Hi! >>And those countries are proud to be European! Shame on them!<< >>to support US in his fascist attack to Iraq<< Well, my country (Slovak Republic, Central Europe) also decide to support USA with regards to this. Maybe I am a stupid (or idealist) but I'm proud about this. It was good decision, in my opinion. Why I think so? Facts: Iraq regime clearly support terrorism (money dotations for families of Palestinian terrorists who died in suicide attacks, very close relations with some other terrorist organizations, ...). Iraq regime really hate USA. Iraq had in past no small amount of biological, chemical weapons, and today's nobody knows what happens with these weapons. These are undisputed facts. Aren't these? What USA is trying is to be sure that these very dangerous weapons wouldn't be used in another terrorist's attack against USA. I think that USA had right to defend our own country and our peoples, or have not? btw, if Iraq really do not have biological, chemical weapons anymore, as they claims, why they just do not show evidence that they destroy these weapons, or that these weapons aren't usable anymore? USA then wouldn't have any solid arguments. Just fact that OSN inspectors do not found anything do not means that these weapons do not exists nor mean that these weapons do not belongs to terrorist already. I just my opinion. SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

http://www.sysadminday.com/

Do not forget about your admin! SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Hi there! I looking forward to buy my first notebook, so I like to hear what you guys use, like to use, recommend... I thinking about some model of Toshiba Tecra or IBM ThinkPad for now, but I just start looking. Like to have solid stable machine that I can carry around, no need for newest hw, but also do not like to think about upgrade after few months. And yes, reasonable price is welcome... Main use will be working on personal projects (.NET programming, like to have dual boot WinXP, Windows.NET server), and other general stuff (web surfing, emails, office, ...). So, what you thing would be better machine for me? many thanks, SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Hello! Here is also video (WMF format, about 5MB) with 'key parts' of his (Don's) bathtube presentation. ( http://www.dnjonline.com/TechEd2001/DonBoxBath.wmv) On his website Don promises even more spectacular show this year. He say: "I continue to speak on .NET and XML at internal and public conferences and events. In particular, I plan to top my bathtub talk at TechEd Barcelona in the summer of 2002." (see 'Plans for 2002' on http://www.donbox.com/) regards, SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Well, we must have some patience and wait... Bill Gates, speaking on MS DevDays'2001 in Prague (Czech Rep.) on Dec 05, 2001, said that VS.Net definitely will be here in 30 days from this his speech. So maybe this week or next? SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Well, this was a some kind of side note in parenthesis... But overall performance of our ASP.NET apps is better than performance of our old ASP apps. This is because ASP.NET (C# code) is compiled and ASP code (VBScript with some business layer components written in VB6 - I have no stuff for rewrite all this in C++ ATL) is mainly interpreted. But you are right performance of high quality ATL C++ code, should be, at least in general, better than performance of managed C# code. Although once (C# code is) JITed and cached difference is not so big. SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

>>Crap, crap crap. Proven how ? Quantified how ? Studies paid for by who ? Bollocks.<< See my comments above in my previous answer to you in this thread. >>LOOKS more modern ? You mean the name, or the end result ?<< I mean language features in C# and features in .NET Framework. For example Exception mechanism for error handling, code security features, support for writing components, support for multi-thread programming, all this is part of language or part of framework from beginning. I think this native support of this proved features made programming language/programming environment more modern. >>only because M$ have the money and we have fast enough machines to make it so<< If Java or .NET, or say web services application architecture, do not give us some additional value that it is not present in actually used systems, then they do not have chance on market in long term (please note, I say 'in long term'). >>You know what ? I agree. If I could be as productive in C and get a speed/performance increase, I'd do it. I do it now when I choose not to use MFC if I don't need it, for example. I'm not saying C++ *forever*, I'm saying that it's stupid to abandon it *now* just because there's a trendy new language on the block.<< 100% agree. But as I wrote in my case I get much better productivity (and speed - in my ASP web apps - too!) using C#/.NET in my projects. SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

>>You're kidding, right ?<< No. It is my year and half experience with C# and .NET. Again, it maybe do not apply for all kinds of apps. If you write some specialized apps then maybe benefits for you are not so big. But, I can say, that for general developmet in enterprise environment (partially Internet/Intranet, partially windows desktop clients, mainly business DB oriented apps, integrated with other enterprise systems) it is big leap in productivity thanks to having one unified environment, one framework of class libs with great networking features, not to saying about great deployment feature, especially no need for registering components, possibility to have various versions of one components deployed side-by-side, and possibility of running windows app from URL. I'm really not kidding. I'm not marketing gyu, I code for living. But I must say, that these are things we really use. And these things work great for us. >>Why would anyone *want* a runtime slowing their code down ?<< Because it is, in general, more easy to write managed code in C# than write unmanaged in C++. If my code is solid and performance of this code is satisfying for my customers and I can do this say in one week in C#, then why write this two weeks in C++ to have better performance. Of course, while program some apps where perfomance is crucial (graphics, scientific calculations, heavily used server controls, real-time apps, ...) then it is better to use C++ to have best performance. If best possible performance will be first criterium on all apps then all apps will be written in assembler no matter how long this takes. >>memory management and garbage collection for people not smart enough to manage their own memory ?<< If one do not use pointers in his/her code then this do not mean that one do not understand how to use it. I think when I do not need to care about releasing memory (no memory leaks, ...) then it is more easy to program, and I can be more productive. >>The reason C++ did not come with garbage collection as standard is that it is easily added, and it slows the language down.<< It is not so easy. Main problem with C++ while implementing Garbage Collection is that C++ do not have single-rooted object hierarchy. In Java or in .NET all objects are inherited from one base class, in C++ there is not such one base clas for all objects. So, Garbage Collection cannot be implemented so efficiently by this fact. SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

well, .NET (while we talking mainly about this) is new environment, new platform, and one must learn many things to became productive and do everyday task as routine. But I still think that (at least from my experience) if you get professional C# or say Java programmer (who really know his/her stuff and already have class libs, components and prepared templates on hands, too) and C++ programmer, then - while writing normal but not trivial,for example DB oriented or web based apps, then C# or Java programmer will be really more productive than C++ programmer. >>the move from C to C++ was incrimental in nature<< maybe, maybe not. For many peoples I know tooks long time to start program using OOP principles. >>both C and C++ suport inline assembler code. So again they just enhanced assembler. << Interesting point of view. Do you really use inline assembler in your code while you program for win32 platform. I never do that, IIRC. Or you try say that writing code in assembler is so similar to coding in C++? SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

hello! >>What does 'fully managed' mean ?<< 'Managed code' mean code that (is written for and) running in managed environment and use (while run) services from such managed enviroments. Such managed enviromnent can be CLR while we talk about .NET Framework and about C#. CLR provide many services to running program such as memory management, thread management, code verification and code security services, compilation services (from IL to native code), garbage collection services, reflection services, ... having such set of valuable services built directly in target environment may give us some significant improvement regarding to older environment such as win32 platform. For example far more better programmer productivity, far more easiest deployment, more fine-granuled security, etc. btw, for very nice explanation if these things take a look on Episode020 of MSDN Show http://msdn.microsoft.com/theshow/Episode020/default.asp SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

hello! >>I have realised I am ranting again... But I agree - why waste time on C#, when there is so much to learn in C++ ? << Maybe because of to be more productive while programming? It is proved that program in Java or in C# one can be 3 or 5 times more productive that while using C++. Also C# (in combination with .NET Framework) looks more modern than old environment, say C++ targeting win32 platform. It seems to me that managed environment and managed code (.NET Framework or Java) will be future of programming. btw, this questions looks to me like similar questions from past: "Why use C++ when plain C is more effective" or "Why using C when in x86 assembler we can control every processor tick and write best by hand optimized code?" SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

>>I stopped using Winamp<< What's wrong with WinAmp? Why WMP 7.1 is better? thanks, SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Hello! Does anyone know, what the hell is this http://www.praystation.com/?:confused: SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Hi! Here is link to interesting article about technical aspects of making Lord Of The Rings movie. http://www.filmandvideomagazine.com/2001/10_oct/features/lordorings_oct.htm enjoy! SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Hello! "ngen.exe" (Native Image Generator) is a new tool in .NET Framework SDK added with Beta2. Link to online docs is (please, watch for word wrap): http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/cptools/html/cpgrfnativeimagegeneratorngenexe.asp hth, SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Hello! >>-don't ask me about SP1 !?- << There was "Test Service Pack 1" released on July 26, 2001. You can chcek this by choice "Advanced" on "Service Releases" dialog window. SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Hello! I just considering buy some new HW and I'd like to know what HW you guys actually use (or what you recommend to buy). To be concrete, I thinking about buying new CD-Writer, graphics card and sound card. Most of time when I use computer I write code, while coding I often listen music (MP3, CD), I'm no big game player (I play just occasionaly, few hours per week, no 3D action stuff, I rather like classic adventures...) I rather to buy solid, reliable stuff, even if it isn't newest. Many thanks for any advice. SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Hello! Microsoft annouces that it work with Corel on shared source implementation of subset of .NET (C# and CLI, which are already submited for standardisation process to ECMA) for FreeBSD and Windows. Some info about this: http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010627/sfw023.html http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/dotnet/2001/06/27/dotnet.html SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Hello! My understanding of this: "Blackcomb" is a codename for version of Windows OS next to the Whistler (or Windows.NET), which is due to 2003/2004. Whistler should be give us some pieces of .NET Platform (.NET Framework, some web services, ...). But only Blackcomb should implement .NET platform fully as MS imagine its (with all new "User experiences" such as whole new UI dabbed "Universal Canvas", support for natural language recognition, ...). But to become more real, it is really hard to say what there will be in future about two+ years from now, so best answer should be "we'll see." SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius

Why not? It is possible, at least in theory. You even can build your own language and write your own compiler to managed code for it, etc. Another question is who will use such rare language for real development... SlavoF "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand." --Confucius