Denaes

For devices (anything thats not a desk/laptop) it needs to be running Windows CE/Pocket (as far as I've heard) Doesn't matter if it's a refridgerator, cell phone, pda, watch, tv, etc. It also has to have a means to put software on it, like a flash card or some flash memory to hold a program and/or the Framework. Some phones do run Windows Pocked Edition, those are the pocket PC/phone combos. There might be others that I'm unaware of. I have no clue what most standard phones even run. I'd assume they use a common OS/whatever otherwise the games on them would all have to be custom written for each brand. Since I've seen some of them run Java and some have web browsers, I think there is an OS. Eventually the .Net Compact Framework (if it's a success) will be ported over like the .Net Framework has been.

Hmm... I think I've been misunderstood. I'm not looking to enter myself into a low-bid outsourcing contest. I have clients. I was asking about advice, sites that might help freelancers learn some of the tricks of freelancing... Agreements, negotiation and contracts are something I'm strongly looking into. I found one sample contract place and it wasn't for freelancers. It was like sample contracts for major companies... like NVidia, Macromedia and some pretty major software development teams. I have an interest in something that defines what the project is, stipulates defaults and exceptions, late changes, etc. Apparently my search was further interrupted by an actual style of programming called "Contract Programming".

I remember a while back (april?) having a nice thread going on about freelancing and contracts with some damn good advice. I'm looking further into contracts with my tiny independent buisiness (my wife and I) where I'm doing programming and web design and my wife is doing web design and graphic design. Does anyone know of good sites that give good advice for small freelancers? Sample contracts in general would be a help - though graphic design and software contracts would be right up my alley. It seems my Googling skills are being thwarted by people selling things and trying to get you to sign up for courses of some sort. Thank You :)

As far as I've heard no. You can program on Pocket PC with the .Net Compact Framework. Regular .Net is limited to Linux, OSX, Windows and some BSD/Unix builds

Take em. Everything to pad out your resume and help force you to learn the really boring stuff or topics that you'd never personally persue. I saw in the paper much more use for Microsoft SQL Server and Networking (MCDE or something like that?). I'm not sure how really important the .Net certs are, but I figure it can't really hurt.

I took it in college. took about 14x as long to do something "command line" as VB6/C# would take. Thats just manipulating keyboard input and screen output. Remember, you're literally using memory. You're reading memory blocks, you're writing values to them, assigning where in which register you want to push/pop values into/from, etc. Fascinating Boredom will ensue. It's good to know how the memory and internals really work - but at some point it's just so dry and we're so spoiled. When you've just written your first Point of Sales system for recording ticket sales and reservations for a playhouse in Visual Basic - the last thing you want to do is study for weeks on end to display text, turn memory values into ASCII (and visa versa) and what the gritty rules are for how to move memory around, when, how. Oh, since you're actually working IN memory, you screw up and you can crash your computer (not kill it, just crash it). Not like VB/C# where you get a runtime error or the IDE might stop responding... literally you can cause memory conflicts... and if you're really working with memory and have other apps open, you can accidently conflict with them causing irregularities in their running. oh, and you at least need to know how to convert base 10 number systems over to base 12 (decimal to hex) and visa versa. I don't recall if binary was that important... I think the more recent Calc.exe's for windows can help you with that information. I recall needing to learn ASCII values as well. Assembly was pretty much useful for programming machines without operating systems. Now even devices from fridgerators to palms (scanners, PDA's, inventory control) run on operating systems (Palm OS or Windows CE/Pocket mostly) so thats still in use, though a very niche market.

I build my own desktops, but I don't think I'd have a good clue on building an optimized laptop what with all the drives and perriphials built in at different sizes. At best I'd be lucky to get a 100% functional laptop which worked, let alone worry about good prices or super value enhancement.

Never Mind I reformatted and reinstalled since then. XP sp1 again. Good turnover time on that install. Randomly XP never asked for my OEM number even after I'd reformatted my hard drive. XP must put settings in the Bios. I know Macromedia does with their Studio 2004.

This is my error, which is the very last screen/step on InstallShield Wizard: First I was trying to install a silly application. I installed, didn't pay attention and it wasn't there. I tried again and it wasn't there. The third time I actually read the message. Oh well, silly application has a messed up installation file or something. Just a few minutes ago I realized I needed the sourcecode for "Developing Microsoft .NET Controls with VB.Net". This is a case were MS cheaped out and didn't give a CD. I went to the website and downloaded the file. It's also "InstallShield". Ok, thats annoying. it's just source code. a zip file or zip exe would have been fine. So I run the "installer" and I get the same **** message!? This time it's more annoying because I'm starting a project and I wanted to look over some of the completed compiled projects as a refresher on components. I havn't really found anything on google about this. This might just move up my Reformat and install XP schedule... or I might try a repair, though I'm not sure how XP sp1 would repair XP sp2 very well.

McAffee came with Norton? Strange bundle :p

I use AVG, it's free for single users: http://www.grisoft.com About SQL Server, you don't need Windows 2003 Server to run it. I ran it on windows 2000 professional and XP home. One of the server platforms (2000 or 2003 server) is most definately going to be overkill unless you're literally serving a large network. And I mean large. Like I'm serving domains for the internet or have 500 machine large. At the bank I worked at - in the home/main branch - windows 2000 pro was the server for the 300+ machines require windows serving (SQL Server, windows services, etc). There was another server for non windows priority functions like the email. They had one machine as part of the network which ran Server 2000, which acted as an interface for every teller/computer in every bank making transactions, and as a gateway to our 2000 pro computer from other (external) branches. I know a lot of this was done for security. If you're just making an app that uses sql server, you don't need a server operating system. I'm not saying you can't use it. It's new though as well as being a strictly non-end user OS. It's not for you to check your email and play Doom3 on. You can use it, but there will be quite a few points where you have to purchase buisiness solutions rather than end user solutions. Difference will mostly be a few hundred/thousand dollars in price in most cases. I think a virus checker is one of those issues. I don't think you'll find end user software made for a server OS.

XP SP2 seems to have fixed my Alarm Clock into NOT working! I know it's ghetto, but I use Task Manager to play an MP3 file to wake up. At the given time it runs the mp3 through it's associated program (WMP normally). Well now it gives me the error - even if I browse for the file "Cannot find file" after I select it and it's in the path. It's there, but it won't play it. It looks like - as a "security" precaution they will only let you run applications. It's a shame because I only used it for mp3's and .swf (flash files). I guess I could write a .net app to startup and execute an mp3... probobly easier than what I'm doing right now - trying to get Outlook to play an mp3 at a scheduled time... >>edit<< Seems Outlook will only play .wav files...

Cool. Looks like that worked. There were a TON of 3rd party crap I didn't know was in there. I use very few Explorer addons, mostly winRAR, winZip (well not on XP so far), 7z (zip alternative) and my virus scanner. There were like 20 other addons that got installed from other apps - even ones I didn't have installed anymore! Seems much more stable now. Something in SP2 must have triggered an incompatability with one of them... I don't care, my Virus integration and winRAR still works :)

Well I have a 3rd party explorer which isn't crashing. Explorer is crashing with mostly multimedia files, but also .rar files. Looks like a memory error, might be XP trying to preview media or my virus scanner (AVG) wigging out checking the files. I'd go back to 2000, but my two monitor display doesn't work properly with 2000 and works like a dream with XP. I'll continue to use a 3rd party product and XP sp2 until it gives me a serious problem I can't work around. Then I'm going to reformat and put XP sp1 back on. Yeah... pretty much the only reason I use XP is for the two monitors. The NVidia Software doesn't work properly (or as well as XP's native software) and I get a distorted other monitor, it doesn't use the whole screen or it uses more than the screen and you have to scroll on the monitor.

crazy mom? Scary part is I'm not sure if thats product or porn :eek:

Ok, MS Bob is a joke. That was an alternative for windows explorer about Windows 3.0 and Windows 95. I need an alternative to Explorer, not Internet Explorer. IE works fairly well. Explorer is crashing left and right. Explorer is the program Windows uses as your main interface to run your computer. It's the taskbar on the bottom of your screen. When you double click a folder it's the window that pops up. When you right click something and choose "Explore" thats Explorer. I guess I'll check download.com. Hard to guage things there. One review will be 10/10 and 15 others will be 1/10

Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1

Ok, I was stupid enough to install XP-SP2. I turned off the firewall, prevented MS from automatically jacking my system while I sleep with their "improvements". Of all the things I was worried about internet connections and 3rd party programs not working. IE has crashed 5 times today and Explorer crashes every time I go into a directory and try to move files, get info or delete them. Probobly crashes under other circumstances also, but as it keeps crashing it's hard to get a guage on things. I don't mean you work for a while and it crashes. I mean you navigate to a directory and select a file or try to drag it somewere... double clicking seems to work, but if you drag and highlight... you get this error: So I guess I'm looking for something 3rd party that can get around on a NTFS disk.

I think he means the download on MS for Framework 1.1 I went lastnight to check up upgrades and it told me to update my .Net framework from 1.1 with fixes and it looks like it installed the .Net SDK (I hadn't had it before). It was a 10mb file. I shoulda read more before installing it.

I'm really honestly surprised by the number of people having firewall problems and NEEDING XP Firewall. I don't know a single person by name who doesn't have a Router of some sort. Everyone is doing it for sharing internet connections. Then again I only know one person on dial-up and theres something like 40% of all users still using it. I personally use two routers. My Linksys is wired only, but has a much faster connection. I have a wireless Netgear plugged into that which gives our home wireless. I've learned how to manage my routers to still use Apps which firewalls screw up through portforwarding. I honestly don't know if using a router as a firewall is as secure as a software or other hardware though. I don't get viruses and rarely hacked. Mostly screwed over by IE and spyware installing all sorts of crud on my machine. The commotion with XP Firewall is understandable, but catches me off guard.

Personally I do returns mostly. Nothing against byRef, I just do returns. Chances are if I'm using a group of data I create a struct to hold all of the data. It just seems to make sense and is easier to handle. Is there a performance gain for byRef over structs that you'd notice? I think byRef might be cleaner if you're super organized, which I'm not always :)