Preparing For Bill Gates' Keynote At MEDC

[Peter Foot]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://spaces.msn.com/members/neilatmdc2005/' target='_blank'>http://spaces.msn.com/members/neilatmdc2005/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"One of the tricky things about a keynote demo is you want it as focused and crisp as possible. We spend a lot of time making sure the things we say during the demo are short, to the point, and easy to understand. But that's only half the battle: the code has to be concise too."</i><br /><br />Neil Enns from the Visual Studio for Devices team at Microsoft has created a Blog on <a href="http://spaces.msn.com">MSN Spaces</a> specifically to track the preparation of his demo for Bill Gates' keynote session at <a href="http://www.medc2005.com">MEDC</a> next month in Las Vegas. It is an interesting insight into what goes on behind the scenes to prepare for what I'm sure will be a slick demonstration of all the exciting new stuff on the horizon for mobile developers.

[surur]

It is an interesting insight into what goes on behind the scenes to prepare for what I'm sure will be a slick demonstration of all the exciting new stuff on the horizon for mobile developers.

You left out the &lt;sarcasm> tag. For a multi-billion dollar company their high profile demos go wrong distressingly often.

Surur

[stevelam]

Apparently they will release WM 2005 aka Magneto at MEDC

[bvkeen]

Apparently they will release WM 2005 aka Magneto at MEDC

Thought I recently read that WM2005 release is being held up pending patent issues (?) surrounding push-email, and also pending an update to Exchange Server. But, I hope I read wrong and that you are right and that MS can talk Dell and HP into putting it into some new 128 MB RAM devices!

[Ed@Brighthand]

Thought I recently read that WM2005 release is being held up pending patent issues (?) surrounding push-email, and also pending an update to Exchange Server.

That's what the rumors (http://www.brighthand.com/article/Push_Email_May_Be_Delaying_Magneto?site=PPC) say.

[MS Mobiles]

Cool! I wish only Neil Enns had one blog and not create each year another blog for another event....

Yeah, Magneto will be revealed at this conference... it should be because around August 2005 first devices powerd by Magneto will be on sale... so developers should get ready for it a bit earlier.

Kind request to Neil Enns: create one blog please and cover everything there, instead of changing blog each year...

[NeilE]

You left out the &lt;sarcasm> tag. For a multi-billion dollar company their high profile demos go wrong distressingly often.

Check out one of my earlier posts on the blog for some of the steps I'm taking beforehand to avoid those problems. I actually think I'm the first person to use some of our internal automated testing tools to pound on the demos prior to the keynote.

Neil

[NeilE]

Cool! I wish only Neil Enns had one blog and not create each year another blog for another event....

Sorry about that. I keep trying out the different blogging software, and the blogs tend to go stale in between events, so a fresh one goes up every year. The central place to find out about this stuff, which I do blog to on occasion as well, is http://blogs.msdn.com/vsdteam/.

Neil

[bvkeen]

You left out the &lt;sarcasm> tag. For a multi-billion dollar company their high profile demos go wrong distressingly often.

Check out one of my earlier posts on the blog for some of the steps I'm taking beforehand to avoid those problems. I actually think I'm the first person to use some of our internal automated testing tools to pound on the demos prior to the keynote.

Neil

Thank you, sir. Any chance that your NDA will allow you to help us get a better handle on WM2005 rumors? The PDA world is running rampant with rumors of Palm coming out with a LifeDrive, which is rumored to include everything from a hard drive to a goldfish bowl, and WM2005 being either ready for almost immediate release or not until the fall. Lots of rumors, little hard facts. Perhaps we have no choice but to wait and see, but I would like to know whether to go ahead and drop $200 on a 128 MB RAM upgrade for my Dell x50v or to wait "a short time" for a WM2005 device that has all the memory I want or at least a WM2005 upgrade for my WM2003SE system.

I recognize you're probably not allowed to say, but old men like me have learned to go ahead and ask the questions and see what kind of answers pop out.

Thank you.

[NeilE]

I recognize you're probably not allowed to say

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Sorry :(

Neil

[Jonathon Watkins]

I actually think I'm the first person to use some of our internal automated testing tools to pound on the demos prior to the keynote.

Speaking as a tester, that sounded quite interesting. Are these tool for MS use only, or will we see any MS automated testware in the future?

[NeilE]

Speaking as a tester, that sounded quite interesting. Are these tool for MS use only, or will we see any MS automated testware in the future?

The particular tool that I'm using is internal only, as it drives the actual Visual Studio application, rather than testing my specific app once it's on the device.

There's some automated testing support in Visual Studio Team System, but at the moment that does not support mobile device testing. Hopefully that's something we can take care of next time around, as the tools would be super valuable.

[Paul Martin]

Neil,

Thanks for dropping by! I saw a demo you did in Atlanta of the Smartphone. Though, I don't have cell service, I wanted to run out and get one after the great job you did....professional and personable. :)

Paul

[Phillip Dyson]

Neil,

Thanks for dropping by! I saw a demo you did in Atlanta of the Smartphone. Though, I don't have cell service, I wanted to run out and get one after the great job you did....professional and personable. :)

Paul

Stop the presses! You don't have cell service?!? 8O
{sounds of traffic screeching to a halt, and drivers rubber-necking to see}

[Paul Martin]

I know, inconceivable! :D My wife stays home with our little girls so that's one of the sacrifices we make. The $30-40 per month is just not real feasable at the moment. Some of the cheaper options..Cingular and T-mobile...have poor coverage. So, for now...cell-less.