Creating Microsoft Vista Gadgets

I just received an email from a reader asking if I knew how to create Vista Sidebar Gadgets.

I don't--but I do see that Microsoft has a tutorial on building them---that might make an interesting Seminar for my Internet School. Here's the link for Part 1...

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/topics/vista/gadgets-pt1.mspx

I don't see a Part 2.

One of my Internet students works in a quarry!

One of my Internet students works in a quarry--that is pretty neat!

Here's an excerpt from his bio...

I live in the UK in a place called Greenhithe which is a village on the outskirts of London. I have been working in the IT side of things for over 10 years now.

My current role is as a Systems Support Technician for one of the main retailers in the UK called John Lewis. John Lewis is a Partnership which means that the people who work for the business (referred to as Partners) are co owners and share some of the profit in the form of a bonus each year (in effect the shareholders are the people who work in the business).

We are part of the largest shopping Centre in Europe, which is built in a giant quarry.

Although I only live 5 mins away from where I work I don't hear it at all because the quarry walls do a great job at keeping the sound in

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/kent/bluwatershoppingaerial.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/gallery/v/kent/Bluwater/&h=2912&w=4368&sz=4126&hl=en&start=5&um=1&usg=__djU10zGKxso7LTuMI0VQclFRzps=&tbnid=SiX7cr3cKVAk2M:&tbnh=100&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3DBluewater%2Bshopping%2BCentre%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Programming for Kids from MSDN Microsoft

On a similar note, Microsoft also has some great free materials specifically for kids. Check out this link...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/bb308754.aspx

Beginner Programming from MSDN Microsoft

I just noticed that Microsoft has some interesting material on their website for Beginner Programmers. At one time my agent at StudioB was going to pitch this idea to Microsoft with me as the moderator. Oh well, let's not cry over spilled milk---here's the link...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/beginner/default.aspx

They have two tracks---Web or Windows Development.

Be sure to check out the Coding4fun blog

http://blogs.msdn.com/coding4fun/

Waiting on Google Adsense

About 2 years ago I had a Google Adsense account which allowed me to make some money from advertisements that Google would place on my website.

Unfortunately, I mentioned this in one of my Penn State classes, and some enterprising students wrote a program that clicked on the Adsense links about 10 million times, causing Google to drop me because they termed me a 'click bandit'.

My emails to Google (along with those of the two students) did me no good--and since then, I've been unable to get them to reinstate my account.

When I created this blog, I received a notification from Google that I could apply to have advertisements displayed in my very dynamic blog (so far, no one has read it :)

I'm still waiting for word from Google as to whether all is forgiven.

I hope so.

My first book now under my control

I published my first book, Learn to Program with Visual Basic 6, in November of 1998.

The rights to the book were purchased by Apress in July of 2003 when my original publisher, Wrox, went out of business.

In September of 2007 I asked for, and received the rights to the book from Apress, with the intention of self publishing it via own imprint, Smiley Publishing.

Comcast Digital Voice in Cinnaminson---Problems

Anyone else picking up the 1210AM 50,000 Watts on their Comcast Digital Voice service in Cinnaminson, NJ?

The 1210AM Transmission Tower is about 1/2 mile from my house---in fact, I can it right outside my window as I post this.

Contact me and I'll let you know what Comcast's solution was to my problem.