If you want to know about the new ThinkPad TabletPC from Lenovo or other "real news" you will have to check out a "real news" site but here are the impressions that I have from day 1 of TechEd.
Steve Balmer Keynote
The theme seems to be that there is a "New World Of Work" based around the information worker.
He displayed a chart showing percentages of directories being used in enterprises. I didn't write down all the numbers but it seemed to add up to something like 150%. He didn't give an explaination.
With Exchange 2003 SP2 and Windows Mobile 5.0 you can push out e-mail to a PocketPC just like RIM is able to do with a BlackBerry now.
There is a new service called "Virtual Earth" that seems to be a "take that Google Maps" kind of site that has a lot of the same functionality but with a cool overlay feature.
WS-Management allows management through MOM and web services. They demonstrated managing a SUN box with MOM. Steve seemed to enjoy pulling fans out of the SUN box.
Microsoft Update will now update the entire MS Product line with a single agent.
DAT 382 - SQL Express
SQL Express gives you a full engine but limited to 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM, and 4 GB database size.
Version 2.0 of the framework is required for SQL Express.
The default instance of SQL Express installed with VS is SQLEXPRESS.
If SQL Express is already installed on the machine you can XCOPY deploy the .mdf and it will run.
Tools
Express Manager
SQL computer Manager
Command Line Tools
New DataSet designer. No XSD Editor. Extensibility through partial classes.
TableAdapters - wrap data adapters with new capabilities
Smart Defaults means that when you drag and drop data onto a form it will create labels that break at an underscore, capital letter, or other "break" characters.
ARC302 - Building and Using a Software Factory
Authors Note: This session was not at all what I was expecting. I was thinking the factory design pattern, they were thinking wizards, design documentation, and building blocks. It seems to me that this is just Enterprise Templates with a little more guidance and a .msi to install it. I was very dissapointed.
Software factories are a "process" or grouping of reusable code that implements a patter to build an application.
Almost all of the factory is delivered in source or XML format.
Designer and .wizdef file are used to design a factory.
Factories (Factory Templates) allow you to build "like" applications by automating use cases, guilding the development project, and providing reference documentation.
Factories provide guideance in the development tool and not in a book.
Factory building needs to be based on experience and from the bottom up.
In the future there will be integration with VSTS.
DBA 304 - Advanced Querying Techniques
Use a CTE to find minimum values and delete duplicate values.
CTEs will perform about the same or worse than views or temporary tables.
Use a temp table to stage data for range queries.
SQL 2005 has statement level recompiles.
Use > in a slef join to get a "round robbin" result.
OPTION (MAXRECURSION n) returns an error but the data as well.
Use subqueries or the Rosenshtein method to get cross tab reports.
Press Reception
This was an invitation only event that I attended. I just have to let you know my favorite part. There is a panel discussion going on with a moderator and 4 CIO types from large and influential companies. Someone at our table noted that it looked like an old episode of "The Dating Game". When they opened up the questions, Tim Huckaby, got the mike and started his question with "Bachelor number 2...". I was laughing so hard that I didn't really hear the end of the question.
Well time for me to get ready for my GrokTalk. It has been great talking to all of the people that I met today and that I haven't seen for a long time. Beyond the great technical content this has to be the best part of TechEd.