Digital Nocturne

Yup, that’s right. It is free for one year.

This information was taken directly from Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN) .

It does not mean after one year the product will expire or something like that. It simply means that the software will be entirely free if you download it before November 6, 2006.

The best thing about VS 2005 Express is its compatability side-by-side with other versions of Visual Studio 2005. So, you can install VS 2005 Express and VS 2005 Professional at the same time. Everything that you made in VS 2005 Express can be used in other versions of VS Studio 2005 too.

Visual Studio 2005 Express includes:

• Visual Basic 2005 Express
• Visual C# 2005 Express
• Visual Web Developer 2005 Express
• Visual C++ 2005 Express
• Visual J# 2005 Express

More info
Visual Studio Express: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/default.aspx
FAQs: http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/support/faq/default.aspx
Visual Basic, C++, C#, J#, Web Developer, .NET, MSDN

Congratulations to Skype team. Skype just reached 200 Million Downloads. It even beats Mozilla Firefox for reaching 200 Million downloads.

Next spot: 300 Million

Fun facts:

• At peak time, we’re pumping out close to 10 downloads a second. That’s almost a million downloads every single day by now. Not quite a million every day yet, but we’re getting there.
• The download traffic at peak time adds up to 500 Mbit/sec, or 0.5 Gbit/sec. That’s 500 times more than an average 1 Mbit home “broadband” connection.
• We got from 0 to 100M downloads in 595 days, from 100M to 150M in 124 days, from 150M to 200M in 83 days. There’s no signs of the pace slowing down.
• Take all of the figures with a grain of salt, since obviously not every download is completed and ends with an installation. But it’s still cool.

Source: Share Skype
Skype, VoIP

After attending Microsoft Dev Days 2005 I became more serious on Microsoft technologies. I became aware of its potentials including its strengths and weaknesses. Later that day, I signed up for Philippine .NET Users Group membership. I was very interested to get involved in its development and projects. Meanwhile, I found a familiar face there. He’s Jackie Fiesta, my senior in Mapua Developers’ Network who’s already an alumni.

This month, we are having our 1st General Assembly on the 16th (Wednesday) from 5:00pm to 7:00 pm, at the Exchange Room in Microsoft Philippines office located at 22nd floor, Tower 2, The Enterprise Center, 6766 Ayala Ave. cor. Paseo de Roxas, Makati City.

I’m anticipating this event because I want to know more about the community of .NET developers, and learn from them.

Links:
Groups: http://groups.msn.com/PhiNUG
Official Blog: http://msforums.ph/blogs/phinug
Official Forum: http://msforums.ph/forums/99/ShowForum.aspx
Philippine, .NET, Developer, PhiNUG