Blogs/Websites to Follow - ASP.NET

This is part of the new series I have started on my blog where I will list out some useful blogs or websites to follow for all ASP.NET people...Not in any order just randomly...
The names have been linked to their Twitter profile so anybody can follow them if they like.

1. Scott Gutherie - Corporate Vice President, .NET Developer Platform, Microsoft - http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/
2. Scott Hanselman - Principal Program Manager, Microsoft - http://www.hanselman.com/blog/
3. Scott Mitchell - Founder, 4GuysFromRolla.com - http://scottonwriting.net/sowBlog/
4. Steve C. Orr - Microsoft MVP in ASP.NET - http://steveorr.net/Default.aspx
5. Nikhil Kothari - Software Architect, .NET Developer Platform, Microsoft - http://www.nikhilk.net/
6. Joe Stagner - Senior Program Manage,  Microsoft Corporation’s Developer Tools and Platform Group - http://misfitgeek.com
7. Rick Strahl - Founder, WestWind.com - http://www.west-wind.com/weblog/
8. Scott Allen - Founder and Principal Consultant with OdeToCode LLC - http://odetocode.com/blogs/scott/
9. Phil Haack - Principal Program Manager, Microsoft - http://haacked.com/
10. Jeff Atwood - StackOverflow - http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/
11. S. Somasegar, Senior Vice President, Microsoft Developer Division - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/somasegar/
12. Harish Ranganathan - Developer Evangelist, Microsoft India - http://geekswithblogs.net/ranganh/Default.aspx 
13. Mike Brind - Microsoft MVP - http://www.mikesdotnetting.com/
14. Imar Spaanjaars - Microsoft MVP, Founder - http://imar.spaanjaars.com/
15. Maarten Balliauw - .NET Technical Consultant at RealDolmen - http://blog.maartenballiauw.be/
16. Kazi Manzur Rashid - ASP.NET MVP & Co-Founder, dotnetshoutout.com - http://weblogs.asp.net/rashid/
17. Elijah Manor - ASP.NET MVP, ASPInsiders - http://elijahmanor.com/webdevdotnet/

I will keep on adding new sites to this list.

If anyone of you like to share a ste then feel free to post it as comment will add to the list.
  

New Thing A Day Series - Day 2

From today, I have started this new series of posting about a new thing that I have learnt everyday.
So guys keep watching for new things everyday....

(1.) OUTER APPLY & EXCEPT in SQL 2005 + - 1st June 2010

Today I have learned about the OUTER APPLY & EXCEPT keywords that have been added in SQL SERVER 2005 & later editions, whic is useful to return data from one table which is not in another table.

Lets see an example.

CREATE TABLE testnulls (ID INT)

INSERT INTO testnulls VALUES (1)

INSERT INTO testnulls VALUES (2)

INSERT INTO testnulls VALUES (null)

CREATE TABLE testjoin (ID INT)

INSERT INTO testjoin VALUES (1)

INSERT INTO testjoin VALUES (3)

OUTER APPLY:  is something that got added to SQL 2005

SELECT j.*

   FROM testjoin j

   OUTER APPLY (

      SELECT id

      FROM testnulls n

      WHERE n.ID = j.ID

   ) a

WHERE a.ID IS NULL

EXCEPT: was added in SQL 2005. It returns everything from the top table which is not in the bottom table. 

SELECT * FROM testjoin

EXCEPT

SELECT * FROM testnulls

Feel free to post ur comments..

(2.) How to make ur ASP.NET/HTML Websites Indic Aware - 2nd June 2010

I knew ASP.NET provides Localization support which means we can change the language of the website, but I didnt know that we can even now accept input in Indic languages like Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, etc, until I came to know about it through one of the Microsoft guys - http://geekswithblogs.net/ranganh/archive/2010/03/15/making-your-asp.nethtml-websites-indic-aware-ndash-accepting-tamil-telugu.aspx 

Microsoft have released the scripts so that the Indic input feature can be encapsulated into your own websites.  For example, if you are having a web page where you collect user information, you can pretty much make your site indic aware i.e. accept inputs in Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi etc.,  All you would need to include would be a bunch of scripts onto your web pages and you are ready to make it, like I said, “indic aware”.

NOTE: This is not translation but transliteration where as the users type in English and use one of the delimiters (space etc.,) the word converts into the Indic language word.  So, if you type Gujarati, it converts to ગુજરાતી 

You can get the scripts released by Microsoft for adding the Indic Language feature from this link : http://specials.msn.co.in/ilit/Gujarati.aspx

I myself tried it by making a small webpage that accepts FirstName, LastName, Address & an additional field. I have set to accept Gujarati as input, you can select the language of ur choice.

Except the additional field which I have set to accept English, rest will accept Gujarati. 

The code for it as follows: 

I have taken a screenshot as well so all can see how it works.

So now you can now add the Web Version of Microsoft Indic Language Input Tool (ILIT) to your website so that your visitors can easily enter Indic language text on the site. This facilitates easy search, form-filling and discussions in any Indic language on your site by anyone who visits it.

Currently the languages supported are : Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil & Telugu.

This service is provided free for non-commercial use only.

So go ahead & use it in your websites & tell me the feedback..

Useful (Difficult) SQL Scripts

Here you will find a library of some very useful & difficult SQL scripts.

1. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/197369/library-of-useful-difficult-sql-scripts
This a StackOverFlow article which has some of the best links.  A must visit for all SQL guys...

http://wiki.lessthandot.com/index.php/Category:Microsoft_SQL_Server - This is by far the best site I have found for SQL Server scripts.
2. http://wiki.lessthandot.com/index.php/SQL_Server_Programming_Hacks_-_100%2B_List
3. http://wiki.lessthandot.com/index.php/SQL_Server_Admin_Hacks
4. http://vyaskn.tripod.com/code.htm
5. http://www.nigelrivett.net/
6. http://www.paragoncorporation.com/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=27
7. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/197111/fastest-get-duplicates-sql-script 
8. http://bit.ly/aHoHxD - Joe Celko's SQL puzzles & answers ebook


I will keep on adding links to this list & if anyone of you have some useful links then feel free to share it here by adding comments, you can even ask any Q's regarding SQL here.

So keep scripting....

Free Gujarati Songs Download

Download free gujarati songs....

some of the best gujarati songs...download for free....download free gujarati garba.....

http://www.box.net/gujaratisongs

Michael Hussey - Amazingly Freaky....ICC World Twenty20 2010 2nd Semi Final - Australia Vs Pakistan

 ICC World Twenty20 2010 2nd Semi Final - Australia Vs Pakistan Match Review & Analysis

Wow...wat a match it was...Oz..Oz..Oz...

The dependable Michael Hussey ala Mr. Cricket once again does it for Australia which makes them to the Final of the T20 World Cup 2010 for the first time in 3 years...

Australia were down & out after their bowling which was really below mark & even their fielding apart from some good catches by David Warner....But full marks for Pakistan to come out all guns blazing against the best bowling attack of the tournament..Kamran Akmal was brilliant & so was his brother Umar Akmal...his sizes in the last few overs were superb that too against the likes of Dirk Nannes & Mitchell Johnson...

191 in 20 overs, Pakistan would have thought they can win it from here definitely even with a formidabble Australian batting lineup...The commentators specially Ian Chappel reminded that Pakistan who had nothing to show in the last Australian Summer where they didn't won a single match, have peaked at the right time & can definitely win the match...

Australian chase started badly with losing Warner for 0 in the first over & Watson followed soon...& they were 62/4 in the 9th over...but Cameroon White started to hit the big shots which opened up a slight window for Austarlia...but with wickets falling at the other end & the mammoth total it looked difficult but White was brilliant with 31-ball 43 with 5 massive sixes....& with Micheal Hussey on the crease....& hitting nicely...

With White gone in the 16th over & Smith in the 17th, Australia needed 48 runs off the last 3 overs...& Michael Hussey was the man....He took 14 runs of that over with Aus needing 34 from the last 2. Hussey faced the enitire 19th over & got 16 runs with 2 boundaries....& it was all left to Ajmal to stop Aus & Hussey from getting 18 runs off the last over....With Johnson on strike, Pakistan thought they can get in a few deliveries but Johnson gave the strike to Hussey off the first ball....& after that Hussey needed just 4 balls to get the required 17 runs coz wat he did was ...6..6..4..6..game set & match...Australia win a thriller....

Waqar Younis the Pakistan coach couldn't believe it...he looked really shattered....& so was Afridi & the whole Pakistan side...

Michael Clarke was all praise for Michael Hussey saying that it was an amazingly freaking performance...Like Hussey, he too cannot believe that they have won the match...

Hats off to Michael Hussey....What a player....And as an Australian would say...Cheers Mate...

Watch the highlights of this match at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58blvd90w8w

 ICC World Twenty20 2010 2nd Semi Final - Australia Vs Pakistan Highlights Video

Michael Hussey is ecstatic after completing a miracle chase, Australiav Pakistan, 2nd semi-final, ICC World Twenty20, St Lucia, May 14, 2010 

 

Image courtesy - @GettyImages & Cricinfo

 

Vishwanathan Anand "Vishy" - World Chess Champion 2010

Vishwanathan Anand "Vishy" is the World Chess Champion once again, he became the first player in chess history to have won the World Championship in three different formats: Knockout, Tournament, and Match..

Prior to the World Chess Championship 2010, Anand, who had booked on the flight Frankfurt-Sofia on April 16, was stranded due to the cancellation of all flights following the volcano ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull. Anand asked for a three day postponement, which the Bulgarian organisers refused on April 19.

Anand eventually reached Sofia on April 20, after an exhausting 40-hour road journey. Consequently, the first game was delayed by one day.The match consisted of 12 games. After 11 games the score was tied at 5½-5½. Anand won game 12 on the Black side of a Queen's Gambit Declined to win the match and retain the World Championship.

Salute to this gr8 man...Similar to Sachin Tendulkar, Vishy too is a very humble person...& thats why he has achieved this gr8 heights in his career...

He too deserves a Bharat Ratna...

Reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viswanathan_Anand

Agneepath: अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ! अग्नि पथ!

Here is a famous poem by Harivansh Rai Bachchan. It is dedicated to those whose life is a tough struggle all the way, but whose resolve is superhuman…



















वृक्ष हों भले
खड़े,

हो घने, हो
बड़े,

एक पत्र-छॉंह
भी मॉंग मत,
मॉंग मत, मॉंग
मत!

अग्नि पथ! अग्नि
पथ! अग्नि पथ!



तू न थकेगा
कभी!

तू न थमेगा
कभी!

तू न मुड़ेगा
कभी!

कर शपथ! कर
शपथ! कर शपथ!



ये महान दृश्य
है, चल रहा
मनुष्य है,

अश्रु श्वेत् रक्त
से,

लथ पथ, लथ
पथ, लथ पथ !

अग्नि पथ! अग्नि
पथ! अग्नि पथ!

















Vriksh ho bhale khade, ho ghane ho bade, Ek patra chhav bhi mang
mat, mang mat, mang mat Agneepath Agneepath Agneepath.



Tu na thakega kabhi, tu na thamega kabhi, tu na mudega kabhi, Kar
shapath, kar shapath, kar shapath, Agneepath, Agneepath, Agneepath.



Ye mahaan drishya hai, chal raha manushya hai, Ashru shwet raqt se
lathpath, lathpath, lathpath, Agneepath, Agneepath, Agneepath.













Reference: Wikipedia & http://www.geeta-kavita.com/hindi_sahitya.asp?id=93



You can see all his gr8 poems at http://www.geeta-kavita.com/indian_poetry_list.asp?author=Harivansh_Rai_Bachchan