SOA in the Real World is a book that introduces a set of SOA capabilities and explores them. You can download this book for free from the Microsoft site. I think this is the ideal time for me to get to know SOA better and how it can be applied in the Real World.

Some time ago I posted I started learning for the Microsoft 70-554 exam. Today was the day. I took the exam, and it was hard, very hard, but YES I PASSED! I have to wait for the arrive on my Transcript, but from that time on I'll be a MCPD Enterprise Application Developer. Update: 29 Juli 2007 I do not have to wait anymore, my Transcript is updated and the Logo Builder has my MCPD logo available.

Do you, just like me, make use of Virtual Machines very often? I might become handy to know some short cuts about them too. For example, I've had some trouble navigating back to my host system without using my mouse. Some more short cuts this time for both Virtual PC and VMware.

Other productivity enhancements:

• 5 Minute Productivity Enhancement: Windows and Resharper

Virtual PC short cuts that make you work more productive:

• RIGHT ALT + ENTER: Toggles a virtual machine between full-screen mode and window mode
• RIGHT ALT + DELETE: Sends CTRL + ALT + DELETE to the virtual machine operating system
• RIGHT ALT + P: Pauses or resumes the virtual machine, depending up its current state
• RIGHT ALT + E: Opens the virtual machine settings
• RIGHT ALT + DOWN ARROW: Minimizes the virtual machine

VMware short cuts that make you more productive:

• CTRL + ALT + ENTER: Go to full-screen mode
• CTRL + ALT: Return to normal window mode (you can now use ALT + TAB to switch windows on your host)
• CTRL + Z: Suspends the virtual machine
• CTRL + D: Opens the virtual machine settings

Yes I know it is strange I'm using both Virtual PC and VMware Virtual Machines. Most of the time I use VMware because my colleages use it. This way we are able to use each others Virtual Machines. Besides this I make use of Virtual PC machines provided by Microsoft: Like the Visual Studio Orcas releases and the Microsoft CRM Demo VPC

Every now and then I have the feeling I can work more productive with the Software I use. So from now on, I will share my thoughts about this on my blog. Most of the time this will be short-cuts for a program that aren't well know, but very handy to know. Let's start with the first set. Windows XP short cuts that make you work more productive:

• ALT + TAB: Switch between open programs
• ALT + F4: Quit program
• Windows Logo + R: Run dialog box
• Windows Logo + D: Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
• Windows Logo + TAB: Cycle through taskbar buttons

Jetbrains Resharper 3.0 Visual Studio Scheme short cuts developer more productive:

• CTRL + T: Go to Type by name
• ALT + HOME: Go to Base
• ALT + END: Go to Inheritor
• ALT + PAGE UP / PAGE DOWN: Go to next/previous highlight
• SHIFT + ALT + PAGE UP / PAGE DOWN: Go to next/previous error

I'm sure you folks that have been using Resharper forever know there are more, many more short cuts. I will publish more about them in the next "5 minute productivity enhancement" articles.

I thought it was time to start trying out some Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). So I downloaded the latest VPC with Orcas CTP (June 2007) and Expression Blend 2 (May Preview). But starting the Expression Blend 2 setup gives an error about the .NET 3.0 framework that needs to be installed. After some research I found out .NET 3.0 SP1 is installed on the Orcas VPC. Some more research gives the following solution.

You can fool the Expression Blend 2 setup by changing a registry key. Follow the steps:

• Search for the "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\NET Framework Setup\NDP\v3.0\Setup\Windows Presentation Foundation\ProductVersion" registry key
• My original ProductVersion value is: 3.0.04506.577
• I changed it to ProductVersion: 3.0.6913.0
• I ran the Expression Blend 2 setup
• And changed the ProductVersion back to: 3.0.04506.577

Now let's play with WPF.