Apr 26

MVC 2 is official, I’ve been using it for a while now (since preview), my favorite feature by far is templating. I’ve been using the templating feature extensively to upgrade an existing production application, in particular some quite ugly views.

Before templates to create a reusable UI, you really only had the options of user controls or writing your own Html helpers, the former will almost certainly mean a compromise. I believe the templating feature will assist in the goals of separation of concerns and being DRY.
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Apr 18

Just downloaded the official release of Visual Studio 2010 and nearly fell of my chair, when I saw that the new download manager is a Java Applet. Is Microsoft going soft? Or are we starting to see vendors use the best technology for the job, rather than what company developed the technology. I would of loved to be a fly on the wall in the meeting when it was suggested! Good on Microsoft.

MSDN Downloads Java Applet landing page

MSDN Downloads Java Applet - landing page

MSDN Downloads Java - Applet download Applet

MSDN Downloads Java - Applet download

MSDN Downloads Java - Applet UI

MSDN Downloads Java - Applet UI

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Apr 06

Just used MySQL Workbench Beta 5.2 for the first-time. Why? Extra backups for the server upgrade, better safe than sorry.

MySQL Workbench is now much more than just data modeling – modeling, Querying and server admin are now done in one place. MySQL Workbench replaces MySQL Administrator and MySQL Query Browser.

Other improvements I liked: easy to use with a better UI, you can use SSH and your passwords are now stored in a secured vault.

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Apr 06

Please note there will be some downtime today, due to a server upgrade this should improve the overall performance of the website.

Apr 02

If your a gamer don’t buy a BT Home Hub it doesn’t do open NAT. Just spent an hour sorting out a friends Home Hub. Rather than use stateful translation tables you have to set-up port forwarding for each game 🙁 And because you have to set-up static NAT for games it won’t work if you have two PS3’s. This is rubbish, now I know why they call it a home hub not a router. Save yourself £80, get broadband only and buy a Netgear router from PC world.

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