Applied Visual Studio Team System

Roanoke Code Camp - Time for me to present!

Well, I have to go prepare to present!

I may blog more later - if I don't, Robin Edwards and the Roanoke Code Camp team really did a great job!

:{> Andy

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Roanoke Code Camp - Rob Ericsson - SQL Server 2005 XML Datatype

Rob Ericsson is presenting on the xml Data Type in SQL Server 2005.

As I arrive, Rob is explaining xml data type conversions: you can convert from text to xml, but it's very difficult to convert back.

Rob dives into a comparison between SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005 xml functionality. It's nice that SQL Server 2005 gives us the option of formatting the XML into elements - where we were limited in SQL Server 2000 to an attribute-based format. By adding ",xmlschema" to the query, we can generate a schema along with the data - how cool!

Rob is a great speaker!

:{> Andy

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Roanoke Code Camp - Geoff Snowman - BizTalk

After a tasty lunch (thanks !) Geoff Snowman is presenting on BizTalk.

If you've never heard Geoff talk about his passion, you've missed out.

Geoff is walking through BizTalk Adapter for Host Apps - explaining how BizTalk communicates with CICS on an IBM mainframe.

His demo is building a BizTalk message using Visual Studio 2005. When BizTalk installs, VS project templates are added to the IDE. Geoff is demonstrating defining a Context Property for use in routing BizTalk messages. He accomplished this by promoting a property in an XSD - which was auto-generated by a BizTalk plug-in (which, Geoff explains, is not installed by default).

Good info! And, as always, another stellar Geoff Snowman presentation!

:{> Andy

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Roanoke Code Camp - Chris Love - Search Engine in ASP.Net

Chris Love, a fellow mentor at Solid Quality Learning, is creating a search engine in ASP.Net.

I'm digging the way he's approaching the topic: He mixes "war stories" into his presentation, and the demo consists of Chris building, debugging, and optimizing the application!

Chris is great in front of an audience. He's very intelligent, but breaks things down very nicely. The crowd here today is really enjoying Chris' highly interactive delivery style.

Chris did a great job presenting to Richmond Code Camp 2 last October (three sessions!). Since he didn't volunteer to present at RCC3 maybe I can guilt him into presenting to the Richmond .Net Users Group...

:{> Andy

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Roanoke Code Camp - Tim Tatum - T-SQL

Tim Tatum of Core Consulting is presenting Transact-SQL.

I met Tim and his lovely wife Sharon at the Speaker Dinner last night - they're good people.

Tim's a former school teacher who went back to school to obtain and MBA with an IT focus. I've met a lot of top IT professionals who were once in other careers and later moved to IT. In my opinion, these folks bring a diversity to the field like nothing else.

I learned Tim lives just up the road, so I've already bugged him (last night) about speaking at the Richmond UG meetings.

Tim is speaking on the fundamentals of SQL Server development and design. This is so very important. Why? Whenever I go to a new client who is experiencing performance trouble, inevitably they have designed something in violation of some fundamental.

Tim is, probably because of his teaching background, an excellent speaker! He breaks things down very well and has a soothing delivery style.

Good job, Tim.

:{> Andy

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Roanoke Code Camp I - Omri Bahat - Best SQL Server Practices

Dr. Omri Bahat, SQL Farms guru, is sharing some serious knowledge about the internal workings of SQL Server as I type - focusing on the differences between SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005.

Omri is a perennial favorite at Richmond Code Camps, speaking at all our events to date. His commitment to the regional developer community is obvious - and appreciated by all developer community leaders I know - and I know a few ;).

Right now, he's focusing on the impact indices have on insert statements. Indices are always good, right? Well... good for Select statements. Omri is laying out the difference between Unique Indices and Unique Constraints - hey, I learned something, but I always learn things when Omri presents!. :)

Did you know the statblob column in sysindexes in SQL Server 2000 contains a histogram of the indices? Thanks Omri!

:{> Andy

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Notes From Roanoke Code Camp I

Robin Edwards, president of the Roanoke Valley .Net Users Group and, according to the staff of volunteers here, the heart and soul of Roanoke Code Camp I, did a fantastic job on the morning keynote.

I am typing this from Ashton Hobbs' presentation on .Net 2.0 Tips and Tricks. Although Ashton is a fellow Solid Quality Learning mentor, this iiis the first time we've met. He's drilling into creating a custom control in C# using the .Net 2.0 framework. He's doing such a good job even I can follow along! :)

I am missing Omri Bahat's (SQL Farms guru) presentation on Best Practices with SQL Server, but I may mosey over in a few minutes to check that presentation out.

The team here has done a great job! It's been obvious since I hit the door - the planning and execution of this code camp is outstanding!

Great job, team! Great job, Robin!

:{> Andy

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Roanoke Code Camp is Tomorrow!

I just got back from the Roanoke Code Camp Speakers Social - what a blast!

I met several of the speakers tonight and I am very impressed with the line-up!

If you haven't signed up yet there's still time! You can and show up tomorrow! It's going to be a beautiful day in the Star City tomorrow, and some serious knowledge will be shared by a stellar group of speakers!

I will be there, and hope to see you there as well!

:{> Andy

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