Here. In this concept video, Carter Maslan, Longhorn evangelist, shows off secure, peer-to-peer networking using pub/sub in Indigo, Longhorn's identity management, organizing data using WinFS metadata relationships, using DRM to keep patient data confidential and some more ClickOnce s/w installation. The application itself shows off a specialist working remotely on a set of real x-rays showing a real case of a person incorrectly sent home having inhaled something he shouldn't and who could have really used a specialist on demand.

As I’ve mentioned, the reason we’re put the Longhorn preview bits out so early is so that we can get feedback at a time when things can still change. So, when you see Brad Abrams, Chris Anderson or any of the other dozens of MS PMs and Architects hanging out on the web ask for feedback on what they can do to make things better, take them up on it! Don’t be shy. If you hate something, tell us so we can change it! If you love something, tell us so we don’t change it!

Even if there isn’t any specific blog entry to which you can reply, start or your or post something to the WinFX newsgroups. We’ve got members of the Longhorn team looking everywhere for your feedback. For example, yesterday Dino posted a theory he had about developer reaction to some particular aspect of the new Longhorn programming model. Rob Relyea saw that post and today he’s soliciting more feedback on XAML compound property syntax and XAML as a whole, the latter specifically becase of Dino’s post.

If you care enough about Longhorn to be running it at this stage, you really should take these guys up on their offers and use the newsgroups. And if you’re afraid that you’re not getting your feedback seen, drop me a line. I can’t guanartee that your feedback will be incorporated, but I can make sure the right folks see it.

Rob Relyea, a Lead PM on the Avalon team, talks about the chief design motivation for XAML, describes the current compound property syntax and then asks if developers would like it to change. Personally, I really like the current compound property syntax, especially given the choices, but Rob doesn't care what I think, he cares what you think. Go tell him.

Dino’s gotten some interesting feedback from his XAML-based articles. Apparently he’s hearing from “real programmers” that don’t want to “recycle themselves as web designers.” This feeling Dino has dubbed “un-programming” and it’s the idea that XAML takes away the need to code.

XAML is most of what’s needed to build trade-show apps, that’s true. But look at your apps today: How much of your web app is HTML and how much is C# or VB.NET? How much of your Windows Forms app is in the InitializeComponent method and how much is code? While XAML can also be used for general-purpose object creation and initialization, as far as the UI of your app is concerned, all XAML does is replace the HTML or InitializeComponent method. The power of what Avalon can do is separate the UI from the code so that trained designers can work on the specifics of the UI, while real developers work on the specifics of handling events and hooking up the business logic and talking to the back-end datastore.

I know that as a Microsoft flunky, the value of my reasoning is now suspect. So don’t listen to me. Listen to Dino:

“XAML is the hot new toy for app developers, and articles inevitably emphasizes that. However, there’s life beyond XAML. And by life here I mean code, managed code, classes, methods, delegates, events and the like. XAML is a shortcut much like ASPX tags in ASP.NET. Believe me, you wouldn’t do much with XAML alone and without smart C# or VB.NET code.

“XAML (and the Longhorn programming style) is not the negation (and let alone the death) of programming.”

Last time, Ryan Dawson posted a fun Avalon sample showing system information using graphics and animation. Today he’s back exploring the use of WinFS to build a tiny CRM app.

Here.

Type in a zip code and see the scope of it’s location narrowed as you type more digits. Simple but powerful way to visualize data that doesn’t involve listboxes or datagrids.

I’d like s/w engineers around the world to open their minds to the possibility of alternate data visualizations. It is possible for engineers to have these kinds of thoughts. I know because I spent some time learning a little bit about Adobe Illustrator over XMas and then recently was able to build a logo from scratch for a little investment business my brother-in-law and I are starting up. Until I let myself believe that I could do it, I had always let other people do this kind of work for me.

Jeez, I sound like Tony Robbins…

<politics>Or rather, that’s the headline I wish I could post. However, instead of CBS and the FCC getting freaked out about the insane amount of severe violence on TV, available to our children any time of the day or night, they’re worried about 3 seconds of breast. Idiots.</politics>

Here.

Eric Sink talks about starting your own company. More specifically, he recommends that you don’t do it unless you’re absolutely sure that’s what you want to do. Having started several businesses in my time, a couple of things really resonate:

“In the business world, ideas are worthless. Real value comes from good execution.”

and

“The developer tools market offers the worst of both worlds. It is a small market, and is occupied by big, powerful competitors.”

Both are so true.