Windows Archive

The article explores the attribute-based programming model provided by Indigo for writing Web services. Compares and contrasts the Indigo programming model with the ASP.NET Web services programming model, then walks through a series of code samples in which a synchronous, unreliable, request/reply, and stateless Web service is transformed to be asynchronous, reliable, bidirectional and stateful—all through attributes. The downloadable sample, written using Avalon, contains a client for the service.

This article discusses the Media Integration Layer, the low-level rendering technology in "Avalon," the presentation subsystem of the upcoming "Longhorn" release of the Windows operating system.

The presentation subsystem in "Longhorn" (code-named "Avalon") provides powerful new APIs for input. This article gives an overview of these APIs: What services are provided to applications, the architecture of the input system, and how new input devices can be supported.

Microsoft plans to formally announce later Wednesday an update to Windows Mobile, the company's operating system for handhelds and cell phones. The press release is here while a translated article with many screenshots showing the new features of the new Windows Mobile operating system is here (IE now sports SSR, support for Landscape and VGA modes, pixel doubling etc).

Longhorn introduces significant new graphics technology, currently known by its codename, "Avalon." Avalon renders an application's visual elements onto the screen using a much more sophisticated approach than Windows has previously used. In this article, Ian Griffiths shows how this new graphical composition model solves various limitations of Win32, what new user interface design techniques this enables, and what it means to developers.

Indigo is the "Longhorn" general-purpose messaging framework that you can use to build a wide variety of rich communication-based applications. You can build stateless, Web service applications and clients for such applications. You can build RemoteObject services and their clients. You can establish reliable and durable communications sessions. Indigo is a communications framework that you can use to build interesting and powerful collaboration applications. Read the article at MSDN.

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) provides an enhanced security infrastructure that defends against viruses, worms, and hackers, along with increased manageability and control for IT professionals and an improved experience for users. To aid IT professionals in planning and testing for the deployment of Windows XP SP2, Microsoft is making available this preview, based on RC1 of the SP2.

Microsoft is expected next week to announce an update to its Windows Mobile OS, which powers cell phones and handhelds. Native VGA and Landscape support is rumoured.

Rrevealed at SuperSite for Windows, R2 will include all of the free out-of-band updates Microsoft shipped for Windows Server 2003 since April 2003, including the Group Policy Management Console and Windows SharePoint Services.

Microsoft launched on Tuesday a program to create versions of Windows and its other programs in little spoken languages such as Amharic, Catalan, Gujarati and Welsh to spread its software to all corners of the globe. The Local Language Program aims to double the 40 languages now available on Microsoft's personal computer software with help from local governments.

The Windows Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) version 3.0 for Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 or later, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 contains the tools and documentation you need to design, deploy, and support applications on these platforms. Tools include the latest versions of the Microsoft Windows Application Compatibility Analyzer that simplifies application inventory and compatibility testing, the Windows Application Verifier that assists developers and testers in locating common compatibility issues during the development cycle, and the Compatibility Administrator that provides access to the necessary compatibility fixes to support legacy applications in Windows.

Today, Microsoft is announcing (free reg. req.) that its shared-source program has one million licensed participants, from lone software developers to large corporations. The milestone, said Jason Matusow, manager of the shared-source initiative at Microsoft, shows that the company has responded to the demands of its customers.

FlexBeta has a quick look at the recent Longhorn Build 4053 with screenshots.

Microsoft confirmed on Friday that it is looking to update its server operating system before the release of next major version of Windows but offered few details on what the new software release will contain.