I have decided there are not enough people blogging about MSBuild, so here is the first post of many more to come. 

I ran across a free MSBuild editor the other day made by Attrice called Microsoft Build Sidekick.  I've loaded it up and I am impressed.  I especially love the feature where you can look at all of the items your build file imported. 

Add it to your toolbox @ http://attrice.info/msbuild/

I absolutely loved LEGO when I was a kid.  You have to check out the new Coding4Fun article on Introduction to Programming LEGO MINDSTORMS.  Too Cool!

Last night I'm sitting on the couch coding away when suddenly mouse and keyboard were taken over and controlled by someone else.  In a total panic I try and close down everything of which has a connection to the Internet.  Things stop!  At this point I am in total awe at what just happened.  I start looking at security logs, firewalls etc, and just come up blank.

So I fire things back up and just sit there watching.....  Nothing; OK weird.  Start coding again and BAM, the keyboard and mouse have been hijacked again.  Out of the corner of my eye I happened to catch my wife walking into the office.  Thinking that she was playing some kind of weird really elaborate prank on me, I head into the office.  I walk in and she says "something is wrong with this computer, my mouse and keyboard just disappear".  I replied, "would you move that mouse again"?  Sure enough that mouse is moving the pointer on my laptop.  I just stood there in awe, how could this be?

Multiplicity!!  DOOOOHHHHHHH!!!

My laptop happens to be the "next" computer to the one she happened to be working on.  As she would reach the screen edge it would take control of mine.  It just never dawned on me to shut down the Multiplicity service when I didn't have my laptop docked in the office.

Moral of story, shut down that ole KM software you are running when you are not at your station!  You never really know who's in control.

Granted this might be old news but it's still worth repeating.  MSDN has launched a beta version of MSDN which has wiki functionality known nothing other than MSDN Wiki.  I am a big fan, I hope to see the community actively contribute.

http://msdnwiki.microsoft.com

I don't think anyone will argue but the majority of technical books are used for reference.  OK so every so often a new book comes out and you read it cover to cover.  Well that time has come. 

Vincent Maraia has just authored a book called The Build Master.  If you have anything to do with software development then you MUST read this book.  I don't care how good you are, how many products you shipped or if you are already a build master, you MUST read this book.

Every development shop must address most if not all of the topics found in this book.  If you're not, then you really need to invest some time and money in yourself and clean shop.  I guarantee things could be better.  Just ask yourself a few questions:

• Do you have a good concurrent development mailline strategy? Do you know what one is?
• Do you know how to branch and merge?
• Do you version?
• Do you have any automation?
• Do you have a build process?
• Do you have a build team?

If you have answered No to any of these questions then just go buy it now and start reading.  Again regardless no matter who you are, you still need to read this book.

Vincent Maraia, Great Read and Great Job!!! I can't wait for the next one.

Table of Contents

1. Defining a Build
2. Source Tree Configuration
3. Daily Not Nightly Builds
4. The Build Lab
5. Build Tools
6. SNAP Builds
7. The Build Environment
8. Visioning
9. Build Security
10. Managed Code Versus Unmanaged Code Builds
11. Building for International
12. Build Verification Tests
13. Building Setup and Deploying Every Day
14. Ship It
15. Product Support Services
16. Hotfixes or Patch Management
17. Suggested Steps to Change Your Religion or Philosophy (Corporate Culture)
18. Future Build Tools from Microsoft

That was just stupid easy and fast!!!!  Now we will see what all works on it.

So far I am loving it!!!!

Alright I lied, a few cups of Joe.  I got really bold and decided to bring a few laptops up to the local coffee shop and install Vista B2 on one of them.  So far so good I just started Step 2.  I guess I will soon find out what I forgot to backup ;)

More to come....

Like any good geek I have a ton of different machines and always seem to work work off a few monitors at once.  Since I have a few monitors I really didn't need a KVM but I needed a way to get rid of the stacks of keyboards and mice, Multiplicity!!!!   I just installed the trial version and it just rocks.