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Scott Woodgate's OutBurstshttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/atom.aspxTelligent Evolution Platform Developer Build (Build: 5.6.50428.7875)2005-08-01T11:52:00ZHappy New Year - Virtual PC 2007 Release Candidate ready for downloadhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2007/01/02/happy-new-year-virtual-pc-2007-release-candidate-ready-for-download.aspx2007-01-02T23:34:00Z2007-01-02T23:34:00Z
Version 6.0.142 is now on the connect site. Go get it.

The Release candidate includes one new feature, PXE boot. In addition it address a number of issues including installation on Windows 2003 as a host; Audio in Vista; DVD support for Vista installation; binding to wireless network cards etc.

 Cheers,

Scott.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxVirtual PC 2007 Beta is available - Get going with Windows Vista Todayhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2006/10/11/virtual-pc-2007-beta-is-available-get-going-with-windows-vista-today.aspx2006-10-11T20:29:00Z2006-10-11T20:29:00Z
We have released Virtual PC 2007 Beta. It has support for Windows Vista as a guest and as a host, including 64-bit host support and provides an excellent application compatibility solution. It also has support for hardware virtualization technology from both AMD and Intel and to round things out it has improved performance. All of that for a very attractive price.

Go get it from www.microsoft.com/virtualpc or from here directly and for extra points go deploy Vista on your physical or virtual machine.

P.S. I'm in hiring mode again. If you want to make an impact in the industry in the virtualization space then I have a great job for you. Please contact me for details. Qualifications include prior virtualization and marketing experience and a desire to change the world :0).

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxVPC free download; Vista EE 4 VM rights; Interested in a Virtual Role?http://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2006/07/12/663610.aspx2006-07-12T21:17:00Z2006-07-12T21:17:00Z
The last 6 months have been a lot of fun. On the downside I've attended exactly zero conferences - ok my wife doesn't think that's a downside. On the upside I've been working in areas I haven't had the opportunity to over the past 5 years. Specifically I've been thinking about hardware virtualization and application virtualization. Some of that thinking is becoming real :).

For example, today we announced that Virtual PC 2004 SP1 is a free product. Go ahead and use it for any scenario you want. The download is available already from www.microsoft.com/virtualpc

We also announced the first of our licensing changes to internalize virtualization into Windows Vista. Specifically customers who buy first software assurance and then deploy either Vista Enterprise or Ultimate can install 4 copies of the OS in a VM in addition to the copy on the physical machine for the cost of one license. This is similar to an existing right we have on Windows Server Enterprise. This right is for one user on one device and is good for application compatibility scenarios. Download VPC, create up to 4 VMs for various previously incompatible applications and get going.

Additionally we announced Virtual PC 2007 which will support Windows Vista and be available shortly thereafter.

We are starting to think about future virtualization scenarios for Windows so if you have something you want us to do drop me a line.

Finally, I'm hiring up a small team within Windows to help us think more deeply about virtualization and drive innovation in the space from a business model, marketing, and product planning perspective. If you are interested and skilled then drop me a line. The job descriptions are here.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxNew BizTalk Server Bloghttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2006/04/25/583323.aspx2006-04-25T19:50:00Z2006-04-25T19:50:00Z
If you enjoyed my blog please go here for more :).

I'm having fun working in Windows Planning. More on that when I have something interesting to say.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxMy New Years Resolution And Thankshttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2006/01/01/508460.aspx2006-01-01T21:53:00Z2006-01-01T21:53:00Z
Well over 5 years ago I joined the nascent BizTalk Server team. One of the reasons I came to Microsoft was because of the wide range of job roles available and yet I was just having too much fun with BizTalk Server to consider moving. Nevertheless, with the SQL/BTS/VS launch complete and WF launched at PDC now is as good a time as any to move and after some extensive research into new roles during December starting Tuesday I'm changing jobs.

My new job will be on the Windows Client Product Planning team. Initially I'll be thinking about the impact of virtualization and thin-client on various aspects of Windows licensing and product strategy post Vista. This role is primarily inbound so I expect I'll disappear off the net for a while but we will see.

Many of you know Michael Woods, who has been on my team for several years, and some of you have met Kris Horrocks. Michael and Kris will continue to carry the flame forward for BizTalk Server. Paul Andrew will continue to carry the flame forward for Workflow.

I've met so many great people and made some fabulous friends during my travels in the last 5 years. I have a ton of very special memories and I'd like to thank you for passion, hospitality and feedback which helped us all do better with each subsequent release of BizTalk Server.

When I get back to work on Tuesday morning I know nothing, I'm in a new space and I have a lot to learn - it should be fun!

Cheers,Scott.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxCooler than XBOX 360 - BizTalk Server 2006 Beta 2http://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/11/21/495528.aspx2005-11-22T04:43:00Z2005-11-22T04:43:00Z
Whatsmore you don't need to wait until midnight to pick it up either :). As of now BizTalk Server 2006 Beta 2 is available at betaplace. We haven't updated ms.com yet (its coming) but the instructions are the same as the CTP. This time around there is the main product CD and a separate Adapters CD. Beta 2 had a strong quality bar (production beta for early adopters) so I think you are going to like it.

This week is Thanksgiving week. I never really understood why American's have their longest holiday of the year in the darkest time of the year - but then again coming from a country that celebrates X-mas on the beach with a cricket game what do you expect.

Did the ABs rock and roll on the weekend or what? 30 minutes of 14 men (ok 13 for like 30 secs) versus 15 english AND the referee and we still win :). Btw I absolutely love www.mediazone.com its the best way to get the rugby.

On to the next milestone for BizTalk Server. See you at the Vancouver (opps I mean Montreal) launch event on the 29th where I'll be doing the keynote.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxLaunch, Launch, Launchhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/11/07/490064.aspx2005-11-08T01:42:00Z2005-11-08T01:42:00Z
In my 5 years in the business, today is the today I'm most proud of. Not because we are finished with BizTalk Server 2006 - we are not - but we are making lots of progress having released our second CTP build that works on the RTM versions of SQL and VS.NET. Incidentally the quality of this build is pretty good, and beta 2 is currently in release candidate mode so we aren't too far away from another release which is a true beta. With beta 2 our early adopter customers will have the option to go into production - so we are at a more scalable, more stable, more feature complete point than we ever has been at this time in the cycle.

No - today it is all about visibility. As a BizTalk guy I've longed for BizTalk Server to be part of the Microsoft Application Platform so that all those developers who really need BizTalk Server but weren't aware of it could finally take advantage of it. Well the time is right, the product is right, the need is right and we are going out super loud. You can bet that with BizTalk Server 2006 your skills will be in demand more than ever before.

Having said that we thought we could accelerate things from a pricing and licensing perspective - which we also announced today. When I started in this business 5 years ago we introduced a price-point that while high from a Microsoft software perspective was dramatically lower than our competitors. Today, we do it again. As part of the pricing for BizTalk Server 2006 we have bundled ALL of the adapters your need to connect systems together. Yep, one price, one SKU, for all the adapters you need. No other competititor does this - each charging between 10-30k per adapter. I love this because it means I don't have to remember 16 different SKU names - I'm sure you'll love this from a price perspective. After a bunch of research we discontinued Partner edition - look for us to reinvent that as a much more targetted Express Edition in the next product cycle. Another thing I like about our new licensing is that for standard edition the connection limit is gone and we support 2 CPUs; the key differentiator has always been failover in Enterprise edition so let's keep it simple and just use that. All those folks who have provided me with suggestions on pricing and licensing on my travels - I hope you are happy because this matches a lot of what you have been asking for!

If like me, you have been installing lots of different builds of SQL and VS.NET on your machine over the last year or two today is a great day. Those products are done. With BizTalk Server we are marching to Beta 2, RC, and RTM. BizTalk Server 2006 will be the strongest quality release in our history and both SQL and VS.NET are better because of the joint work we did in terms of perf and stress testing the products.

P.S. If you attend a launch event (like the one I'm keynoting here in Detroit tommorrow) you get a free copy of BizTalk Server Developer Edition.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxSouthern Africa, Surveys, and the Single Person Flighthttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/11/02/488082.aspx2005-11-02T10:51:00Z2005-11-02T10:51:00Z
In no particular order of course but let's start with Surveys. If you are NOT residing in the United States or Canada (aka you are from the rest of the world) then we want to hear from you and you might win a cool MP3 player as a result. Read below for more information:

Survey: How did you initially learn to use BizTalk? What are your preferences for learning new topics? What can we do to make BizTalk easier to learn and use? Send e-mail to email@example.com to obtain a secure code and link to the survey. Complete the survey for a chance to win a portable MP3 player!

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p>Southern Africa: I'm currently in Heathrow Airport. A while back (about 20 hours or so) I was rafting on the Zambesi River under Victoria Falls before I jumped in a plane to South Africa. In another 15 hours or so I'll be home. I enjoyed talking to folks at TechEd South Africa on Workflow, Integration and BizTalk Server. I've also really enjoyed the holiday part of my trip including seeing the animals in Kruger, which was fun, but on reflection the Kruger trip is better suited to folks who don't like quite as much exercise as I do as there is a lot of sitting and staring involved. Riding an elephant, hanging out on a raft and generally chilling at Victoria Falls were all good for my well being as was the sunshine and the heat.</o:p>

<o:p><o:p>Single Person Flight - British Airways 6289: </o:p></o:p>I flew from South Africa to Livingstone in Zambia with British Airways on a Boeing 737-300 series. Ok I know what you are thinking, Scott that's super interesting but why are you telling me this? Well - this particular flight was scheduled to leave at 7am all to maximize my time in the day at Victoria Falls (I'm not really into the hang around on a beach type of holiday I had things to see!). Anyways I get to the check-in counter around 5:30am and the flight is listed on the board but with no check-in counter and all the other flights had check-in counters listed. Oh, oh - here we go - I guess the flight was cancelled and "there goes my holiday" were my first thoughts. I wandered the pretty much empty airport and eventually a kind lady in a British Airways suit came by. I asked about the flight with no check-in desk and she asked for my name (which I thought was odd). Once I told her my name she responded with "Oh, you are the passenger on that flight". Yes, apparently my last minute scheduling had landed me a plane all to myself! Much to my surprise they didn't cancel the flight (because the plane was supposed to pick-up a large group of Italian tourists on the return leg). So there I was - the only passenger on a Boeing 737-300 - definitely a once in a life-time experience. I got to the boarding gate with plenty of time to avoid the queues<g> and the ground-staff were joking with me (actually I'm not sure it was joking because they started with "so you are the guy we had to wake up at 5am for after a hard weekend of weddings and parties") but anyways let's just say that the electronic boarding sign at the gate read "BA 6289 - Livingstone" as you would expect, with an additional line added just for prosperity - "Especially for Mr Woodgate" by the time I boarded. The fun continued on the plane as I selected my seat. I started in economy class on row 6 in a window seat, but got bored with that and moved to row 10 which had a better view and then I thought what the heck I need an upgrade so I meandered into business class and tested out a few seats before settling in row 4A. The crew completely spoiled me - indeed all 4 of the super friendly cabin crew came and served various parts of the meal, shared pictures of experiences at Victoria Falls, and the captain introduced the flight for me personally. But it got better - as we got close to the falls the crew called me up into the cockpit (like what used to happen in a different world 30 years ago for little kids) and as he banked to the right I got a perfect view of Victoria Falls directly from the cockpit of a 737 (no need to do the helicopter tour after that).

I want to extend a big huge thanks to the team @ British Airways for maximizing my enjoyment and making me feel like a billionaire for an hour or three :).

P.S. I think (if I can read my email right) the BizTalk Server CTP build for Launch will be Build 1388.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxOf CTP bits and South Africahttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/10/25/484658.aspx2005-10-25T17:59:00Z2005-10-25T17:59:00Z
Several people have asked me whether there will be a build of BizTalk Server that works on the RTM bits of SQL Server and Visual Studio .NET for the Launch. That's the plan. It won't be beta 2 because we are still working on our quality metrics versus beta 2 however it will be pretty solid and if you are really lucky we will release it on November 7th. Indeed, we are hopeful that you might get both the BizTalk CTP and another CTP all on November 7th. More on that later.

I'm currently in Sun City, South Africa. Every year I have a goal to visit a particular place and this year I really wanted to visit South Africa. With my current role I'm very lucky to be able to combine work and pleasure. I've just presented a couple of sessions on BizTalk and Workflow at TechEd South Africa and in a day or so I'll put the computer to aside and go exploring in Kruger and up in Zambia (Victoria Falls) which I'm super looking forward to.

I really need to recharge because the rest of the month is going to be crazy fun with the BTS/SQL/VS launches. I'll be keynoting the BTS/SQL/VS Launch event in Detroit on November 8th and a similar event on November 29th in Montreal so if you live in either of those areas come along and say hi.

Btw it seems a few people are confused about WinFX. WinFX is the managed programming API for Windows (version independent) just like Win32 is unmanaged programming API for Windows.

Then there is the WinFX Runtime Components 3.0 which is the runtime redistributable package is versioned and available for platforms that require it to be installed. WinFX Runtime Components 3.0 includes the stuff that used to be called the .NET Framework, Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Communication Foundation, and of course Windows Workflow Foundation.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxUnofficial Abbreviation for Windows Workflow Foundation is now simply WFhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/10/13/480676.aspx2005-10-13T20:18:00Z2005-10-13T20:18:00Z
Is it KFC or Kentucky Fried Chicken? Well in that case legally it doesn't matter because the same company owns both the name and the abbreviation. Of course for marketing reasons they have swapped from the full-name to the abbreviation and back but that's another story. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

In the case of Windows Workflow Foundation we own the name Windows Workflow Foundation. However, we didn't trademark an abbreviation so there is no official abbreviation. Indeed we tried, albeit with a phenomenal lack of success, to launch the technology referring to its name and its name only. It was an interesting study in Microsoft and press culture to see people abbreviating to WWF with a few notable exceptions here and here. Given people's natural desire to abbreviate the technology name to three letters and potential, untested, issues with the WWF acronym we feel compelled to strongly suggest you use the acronym "WF" for the technology only.<o:p></o:p>

 Remember its Kentucky Fried Chicken (Windows Workflow Foundation) not KFC (WF) so use WF when you are severely space constrained.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxWhat about BizTalk Indeed?http://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/10/10/479331.aspx2005-10-11T00:03:00Z2005-10-11T00:03:00Z
Oliver Rist wrote a column in his blog titled "What about BizTalk?" Historically I haven't responded to these types of articles, but that's what blogging is supposed to be for - expressing your opinions and this seemed like a good article to respond to so here we are. Starting at the beginning - I never really like the Michael Vaughan character on Alias. He kind of reminded of a secret agent for a certain European country and a Greenpeace incident in NZ a while back so I was happy to see him being written out of the script (assuming he doesn't reincarnate).

Oliver asserts that for the vast majority of its implementations BizTalk will require plenty of time and money. When I started in this business 5 years ago integration products were sold by sales folks who owned boats, fancy cars and the type of houses with those cute Victorian layouts and views of large lakes. Why? The software was super duper expensive. Microsoft has been singularly responsible for reducing the price-point of integration software by over 100 times. Indeed we are still the price-leader in the space and in several deals that come to mind our competitors have dropped their catalog prices by 40% just to be within the realm of our pricing when they hear that the competitor is BizTalk Server. On the other hand, Oliver does have a point hooking up existing systems across multiple platforms is inherently a tricky proposition and for that reason BizTalk developers get paid more than Web developers and the projects tend to be more strategic to the very existence of enterprises.

Oliver talks about BizTalk Server being revved back - I'm not sure why. BizTalk Server is not being revved back in the slightest way - that won't make sense as the business is doing very well. Indeed we have shipped more innovation more frequently than any other server product from Microsoft in the last 5 years, with 4 new versions, and that will continue. We now have 5000 customers making us the #1 in our space in terms of customers and we are growing strongly as a business due to the value that our customers find in our product. We are currently planning BizTalk Server vNext which will include Windows Communication Foundation, Windows Workflow Foundation and lots of specific BizTalk innovations.

According to Oliver BizTalk is a proprietary platform which costs money. I guess I could argue this both ways. One way would be to define the term proprietary. If he means that it isn't open-source and it is a for cost product then that's absolutely true and is equally applicable to IBM Web Sphere, SAP, Oracle and all the players in the integration and business process space. Another might be that it is somehow closed in the sense that it only supports "Microsoft stuff". BizTalk Server provides the largest level of interop of any Microsoft product to numerous platforms and recently we acquired 9 adapters to help our customers broaden that through connectivity to Oracle, Siebel, TIBCO and so on..

So what about BizTalk and Windows Workflow Foundation? Did you bet on the wrong horse by choosing BizTalk Server? No you didn't. BizTalk Server is, was, and will be the right architecture for business process and integration on Windows. To properly serve the needs of business process and integration you need a "man in the middle" server that adapts, routes, tracks, manages, scales and has all the appropriate BPM capabilities such as BAM. Windows Workflow Foundation gives you none of that. On the other hand there are many scenarios that Windows Workflow Foundation is useful outside of business process and integration such include page-flow in ASP.NET web applications, workflow within line of business applications that ISVs build, workflow within Office. By targeting ISVs primarily the Windows Workflow Foundation technology can be embedded within these applications.

Put simply:

A. Workflow within applications = Windows Workflow Foundation

B. Workflow across applications = BizTalk Server

I love working with the press, but on one or two occasions some "selective editing" has provided some out of context quotes. Let me reverse the situation and end on my favorite part of Oliver's article "In fact, the synergy of [Windows Workflow Foundation] and BizTalk will probably make you look like a visionary". You bet we are working hard to make that 100% a reality.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxWeek of Workflow Webcasts Ongoinghttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/27/474615.aspx2005-09-28T01:43:00Z2005-09-28T01:43:00Z
Paul has a week of workflow web-casts on going for those of you who missed PDC or missed our sessions at PDC. The full detail and links to recordings are here: http://blogs.msdn.com/pandrew/articles/460630.aspx

They are at 10am PST every day this week.

Here's the remaining ones:

Wednesday: Workflow + Messaging + Services: Developing Distributed Applications with Workflows

Thursday: Developing Event Driven State Machine Workflows

Friday: Extending Workflow Capabilities with Custom Activities

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxCommunity Sample: SSB Adapterhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/26/474041.aspx2005-09-26T20:28:00Z2005-09-26T20:28:00Z
Jesus Rodriguez has created a super cool adapter for BizTalk Server 2006 that talks to SQL Service Broker in SQL Server 2005 so that you can use SSB as a transport for SQL to SQL communications within a broader BizTalk Server ecosystem. His adapter is available on gotdotnet and you can read more about it on his blog,

http://weblogs.asp.net/gsusx/archive/2005/09/26/425989.aspx

Thanks, Jesus!

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxSuper cool jobs available: Senior Workflow Technical Product Manager & Adapter Product Managerhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/21/472891.aspx2005-09-22T00:06:00Z2005-09-22T00:06:00Z
Now the cat is out of the bag on a couple of areas (Workflow and Adapters) where we need some more incredibly motivated, clever, articulate folks to help us make a real impact on the business in the following two roles:

1) Senior Workflow Technical Product Manager

At PDC 2005 we announced Windows Workflow Foundation. Windows Workflow Foundation redefines workflow making it available as part of WinFX with support for both human and system workflow. Windows Workflow Foundation provides a consistent and
familiar experience for Visual Studio .NET developers. This is your chance to play a major role in a first version technology that will be distributed to millions of developers and users of Windows. We are looking for a senior product marketing specialist to join our strong team. In this role you will work cross-group with Platform, Developer and Office to ensure maximum visibility of workflow. In addition you will be actively involved driving press, analyst interactions and driving market strategy. The ideal candidate is technically strong, has prior evangelism experience and a history of making a business impact.

2) Adapter Technical Product Manager

Are you passionate about integration? A key component of any integration project is connecting to existing systems. Microsoft has just acquired 8 key adapters to major line of business applications and technologies including: Oracle Apps and Database, TIBCO, Siebel, Peoplesoft, Clarify and others. If you have the skills to take these adapters to market as part of the overall BizTalk Server offering we need you. You will be responsible for product management and launch of these adapters primarily focused on collateral generation (whitepapers, demos, datasheets) and integrating the key adapter positioning into the broader BizTalk Server positioning so our field can successfully sell and implement these adapters.
If you are good at multi-tasking, have strong prioritization skills, a passion for technology and want to make a real difference this is the perfect technical marketing role for you on a technical marketing team packed with strong team members.
Qualifications include strong technical skills and the ability to present, write and review clearly and credibly on deep technical topics to developers and architects. The ideal candidate has evangelized developer technologies in the past, has a strong grasp on server technology and prior experience with integration technologies and line of business applications including adapters. Strategic technical marketing expertise; strong organizational and project management skills, and ability to work well under deadlines are all requirements. Four years or equivalent in technical undergraduate degree and six years in industry-related experience a plus.

To apply: Contact me through my blog :).

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxMy Hotel Room at PDC - perfect spot for a Windows Workflow Foundation video shoot.http://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/20/472055.aspx2005-09-21T01:15:00Z2005-09-21T01:15:00Z
It was pretty noisy, because the blue elevator was right outside. Sound like a page out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? See for yourself in the latest video on theserverside.net where Paul Andrew (Technical Product Manager for Windows Workflow Foundation) and I talk with Paul Ballard from theserverside.net on windows workflow foundation

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxCompetitive Analysis: Choosing BizTalk Server Over IBM WebSphere Integration Server v5http://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/19/471450.aspx2005-09-19T22:53:00Z2005-09-19T22:53:00Z
This documents helps you understand the key technologies from Microsoft and IBM in the integration space. It then compares and contrasts the various products and technologies. The goal of the document is to provide you with apples to apples comparisons and endeavours to be factual and straight forward. This document will be posted on microsoft.com shortly. You can read it first here.

All comments welcome. Fixed the URL...

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxBizTalk Server Futures: BizTalk Server Solution Designerhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/16/468865.aspx2005-09-16T18:26:00Z2005-09-16T18:26:00Z
We had a bunch of fun recording this video for channel 9 on the BizTalk Server Solution Designer which is coming after BizTalk Server 2006 and was shown to folks at PDC along with a demo of Windows Workflow Foundation in an ASP.NET web-site talking to BizTalk Server (its pretty simple stuff you use web-services or the sharepoint adapter and all is good). Anyways I hope you enjoy the video of the BizTalk Server Solution Designer.

To view it click here.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxChannel 9 Windows Workflow Foundation Article Now Livehttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/14/466260.aspx2005-09-14T20:52:00Z2005-09-14T20:52:00ZCheck it out here: http://channel9.msdn.com/showpost.aspx?postid=115366

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxWindows Workflow Foundation added to WinFX!! - FREE book if you are at PDChttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/14/466205.aspx2005-09-14T19:08:00Z2005-09-14T19:08:00Z
3 years of development, lots of feedback from our TAP partners and internal groups such as Office "12" that builds on this technology - and beta 1 is ready for you to use! Yes we are adding Windows Workflow Foundation to WinFX. In so doing, we are redefining workflow as a general developer technology through the namespace System.Workflow. Yes you can completely write a workflow in code, or use designers in visual studio.net and you can use your favourite language.

Some of my favourite features are:

1. Full code fidelity between the graphical view and the code view. Change the code and the graphical view changes straight away.

2. State Machine workflow model

3. End-user modifiable workflow down to the running instance level (CodeDOM/Model is retained at runtime)

4. Debugging inside Visual Studio .NET all the way into code

and the list goes on.

The beta 1 bits, 12 Labs, 2 Whitepapers, a FREE Beta Book for PDC attendees (until they run out go to the book store and pick up the book, or get the voucher from the lounge with have 3000 of them for you).

MSDN has a bunch of collateral here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/windowsvista/building/workflow/default.aspx, the new Windows Workflow Foundation community site has more here: http://www.windowsworkflow.net/. Check out Paul Andrew's blog (Paul is on my team) for more here: http://blogs.msdn.com/pandrew.

Future versions of BizTalk Server, MBS Applications and Office "12" will use this technology. As of today workflow is a new player in the middle tier for application development. Every application includes some workflow and with Windows Workflow Foundation you can capture that workflow in a model.

Feel free to add your comments and I'll get to them later tonight. This is super exciting news for all you developers out there!

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxMy 5 years @ Microsoft and PDChttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/11/463849.aspx2005-09-12T07:10:00Z2005-09-12T07:10:00Z
Tommorrow I start my sixth year at Microsoft. I can certainly sympathesize with those whose birthdays' are on 9/11. That's my MS birthday (in Y2K) and I'm not sure whether I should be happy or be sad as I recall my first day and a year later the vivid memory of one MS employee from NY in her office receiving phone call after phone call relaying the news of numerous lost friends. On my second day at Microsoft, 5 years ago tommorrow, I flew down to a conference in San Diego to present to a group of MS internal folks on a technology that no-one knew about (BizTalk), that had some pretty confusing terminology (there are 2 types of ports), had a tutorial that really didn't work (I know how you feel when tutorials are broken) and I was still very much learning in real-time (Thanks Larry&Susie). I had flown from NZ into the USA two days earlier and I didn't even have a US bank account, let alone a credit card which caused some hilarity when it came to the "pay for the hotel" step. By the end of the trip I had earned the nickname "BootBoy" for reasons that someone else can explain :).

Today - 5 years later - the BizTalk Server community is booming as developers around the world use BizTalk Server for EAI, B2B and BPM projects. Indeed, you can find about 2 million hits on the web if you search for "BizTalk Server". It has been a pleasure working with so many of you. We have come a long ways, yet we have lots of opportunity ahead to make it even simpler to integrate applications and trading partners using business process management.

This week at PDC we will have two sessions dedicated to BizTalk Server. The first by Joe Sharp is focused on the BizTalk Server 2006 capabilities. The second by Patric McElroy will give you a glimpse into some future thinking (mostly >> 2006). If you aren't on site then you will find some of Patric's demos (not all but some) make there way to Channel 9 along with a brief glimpse of some guy wearing an All Blacks vs. Lions tee-shirt<g> .

While I'm not giving a PDC technical session I'll be run off my feet with other commitments on site, especially on Wednesday. So if you see me feel free to say hi! Indeed, tommorrow as I get on a plane and again fly down to California, this time to Los Angeles, it makes me giggle inside how much this trip has in common with my 2nd day 5 years ago...

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxMicrosoft's Business Process, Integration and Workflow Conferencehttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/09/02/460321.aspx2005-09-03T03:01:00Z2005-09-03T03:01:00Z
Microsoft's Business Process, Integration and Workflow Conference is your chance to hear about Microsoft's technologies in this space both from a technical and a business perspective. Over 4 days attendees will receive detailed technical and business information on products and technologies that will be launched over the next 9 months (including BizTalk Server 2006). This is primarily a partner event to get early information before these new products and technologies become generally available. Every session, meeting, and program event at the
 conference is designed to expand your knowledge of key emerging technologies, introduce new strategies for differentiating your services or products, and add value to your organization's integration technology practice portfolio.

The Business Process Integration and Workflow conference contains a comprehensive set of strategy and readiness content across four unique tracks (both technical and business oriented in nature). You can attend a whole track, or mix-and-match sessions to uniquely tailor your schedule to the precise topics that interest you.

Tech Track #1: Process integration with BizTalk Server 2006.
Tech Track #2: Implementing Workflow.
Tech Track #3: Implementing Windows Communications Foundation (formerly "Indigo").
Business Track: Realizing business value from Business Process Integration.

A current listing of sessions for each of these tracks are briefly described on the registration website - more detailed
information on each session will be posted prior to the conference. Additionally, we will have special keynote
presentations from industry experts Roger Sessions and David Chappell. New Hand-On-Labs for pre-release software will
be debuted, we'll have frequent "chalk talk" sessions for direct interaction with the product team, and much, much more!

For more information, visit our registration site at http://www.impactevents.com/bpiwf/. The registration site includes
information about local hotel discounts and directions.

Note: Both partners and customer attendees need to register through the online site. You will be prompted during registration for a registration code, please use one of the following as appropriate:

Partners: registration code "MSP-01"
Customers: registration code "MSC-01"

During registration, customers will be prompted to specify the partner that is hosting them at the event. All customers
 must be sponsored by a Microsoft partner. Registration includes a nominal $99 charge.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxSun, surf's up, first a Loadfest and now a Loadgenhttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/08/26/456808.aspx2005-08-26T20:08:00Z2005-08-26T20:08:00Z
Sunny Seattle is not a myth. I should always plant grass seed on July 21st because to date it has rained exactly once since! Not so great on my grass but my vitamin D count is at an all-time high.

I'm in a surf's up mood, of course there isn't much swimmable surf anywhere close to Redmond but it did drive some inspiration for a t-shirt you might see if you are attending PDC. Speaking of PDC it is going to be a lot of fun - more on that later. Unfortunately because of everything going on in preparation for PDC including a tour I'm doing this week across the USA I had to made a hard decision and I pulled out of TechEd NZ and Australia. While that was super dissapointing for me personally (its the first TechEd NZ/USA I'll miss as an attendee or presenter since '99) - you will still get the BizTalk Server 2006 content delivered as I've been helping some of the excellent local folks with my content.

In case you haven't seen it I did a Tech Talk with Paul Ballard from theserverside.net which is now on line. Paul is a cool guy and his camera-man had an even more interesting background. His camera-man's day job was literally shooting combat footage around the world (which he has won numerous awards for) so setting up a stage for me was child's play in comparison.

Enough commentary - here is why you need to read this entry. We finally released the BizTalk Server 2004 Loadgen tool. Lots of folks want to put load on their BizTalk Servers and I couldn't count the number of people who continue to write single-threaded load generation applications and wonder why we don't perform (its because you aren't putting enough simultaneous load into us by serializing the input at the client end). Enough of that, let's give you a copy of the loadgen tool that we use internally for testing so you can use the same thing. The loadgen tool can exercise a variety of adapters, has an extensible framework for you to add your own, xml configuration and is generally pretty cool. As I said we use it for all kind of internal performance testing and now you can get access to it right here.

While I've reached an all time low on blog posting in the last month or so, I'll try and make it up in September starting September 14th.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxPodcasthttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/08/03/447405.aspx2005-08-04T00:56:00Z2005-08-04T00:56:00ZI did a quick podcast at techEd EMEA that touches on developer basics for BizTalk Server, and some interesting questions including workflow and some super brief future discussions. http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=3653847

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxAdapters, adapters, adaptershttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/08/02/446671.aspx2005-08-02T19:21:00Z2005-08-02T19:21:00Z
In more good news today we announced our revamped  adapter strategy. Yes you asked for the major adapters directly from Microsoft and we listened.

The specifics are: Siebel, PeopleSoft, JD Edwards Enterprise One and One World, Oracle Business Suite and Database, TIBCO Rendezvous and Enterprise Messaging Service and Amdocs Clarify.

Many more details will be forthcoming as we getting closer to launching these in the 2006 launch timeframe.

Existing customers of the .NET IWay versions of these adapters get a good deal as we will provide you the Microsoft adapter for the cost of software assurance only so continue to purchase the IWay versions for BizTalk Server 2004 until our versions are complete.

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashxOn ESB and other thingshttp://blogs.msdn.com/b/scottwoo/archive/2005/08/01/446135.aspx2005-08-01T21:52:00Z2005-08-01T21:52:00Z
Lots of things are going on as always:

1. We completed the "Microsoft position on ESB" document. This will go to microsoft web sites shortly and is our official position. Get it here. In short if you are looking for "ESB" we can help you; but on the other hand we believe ESB is an incomplete implementation of integration and we are price-point competitive to ESB with full integration server features.

2. We have just completed some organizational tweaking that will make us even better suited to deliver future versions of BizTalk Server and the platform. Very exciting stuff.

3. Don Box, now part of the same broader organization, installed BizTalk Server 2006 successfully. Phew! If Don can install it so can you. Seriously, we put a lot of effort into the BizTalk Server 2006 installation experience and I hope you enjoy it. Speaking of which I see lots of people downloading the beta! (thanks and don't forget to send/blog your feedback)

4. It was sunny for 2 weeks in a row with no rain in Seattle. Crazy stuff! All my new plants didn't like the dry weather too much but I've been pouring water everywhere and I have baby grass growing so things are looking up...

scottwoohttp://blogs.msdn.com/scottwoo/ProfileUrlRedirect.ashx


text:
Can no longer use native 2560x1600 resolutin of U3011 after upgrading(?) to GT520
1 Attachment(s)
Hi, all.
Thanks in advance for any help. I used to have a 7600GS-based card on Kubuntu Natty (11.04) and it saw and used 2560x1600 on my Dell U3011 with no problems. I'm sorry that I can't remember which NVidia driver was in use, I've re-installed since then. I do think (vaguely) that there were no specific mode lines in xorg.conf back then, but I can't prove it.
Now, I recently purchased an ASUS, GT520 based card (why that one? it's the most recent fanless/silent one I found.). The mode the NVidia driver is set to is nvidia-auto-select but 2560 x 1600 is NOT an option. That much is clear from the logs, (bug report attached) but I'm unsure as to how to debug it.
I've tried a number of things (note that the last attempt was a full re-install of Natty, so it wiped out anything prior)
1) save the monitors EDID (it had 2560x1600!) , force x.org to use it
2) re-install this old driver versions, new ones, etc. The new ones do say they support my GT520.
3) Decided I'm not savvy enough with uninstalling and reinstalling NVidia drivers and the appropriate kernel-based pieces, so....let's let the Natty installer handle that :) Full re-install.
I've noticed that others in the forum seem to have the Dell U3011 detected at its native resolution....
Oh, I'm using the DVI connection and a DVI cable, so I think I've got all the appropriate/necessary dual-link goodness in place.
Any help, or other information that might help?
It seems like it should "Just Work" since it used to, right?
The new card is a complete superset of capabilities of the old card, right?
Re: Can no longer use native 2560x1600 resolutin of U3011 after upgrading(?) to GT520
A quick follow-up:
A different search , about the card itself (!) turned up what seems to be a relevant thread:
I'll go about seeing if there's an easy PPA or something for newer NVidia drivers for Natty and report back. It's worth a shot.
Re: Can no longer use native 2560x1600 resolutin of U3011 after upgrading(?) to GT520
Thanks to the thread I found, I added the x-swat PPA for Natty and upgraded to the 280.13 drivers.
A final snippet from /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[ 24.470] (II) NVIDIA(0): Validated modes:
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subset: commoncrawl


text: What is it about that cheese biscuit? Its certainly not fancy; sure is good though. Lots of yummy melted cheese. I almost didn't get it the first time I went (yesterday). But I recalled the reviews and decided I had to do it since its what they are famous for. Glad I did! It was delicious. Today... read more


text:
A listing of add-ons for me to find later when rebuilding profiles, for recommending add-ons to others, or for occasional usage. As of 3/15/2013, 83 installed, 60 enabled
19,886,295 users
Blocks annoying video ads on YouTube, Facebook ads, banners and much more.
Adblock Plus blocks all annoying ads, and supports websites by not blocking unobtrusive ads by default (configurable).
2,081,769 users
The best security you can get in a web browser!
Allow active content to run only from sites you trust, and protect yourself against XSS and Clickjacking attacks.
692,411 users
Restyle the web with Stylish, a user styles manager. Stylish lets you easily install themes and skins for Google, Facebook, YouTube, Orkut, and many, many other sites. You can even customize Firefox and other programs themselves.
903,232 users
Tab Mix Plus enhances Firefox's tab browsing capabilities. It includes such features as duplicating tabs, controlling tab focus, tab clicking options, undo closed tabs and windows, plus much more. It also includes a full-featured session manager.
553,257 users
Remove or manage a new and uncommon kind of cookies, better known as LSO's.The BetterPrivacy safeguard offers various ways to handle Flash-cookies set by Google, YouTube, Ebay and others...
Latest updates: See bottom link 'version history'!
428,343 users
Squared tabs, appmenu, add-on bar, small button view and many more 'old' features for Firefox 29+ (Windows / MacOSX / Linux).
All builds & changelogs on versions page!
62,495 users
An extension that allows Firefox to connect to websites using different user names. Simultaneously.
*** Multifox 2 users: try the "Window Mode" (Addons - Multifox - Options) ***
549,834 users
Note: If you are encountering the Connecting... problem see instructions below.
The updated, fully supported IE Tab. Embed IE in a Firefox tab. IE Tab Features: FF 4+ support, IE 7-9 compatibility modes, old IE Tab settings import.
176,648 users
This extension allows you to export your saved passwords and disabled login hosts using XML or CSV files that can be imported later.
172,054 users
— Open web pages saved with Internet Explorer or other browsers (MHT)
— Save many tabs, video and audio reliably, in a single ZIP file (MAFF)
— Return to the original site you saved a page from, and more!
81,098 users
YouTube Center contains all kind of different useful functions which makes your visit on YouTube much more entertaining.
100,717 users
Allows editing of web page content while in Print Preview mode, prior to printing or saving as HTML or PDF. Compacts the layout and removes unwanted content such as adverts, sidebars and blank pages. Any element can be formatted, hidden or deleted.
128,611 users
FEBE (Firefox Environment Backup Extension) allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox extensions. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up -- It will actually rebuild your extensions individually into installable .xpi files.
140,457 users
Status bar widgets and progress indicators for Firefox 4+
149,229 users
A clean, easy to use and highly extensible Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client.
Collections are groups of related add-ons that anyone can create and share.Explore Collections
To create your own collections, you must have a Mozilla Add-ons account.


text:
I've been looking for a plugin like this! Thanks.
One thing, when I use this plugin it adds the nofollow to all links on the page. I will use the editor to unselect the nofollow on links that I want to follow but when I make another link nofollow it will sometimes give the nofollow to all the links (even the links that I specifically left unchecked).


text:
Some Sonoran Desert species skip breeding entirely during extreme drought
Staff Report
FRISCO — Drought-driven delayed nesting by some southwestern bird species may lead to crashing populations, scientists said in a new study that looked closely at Sonoran Desert bird species, such as Black-tailed Gnatcatchers and Verdins.
The research suggests drought conditions are delaying nesting by two weeks or more for some species. Despite recent rainfall, drought conditions persist in much of the Southwest, making life tough even for species adapted to a dry environment.
Delayed nesting makes the birds more vulnerable to nest predators and parasites, according to the scientists with Point Blue Conservation Science and the U.S. Geological Survey finds that increased drought frequency in southwestern North America results in increased instances of delayed nesting. Continue reading
Filed under: biodiversity, climate and weather, climate change, Environment, global warming | Tagged: Birds, climate change, drought, extreme weather, Southwest | Leave a comment »


text:
Average Customer Review
Share your thoughts with other customersCreate your own review
49 of 50 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars At The Peak of Their Creativity
Between 1976 and 1981 Rush released what were arguably their finest recordings. Starting with "2112" and ending with "Moving Pictures", Rush released music that was quite simply untouchable. The quality of the musicianship has to be heard to be believed and it was quite obvious that the group were giving everything in an attempt to create something...
Published on 22 Sept. 2001 by Christine Bray
3.0 out of 5 stars Rush - "A Farewell To Kings"
The CD is not one of the best for those who like Rush more progressive rock than heavy. This may be a hard experience between progressive sounds and sounds a little heavier. This is the fifth album of the band that is lower than the previous and the later, although it is well accepted by the fans. The range is detaque "Xanadu" that has an instrumental very well...
Published 9 months ago by Jose Henrique
Most Helpful First | Newest First
49 of 50 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars At The Peak of Their Creativity,
Christine Bray "Steve" (Yorkshire) - See all my reviews
Between 1976 and 1981 Rush released what were arguably their finest recordings. Starting with "2112" and ending with "Moving Pictures", Rush released music that was quite simply untouchable. The quality of the musicianship has to be heard to be believed and it was quite obvious that the group were giving everything in an attempt to create something special. During those peak years Rush released two classic albums in "A Farewell To Kings" and "Hemispheres". The first album is packed full of intricate solos and amazing inventiveness that nearly 25 years on still sounds as fresh as ever. Along with Hemispheres, this is progressive rock at its best and I can't reccommend it enough. Although Rush went on to create some great music, I don't think they have ever recaptured that spirit from those years. A great album from a great band
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute class,
Rachel F-J (Edinburgh, UK) - See all my reviews
Being a little teenager person right now, I wasn't around to see Rush in their heyday and had to content myself with gleaning snippets of information out of my dad. He told me to get this album because it was the best one ever in the whole wide world ever, and I see no reason to diasgree with him.
The entire album is marvellous. Closer to the Heart remains my complete favourite, hence much naffed-offness when they didn't play it on the R30 tour. People might say that it's tedious and prog - prog it is, tedious it ain't. The soundscapes created vary hugely and the melodies and harmonies are beyond contestation.
Rush are the bedrock on which all modern prog - and a whole heaping load of other weird genres - are founded, and this album proves why. Essential.
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterclass In Innovation,
By A Customer
After the critically acclaimed "2112", a lot was expected of Rush. Slowly ascending out of the heavier vien of their first 4 studio offerings, a more diverse and innovative side was being introduced into the arena with the release of " A Farewell To Kings" (1977).
The album starts off with the beautifully crafted title track, that shows the universe what an underrated guitar talent Alex Lifeson is. Beginning with classical guitar, which belongs in a masterclass, which then progresses into a solid piece of trademark Rush, complete with thumping, intricate bass lines and precision percussion, which is perfectly intertwined with virtuoso guitar work. Track 2, "Xanadu", is one of the greatest pieces of music, that we were privalleged to listen to in the last century. From the synthesized vision into a utopian dreamworld, we are taken on a journey by sublime guitar work and percussion that is still ahead of it's time, almost a quarter of a century later (check out the version on "Exit....Stage Left", for a masterclass in perfect live music). Geddy Lee's bass is precise and uncompromising, whilst his keyboard skills are introduced with virtuoso precision.
"Closer To The Heart", was one of the earliest single releases by Rush in the United Kingdom. A classic song, that is still a mainstay of the live show, with a beautifully phrased classical guitar intro, that bursts into an intelligent anthem, which is both excellent ant timeless, a very underrated classic. Next up is the strangely titled "Cinderella Man", which shows the audience just how deep and thoughtful a lyracist Niel Peart actually is. Showered with accoustic sublimity and precision vocal delivery by Geddy Lee, this is definetly more than a mere album filler. The penultimate track, "Madrigal", is a wonderous journey into the mellowness of music heaven. Again sublime to the limit; definetly not just another album filler. The grand finale is "Cygnus XI (Book 1)" (which served as a prelude to side 1 of the brilliant "Hemispheres"). The musicianship and unit solidarity was in full flow on this epic masterpiece. The bass line is powerful to the extreme, whilst the drumming needs to be heard to be believed. Alex Lifeson's guitar work gels the whole track together. Pure excellence in motion.
One of the best albums of the twentieth century.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Rush at their very best,
Mr. R. Powell (Wales) - See all my reviews
This is my favourite Rush album, to me it represents them at their creative best. I first bought it on vinyl back in '79 and came to love it very quickly. This was the first album where Geddy and Alex were able to show off their new toys and talents, namely the bass pedals and keyboard playing. There was a new depth to their playing and to their music. 2112 is a classic album but it was still basically guitars, bass and drums. Here, after the break for their first live album, they really expand their sound, and how it pays off. Side 1, for those who still remember such things, had just two tracks, the title track and the majestic Xanadu. This, to me, is the perfect example of prog rock at height of its powers. Eleven minutes long, it starts out quietly with keyboards and chimes and then the guitar quietly enters, it then builds up to the main theme, and not a lyric in sight for the first five minutes. And oh what bonkers lyrics they are, a tale of a man seeking immortality and being rather disappointed when he finds it, but let's face we never turned to prog rock for insights into the daily drudgery of life, that's what punk rock was for.
Side two had four tracks, three of them being on the gentler side of the Rush universe. Starting off with concert favourite, Closer To The Heart, and then followed by Cinderella man, a song loosely based on the Gary Cooper film Mr Deeds Goes To Town. It starts off as a bit of a rocker then calms down and then all of a sudden in the middle section things get slightly funky before calmimg down again. Madrigal, as the name suggests, is a gentle acoustic number before the album finishes off with more bonkers Sc-Fi in Cygnus X1 a tale of a spaceship sent to investigate a Black Hole and getting sucked into it. As with Xanadu it starts of slowly and quietly before building up to an almighty climax (No giggling at the back). It's a two part story that is finished off on all of side one of the Hemispheres album.
This is the kind of album and artist that we are told punk killed off. Funnily, Rush are still around as popular as ever and prog has had yet another re birth with the likes of Mastodon, Opeth and Dream Theater enjoying great success and rave reviews, whilst punk stuggles to offer us anything new. Something the trendy music press can't bring themselves to admit.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Pure Genius,
By A Customer
Arguably the Canadian trio's finest album release, even if only for the monumental 14 minutes of 'Xanadu'. Starting with the title track, medieval acoustics give way to the crunching power of Alex Lifeson's guitar and Geddy Lee's distinctive falsetto vocals screeching "Scheming demons dressed in Kingly 'guise" (more wonderful Neil Peart poetry).The superbly melodically crafted 'Closer to the Heart' leads us on to the gentle 'Madrigal' and intriguing 'Cinderella Man'. The brilliant 10 minute Space Odyssey of 'Cygnus X-1' perfectly finishes the album. A must for any Rush fan.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Rush reached an almost untouchable standard,
Lucioperca (Norwich, England) - See all my reviews
Jeeez ... most of the Rush back catalogue is available on Amazon for less than �5 an album ...... why the heck wouldn't you buy it, even if only out of idle curiosity? At times you wonder how they produce a sound like this with just 3 guys and you become convinced this is hyper-produced and multi-layered recording ... and then you see them play it live, faultlessly, seamlessly and without any of the layers missing. Quite simply Rush are that awesome. Geddy Lee appears to be the front man of the band, but Neil Peart is a massive driving force behind what they produce and I doubt they would have had this level of global success if John Rutsey had stayed as their stickman. However, do not under-estimate the contribution of Alex Lifeson .... his excellent solo album Victor shows his creative abilities.
Farewell To Kings contains a couple of Rush classics ... the epic 11 minute Xanadu and also the gig favourite Closer To The Heart ... one of the few lighter Rush tracks that you genuinely feel disappointed if they don't perform it live. This isn't their best album by any stretch of the imagination but its still fantastic. Great album artwork, diverse songs and some superb guitar work by Alex Lifeson. Farewell To Kings, 2112 and Hemispheres are the three albums where Alex has been allowed completely off the leash and yet incredibly he never features in any of the TV polls about great guitarists ... he is not even one of those they quickly skip through in the high 70's and low 80's. Kinda makes you wonder who puts these polls together. Great album, get your fiver out and do something wise with it ... buy this album, you wont regret it and you will enjoy for much longer than the two pints of lager or the beef madras your �5 would normally get you.
30 of 33 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The best of their "classic" albums, and the least dated,
In their early years, Rush were very much a band of their time - the 70's - and were unmistakably "prog rock". From their third album "Caress of Steel" to their sixth, "Hemispheres", Rush reached the zenith of their ambition in terms of lengthy, musically complex song suites. Although their outstanding musical talent was really never in doubt it can fairly be argued that at times their ambition exceeded their ability. As a result, some of their work now feels uncomfortably dated.
However, with "A Farewell To Kings" they reined in their excesses just a little and created an album of enduring worth and listenability. Okay, this album contains two long, musically complex pieces and totals only six tracks, but it manages to stay interesting by constant changes in theme and musical style both between tracks and within them.
The range here is staggering - from the two-minute "Madrigal" to the 14-minute-plus "Xanadu", from blistering full-on rock through folk, Spanish and classical guitar, and from complex chord changes and and twiddly bits to the perfect pop-rock of "Closer To The Heart".
Even the most obvious target for critics, "Xanadu", works as well today as it did 25 years ago. The tale of someone seeking Kublai Khan's fabled pleasure dome and the terrible fate which befalls them as a result is a masterclass in writing decent lyrics and then surrounding them with ever-changing, ravishing music - an object lesson in how to do "prog" well. Oh, and anyone who thinks abrupt "quiet-loud" dynamic changes were invented by the Pixies or Nirvana should listen to this.
Much that seemed like a good idea in the 70's has turned out not to be. "A Farewell To Kings" is one of the rare exceptions.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars "To Walk The Caves Of Ice...",
G. Young (Scotland) - See all my reviews
It starts gently, acoustic guitar strings opening the first track, sweeping from left to right channels, accompanied by a soft keyboard melody, glockenspiel and birdsong that bursts effortlessly into A Farewell To Kings - medieval in feel and infused with a melancholic yearning, the middle section is delicate and heavy at the same time, ride cymbals ping, bass weaves up and down and Alex Lifeson simply makes his guitar sing but best of all, it all sounds so effortless. This opening splendour leads us to the dark, mystical and intricate beauty of Xanadu - a masterclass of atmospherics and composition. This is a wondrous Rush album and easily one of their finest moments, you really get the sense of adventure and experimentalism that fired the band at this bold new phase of their recording career. The timeless Closer To The Heart proving that Rush can create a perfectly crafted song under the three minute mark and still showcase their developing musicanship. Madrigal, whilst melancholic and quiet, displays another rare short song that is both calm and evocative and always makes me think of some ancient, otherwordly winter, all burned broken trees and cracked earth, a tired horseman with splitting boots, contemplating the absence of a lover.
Cygnus X-1, closes the album in a brilliantly eerie and fearless manner, it is at once dark and brooding, slow and pulsating, it builds and builds into a spiral of chaos then leaves the listener in a soft, space-like and contemplative mood. In places, there is a real feeling of menace and of mystery. Kings is a unique and complex album, full of interesting ideas and truly exciting compositions. This is essential listening for lovers of intelligent music and fully deserves a place in the sacred halls of progressive rock. This is classic Rush.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars phase two- starts here,
Mr Blackwell (scotland) - See all my reviews
After the era defining live album 'All The Worlds A Stage' Rush now moved to the next level.Its hard to convey just how good this album is,a perfect snap shot of Rush for the 70's,it combines Prog,Heavy Rock,Whimsical lyrics,Biting Riffs,subject matter from Kubla Khan to Black Holes!,Sci Fi rock to melodic rock,in a nutshell it has it all.
From the understated opening of acoustic guitars the title track bursts in to life for ever destined to live in the shadow of the track it precedes,the mindblowing class of 'Xanadu',if one song defined Rush in the 70's it has to be this one,lush keyboards,stunning guitars,thundering drums all provided by three musicians at the top of their game,masters in a field of one,untouchables.
The remainder of the disc more than lives up to the ist 2 tracks,'Closer To The Heart' a short concise piece of music,delightful in every sense(cant believe its not a regular in the live set anymore),'Cinderella Man & Madrigal' two overlooked classics while the album closer 'Cygnus X-1' Sci Fi rock n roll perfection,how would they top this you wondered,in truth they never really did.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A Farewell? An introduction, more like!,
Tim Kidner "Hucklebrook Hound" (Salisbury, UK) - See all my reviews
I'd gotten the live double LP Exit...Stage Left and that was my portal into the world of Rush. Liking their more creatively imaginative stuff on it, both lyrically and musically, I headed for the albums those brilliant epic songs originated from.
'Xanadu', one of the most finely crafted pieces of prog hard rock, ever, led me first to this LP - I thought their concept of an LP cover radical (for its time) - and along with many other's favourite, Cygnus X-1, I had Geddy wailing away, his bass churning like a bad gut, Alex's guitars screaming and Neil's drums laying out a rhythmic landscape of their very own.
Having been as much of a Yes fan that my pocket money would allow (not very much!) I also liked what others describe as Rush's 'medieval' sounding tracks, too.
These old(er) classic Rush albums have really stood the test of time. My playing of their CD replacements is more about if and when my neighbour goes out shopping so I can crank up the volume a bit...
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A Farewell To Kings by Rush
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ISO is simply a standards approval organization. In a nutshell, it just proves that they are doing what they say they are doing from an engineering, documentation and manufacturing standpoint. There are many different levels of ISO certification, depending on what business or part of your business is being inspected. ISO 9000, 9001 and 9002 are common for mechanical engineering and manufacturing operations.
Essentially, the certification ensures that the company is fully documenting their engineering, change management and manufacturing processes to a particular standard. This is important and a requirement in some cases to be able to sell your product abroad. It is also not a trivial process and when Speedbrain says they have spent the last year working on this certification they are certainly not joking. Most bigger companies will have at least one maybe more in house ISO reps/engineers specifically tasked with ensuring all relevant parts of the company are in compliance to make the annual inspection go a bit smoother. Big ups to Speedbrain for attaining the certification, it is no trivial matter.
Of course, selling your product as a "road legal" race motorbike will also be subject to local government transportation agency approval. That is, if they want to sell a Speedbrain Rally 450RR in Canada, where I live, they will need to provide examples for Transport Canada to inspect and destroy to allow for certification. (Fat chance I'll ever see one here since this is usually cost prohibitive for all but the big manufacturers and even they don't bother. I'm looking at you Yamaha and your stubborn refusal to bring your already street legal Euro WR450F here for certification...)
Canada is even worse when you get down to individual provinces, because here in British Columbia where I am, our provincial government run mandatory insurance agency has now made it virtually impossible to plate any bike that is marked as off road use only. So only a few mostly small displacement enduro bikes are available for legal on road riding. (KTM, Husaberg, but good luck finding a new 450cc bike to meet Dakar regulations... sigh)
Hope that helps!
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spent the night in the E.R. night before last due to
. Don't think it could be part of a wider spread deal tho. But yea, I feel like shit ha
now this is a new widespread problem... i have known 13 people to be diagnosed with and operated on! i am trying to figure out what they are doing that i am not and keep it that way.
Anonymous Coward 3946954
The main reason people get diverticulitis is simple. People eat a lot of processed food. It's junk food with poor nutrion, terrible additive to enhance flavor (since it tastes like crap) and salt (increased blood pressure) and no natural fiber. To save money since people are more conscious of eating fiber, they add a filler made from wood called cellulose. That's abnormal fiber. Why not just eat cardboard?
If you keep putting that junk in your body, then your waste is not swept from the numerous folds of the intestines. It applied pressure and causes weakness in the walls of the large intestine. Some people even fail to have a bowel movement every day. That's shocking. All of that, plus family history, causes diverticulitis.
It's not caused by things like respiratory infection, but it could be caused by numerous gasteroenteritis. When you take an antibiotic, it kills a lot of helpful bacteria in the gut (intestines). Then a lot of people don't eat probiotics (food with good bacteria like lactobaccilis). Yogurt and kefir have it and the latter is delicious. It's a sweet drink that's more common now, probably due to more immigrants from Russia. Try it, they even make a lactose-free kind for people sensitive to milk.
Doing those things will really help you.
uh, ok. my wife was one of the 13. she is vegan and an alternative lifestyle tree hugger new ager... i'm an asshole and eat mcdonalds, drink hfcs straight up... oh and i smoke... yet HER guts are rotting, not mine :)
Anonymous Coward 3946954
Well you have a stout constitution! I added some things while you posted. Re-read my reply. Some of it, might help her.
Total vegan? I hope not. While milk is not a great food, kefir is a very good food. I hope she considers eating some of it.
A woman as she gets 30+ need good sources of calcium. Beans are rich in them, but a lot of calcium in vegan food is poorly absorbed and hence not bioavailable in high numbers. Some of those calcium sources also have oxalate in them, and hence in a woman could cause gallstones.
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Recipe Finder: Gingerbread men nearly match old Goldsmith's treat
Jean Edrington's daughters were fond of the chewy gingerbread men from Goldsmith's Downtown bakery, so when she saw Harold Young's request for his wife, she sent the Cook's Illustrated recipe that she says is the closest she has tried.
The recipe's stated yield is about 25 4-inch gingerbread people, but Edrington says she gets no more than 8 large cookies. She buys unsulphured molasses at Easy Way.
A new request: Roy Robbins wants to duplicate the braised greens at The Elegant Farmer restaurant. Can anyone help?
Requests for recipes can be left at 529-2673. Responses need to be in writing. Please email them to email@example.com, or mail to Recipe Finder, P.O. Box 84, Hillsboro, Tenn. 37342. Include your name, address and telephone number. We'll use only your name in a column.
Thick and Chewy Gingerbread Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cut into 12 tbsp., slightly softened
¾ cup unsulphured molasses
2 tbsp. milk
In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and baking soda at low speed about 30 seconds.
Stop mixer and add butter pieces; mix at medium-low until mixture is sandy and resembles fine meal, about 1½ minutes.
Reduce speed to low and, with mixer running, gradually add molasses and milk; mix until dough is evenly moistened, about 20 seconds. Increase speed to medium and mix until thoroughly combined, about 10 seconds. Scrape dough onto work surface; divide in half.
Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll between two large sheets of parchment paper to ¼-inch thickness. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Or refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.)
Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Remove one dough sheet from freezer; place on work surface. Peel off top parchment sheet and gently lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer.
Cut dough into 5-inch gingerbread people or 3-inch gingerbread cookies, then transfer shapes to parchment-lined cookie sheets with wide metal spatula, spacing them 3/4 inch apart; set scraps aside. Repeat with remaining dough until cookie sheets are full.
Bake cookies until set in centers and dough barely retains imprint when touched very gently with fingertip, 8 to 11 minutes, rotating cookie sheets front to back and switching positions top to bottom halfway through baking time. Do not overbake. Gather scraps; repeat rolling, cutting, and baking until all dough is used.
Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes, then remove with wide metal spatula to wire rack; cool to room temperature. Store in wide, shallow airtight container or tin with parchment or waxed paper between layers.
Source: Cook's Illustrated
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Results 1 to 13 of 14
October 8th, 2010 #1
Am I doing the right thing to find work?
Hi there, recently was laid off from a job I had at a gas station and I made it my goal to support myself completely with art. You can see my portfolio here for some reference http://dylart.com/
Basically I'm gathering emails of art directors and sending them my portfolio. Looking around on the work related forums on DA and CA, and sending people looking to work with artists my portfolio. This will very much be spam but I'm also gathering emails of all sorts of different family owned business in my city and sending them my portfolio.
Other then just making sure I'm putting in the hours everyday to improve my skills on top of what ever work I get... is there anything else you could suggest?
I'm not completely screwed if I fail, I have family to go back too but I'm confident I wont.
Thanks CA =)
Hide this ad by registering as a memberOctober 8th, 2010 #2
On top of all that, it wouldn't hurt to attend some conventions that are relevant to your work. Getting some feedback from people already in the industry is really invaluable.
Good luck!
October 8th, 2010 #3
Thanks Noah. There's a small convention coming up next month in my city for anime called Otalite. I signed up for a table there in the artist alley, there's only 16 tables so hopefully ill get one =)
Found a post with google about some freelancing sites that ill try making profiles on and linking them to my blog.
Also Dave Rapoza made a good post on freelancing. He suggests putting your name on everything, and putting your name everywhere on the web and participating in the community challenges like character of the week. Pretty much everything that I have no been doing, in past 2 months and stuff I have heard before to do. But there's no better time to start then now.
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October 9th, 2010 #4
Honestly, your work has tons of potential, but I think you need to polish it up a bit more to really start getting attention. I would take part in some of weekly challenges here on CA as I think they'd be relevant to you.
Also, if you have the time, I'd take some life drawing classes; go in, study form, light, all that jazz, but bring in some mediums like pastels, oil and otherwise, or pencils. Your painting and coloring skills are coming a long really nicely, but I think a life drawing environment would give you the edge you need to take your stuff to the next level in terms of realism and precision.
That's just my opinion though.
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October 9th, 2010 #5
Nice that you're doing this Dylan and the link to Rapoza's is damn awesome. I wish you best of luck; it's a tough world out there! I agree with sanya's post in that you could tighten structure from life drawing and it would definitely improve your work tenfold.
While we're on the subject (and hopefully this helps everybody), does anybody know if it's a good idea to send portfolios even if the company isn't hiring anybody at the moment? How would you word an e-mail in those types of situations without looking awkward?
Last edited by Alex Chow; October 9th, 2010 at 10:55 AM.
October 9th, 2010 #6
Sanya: Thanks for the support, your opinion is very much the truth to me. If I'm understanding you correctly I feel that's my problem right now is just my drawing skills. I can't draw tightly, so I can't paint tightly. In my mind I know I'm not at the level where I would really be wanted for work. But I feel like maybe if I try, ill figure out something. I go to 3 hour pose life drawing once a week with alot of awesome people, (actually modeled last time instead since I'm poor haha)
I have every reason to do Chow 218, so I'm doing it =)
Alex: Hey thanks, if you want more awesome stuff check out Earl Nightingale's the strangest secret on youtube. Very good motivational lecture. It's scary when your starting out. But the better you are, the harder your service as an artist is to replace, the more people will pay you and the more jobs you will get. At this point the fact of life is I'm extremely replaceable.
As for your question Alex. My (un)educated guess would be just have your work be very visible in the email so your not spending to much of an art directors time. Give a link to your website portfolio and say you are looking for work, and have a good day. Simple as that, don't expect work or anything or a reply. But do this ever so often with new work and you will be on there radar at the very least =)
Maybe this is much like you? I feel like sending my work at this point to any big company's is just complete blasphemy. I'm not sure if that's just common sense or a bad attitude though. Cryptcrawler once said you will just "know" when your ready. No questions you will just know when your ready to send your work to the big guys. My gut tells me I'm just not ready yet. But maybe if I try I can go catch a few tadpoles.
October 9th, 2010 #7
It is a tough economy and while I wish you success there is nothing wrong with having a non-art job to take care of basics while you improve your art skills. Right now your work isn't pro quality; almost but not quite, combine that with the economy and you are setting yourself up for failure. I'd hit the books and get some life drawing and painting going to strengthen what you already have.
As for Alex, Companies are always looking for the right person and if they are smart they will take a good portfolio and file it for the future. So have your portfolio up somewhere accessable with your CV and contact info and maintain it.
A cover letter describing your passion for the type of work you want to be hired for and if you are familiar with the company why you want to work for them. Briefly cover your experience. Try to get it to the art director not just HR.
Sign up for all of the job boards to get the latest updates from companies make sure you are on Linked-in, gamejobs.com and all of the others. Right now Microsoft Games has over 60 job openings probably 10 of those are art related.
October 9th, 2010 #8
Thanks Dpaint ill take your advice and find some part time work and just focus on my drawing and painting skills as you said. You know better then me. Cheers =)
October 10th, 2010 #9
I'm in a similar boat to you. I'm far from the person to be dishing out advice on this due to lack of experience so I'm happy for anyone to correct me if I'm wrong, but for concept art related work it might be good to display more variety in your portfolio - ie; look into designs for environments, mechanics, vehicles and objects even if they're not your strength. Some more stylised work too to demonstrate that you can go beyond your own borders of style - basically anything and everything to show you're versatile as an artist.
October 11th, 2010 #10
I don't want to discourage you -- you should go ahead and try to push your stuff and see what happens -- but I think you're going to find it hard to support yourself on the type of work that is in your portfolio right now, which is, as Sanya says, full of potential but not solid yet. I would concentrate on keeping food on the table however you have to, and don't stop working on your portfolio. I'd also consider branching out from just sci-fi/fantasy.
October 11th, 2010 #11
Just adding to what Mickeymao said, in addition to branching out from sci-fi/fantasy, don't be afraid to look for work even further afield if you need to... For instance, if you have any design skills or production skills or anything similar, picking up design and production jobs can be a good way to help support yourself when illustration work is scarce. (Work like that, while unglamorous, at least keeps you in the field and connected to potential clients.)
For instance, I know some people who scraped through the early part of their careers doing comic coloring work - not terribly glamorous, but it kept them afloat until they had a stronger portfolio.
October 12th, 2010 #12
Thanks everyone I really appreciate the help. Your all very right, I'm looking at my portfolio and realizing that's it's all more of the same thing. While not necessarily a bad thing, at this point it's not going to get me a whole lot of work. And really, I'm pretty young. I think I should try out alot of different things and not get to caught up in doing one thing.
Not to say not to take my time, I gota take my time on all the things I try.
Friend of mine kicked my ass and told me to just try my best to find work. So I'm just saying to my self "screw it, I'm gona try." It wont leave a big black spot on my life if I fail, I think ill learn some things. Got nothing to lose but some pride I think Dave Rapoza did that. Just looked for work, and it got steadier and steadier as his work improved.
I feel my questions are answered but feel free to add in your 2 cents. I think a lot of people have questions like this.
October 13th, 2010 #13
Nothing has made me work harder to achieve my goals than having this shit job. There's nothing like making less than 12,000 a year to really get your creative juices flowing! Every hour I spend drawing/painting is one hour closer to never having to do this again.
I know this might have sounded like a smart-ass comment, but trust me when I say I mean it. I'm not saying GO for getting a job you hate, but damn if it don't put a little flame under your pants to get you moving.
"She took the ice cube trays out of the freezer. What kind of a sick bitch takes the ice cube trays out of the freezer?"


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Mar 28, 2013 - By Clair McFarland:  For the Husband, it's basketball; for me, it was the literary sewers of Paris with 'Les Miserables'
Here comes the tax
Mar 28, 2013 - By Steven R. Peck:  The extra penny per dollar kicks in April 1 -- no fooling
Mar 28, 2013 - The Associated Press:  Arrest follows woman's death
Fed move would end wolf protections in places where there are no wolves
Mar 28, 2013 - The Associated Press:  CHEYENNE -- Western environmental groups say they're alarmed that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering a plan to end federal protections for gray ... [more]
Elk hunt set record in 2012
Mar 28, 2013 - The Associated Press:  CHEYENNE -- Elk hunters in Wyoming killed a record number of elk last year.
New rec trail planned for Sinks Canyon
Mar 28, 2013 - By Eric Blom, Staff Writer:  Cyclists, equestrians, hikers, skiers and snowshoers will have more space to play in Fremont County. The Shoshone National Forest will start building a ... [more]
State weighs response to slashed fed lease payout
Mar 28, 2013 - By Ben Neary, The Associated Press:  The U.S. Department of Interior is cutting federal mineral payments to 35 states by about $110 million this fiscal year as part of the automatic federal ... [more]
County protests BLM plan in area of sage grouse habitat
Mar 28, 2013 - By Eric Blom, Staff Writer:  The Fremont County Commission is at odds with the Bureau of Land Management over balancing environmental protections with development.
CWC wants to lower costs of employee recruitment
Mar 28, 2013 - By Katie Roenigk, Staff Writer:  Reducing airline travel expense is one of the college's priorities.
Game herds feel drought impact; state changing seasonal quotas
Mar 28, 2013 - By Eric Blom, Staff Writer:  Sportsmen say the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is managing game responsibly with 2013's big game seasons.
Christensen ups offensive tempo during spring football practice
Mar 28, 2013 - The Associated Press:  LARAMIE -- Tempo. Tempo. Tempo.
RHS track teams best Lander in early dual meet
Mar 28, 2013 - By Bruce Tippets, Sports Editor:  The meet was Riverton's second of the season, Lander's first.