Windows PowerShell RC1 (for .NET Framework 2.0 RTM)

Windows PowerShell is a new task-based command line shell and scripting language for system administration that provides comprehensive control and automation for Windows desktops and servers

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The First "Atlas" Book: “'Atlas' Rough Cuts” by O’Reilly

"Atlas” Rough Cuts provides experienced web developers with an exciting hands-on tour of “Atlas” - the new development environment that uses both AJAX and ASP.NET. Beginning with an introduction to the technologies behind it all, including JavaScript, XMLHttpRequest, DHTML and related topics, author Christian Wenz shows readers how to create Ajax-style applications with the "Atlas" framework, including data binding and XML Web Services. The book imparts important fundamental knowledge in a concise reference-like way, making the concepts of this new framework accessible to developers of various technical levels.

"Atlas" Control Toolkit Released

The "Atlas" Control Toolkit is collection of samples and components that makes it easier then ever to build and consume rich client-side “Atlas” controls and extenders. The toolkit provides both ready to go samples and a powerful SDK to simplify the creation and re-use of your own custom controls and extenders.

High Traffic Web Development

High Traffic Web Development

From : http://www.codymays.net/

Over the past week and a half, I have been in the process of reading up on developing for high traffic sites. It is very interesting that it only requires small optimizations here and there.

One thing I’ve found in common with all large sites and that should be pretty obvious, is a PHP compiler cache and some type of caching system. Some of the more popular ones are APC, Bware Afterburner, Turck MMCache, and the Zend Accelerator. PHP caching systems are easy to write and can speed up template calls a ton.

You can speed up your site by using output buffering. What this does is use writev() instead of write(). The write() calls were sent to apache as 4kb buffers, where as the writev() calls aren’t.

Another speed up can be accomplished by setting Apache’s SendBufferSize to PageSize. This allows the page to be handed over to the kernel, to be sent, without blocking.

To reduce bandwidth, you may want to look into gzipping the contents of your page. I have seen this shrink 80gb backups down by almost a third the size, except for when most of the contents were images. So you should gain a lot for this if you can afford the overhead of the operations to compress your data.

There are also some simple thinks you can do to speed up your code. Try using include_once/require_once instead of just include/require. That way you are guaranteed to never have the file included again. To speed up database calls, only query for that data you need. No need to SELECT * when you only need to SELECT id. You should also only query a table once. Get the data you need from it and store it, don’t query it again.

If you are using PHP5 or higher, you may also want to use MySQLi. This new MySQL API is much faster than the old API and includes both a functional and OOP interface. Most applications can be easily converted to use it. Plus, you get support for prepared statements and bind statements.

Optimization can also be made during the design of your database. Make sure you realize the differences between MyISAM and the InnoDB storage engines. MyISAM is very efficient for either very high volume writes or reads, but has table level locking. InnoDB has non-locking reads and row level updates, plus high concurrency.

You may also want to cache query results if they are not expected to update as often. An example I often use for this is CMS systems. Why query all of the blocks you want on one page, when you can cache the results of the original query for 6 hours and have them quickly accessible? Plus, if the owner of the site changes them, just clear the cache…

Now, back to what I’ve been up to. Besides reading up on the above, I have also been messing with my new project for the last two weeks straight. It is amazing how many hacks IE5-IE6 requires. I know I’ve used at least four to get my new site to display correctly. While the thing worked in Firefox, Safari, Epiphany, Konqeror, Opera, and IE7 the _whole_ time.

I hope most people will like the design though. I have shown it to around 20 people on IRC, and only one person hasn’t liked it a lot. So I would say I’ve done pretty good considering this was the first site I had designed entirely in Photoshop and then converted it to CSS/XHTML by hand. The core work for this new project starts this week and will probably continue for the next few months to a year.

Reference for high volume PHP: http://www.oreillynet.com/onlamp/blog/2006/04/digg_phps_scalability_and_perf.html

Download SQL 2005 trial offer (180 days), and test this enterprise DB.

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30+ Applications for Windows SharePoint Services

These application templates are tailored to address the needs and requirements for specific business processes or sets of tasks for organizations of any size. The applications are the first out-of-box custom scenarios for the Windows SharePoint Services platform, though they also provide a starting point for partners and developers looking to build deeper Windows SharePoint Services solutions. Catch them here.

RUN command shortcuts

I know there are a lot of people who love using the run prompt or the command prompt rather than using the mmc control ... So here are some quick tips that you can use ... Enjoy ...

Accessibility Controls : access.cpl

Add Hardware Wizard : hdwwiz.cpl

Add/Remove Programs : appwiz.cpl

Administrative Tools : control admintools

Automatic Updates : wuaucpl.cpl

Bluetooth Transfer Wizard : fsquirt

Calculator : calc

Certificate Manager : certmgr.msc

Character Map : charmap

Check Disk Utility : chkdsk

Clipboard Viewer : clipbrd

Command Prompt : cmd

Component Services : dcomcnfg

Computer Management : compmgmt.msc

Date and Time Properties : timedate.cpl

DDE Shares : ddeshare

Device Manager : devmgmt.msc

Direct X Control Panel (If Installed)* : directx.cpl

Direct X Troubleshooter : dxdiag

Disk Cleanup Utility : cleanmgr

Disk Defragment : dfrg.msc

Disk Management : diskmgmt.msc

Disk Partition Manager : diskpart

Display Properties : control desktop

Display Properties : desk.cpl

Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected) : control color

Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility : drwtsn32

Driver Verifier Utility : verifier

Event Viewer : eventvwr.msc

File Signature Verification Tool : sigverif

Findfast : findfast.cpl

Folders Properties : control folders

Fonts : control fonts

Fonts Folder : fonts

Free Cell Card Game : freecell

Game Controllers : joy.cpl

Group Policy Editor (XP Prof) : gpedit.msc

Hearts Card Game : mshearts

Iexpress Wizard : iexpress

Indexing Service : ciadv.msc

Internet Properties : inetcpl.cpl

IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) : ipconfig /all

IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents) : ipconfig /displaydns

IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents) : ipconfig /flushdns

IP Configuration (Release All Connections) : ipconfig /release

IP Configuration (Renew All Connections) : ipconfig /renew

IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS) : ipconfig /registerdns

IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID) : ipconfig /showclassid

IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID) : ipconfig /setclassid

Java Control Panel (If Installed) : jpicpl32.cpl

Java Control Panel (If Installed) : javaws

Keyboard Properties : control keyboard

Local Security Settings : secpol.msc

Local Users and Groups : lusrmgr.msc

Logs You Out Of Windows : logoff

Microsoft Chat : winchat

Minesweeper Game : winmine

Mouse Properties : control mouse

Mouse Properties : main.cpl

Network Connections : control netconnections

Network Connections : ncpa.cpl

Network Setup Wizard : netsetup.cpl

Notepad : notepad

Nview Desktop Manager (If Installed) : nvtuicpl.cpl

Object Packager : packager

ODBC Data Source Administrator : odbccp32.cpl

On Screen Keyboard : osk

Opens AC3 Filter (If Installed) : ac3filter.cpl

Password Properties : password.cpl

Performance Monitor : perfmon.msc

Performance Monitor : perfmon

Phone and Modem Options : telephon.cpl

Power Configuration : powercfg.cpl

Printers and Faxes : control printers

Printers Folder : printers

Private Character Editor : eudcedit

Quicktime (If Installed) : QuickTime.cpl

Regional Settings : intl.cpl

Registry Editor : regedit

Registry Editor : regedit32

Remote Desktop : mstsc

Removable Storage : ntmsmgr.msc

Removable Storage Operator Requests : ntmsoprq.msc

Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof) : rsop.msc

Scanners and Cameras : sticpl.cpl

Scheduled Tasks : control schedtasks

Security Center : wscui.cpl

Services : services.msc

Shared Folders : fsmgmt.msc

Shuts Down Windows : shutdown

Sounds and Audio : mmsys.cpl

Spider Solitare Card Game : spider

SQL Client Configuration : cliconfg

System Configuration Editor : sysedit

System Configuration Utility : msconfig

System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately) : sfc /scannow

System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot) : sfc /scanonce

System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) : sfc /scanboot

System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting) : sfc /revert

System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache) : sfc /purgecache

System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x) : sfc /cachesize=x

System Properties : sysdm.cpl

Task Manager : taskmgr

Telnet Client : telnet

User Account Management : nusrmgr.cpl

Utility Manager : utilman

Windows Firewall : firewall.cpl

Windows Magnifier : magnify

Windows Management Infrastructure : wmimgmt.msc

Windows System Security Tool : syskey

Windows Update Launches : wupdmgr

Windows XP Tour Wizard : tourstart

Wordpad : write