Microsoft Enterprise Library is a collection of application blocks designed to assist developers with common enterprise development challenges. Application blocks are a type of guidance, provided as source code that can be used “as is,” extended, or modified by developers for use in enterprise development projects.
Enterprise Library consists of reusable software components that are designed to assist developers with common enterprise development challenges. It includes a collection of functional application blocks addressing specific cross-cutting concerns such as data access, logging, or validation; and wiring blocks, Unity and the Interception/Policy Injection Application Block, designed to help implement more loosely coupled testable, and maintainable software systems.
This major release 5.0 of Enterprise Library contains many compelling new features and updates that will make developers more productive. This release includes: Caching Application Block, Cryptography Application Block, Data Access Application Block, Exception Handling Application Block, Logging Application Block, Policy Injection Application Block, Security Application Block, Validation Application Block, and Unity Application Block.
Microsoft Enterprise Library Home Page
Download Enterprise Library 5.0
Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2010 is the tool of choice for the rapid development of SharePoint applications. Using SharePoint Designer, advanced users and developers alike can rapidly create SharePoint solutions in response to business needs. Advanced users can compose no-code solutions that encompass a variety of common scenarios, from collaborative sites and web publishing to Line-of-Business data integration, business intelligence solutions, and human workflows, leveraging the building blocks available in SharePoint in an easy to use environment. In addition, developers can use SharePoint Designer 2010 to get a quick start on SharePoint development projects.
SharePoint Designer 2010 is a free download that requires Microsoft SharePoint 2010 to work.
Download 32-bit SharePoint Designer
Download 64-bit SharePoint Designer
Microsoft has released to manufacturing SQL Server 2008 R2, the industry’s most complete information platform for managing, accessing and delivering information. SQL Server 2008 R2 will be available to customers in early May through Microsoft’s distribution and partner channels.
To celebrate this release, Microsoft and the Professional Association for SQL Server will host more than 85 live launch events worldwide. For customers and partners who cannot attend a live event, Microsoft is offering an online digital tour.
Key enhancements in this release include:
- Managed self-service business intelligence (BI) for reporting and analysis
- Enterprise-class scalability and greater IT efficiency
- Platform integration spanning the datacenter to the cloud
Download Free Trial
FREE eBook
The Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7 is a collection of applications and games that demonstrate Windows Touch capabilities in Windows 7 and help users learn touch gestures. It was released a year ago to manufacturers of Windows 7 touch devices. Microsoft is now releasing the Touch Pack to the general public.
One of the applications included in the Touch Pack is Microsoft Surface Globe. It uses Virtual Earth 3D to display a 3D version of our planet. You navigate across the globe using multi-touch gestures, zoom in and get local information, and pin your favorite locations. You can also fly around 3D models of major cities.
Download Microsoft Touch Pack
Introducing Touch Pack blog article
StyleCop analyzes C# source code to enforce a set of style and consistency rules. It can be run from inside of Visual Studio or integrated into an MSBuild project.
Microsoft is releasing StyleCop as Open Source under the MS-PL license. Microsoft will create a new project on CodePlex.com containing the full code base for StyleCop, and all future development on StyleCop will be done from that CodePlex site. Microsoft will continue to manage the StyleCop project, and Microsoft will be responsible for creating and releasing official signed builds. However, Microsoft will also take code submissions from the community, and everyone will have access to all of the source code.
The move will happen in a few weeks. Shortly after, Microsoft will release StyleCop 4.4, which will provide full support for C# 4.0, and include many other bug fixes and improvements.
StyleCop homepage
StyleCop blog
Microsoft Enterprise Library is a collection of reusable application blocks designed to assist software developers with common enterprise development challenges.
This Release 5 includes: Caching Block, Cryptography Block, Data Access Block, Exception Handling Block, Logging Block, Policy Injection Block, Security Block, Validation Block, and Unity.
Download Enterprise Library 5
Enterprise Library 5 Source Code on CodePlex
nRoute is an open-source composite application framework for creating MVVM-style applications in Silverlight, WPF, and Windows Phone 7.
nRoute 0.4 is now available with many new features including:
- Multi-Platform Support – targets Silverlight, WPF, and Windows Phone 7
- Asynchronous Routing and Navigation
- Support for Globally Registered Navigation Containers
- “Stateful Browsing" Navigation Container
- Navigation Adapters
- Support for Error Pages, including custom Error Pages
- Support for MVC-style Controllers (replaces Url-based Actions)
nRoute on CodePlex
What’s New in nRoute 0.4
Tabs Studio is a Visual Studio commercial add-in that replaces the built-in Visual Studio tabs and makes all document tabs visible in multiple rows of tabs. Tabs Studio automatically organizes tab placement using tab groups and gives you complete control of tab presentation with XAML styles and custom add-ins.
Tab Studio v2.0 is now available with full support for Visual Studio 2010.
Tabs Studio Homepage
The Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4 Training Kit includes presentations, hands-on labs, and demos. This content is designed to help you learn how to utilize the Visual Studio 2010 features and a variety of framework technologies including C# 4, Visual Basic 10, F#, WCF, WPF, Windows Workflow, ASP.NET 4 and Windows 7.
Download the Training Kit
Silverlight is a powerful development platform for creating engaging, interactive user experiences for Web, desktop, and mobile applications when online or offline. Silverlight is a free plug-in, powered by the .NET framework and compatible with multiple browsers, devices and operating systems, bringing a new level of interactivity wherever the Web works. Silverlight is also one of the programming models for Windows Phone 7 devices.
Key new features in Silverlight 4 include:
- Set of forms controls with over 60 customizable, style-able components.
- Comprehensive printing support.
- The .NET Common Runtime (CLR) now enables the same compiled code to be run on the desktop and Silverlight without change.
- Enhanced data-binding support, data grouping/editing, and string formatting within bindings.
- Managed Extensibility Framework (MEF) supports building large composite applications.
- Silverlight design support in Visual Studio 2010 with drag & drop data-binding, and full IntelliSense.
- Localization enhancements with Bi-Directional text, Right-to-Left support and complex scripts such as Arabic.
Silverlight Homepage
What’s New in Silverlight 4
Developing for Windows Phone 7 with Silverlight
