Marketing Ninja

I am a Visual Studio laggard; I’m always a couple of years behind the newest version. In the summer of 2006 while I was working for SmartDraw as a summer web-design hire I got a chance to experience the massive improvements Microsoft implemented for ASP.NET development in Visual Studio 2005, plus it was my first time making the switch from ASP.NET 1.1 to ASP.NET 2.0, which was monumental.

I didn’t make the switch from Visual Studio .NET 2003 to Visual Studio 2005 on my personal computer until the Spring semester (January-May) of 2007 when Vanderbilt conveniently provided copies of it via their site license for students. I cringed a little bit yesterday when I first read about Codename Orcas, but I came across a blog entry on Digg drumming up some support for it which piqued my interest.

Microsoft Releasing Free “Express” Editions of Orcas

Yes… You read that correctly; Microsoft, the “Great Satan” in the eyes of individuals opposed to paying for software, is releasing free Express editions of their Visual Studio Codename Orcas project. Microsoft originally released a line of Express edition products in starting in 2005; I personally have used SQL Server Express 2005 ever since its June 2005 Community Technology Preview (CTP) and I have nothing but great things to say about it.

As for the express editions of Codename Orcas, you can view the latest Community Technology Preview at the link provided. I am very excited to try out the Visual Web Developer Orcas; the new interface looks amazing and the Club Website Starter Kit, a tool designed to help you easily build a website for your club or non-profit organization, is something I have personally needed during my tenure as the Vanderbilt IEEE&ACM president and a member of my fraternity.

Lastly, if I get Jiive up in time, perhaps I’ll apply for the Code2Fame challenge, which offers up $10,000 to the first place winner. Wouldn’t mind having that kind of change in my pocket. The Code2Fame challenge is meant to promote Windows Home Server which just shipped on Monday (July 16, 2007). I’ll have to play around with WHS and write a review when I get time in a couple of weeks.

Sign up for the Code2Fame challenge!

-A.S.

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