Free booklets from Symbian

Symbian has published few booklets online, for free in SDN (Symbian Developer Network). You might ask, what the heck the booklet is. They are probably books contains small amount of pages.

Quoted from one of the booklets:
This booklet is targeted at absolute beginners wishing to develop C++ code on Symbian OS. We help you to choose the right tools and development environment, and list everything you’ll need - from the software development kits you’ll use,to the hardware you’ll work with.

These booklets are essentially the starting guide for the absolute beginner, who are getting started with the coding in Symbian OS, either UIQ or S60. Though most of them are less than hundred page, i think it inspires the community to grow bigger. There are under three categories (I don't count translated category as one, though i listed it):
a) Essential Symbian OS booklets

• Coding Tips
• Performance Tips
• Coding Standards

b) Using Symbian OS booklets Essential

• Getting started
• P.I.P.S.
• Carbide.c++
• Ready for ROM
• Platform security for all

c) Essential UI booklets

• Essential UIQ: Getting Started
• Essential S60:Getting Started
• Creating Location-Aware Applications

d) Translated booklets

• Chinese Getting Started
• Chinese Coding Tips
• Japanese Coding Tips
• Chinese Essential UIQ Getting Started
• Chinese Performance Tips
• Japanese Performance Tips
• Korean Coding Tips
• Japanese Data Sharing Tips
• Japanese P.I.P.S.
• Spanish Getting Started
• Japanese Carbide.c++
• Chinese P.I.P.S.
• Japanese Getting Started
• Korean Getting Started
• Russian Getting Started
• Chinese Coding Standards
• Japanese Coding Standards
• Chinese Platform security for all
• Persian Getting Started
• Russian Carbide.c++
• Italian Quick Recipes Taster

Personally, i think these 2 books are not bad:
a)"Essential S60:Getting Started" and

b) "Carbide.c++"

And actually you could get more at Forum Nokia, under section "Documentation". While you might interest to develop Symbian-based apps using C#, you might be a bit disappointed, this booklet is purely based on Net60, which is a propriety tool of Red Five Labs, and you got to pay for it.

So, why wait, get a copy of S60 Platform SDKs & Carbide.c++ Express (free IDE), and start coding!

#p/s: I think I am going to buy a Nokia N95 and create some simple apps as well, it looks great.
another #p/s: Nowadays, it becomes a common practice for every OS vendors host their sites, with the name like "XXX Developer Network", and "XXX Platform SDK". Familiar? See Microsoft Developer Network(MSDN) & Windows Platform SDK.

Screenshots from VS2010 CTP

After several days of suspension due to internal problem, Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4.0 CTP was up again to public on Monday. It's recommended for you to get the latest information from the Connect mainpage, instead of the link I provided on last post.

The downloads for vhd file are around 7GB and after extraction, it consumes nearly 24GB. What a huge space it takes. While still going thru' all the new features, here are some screenshot for dear readers :

VHD is using OS Windows Server 2008 SP1; 54 days left to activate

Now you know why it used up 24 GB; It comes with MS Office, MSSQL 2008, VS2008 & of course, VS2010

The start page got a face-lift.

About box of VS2010. We got 103 day left for trying.

WiX-based Windows Installer MSI file is came along with this CTP.

Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4.0 CTP released

Almost one month after Microsoft unveiled the press release, Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4.0 CTP can be downloaded from here: Microsoft Pre-release Software Visual Studio 2010 and .NET Framework 4.0 Community Technology Preview(CTP), and it is available in VHD format.

Here're some overview:

• Democratizing Application Lifecycle Management
• Enabling emerging trends
• Inspiring developer delight
• Riding the next generation platform wave.

Pick it up fast, and you could be the next MVP!
(Following image is external link)

Will Microsoft targets Autodesk Next?

Autodesk has acquired Softimage recently. This might not an important news to those programmers/software developers. But it might make a huge impact to those 3D Modellers, since now we sees 3ds Max, Maya, and Softimage are now under one roof. How are Autodesk going to position each of them, since they share so much similarities among them?

(From left to right: Autodesk 3ds Max, Softimage, Autodesk Maya)

So do you still remember these names?

1) WordStar (word processor application)
2) Lotus 1-2-3 (spreadsheet program)
3) Borland & Watcom C Compiler (C compiler)
4) OpenGL (3D graphics API)

These are the software products that once lead in its own fields, and now Microsoft had beat them with its own products, with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Visual C++ & Direct 3D, respectively.

After defeating several software giants, MS is targeting Adobe, with its SilverLight & Expression Studio. How long will Adobe (and Flash) last? Will Microsoft targets Autodesk next, especially MS has bought Carigari, the creator of trueSpace? Let's wait and see.

p/s: Dear developers, you might interest to see how .NET can be used in Autodesk product as well, at here: Developing for AutoCAD® Using F#
Gentle reminder, you might need to prepare yourself for it sooner or later :)

How much difference between your salary with geek in googleplex

Feel your annual salary is low?

Think you are smart?

Sad why google not hire you?

Before all that, this might interest you: Salaries At Google, Microsoft And Yahoo .

(This image is external link, and I hold no rights)