Effective Thoughts

So I'm over at the local Microsoft office this morning for a meeting. I get there a little early to chat with my peeps and everyone keeps saying, " I'm a PC ". Huh? Is this some new addition to the mountain of acronyms out of Redmond? Crap. I need wireless. Save me Google. Even the admin (whom I've befriended over the years...) is busting this out along with a sly, knowing smile. (Me returning the smile with a forced gesture likely resembling The Joker in Dark Knight ). "Oh, how lovely. My 1-year-old threw up on me yesterday", was the response brewing in my head. As this scenario keeps repeating itself, that old I-forgot-to-wear-pants-today-but-don't-realize-it nightmare sets in and I'm all freaked out. I have this deep-seated fear of calling someone by the wrong name (I'm terrible with names...sorry, I really do care about you) and I'm getting that clammy, can't-believe-I-just-called-Chuck-the-name-Ralph feeling of idiocy. Finally, ...

Attempting to install SQL Server 2008 Express recently, I kept receiving "...must install Microsoft .Net Framework 2.0 SP2". Huh? There was no SP2, AFAIK. Turns out there was but it's only wrapped into the .Net 3.5 SP1 redistributable . Leveraging this helpful MSDN forums post , I installed the following and successfully brought SQL Server 2008 Express up on a Win2k3 SP1 box. .Net Framework 3.5 SP1 Windows Installer 4.5 SQL Server 2008 Express Why does everything need to be so damn complicated?

It's a rough time (9PM EST) but some of the TFS heavyweights created a Virtual TFS User Group . Your local ALM group ( COALMG ) clearly is superior in community and value, however. ;-)

Last Sunday, I completed the Spirit of Columbus Half Marathon . I beat my goal (under 2 hours) but the last 4 miles were killer. It showed . Training offered for an enjoyable summer of exercise but I'm hanging up the running shoes for a while...need to work on strength, flexibility, and balance.

Recently a client inquired if it were possible within the Team Foundation Server (TFS) Source Control authorization capabilities to prohibit merging. Having a long week, I brainlessly looked at the authorization options within Source Control Explorer (right-mouse Properties >> Security tab): Nothing there. Then I knocked my forehead and realized one would configure this authorization as part of the branching mechanism. Duh. Merging is a client-side activity. If you can access the TFS server, you can merge. However, committing changes to server source repository requires Check In authorization. My personal preference is to empower and entrust developers with a fair amount of responsibility. Thus, I like to enable merging into the integration branch for developers. However, this client wanted to restrict developers from merging and reserve this responsibility for accounts belonging to a TFS group (created by default) named "Project Administrators". These are folks ...

Amidst all the .Net 3.5 SP1 and VSTS 2008 SP1 excitement, Team System Web Access (TSWA) got pushed aside. Not to be left behind, the TSWA team announced their SP1 recently. Installing it this morning, I encountered this error: "Another version of this product is already installed. Installation of this version cannot continue. To configure or remove the existing version of this product, use Add/Remove Programs on the Control Panel." I posted to the forums about this and it turns out one must uninstall first and then re-install. Maybe I'm the odd one out but I can't recall ever uninstalling to apply a service pack. Regardless, here are the steps I followed: 1. Note IIS settings/configuration: 2. From Add/Remove Programs, remove Visual Studio Team System Web Access. Keep all your settings: 3. Kick off the TSWA MSI installer. 4. When you encounter the existing site conflict, configure to leverage/use the existing site and application pool: 5. I chose Windows authenticati...