Επιστημονικό Φοιτητικό Συνέδριο Πληροφορικής (ΕΥΡΗΚΑ, http://eureka09.ceid.upatras.gr/).

Ευχαριστώ πολύ τις οργανωτικές επιτροπές των δύο συνεδρίων για την ευγενική πρόσκλησή τους!

Here is a small list of some content management systems written in ASP.NET. I’ll appreciate to notify me if you find more of them!

http://www.kentico.com/

http://www.visitmix.com/Lab/Oxite

http://umbraco.org/

http://www.axcms.net/

http://www.sitefinity.com/

http://n2cms.com/

http://www.dotnetnuke.com

http://www.telligent.com

http://kooboo.com/

http://www.mojoportal.com

I decided recently to test (myself!) whether I could create a small shooting game in Silverlight. Having read the book "Game Programming with Silverlight", I felt somewhat confident in this! After a couple of coding hours, I managed to deliver a decent (well, maybe not!) and simple game, which I am going to present here to you. The game is, in its nature, rather simple.

Check tha game here: http://www.dgkanatsios.com/SilverlightShootingGame  

Page loads, you click “Start” and the game begins. All you have to do is click on my face to  “shoot” me, and get more points. After some time the game ends, and you are presented with your score.

The code itself has some interesting parts:

First of all, how to programmatically create an animation in C#

   1:  //a doubleanimation with a random duration

   2:  DoubleAnimation da = new DoubleAnimation();

   3:  da.From = (double)element.GetValue(direction);

   4:  da.To = da.From + (double)distance;

   5:  da.Duration = new Duration(new TimeSpan(0, 0, randomgenerator.Next(3, 5)));

   6:   

   7:  //set the target for the animation

   8:  Storyboard.SetTarget(da, element);

   9:  Storyboard.SetTargetName(da, element.Name);

  10:  Storyboard.SetTargetProperty(da, new PropertyPath(direction));

How to play multiple sounds with many MediaElement objects in C#

   1:  //play the first available mediaelement

   2:  sndFire[currentFire].Stop();

   3:  sndFire[currentFire].Play();

   4:   

   5:  if (currentFire == MaxNumberOfTargets - 1)

   6:      currentFire = 0;

   7:  else

   8:      currentFire++;

Programmatically create a FrameworkElement and add it to LayoutRoot (Canvas, Grid, etc.)

   1:  Image image = new Image();

   2:  image.Name = Guid.NewGuid().ToString();//a random name for each image. Yeah, I'm sure I could have done something else :-)

   3:  image.Source = new BitmapImage(new Uri("image.png", UriKind.RelativeOrAbsolute));

   4:  //700 x 502 is the size of the container Canvas

   5:  //just removing some pixels (100 and 50) so the image is displayed correctly

   6:  image.SetValue(Canvas.TopProperty, (double)randomgenerator.Next(0, 502 - 100));

   7:  image.SetValue(Canvas.LeftProperty, (double)randomgenerator.Next(0, 700 - 50));

   8:  image.Effect = new DropShadowEffect();//a simple Silverlight 3 effect

   9:   

  10:  //add the handler so, when user 'shoots' an image

  11:  //it is removed, sound is heard, and the score is increased

  12:  image.MouseLeftButtonDown += new MouseButtonEventHandler(i_MouseLeftButtonDown);

  13:   

  14:  //create and begin the image animation

  15:  Storyboard sb = new Storyboard();

  16:  DoubleAnimation da = GetRandomDirectionAnimation(image);

  17:  sb.Children.Add(da);

  18:  da.Completed += new EventHandler(da_Completed);//when the image has been 'shot' remove it

  19:  LayoutRoot.Children.Add(image);//add the image to the canvas

  20:  sb.Begin();

And more, if you download the source code :-)

You can also view the application here: http://silverlight.services.live.com/invoke/33130/SilverlightShootingGame/iframe.html (Hosted in Silverlight Streaming Service)

You can download the full source code for this (it’s not much!) by navigating to my Skydrive folder here: http://cid-10e568adbb498dc8.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Sample%20Source%20code%20in%20.NET It's the Silverlight Shooting Game file.