Visual Studio 2005 Beta 2 Setup

Just bumbed on the link on Installing VS Beta 2 and Uninstalling Previous Builds
Could be useful as most of us would try to install the Beta 2

Latest Netscape browser breaks some of IE's capabilities

The latest Netscape browser, released last week, has been accused by Microsoft of breaking Internet Explorer, making some webpages invisible and disabling things like RSS.

Read the below article from techworld -

http://www.techworld.com/applications/news/index.cfm?NewsID=3749

The latest online scam: extortion for locked files

A new online scam has arrived: extortion by a hacker who breaks into your machine and encodes your files making them unreadable until you pay a ransom, according to security company Websense
Read the complete story-
http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?NewsID=3726

Indra Nooyi & her comment

I just read the complete transcript of Indra Nooyi (which led to the "BlogSlash" from not only American community, but others as well).

The complete transript is available -
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/may2005/nf20050520_9852.htm

I personally feel that Indra had just came out with the fact but yes this could lead some negative impact as well. Still I strongly feel that not only each American, but also each individual should thing how we respect others' cultural sentiment.

After two weeks of hectic work

The last two weeks had been really very hectic.
With all the deliverables nearing their dead line, I had to really push forward to meet the customer's expectation. Its been work for more than 14 hrs a day and had been really tiresome.

Somehow its all over and the customer is satisfied.

Hope will be free for some time to continue blogging.

Hari's Wedding Photos (as promised)

I have posted all the photos in the yahoo

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/maheshkumarvk/
album?.dir=/d384&.src=ph&.tok=phJec.CBqzgeK26G

Hari tying the sacred knot & looses the bachelorhood.

First Security hole reported on FireFox

Firefox suffers first 'extremely critical' security hole
Read more from
http://www.techworld.com/applications/news/index.cfm?NewsID=3619

Microsoft wins XML Patent.

Microsoft has been granted a controversial patent over the use of XML in word processing documents by the New Zealand Patent office.

However, the chair of the Open Source Society, Peter Harrison, has said he will be lodging an appeal as soon as possible. An Auckland man, Michael Seadon, also says he has prior art that may prove the use of XML in word processing documents has been going on long before Microsoft asked for its patent to be granted.

Harrison says however that Microsoft’s attempt to patent an XML schema flies in the face of the reason XML was created. "XML was designed to increase interoperability between systems and Microsoft’s attempt to patent one process undermines the reason XML was introduced in the first place."

Read more ...

http://www.techworld.com/applications/news/index.cfm?NewsID=3629

List of bugs fixed through SP4

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=888799Quite a lot, I had to scroll some 10 pages :-( but not sure how many more is introduced =))

SP4 for SQL Server 2000

Microsoft has released the Service Pack 4 for SQL Server 2000 -
http://www.microsoft.com/sql/downloads/2000/sp4.asp

Some of the highlights -
With Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition, SP4 provides support for 32-bit SQL Server applications on 64-bit architectures using the Windows on Windows emulator (WOW64). For more information on specific 64-bit platforms supported, see the Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions Product Overview .

With SP4, you can leverage 64-bit processor architectures using 32-bit SQL Server applications when running in WOW64.

Google mistype security nightmare

I have never bothered when I make a mistake while typing the URLs - I always ended up finding a better one :).

But after reading this article I am now bit scared..

Cyber criminals can get to any extend....

http://www.techworld.com/applications/news/index.cfm?NewsID=3585

WinForm MonthCalendar and DateTimePicker do not support Culture Settings

Just accidentally fell on this article.
Very informative but was disappointed to learn this.

I never thought MS could have ever done this mistake, when they are trying to talk of internationalization and globalization.

http://blogs.msdn.com/michkap/archive/2005/03/28/402839.aspx

Refactor for VB .Net

This is a good news for VB .Net developers

Refactor! for Visual Basic 2005 Beta 2 is a free plug-in from Developer Express Inc., in partnership with Microsoft, that enables Visual Basic developers to simplify and re-structure source code inside of Visual Studio 2005, making it easier to read and less costly to maintain.

Refactor! supports more than 15 individual refactoring features, including operations like Reorder Parameters, Extract Method, Encapsulate Field and Create Overload.

You can get a copy of the tool from http://msdn.microsoft.com/vbasic/downloads/2005/tools/refactor/

Engagement Photo (as promised earlier)

Ranima & Myself

Engagement Photo (as promised earlier)

Me, Ranima with my Sister, Aunty, Uncle and friend Paval

SpEQS Monthend Day2 [Patched up ....]

Atlast all the files are processed and John has given a go ahead......


I need to probably stay for another overnight to get the tasks completed......

But no issues, when the problem is sorted out :-)

SpEQS Monthend Day2 [Patching up.....]

The implications had been quite harsh.
The files are getting processed, but there are quite a lot of them and some of them are really huge.

Had a con call with John has he was bit worried to see so many mails in his inbox that carries the file attachment that he received for the past one month.

I explained him everything (what foolish thing I did ) and swore I am the only guy to be blamed. This I do not know why, but cooled him a little. He said this is the only work around available and what we can thing of is switch off the mailing functionality so that the Vendors do not receive the same file again. I just renamed the "Queue" folder under the mailroot.

The processing is going on.. I think this will go on for another day :-(

SpEQS Monthend Day2

Oh No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I messed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just deleted the month's data from Vendors....................

For few minutes I was just lost. Called up our senior DBA and asked is restoration is possible. To my shock I learned we have had no back up plans for SpEQS Database and transaction logs. I just could not believe it......

Then just started thinking the work around. Thought of calling up John over the mobile and decided not to. Why to spoil his sleep?

Quickly decided to go ahead with the work around. Reprocess all the files send by the Vendors for the last month. Let me face John in the morning.

I do not know what would be the implications .....

SpEQS Monthend again

This time John Stirling (the business owner) wants me to be involved completely so that we do not end up with problems as for the last three times.
He feels Aravind does more manual errors. So he has insisted Vinod to have me completely involved in the monthend.

The first day went on fine with out problems. Hope this continues tomorrow....