Normally this is a blog centered on .NET related technologies.  However, if you are getting an itch to play around with Linux systems, here is a step by step way to install the latest and greatest Ubuntu Linux OS on your laptop with Virtual PC.  Note everyone commenting on the install trying to talk you into using VMWare. Installing Ubuntu 8.04 on Virtual PC: It takes a village | Linux and Open Source | TechRepublic.com ...<< MORE >>

One of the sites to keep tabs on is the ASP.NET home section of CodePlex.  For those not familiar, CodePlex is Microsoft's free hosting site for their version of open source software.  Software hosted there is not under the GPL, but a similar type of Microsoft open license.  It has seemed to evolve into Microsoft teams areas for exposing software they are working on and that can have visibility exposed to the outside.  It is also their answer to SourceForge.   From this page on CodePlex, there are many links to what the ASP.NET team is considering and working on in ...<< MORE >>

I've recently been more and more interested in Web 2.0 frameworks that support widgets. Silverlight has an excellent mashup protocol but many clients aren't always ready to jump to that type of framework unless they are doing a good deal of video processing. Dropthings is a widget framework portal that has an accompanying book that describes the framework, is optimized for performance, and utilizes a number of the newer Microsoft technologies. It's worth checking out. Dropthings - Free AJAX Web Portal, Web 2.0 Start Page built on ASP.NET 3.5 ...<< MORE >>

The monthly Tuesday meetings for the user group are going to be postponed one week to July 8th, 2008. David Yack will be covering ASP.NET Dynamic Data. David always puts on a great talk with very useful and pertinent examples. Be sure to check it out over lunch at ConfigureSoft!!! South Colorado .NET User Group ...<< MORE >>

Troy Goode has just released an updated version of his very excellent MVC Membership Starter Kit. Check it out if you want a good resource for integrating web site membership, authentication, and the MVC Framework Microsoft has in preview bits. ASP.Net MVC Membership Starter Kit - Release: Preview 3 (1.3) ...<< MORE >>

I have been troubleshooting an ASP.NET application with respect to e-mail notifications going out. One of the most useful things I've run across with respect to this is Dave Wanta's site at www.systemnetmail.com. This site helped provide very in-depth details in a well organized fashion to the System.Net.Mail classes, configurations, and workings. The tip that helped me specifically the most was his explanation of how to capture a log file of the Smtp session – this tip is at http://www.systemnetmail.com/faq/4.10.aspx ...<< MORE >>

Microsoft has just launched the MSDN Code Gallery, a portal for snippets, samples and other resources. The code gallery is designed to contain code samples, supporting documents and screenshots, and design documents. There are also hosted conversations about these samples, sample projects or other resources that have been provided to the community. This destination is open to the entire community to contribute content to. The MSDN Code Gallery is designed to be a community enabled site where developers can share code, information and resources that will be integrated into the MSDN experience. ...<< MORE >>

The site for the INETA user's group SouthColorado.NET has just been updated with a new web site. There is a new theme and look, and blog posts that will update users as to the schedule for upcoming meetings. Also of note is a signup form for being enrolled in SouthColorado.NET's e-mail updates. Be sure to update your address on the mailing list to stay in touch with current developments. For February, Dave Yack is speaking on the flexibility of a whole new platform Microsoft has released. It is very powerful, very ...<< MORE >>

Details follow, but you can register here. If you want to go I would get registered, these events often times fill up. The Big Event! Do you miss the old Dev Days events? Do you wish that you could attend a TechEd or PDC, but don't have the time or budget to get to one? Well the Big Event is for you. Come spend a day with us as we delve into developer and architect topics during the day. With a mix of some ...<< MORE >>

There is a link to complete documentation for Chameleon at http://communityserver.org/files/folders/documentation/entry580101.aspx ...<< MORE >>