Xperimentality

I got the Silverlight Code Camp Template out on CodePlex last Wednesday.  It still needs a little work but I wanted to go ahead and get it out for folks to start using it if they wanted.  This is the same template that I built for the Alabama Code Camp site.

The template is built to be deployable on the widest range of machines.  It does not use ASP.NET.  In fact, there are no dynamic server side technologies involved.  The site is 100% HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and Silverlight.  It utilizes XML files on the server for data storage since all the data is read-only.  The template also utilizes Silverlight's downloader object and zipped up assets in order to increase network performance.

Yes, more could be accomplished utilizing a combination of ASP.NET, AJAX, Silverlight, and perhaps asmx services, but then the deployment scenarios would be restricted.  And part of the point for developing it the way I did was to demonstrate that none of this was necessary in order to develop a Silverlight site!

The template consist of a main frame that contains the header and navigation.  Each subsequent page is dynamically loaded from the server when needed, then cached in the browser cache for subsequent requests.  Some pages are actually zipped up sets of assets which are then parsed and displayed by Silverlight.  This decreases the number of connections from the browser to the server and decreases overall download size.

By default, there are 5 pages:

• Home
  
  The home page is the landing page.  The home page contents are not dynamic.  They are edited directly allowing maximum flexibility.
• Speakers
  
  The speakers page is a zipped up set of assets.  Contained within the zip are the XML data for the page, pictures of the speakers, the main page layout, the left speaker item template, and the speaker bio template.  This page is generated entirely from the XML file.
• Sessions
  
  The sessions page lists all the sessions from all the speakers.  Clicking on a session title, displays the full description of the session.  This page is also a zipped set of assets containing the page layout, the session template, and the XML file for the data.
• Agenda
  
  The agenda page is a scrollable agenda.  This page was originally dynamically created but, quite honestly, I broke it!  So it is currently edited manually.  The content has been ordered to make it easy to edit in Expression Blend.  One of my first orders of business is to fix what I broke so I can get the dynamic generation part working again.  It will be driven from an XML data file as well.
• Contributors
  
  The contributors page is dynamically generated from an XML data file.  This page is downloaded as a zipped up set of assets containing the page layout, the contributor pics, and the XML data file.

There are a number of enhancements that will be made quickly.  Most of these are easy changes that I just did not get to before posting the project: things like better mouse support in scrollable regions, fixing the dynamic agenda generation, etc.  Hopefully it will be of some use to folks interested in quickly setting up a Silverlight site for their code camp.  I'll be sure to keep my blog updated as enhancements are made!

The day started off pretty good yesterday.  Got to airport on time, got on plane, then got squashed into my tiny seat for 4-5 hours of immobile flight!

Last night I caught up with some guys that I knew and met some that I didn't.  Hung out for a while with Doug Turnure, Shawn Wildermuth, Joe Healy.  I met Scott Hanselman, Tim Sneath and a slew of other folks.

We initially got together at an O'Reilly event.  They were introducing a new concept in book publishing using a Silverlight 2.0 book.  It is called "Up To Date".  It is a book that is up to date with the initial release of Silverlight, but will be updated as releases are put out.  The book itself is unique binder construct that allows new pages to be put into the book ( in a similar fashion to a 3-ring binder ).  Updates to the book will be released both as PDF downloads and as a purchasable update.  Once you register the book, you can download the PDF updates, hole punch the pages, and put it in the book.  It is definitely an interesting concept!

Many of you may know that I have been recording "How Do I" videos for Microsoft Expression products for a while.  Recently a new Web site has been created by Microsoft focusing on the Expression Community.

There are sections for blogs, news and events.  There is a section for videos laid out more similarly to WindowsClient.net.  There is a gallery of work that not only demonstrates work done with the Expression suite of products, but also some creative inspiration sites!  And needless to say, there is a forum section for questions and answers.

If you do any work with the Expression products or are interested in getting started, be sure to check it out!  You can find the new site at http://expression.microsoft.com.

Well I got in to Huntsville last night and went to the speaker's event.  We had a game night...not to mention cookies and other food.  Notice I specifically mentioned cookies!  While I am not a big gaming person, I watched Doug Turnure, Keith Elder, and Jeff Barnes play Rock Band.  They did a lot better than I could have!  As a matter of fact, I think Keith needs more to do since it looked like he must play 5 times a day!  Anyway, it is now day 2 and things have started off great.  There is a large group here so I am sure it will be another overwhelming success!

Although I have not been blogging much, I have been spending a ton of time on WPF and Silverlight projects.  I am still doing some things with ASP.NET AJAX but the majority of my time over the last year or so has been spent in what I call the "XAML Technologies".  Recently I had the opportunity to work with 3 other guys from Moxie Interactive on a Silverlight project for a 20th Century Fox movie called Jumper.  The site is an interactive trailer viewing site built entirely in Silverlight 1.0.  Take a look at the Silverlight site and definitely go see the movie!

Well I am going to get to go to Mix this year.  Jeff Barnes and I went to the first Mix (Mix 06) but neither of us were able to go last year.  Looks like I am headed back this year.  This should be a great year to be there too.  There are going to be plenty of announcements and I am sure there will be a really great look at Silverlight 2.0.

Over the last 2-3 years I have been working with Silverlight (WPF/E) and I am really looking forward to Silverlight 2.0.  Don't get me wrong, I think Silverlight 1.0 is terrific and I don't mind having to write a good deal of JavaScript (I guess I am sick that way).  There are a lot of folks who are waiting till 2.0 so I think the world of Silverlight is just going to explode as more people start to seriously use it.  The future is waiting to be discovered!

Hope to see any of you there!

Well our 6th installment of the Alabama Code Camp is well on its way to being here.  The 6th Alabama Code Camp will be in Huntsville, Alabama on February 23, 2008.  It is going to be at Virginia College.

If you have never been to a code camp then you might wonder what in the world it is.  Well, in a nutshell, a code camp is an all day free developers conference.  It is put on by the development community, usually hosted by the local user group with help from volunteers.  The speakers range from the guy you sit next to at work to Microsoft MVPs to INETA speakers to Microsoft employees.  The topics range from beginner level introductions to more advanced topics.  And the material is very code focused so there is not a lot of marketing hype.  This is just the "good stuff".  You will have a chance to network with your peers and ask questions of those that are working with the technologies everyday.

Code camps are great fun.  They usually involve free lunch, breakfast, and, if you stay till the end, free swag!  If you have not registered, visit the site and click on the registration link or just go straight there.

I hope to see you there!

Tonight the Birmingham .NET User Group hosted a Visual Studio 2008 InstallFest and Game Night.  It was very successful and everyone had a great time.

Doug Turnure brought over 3 XBox 360s and we projected them on the wall in a 3 different rooms.  At one point we had Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Halo 3 going.  All I can say is I am glad we are developers and not band members!

We had some terrific giveaways for attendees including a Microsoft wireless mouse and keyboard, a fingerprint reader, and lots more.