I'm happy to see that Steven Sinofsky has started up the Building Windows 8 blog, http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/, that will be exploring many aspects of the product I've been working on since Oct 2010 but haven't been able to say anything about! Hopefully I'll be able to start blogging on developer-related subjects here soon. In the meantime, I'll be seeing you at the //Build conference in Anaheim in a couple of weeks.

The teams at Microsoft working on the ADO.NET Entity Framework and WCF (ADO.NET) Data Services are wrapping up work for .NET Framework 4, and are ready to kick off the next round of features. This is really part of their open design processes, and they're right looking for your input on new features.

Here's where you want to go:

http://blogs.msdn.com/adonet/archive/2010/02/10/vote-for-future-entity-framework-and-data-services-features.aspx 

Data Services Page: https://connect.microsoft.com/dataplatform/content/content.aspx?ContentID=15540 
Entity Framework Page: https://connect.microsoft.com/dataplatform/content/content.aspx?ContentID=15541   

Available on my main website: New Year's is Good Timing for New Year's Resolutions!

Comments are welcome here.

Cases of terminal childhood diseases often awaken our pity, and even dismay at the apparently unfairness of the universe. But in some cases, at least, there is the possibility of real purpose behind what otherwise appears to be a life cut short, a purpose to awaken in us not mere pity, but a deeper compassion and understanding.

This article explores that possibility more deeply. I'd originaly written it in November but neglected to announce it; at least it gave me the chance to make a few edits just now.

Comments are welcome here.

In moving my printer the other day I remembered that the box it was sitting contained about 40 spare copies of my book, Mystic Microsoft!

So I thought I'd offer these to readers of this blog as holiday gifts, completely free (I'll even pay the shipping). In other words, drop me your name and address to kraig (at) kraigbrockschmidt.com along with how many copies you'd like, and I'll send them to you. No strings attached. I'll even sign them! 

I would only request, without obligation of course, that you too enter into the spirit of generosity during the holidays, by giving of your time and/or money to any cause that inspires you.

Update 12/1/09: A good dozen books went out in the last week, but I still have more. Requests are still welcome.

Update 12/15/09: Still 15 copies left, with others heading out to various parts of the world.

Update 1/1/10: Still a few copies remain, so inquiries still welcome. Thanks to all those who've written their appreciation for the gift and haev also paid it forward.

It's been a long time coming for me to finally get a blog going. That I've done it was pretty much motivated by the need to post materials related to my work at Microsoft, which will likely form the bulk of the first entries. But I'll also be using this space for non-Microsoft stuff too, things that aren't lengthy or polished enough to warrant being an article on my main website.

I've actually hesitated for a long time to create a blog because of the whole commenting business. Yes, I know this is a big part of the democratic information/web 2.0/social bit, but fact of the matter is that most comments on blog posts leave much to be desired where thoughfulness is concerned (and sometimes prove that the commenter didn't actually read the post). The last thing I really want when I post a carefully thought-out article is to have oft-random comments and rants carelessly negate the points I'm trying to communicate. In other words, I believe that an article should carry more weight than the comments, and that an article should be presented in its own context without the distraction of comments.

This way, the main part of kraigbrockschmidt.com is a resource for people who are interested in what I, individually, am sharing with them. Thus anything produced in that spirit will continue to go on that part of the site. I'll make a reference to that piece on this blog and invite comments here; that way, there is still a space for discussion that won't othewise interfere with the presentation of the work itself.

Most of my Microsoft-related stuff, on the other had, will go directly here because obtaining feedback is one of the primary reasons for writing such pieces in the first place. (A curious side-note is that at Microsoft I'm part of a group that's focused on 'modeling' where software engineering is concerned, while 'modeling' has another place in my life in terms of model rockets and trains, thanks to my almost three-year-old son.)

In any case, this blog is up and running now using BlogEngine.NET, which is an easy system to work with on an ASP.NET-oriented website.

For more about my intentions for the blog (any the name I chose for it), see the About "Luminarity" page.