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Things I hate about the App I love: Internet Explorer 9

October 3, 2010 2 comments

Software Applications (Apps) are everywhere, from phones, to watches, and from desktops to laptops. Every computing device is running with apps. However, in the race of new updates, software vendors often mistake the very common user fact, and that fact is:

“You don’t need to change the look and feel of app every time to prove you guys are still working!”

With the release of new Windows Live Platform, Microsoft unveils another new version of its great app Internet Explorer 9 Beta. Claiming this to be the reinvention of web browser (along with Microsoft Silverlight), Microsoft adds great new features including my favorite, hardware-acceleration, non-interruptive notifications, separate download manager, along with pin a website to taskbar etc. 

However, while introducing ultimate new features and achieving the reinvention of web browsing experience, IE9 have made some terrible things which I personally don’t like, and as a matter of fact, such things might also help me step using IE for good.

image

Hate Point 1: Where is the title bar?

Since ever, title bar have been used to put a quick information for what page you are viewing, and in some website (like www.cricinfo.com) where title bar kept on updating with the ongoing information helps user see the activity right from the taskbar when the browser itself is minimized. Putting title text on the tab is not a good idea to me, as it’s a really short space to put that kind of information. That was one of the key reason I don’t like Google Chrome.

Hate Point 2: Too short address bar.

With increasing number of tabs, it keep on getting reduced, until a time comes where you can hardly see the query string. I agree that this won’t be any point of concern for a lot of internet user, but for web developers it’s a mess. This could possibly be the foremost reason for me not using IE9.

Hate Point 3: Removal of Status Bar.

Now where is it? The one plus I see in IE8 is that almost everything that has been relocated in this new UX appears to be at a place where it should be, so where is the status bar. The classic IE status bar that use to show me (apart from just the link on mouse-over that pops up on a tooltip in the lower section of the window) all the great stuff like, how much page is loaded, quick links for phishing, network status, popup blocked etc.

Hate Point 4: UX (Firefox + Chrome = IE9)

I am a very strong advocate of the point that if every car has a steering wheel, that does not mean they are stealing it. However, making the Back button bigger than forward does make me think I’m using Firefox. Similarly, why thumbnails of my most viewed websites on a newly opened blank tab reminds me its Google Chrome?

To put in a nut shell, Microsoft have made a great work with the new IE9 when it comes to clean UI, performance and usability. However they have left a few holes that classic IE lover would still love to see them back. IE9 is still in Beta and I’m sure by the time of its final release, Microsoft and the IE team won’t disappoint their fan-club.

How could a website be called Google?

September 30, 2010 Leave a comment

After reading this article, are you still amazed? Its basically a search engine. What else could it be?

Session contents of MS Dynamics AX Technical Conference 2011

September 28, 2010 Leave a comment

Hey Readers, As you all are aware of the upcoming event of Microsoft Dynamics AX Technical Conference Jan 17-20, 2011. Microsoft recently announces a few of the sample session contents. These include very interesting features that I am equally proud to be a part of that development team. These also include all new UX Enhancements which are precisely in-tandem with Windows 7 UX. This makes it more user interactive and eye-appealing interface that users would love to stick for long time.

Apart from UX, Microsoft has also implemented great new features for Budgetary control, Purchase orders and purchase requisitions, case management, Public sector financials etc.

Title

Session Outline

Accounting Distributions and Subledger Journal Entries

Learn about the future of accounting for documents entered in subledgers through the creation of accounting distributions and subledger journal entries.  We will discuss the principles of the accounting distribution and subledger journal entry functionality, along with a walk through of an end-to-end scenario.

Advanced Purchase Requisition Features: Workflow, Policy, Distributions and more!

Go beyond the basics of a purchase requisition to the advanced capabilities available to completely shape your company’s procurement experience.  The session features workflow, permissions, policy, distributions, and related advanced features of purchase requisition.

Case Management

Case management is a new feature in Microsoft Dynamics Microsoft Dynamics AX. Cases represent a unit of work to be accomplished such as auditing expenses, performing a collection, addressing an employee grievance, or responding to a customer complaint. Administrators can define case processes and responsibilities to guide the user through case resolution. A knowledge article feature enables users to find the information they need to assist in case resolution.

Purchase Requisition: Shopping through Purchase Order Creation

Discover the capabilities for end users to procure items based on a familiar shopping experience. The experience continues through checkout, approval, and through Purchase Order creations.

Sales Agreements and Purchase Agreements

Focus on the creation and release forms, and follow up on sales agreements and purchase agreements.
Agreements are for specific product or for products within a salessales or procurement category and committed quantities or a monetary amountsmonetary amounts. Release from the agreement is done in the order creation process.
The agreements are replacing Blanket Order functionality.

Public Sector Accounts Receivables and Billing

Learn about the new public sector accounts receivable and billing functionality, including Billing Classifications and Billing Codes.

Public Sector Financials

Covers Fund Accounting, posting definitions, derived financial hierarchies, year-end processes, and grant management in public sector.

Budgetary Control and Commitment Accounting

Highlights the new budgeting functionality in the new release.

Purchase Order Enhancements

The new version introduces several significant changes on the purchase order. Session covers: Management of one purchase order line with multiple scheduled receipts; control and approval of purchase orders; and an easy approach to receive non-inventoried goods.

Shared Financial Setup

Discussion of the new shared calendars, shared currencies and rate types, and introduction of the Ledger. Shared chart of accounts will be mentioned but is detailed in the Dimension Framework session.

Organizational Model

Learn about the new organization model in Microsoft Dynamics AX. This paradigm shift is illustrated in a brief overview of the overall impact of the organization model. Also, how to set up organizations, and organization hierarchies, as well as a discussion of the goals of these hierarchies and best practices.

Financial Dimension Framework

Introduction to the new financial dimension framework components: financial dimensions, main account, account structures, account rules, shared chart of accounts and segmented entry control.

Global Address Book

Covered are upgrading from older versions to the latest version and the pre-upgrade steps for GAB; changes to address reference data; maintaining GAB-related data; as well as transactions and related data models.

Shared Products

The latest version introduces a new structured approach to product definitions has been introduced. Covered are the core fundamentals of the new product concept; the data model behind the concept; splitting the inventory dimension group; and product related services.

Non-stocked Products and Order Management

How are non-stocked products introduced to Microsoft Dynamics AX and what is the impact on purchase order, sales order, and inventory management? This session provides the answers.

Product Configuration

The new product configuration represents a paradigm shift compared to the existing Product Builder. This session will explore the possibilities offered by the new tool, a look at the migration challenge, and a presentation of the features we’re introducing to ease this task.

Human Resources (Foundation and Features)

This session will demonstrate the new functionality of Human Resources in Microsoft Dynamics AX. Covered are both EP and the Microsoft Dynamics AX client.

Manufacturing Execution and Time and Attendance in Microsoft Dynamics AX

The new version offers enhancements to the previously named Shop Floor Control modules, enabling companies to set up touch-screen kiosks for time, production, and project feedback registrations as well as allowing for more options on the spot manual rescheduling and corrections of entered feedback. The session will also include an overview of architectural and license changes to the modules.

Resource Scheduling and the New Operations Resource Model

This session will demonstrate how the introduction of a new resource model in Microsoft Dynamics AX provides more flexible scheduling possibilities.

Client Programming and Customization Changes

Key client changes in programming and customization are covered, including the new granular metadata support for forms which reduces the upgrade impact, the new metadata driven approach to making the UI context-aware based on country region, the new managed host control which enables easier integration of WPF or WinForm controls, and the ease of use for controls supporting the enhanced user experience.

Client User and Developer Experience

Overall visuals, final visuals and developer experience for: Details Forms, List Pages, Fact Boxes, Fast Tabs, Action Pane, and Action Pane Strip are discussed

Designing the Microsoft Dynamics AX User Experience (UX Guidelines)

Focus is on how to design your application or customization to work well in the Microsoft Dynamics AX User Experience. We will walk through the new version’s user experience guidelines.

Models and the SQL Server-based Model Repository

This presentation covers the shift away from AOD files to a SQL Server-based model store, including an introduction to the concept of models and model files (.axmodel), the perception of “parallel layers” using models, the command-line utility AXutil to manage manage models and model files as well as the graphical Model Management tool for managing models and model files.

Improvements to the MorphX IDE

This is a session covering new functionality in MorphX, including the new X++ editor. We will look at all of the new functionality, showcasing improvements such as intellisense features and code formatting.Development Workspace. We will cover the restructured main menu and shortcuts.SysTest. We will cover the changes to running unit tests, as well as the introduction of test attributes which be used to control what tests are executedLabels. We will cover the introduction of temporary labels when using file based version control (machine specific labels used before check-in).

Introduction to Role-based Security – Developer Experience

This session will focus on the developer experience around setting up security in Microsoft Dynamics AX using the new role-based security model. It will cover the process of defining the security artifacts in the AOT and creating security policies.

Report Deployment & Management

We are changing the UX and the fundamentals of how reports are deployed to SSRS servers.
NOTE: This is not about reporting infrastructure deployment

Report Programming Model & RDP-based Reports

The report programming model (new for Microsoft Dynamics AX) allows more advanced control over report data and UX.

Security Configuration with Roles & Duties

Focus is on the administrator experience and setting up security in Microsoft Dynamics AX using the new role-based security model. The session will also describe the list of roles that will be shipped.

Services and Application Integration Framework Enhancements in Microsoft Dynamics AX

We will provide an overview of the Evolution of Services as a first-class programming model to the Microsoft Dynamics AX system including developer oriented features that make it easy to develop services from X++ business logic and consume externally hosted services.
Also covered in the session will be an overview of all B2B and A2A integration specific features and the simplified configuration and management of AIF artifacts.

Configuration and Customization of Microsoft Dynamics AX Role centers & Analysis Extensions

Configuration of Microsoft Dynamics AX2009 Role Centers and analysis cubes required a BI developer. In the new version, setup and configuration of Analysis cubes can be done by a customer/partner with a wizard driven interface without having to go into BI development studio. During this session you will learn, discuss and perform Microsoft Dynamics AX Analysis cube setup and configuration using Microsoft Dynamics AX bits. We will also discuss scenarios/solutions on:

  • Approaches to upgrading existing Analysis cubes
  • Customizing Microsoft Dynamics AX out of the box analysis cubes
  • Approaches to integrating Microsoft Dynamics AX analysis cubes with existing Data warehouses and BI solutions

Simple Query-based Reports Development

Simple reports development based on Microsoft Dynamics AX Query

Test Enabled Development

When your development process is Test Enabled, steps towards release are made with confidence because robust tests are guiding the way. This session will present how the combination of the new Visual Studio 10 test tooling and test collateral from Microsoft can jump start the productivity of your development process and improve the quality of your release.

Visual Studio Tools

Coverage of all the investments areas, showcasing the full breadth of tools we are delivering in Microsoft Dynamics AX. This involves: Microsoft Dynamics AX Modeling – modeling Reports in Visual StudioAX Managed Code – repository centric managed code development for AXDeployment – streamlined developer deployment of managed code and debugging against AXSource Control integration – integrating AX modeling and managed code into Microsoft Dynamics AX source controlEP – developing EP user controls using the repository centered frameworkUsing events and proxies to extend the Microsoft Dynamics AX application in managed codeVarious integration tools for better integration of Visual Studio and Microsoft Dynamics AX. What is left to do… Further plans…

Workflow Enhancements

Review of the major enhancements that are being made to the workflow infrastructure in Microsoft Dynamics AX.

X++ Events and Their Use

We will discuss the new eventing feature that will be available in Microsoft Dynamics AX, and see how it can be used to decouple publishers and subscribers, alleviating many upgrade issues.

Microsoft Dynamics AX IT Infrastructure Architecture and System Requirements Planning

Coverage of the IT Infrastructure Architecture in Microsoft Dynamics AX, including the systems requirements needed for the different components so that you can understand what is needed for planning a new or upgraded installation. 

Management Reporter

Introducing Microsoft Dynamics Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics AX. Management Reporter is a real-time financial reporting application designed to empower information workers to quickly and easily create, generate, secure, and publish financial statements, such as Profit and Loss (PandL) statements, balance sheets, and Actual vs. Budget variance reports. Management Reporter will replace FRx. With Management Reporter, business users can create their own boardroom-quality reports without IT assistance; take advantage of secure report distribution through a centralized report library; and gain strong support for regulatory compliance. Direct integration with the Microsoft Dynamics ERP general ledger means that there is no need to create a custom connection to the data source.

Server Data Access

the following topics are covered:

  • Performance focused investments in Data Caching
  • Closing out Super/Sub Type framework
  • Closing out the Relational framework investments from the past milestones

Expert Panel for Developers – Programming Models and Developer Tools

Outline the programming models and developer tools in Microsoft Dynamics AX. Layout guidelines for choosing the right programming model, language (.NET or X++) and development tools (MorphX or Visual Studio) for categories of development. This will be followed by an expert panel Q and A session to go deep and help clarify the roadmap and direction for Microsoft Dynamics AX development technologies

Learn to Data Upgrade for Microsoft Dynamics AX

Walk through the end-to-end technical upgrade, learn about the supported scenarios, and understand the new framework. Session will provide overview of the concepts, upgrade process, and demo on a sample technical upgrade flow.

What You Need To Know About Reporting in Microsoft Dynamics AX

An overview of Microsoft Dynamics AX SSRS Reporting features

MorphX – SSRS Production Reporting: Tips and Tricks

Guided discussion along with examples on creating Query, RDP reports.
Walk thru starting from an X++ report and converting that to an SSRS rpeort

Developing a BI Solution Using Microsoft Dynamics AX

All-up session on OLAP f/w, integratingPowerpivot ,PivotViewer andPPS web parts – story for partners and Sis.
Also promote our story on ad-hoc reporting in Microsoft Dynamics AX.

Configuring Role Centers + Analytics

Guided discussion on configuration story for configuring the Role Centers + Analystics.

Cubes – Developing and Customizing OOB Cubes

Walk through of developing, deploying the OOB cubes with the new wizard infrastructure.

Query & RDP based Production Reports

Simple Query, RDP based reports, customizing OOB report, upgrading an X++ report

Developing Microsoft Dynamics AX SSRS Reports

Simple Query, RDP based reports, customizing OOB report, upgrading an X++ report

Developing and customizing OOB Cubes

Walk through of developing, deploying the OOB cubes with the new wizard infrastructure.

Enabling Multi-channel eCommerce and Payments with Online Services for Microsoft Dynamics AX

This session will show how Microsoft Dynamics customers can operate in a multi-channel environment using the integrated Payment and Commerce Services that are delivered out-of-the-box with Microsoft Dynamics AX.  Additionally, learn how Dynamics Partners can use the Services APIs to customize and extend related business processes in the cloud. Demos will show key features, including provisioning/setup, managing product catalogs for e-commerce, publishing products to ecommerce storefronts as well as 3rd-party marketplaces like eBay, and fulfilling e-commerce orders from within the ERP system.

Engineering Excellence with Microsoft Dynamics AX

How do you ensure consistent high quality during the development phase? This session walks through how Microsoft internal development organization strives for higher quality, and demonstrates some of the available tools in Microsoft Dynamics AX that will enable you to improve your quality; including version control, best practices and unit testing.

How We Solved the Element ID Problem

Element IDs (such as table and class IDs) have been a problem since Microsoft Dynamics AX1 because they are limited to small ranges and often in conflict between solutions. This, however, is changed in Microsoft Dynamics AX6. Come and learn the history behind element IDs, how they work in Microsoft Dynamics AX6 and how that may impact your code.

Microsoft Dynamics AX Code Upgrade

Code Upgrade is one of the first steps required to get your Microsoft Dynamics AX project underway.  This session will cover all aspects of code upgrade (Application and Foundation).  Specifically we will cover:

  • Required and Optional tasks to perform a code upgrade
  • Tools, Documentation and Samples available for a Microsoft Dynamics AX code upgrade
  • Key Insights and Suggestions from the product team

Writing Secure X++ Code

This session will help you to write X++ code that meets the trustworthy computing requirements of Microsoft Dynamics AX. Covered are Table Permission Framework, Code Access Security, Dangerous Intermediaries, SQL injection, and more.

Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics AX Development

This session introduces you to the model driven development in Microsoft Dynamics AX, which enables you to focus on domain requirements and worry less about technology requirements. Covered are the AOT, X++, Label system, IntelliMorph, and more in both the MorphX development environment and Visual Studio.

SQL-based Model Store

In Microsoft Dynamics AX the AOD files are replaced with a SQL database. Come and hear about the challenges, the solution and the new opportunities. You will learn the model store schema, and how to write SQL queries against model artifacts.

Item to Product Upgrade

With the introduction of the new shared products concept, all existing Microsoft Dynamics AX customers are forced through an upgrade process where items must be mapped to new product definitions.
To support this process, an upgrade tool has been made as part of the standard Microsoft Dynamics AX upgrade, where the user can map items to products in iterations.
This sessions will cover:

  • a demo of the tool
  • walkthrough of recommended upgrade steps when mapping items to products

A Domain Modeling Approach to Defining System Functionality and Interactions in AX

In AX6, Dynamics AX engineering teams have begun using Domain Modeling to define the key business entities within the ERP space and the interactions between those entities. This presentation will explain how we are leveraging that modeling to guide our functional coverage planning in test as well how we are using this information to facilitate communication about the functional areas and the interactions between business entities.
This presentation will provide an overview of the process we have used to collect this information and an overview of the increases in efficiency and completeness that we have seen in our test planning activities. Finally, we will demonstrate how this process can be leveraged by partners to analyze the possible scope of effort required to integrate custom solutions into the standard product.

Register Now, See you at Redmond 🙂

Call phones from Gmail

August 26, 2010 3 comments

 

What if telephony were invented today? – technically, its very hard to tell. The invention of telephone says that the modern telephone is actually a culmination of work done by many individuals. Human kind started to communicate long ago during stone ages. Several inventions have been made since then. In the 1870’s Alexander Graham Bell was the first to patent the telephone, as an "apparatus for transmitting vocal or other sounds telegraphically", and then, the history of telephone started. And coming down to this era of internet, human kind has taken a new leap in vocal communication.

As Google has presented another model for low rate cheap voice communication, they now presents voice communication directly in to the mail box.

Call phones from Gmail

Does this embrace a new challenge to human race. Beware, technology is coming to life, and soon we won’t need to *see* each other at all.

Sync it up …

June 27, 2010 1 comment

The advent of internet has made it all possible.

Microsoft may have been giants of software but somewhere down the isle, there are a few big names who are projecting a new paradigm of software, which is “Service”. Google, are the very first in this list who presented whole lot of services, you may call it Google Docs, spreadsheets, earth or maps, wave and voice, the Android and yes, above all, Chrome OS. It’s all good, better to say, great. However, the question is, where will all the existing stuff will go? How General People are going to adopt this in an instant? Are you ready to give it all up and start using this new paradigm overnight?

Perhaps those are a few reasons for me not being able to switch to Google wave yet. I mean why would I need to have a Google account in order to be able to see any wave anyone has just sent me? or, should I expect everyone to have a Google account with whom I communicate? That’s one point that perhaps no one would consider if communications were invented today.

On the other hand, the Google Docs has made a fine job there. Irrespective of browser or the platform you are using, you can still use the Google Docs. As far as I can see, I think they have written some application to run on the browser, didn’t they? if it is, then I guess it might take a very long time to make any web app as rich and interactive as desktop is now. Instead why not we develop some engine that could ship the very desktop apps to the web. If Google or any other are able to do that, they would no longer need to write an operating system for the browser, they can easily ship the whole Windows to the web.

As far as Microsoft is concerned, I’ve just had an experience to use Windows Live Essentials Beta, and I believe that with the 25 GB SkyDrive and online Microsoft Office Suite Web Apps together with Windows live sync beta,  Windows live mail beta, movie maker and writer, has taken a huge leap ahead here. The point is, this all is basically the same software that I use on my desktop and now I’m using it on the internet. The same experience and the same usability. Just got synced up!

Windows Live Movie Maker
Windows Live Mail Beta

Windows Live Messenger Beta

Spec# Programming System

February 6, 2008 Leave a comment

Overview:

The Spec# programming system is a new attempt at a more cost effective way to develop and maintain high-quality software. Spec# is pronounced “Spec sharp” and can be written (and searched for) as the “specsharp” or “Spec# programming system”. The Spec# system consists of:

The Spec# programming language:

Spec# is an extension of the object-oriented language C#. It extends the type system to include non-null types and checked exceptions. It provides method contracts in the form of pre- and postconditions as well as object invariants.
The Spec# compiler. Integrated into the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment for the .NET platform, the compiler statically enforces non-null types, emits run-time checks for method contracts and invariants, and records the contracts as metadata for consumption by downstream tools.
The Spec# static program verifier. This component (codenamed Boogie) generates logical verification conditions from a Spec# program. Internally, it uses an automatic theorem prover that analyzes the verification conditions to prove the correctness of the program or find errors in it.
A unique feature of the Spec# programming system is its guarantee of maintaining invariants in object-oriented programs in the presence of callbacks, threads, and inter-object relationships.

The Spec# programming system is being developed as a research project at Microsoft Research in Redmond, primarily by the Programming Languages and Methods group.

Microsoft Silverlight

this is my first post, and i m going to write about a new revolution – Microsoft Silverlight.

Microsoft® Silverlight™ is a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of .NET based media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web. Silverlight offers a flexible programming model that supports AJAX, VB, C#, Python, and Ruby, and integrates with existing Web applications. Silverlight supports fast, cost-effective delivery of high-quality video to all major browsers running on the Mac OS or Windows.