want to see a wicked demo?  well, if you know slovenian, you'll know what it actually says, but check out this demo anyway, using WPF/e -- www.windowsvista.si -- this is all WPF/e baby...check out the "glass" even on the toolbars :-)

and yes, just like the real windows, the status tray keeps popping up something!

i'm in seatte and walking downtown reminds me why i like metropolitan areas...the real ones.  we passed by this street musician who was pretty good.  i just like this type of culture everywhere... 

Video: Street Drummer

for those who went to an office/vista launch and received the copy of the office professional (or the key code), make sure you read the instructions.  it clearly states that you will be directed to a page that shows you a TRIAL code and verbage.  you should ignore this because the key in your cd sleeve is a full license per the instructions.

for the past few days i've been sitting in a meeting.  today in the US is the superbowl (the national football championship game).  i'm not much of a football fan, but i'm interested in the outcome so i don't sound like an idiot in conversations :-)

so while this meeting is going on right now, the game has been going on.  i decided to take a look and went to *the* sport site, www.espn.com.  they have a "gamecast" application which provided me some great "live" action on the game.  take a look at the screenshot:

you can see a virtual field that (it isn't in this shot since it is halftime) shows the plays on the field, the chain markings for the downs, etc., etc. -- and it tells me about the last play -- etc.  a great UI and great information -- no refresh, very slick (would have been nice to have this in a sidebar gadget!).

for contrast i went to msnbc.com -- here's their "live" play:

horrible.  "select your refresh" setting at the top (read: no ajax style).  very "html" looking.  information in a scrollable page (not the 'first quarter' table at the bottom) -- so information not in a concise place.  shame on msnbc :-)

there's been some questions to me and in my local community about my vague references to my geocoder provider (sorry andrew).  the demonstration/explanation of that provider is here in my "geocode provider" post (not sure why i didn't make that part of the code gallery originally, apologies -- it now is).  i hope that helps.

i've also just uploaded an example of how you can use virtual earth for geocoding...i've wrapped it in a windows forms app to show that you can leverage virtual earth in a windows forms application as well.  i hope that helps.

basically what happens is the form calls a script:

   1:  private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)

   2:  {

   3:      AddPushpin.Visible = false;

   4:      executeScript(ClearAllPushpins);

   5:      executeScript(FindLocation, LocationToFind.Text);

   6:  }

on the html page implementing the map rendering, i have a callback function that calls back into my winforms, providing the latlong:

   1:  function OnFoundLocation(e)

   2:  {

   3:      if (e.length > 0)

   4:      {

   5:          var latLon = e[0].LatLong;

   6:          window.external.LocationFound(latLon.Latitude, latLon.Longitude);

   7:      }

   8:  }

File: Virtual Earth Geocode in WinForms