The last time we were here was back in 2008.  Things have changed tremendously even over
the last 6 years.  The forces of modern progress are seen everywhere.  This month (July 2014), my family are back but this time for a different reason.  We are here to reflect, introduce our kids to a country my wife and I were born.  The stories we told them about the Khmer Rouge was only a story with no context.  Being here with them physically
in some ways helps them connect the country to the story (history). Having our kids gain perspective and a sense of appreciation of how lucky they are to be able to grow up in the US is our ultimate goal.  Self-reflection, meet family members, and doing some volunteer work are part of our itinerary this trip.

As you read this passage, the juxtaposition of the past during the Khmer Rouge period versus our current activities could not be more different.  Yes, we are VERY lucky.

Indulgence

Our first three days in Cambodia.  We visited the resort town of Sihanoukville.  This is the place where most Cambodians go for holidays.  We needed this to get over jet lags (11 hrs difference).

Looking at this picture you would think it is no different than from a typical resort in US.  This is only one part of Cambodia.  Stay tuned for many more scenes as we travel across the country in next couple of weeks.
 
 
  Cambodian version of Taxi
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 

 

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 

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There's a right way and a wrong way to build Windows Phone applications. These 10 tips can help you do it the right way.

Microsoft today named some of the country’s top “cloud-friendly” U.S. cities. The rankings are based on the results of an extensive survey in which 2,000 IT decision makers nationwide discussed how they are adopting and using cloud computing.

Microsoft is holding the inaugural launch for a new product, Microsoft WebMatrix at the CodeMash event in Sandusky, Ohio on January 13, 2011. CodeMash is a community organized event that draws a wide array of web development community members across the ASP.NET, PHP, Ruby, Python and Java communities.

What is WebMatrix?

Microsoft WebMatrix is a new web development tool that makes it easy for anyone to create a new web site. Users can start from any of the built-in or online templates or any of the free popular open source ASP.NET or PHP web applications, such as WordPress, Joomla!, DotNetNuke or Umbraco, located in the online Web Applications Gallery or use a pre-built website template. Users can customize their site using the code and database editor within WebMatrix. When a user is ready to publish their site, WebMatrix provides access to offers from our hosting partners within the hosting gallery makes it easy to choose the right hosting partner for the app being created with a selection of hosting packages. Once a hosting package is selected and configured, WebMatrix then seamlessly publishes the site and database to the web.

Getting Developers Excited

WebMatrix is a very unique new kind of web development environment and represents the culmination of many years of development and evolution for the Microsoft Web Platform as we have sought to make ours the best platform for any type of developer or user who wants to build and publish for the web. The vast array of templates and pre-built web applications that are available in WebMatrix makes it appropriate for every kind of user, from a seasoned WordPress or Joomla user to a newer web user or developer that needs a simple and seamless way to get themselves or their company on the web. The combination of our Web Application Gallery and templates with our recently released Web Hosting Gallery into a single environment within WebMatrix makes it unique. There is nothing else quite like WebMatrix in the market.

World Wide Launch Event

The main launch event for WebMatrix will be held at CodeMash in Ohio in January 13^th. To help us reach the largest audience possible we are also simultaneously holding a live steaming event called, Enter the WebMatrix and will be streamed from http://microsoft.com/web/enter. This live event will be streamed as both an HD Smooth Stream as well as WMV for non SL users.

Catch it here on-demand if you missed the lived event.

Not everyone could attend PDC2010 in person but that doesn’t mean you can’t get all the contents in real-time or on-demand.  Below are tons of links and resources for the Windows Azure Platform.  Enjoy!!

Today, at PDC 2010, we announced new Windows Azure functionality that will make it easier for customers to run existing Windows applications on Windows Azure, enable more affordable platform access and improve the Windows Azure developer and IT Professional experience. This new Windows Azure functionality is driven by extensive customer and partner feedback collected through forums such as mygreatwindowsazureidea.com. We thank you for your valuable input over the past year and look forward to your continued feedback.

Improved Support for Enterprises

We are adding the following capabilities to Windows Azure in order to make it easier to integrate resources between the cloud and traditional IT systems, and provide better support for existing Windows applications.

• Support for more types of new and existing Windows applications will soon be available with the introduction of the Virtual Machine (VM) role. Customers can move more existing applications to Windows Azure reducing the need to make costly code or deployment changes.
• Development of more complete applications using Windows Azure is now possible with the introduction of Elevated Privileges and Full IIS. The new Elevated Privileges functionality for the Web and Worker role will provide developers with greater flexibility and control in developing, deploying and running cloud applications. The Web role will soon provide Full IIS functionality, which enables multiple IIS sites per Web role and the ability to install IIS modules.
• Remote Desktop functionality enables customers to connect to a running instance of their application or service in order to monitor activity and troubleshoot common problems.
• We're also introducing a range of new networking functionality under the Windows Azure Virtual Network name. Windows Azure Connect (formerly Project Sydney), which enables a simple and easy-to-manage mechanism to setup IP-based network connectivity between on-premises and Windows Azure resources, is the first Virtual Network feature that we'll be making available as a CTP later this year.

With the introduction of these enterprise-ready service enhancements, both enterprise customers and the systems integrators who support their businesses can use Windows Azure to extend and optimize their IT capabilities.

More Affordable Platform Access

Cost is one of the key drivers of cloud adoption, and Windows Azure will soon include an offering that provides access to compute instances at a substantially lower cost. This new 'Extra Small' Windows Azure Instance will provide developers with a cost-effective training and development environment. Developers can also use the 'Extra Small' instance to prototype cloud solutions at a lower cost. We are also announcing a new "Cloud Essentials Pack" offer that replaces our existing partner offers. This offer provide free access to the Windows Azure platform including 750 extra small instance hours and a SQL Azure database per month at no charge, and will be available to Microsoft Partner Network members beginning January 7, 2011.

Better Developer and IT Professional Experience
We heard that while you appreciated the reduced management burden that the cloud offers, you also place a high value on retaining the flexibility to see and control how your applications and services are running in the cloud. To address these needs, we are announcing the following developer and operator enhancements at PDC 10:

• A completely redesigned Silverlight based Windows Azure portal to ensure an improved and intuitive user experience
• Access to new diagnostic information including the ability to click on a role to see role type, deployment time and last reboot time
• A new sign-up process that dramatically reduces the number of steps needed to sign up for Windows Azure.
• New scenario based Windows Azure Platform forums to help answer questions and share knowledge more efficiently.

One of the most exciting things we're announcing today is the new Windows Azure Marketplace, which is an online marketplace for you to share, buy and sell building block components, premium data sets, training and services needed to build Windows Azure platform applications. This is a great way to help you quickly create and monetize applications on Windows Azure. We are delivering the first section in the Windows Azure Marketplace, DataMarket, (formerly Microsoft Codename "Dallas") which is now commercially available, and will enable you to leverage public data in your applications, creating richer experiences for your users. Already there are more than 35 data providers offering subscriptions on DataMarket. Visit the DataMarket (Dallas) blog for more information. A beta of the application section of the Windows Azure Marketplace will be available later this year.

With these investments, Windows Azure provides the broadest range of access and connection to the cloud, and a differentiated model for cross premises connectivity. We're excited to continue working with you to build out the most comprehensive cloud platform on the market and appreciate the feedback you have provided thus far - keep that feedback coming! All the features above will be available to customers by the end of the calendar year 2010. The VM role and Extra Small instance will be available in Beta, while Windows Azure Connect will be available in CTP. All other features will be Generally Available by the end of the year. If you would like to be notified when these Windows Azure features are available, and when we're accepting registrations for the VM role and Extra Small instance Beta as well as the Windows Azure Connect CTP, please click here.

Coming in CY2011

At PDC 10, we are also announcing that the following important features will be made available to customers in CY2011.

• Dynamic Content Caching: With this new functionality, the Windows Azure CDN can be configured to cache content returned from a Windows Azure application.
• CDN SSL Delivery: Users of the Windows Azure CDN will now have the capability to deliver content via encrypted channels with SSL/TLS.
• Improved global connectivity: We will add new Windows Azure CDN nodes in the Middle East and improve existing connectivity in the US and Brazil.
• Constructing VM role images in the cloud: We will enable developers and IT Professionals to build VM images for VM role directly in the cloud. This will be offered as an alternative to the current approach of building images on-premises and uploading them over the Internet.
• Support for Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 in the VM role.
• Improved Java Enablement: Microsoft plans to make Java a first-class citizen on Windows Azure. This process will involve improving Java performance, Eclipse tooling and client libraries for Windows Azure. Customers can choose the Java environment of their choice and run it on Windows Azure.

Since this year's PDC is a fully virtualized event, there is much more guidance and information available to you online. To attend PDC 2010 virtually, please visit: http://www.microsoftpdc.com/.  For additional information about today's news, check out the PDC Virtual Press Room.   

We’ve all been waiting for this.  Have at it!  This is the culmination of many years of R&D and judging from responses from the public this newest Microsoft Windows Phone platform promises to take the user experience to the next level.

Go here for more details on the release and all relevant download links.

Other Key links for your convenience:

Key links:

· WP Blog Announcement: http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/wpdev/

· Tools Download Center Landing Page - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=04704acf-a63a-4f97-952c-8b51b34b00ce;

· Headless Download (direct to .exe) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=185584;

· Release Notes - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=185269

· Jump Start registration training link (live class 9/21) - https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032462274&Culture=en-US

PivotViewer Control

The Silverlight PivotViewer makes it easier to interact with massive amounts of data on the web in ways that are powerful, informative, and valuable. PivotViewer lets us present thousands of things at once and visualize them in a way that exposes value from the group.

PivotViewer is now available for you to begin building and embedding your collections directly onto your webpage. Click on the Download Now to install the PivotViewer and begin building your collections.

DOWNLOAD NOW

Rich Interactive Application technologies such as Silverlight 4 adds a whole new dimension to the way users interact with data intensive applications.  For Sungard, their Gas Trading is the perfect application that benefit of such technologies.

What does the application do?

The Gas Trading application provides either tree based navigation of the area / zone / location and pipelines or directly by overlays on the Bing map.  Push pins represent transfer points on pipelines and can be used to zoom in, display position at that location, and enter new trades, and to dynamically change the actual gas routing.

Solution Highlighted at MIX10 Scott Guthrie Keynote via video montage

Challenge->Solution->Benefits

Interview with Neil Palmer, Partner at Sungard Consulting Services.  Sungard Head of Consulting Practice:  Business Impact of Cloud Computing and RIA.

In this episode, Hong Choing talks to Neil Palmer, Partner for Sungard Consulting Service about the impact of Cloud Computing and new Rich Internet Application technologies such as Silverlight 4.