Hello World! Small Basic.

- Start Microsoft Small Basic. It's the beautiful start-up screen of Small Basic.
- The square area is the Editor, where we write our code here.
- When you type your code in Editor, Small Basic's intellisense feature pop-up helpful tips for you.
- Enter the code in Editor

TextWindow.WriteLine("Hello World!")

- And click on the RUN button (or press F5 key)
- It's our first program of Small Basic.

TOP 100 Global Innovators

This proprietary program (TOP 100 GLOBAL INNOVATORS) recognizes the 100 most innovative companies in the world, according to a series of patent-related metrics that get to the essence of what it means to be truly innovative.

Web Site: http://top100innovators.com/

Download FREE copy of Thomson Reuters 2011 Top 100 Global Innovators.

Microsoft Small Basic - Back to BASIC

Microsoft Small Basic puts the fun back into computer programming. With a friendly development environment that is very easy to master, it eases students of all ages into the world of programming.

Small Basic is a project that is focused at making programming accessible and easy for beginners. It consists of three distinct pieces:

• The Language
• The Programming Environment
• Libraries

The Language draws its inspiration from an early variant of BASIC but is based on the modern .NET Framework platform. The Environment is simple but rich in features, offering beginners several of the benefits that professional programmers have come to expect. A rich set of Libraries help beginners learn by writing compelling and interesting programs.

Small Basic is intended for beginners that want to learn programming. In Microsoft internal trials they've had success with kids between the ages of 10 and 16. However, it's not limited to just kids; even adults that had an inclination to programming have found Small Basic very helpful in taking that first step.

- DevLabs: Small Basic
- Get Started with Small Basic (with download)
- Small Basic Getting Started Guide

Windows 8 beta simulator

Windows 8 is the next version of Microsoft Windows. Microsoft has been released windows developer version. They Will release Windows 8 beta version soon.

Virtual Windows 8 is a free Windows 8 beta simulator for windows PCs as desktop application. You can get idea about future windows technology by Downloading and installing this software. You can feel the windows 8 and it's new features without buying or installing windows using this freeware, and you can get a complete idea about windows 8 using this freeware.

Web Site: http://windows8beta.simulator.name/

Embed Google Earth Plugin in Desktop Applications

It's Earth API Samples to demonstrate how to embed the Google Earth Plugin in Windows Forms (.NET Framework) running on Windows using C#, and in Cocoa framework running on Mac OS X using Object-C.



Link: earth-api-samples: Embedding the Google Earth Plugin in Desktop Applications

Before beginning work on your own Google Earth Plugin based desktop application, make sure to read through the Google Earth API Terms of Service.

ISO/IEC standard C++, CLR, CLI and C++/CLI

C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell Labs as an enhancement to the C language. Originally named C with Classes, the language was later renamed C++ in 1983.

C++ is one of the most popular programming languages with application domains including systems software (such as Microsoft Windows), application software, device drivers, embedded software, high-performance server and client applications, and entertainment software such as video games. Several groups provide both free and proprietary C++ compiler software, including the GNU Project, Microsoft, Intel and Embarcadero Technologies. C++ has greatly influenced many other popular programming languages, most notably C# and Java.

C++ is also used for hardware design, where the design is initially described in C++, then analyzed, architecturally constrained, and scheduled to create a register-transfer level hardware description language via high-level synthesis.

The language began as enhancements to C, first adding classes, then virtual functions, operator overloading, multiple inheritance, templates, and exception handling among other features. After years of development, the C++ programming language standard was ratified in 1998 as ISO/IEC 14882:1998. The standard was amended by the 2003 technical corrigendum, ISO/IEC 14882:2003. The current standard extending C++ with new features was ratified and published by ISO in September 2011 as ISO/IEC 14882:2011 (informally known as C++11).

-- Reference:

• Wikipedia - C++
• ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG21 - The C++ Standards Committee

CLR(Common Language Runtime) is the virtual machine component of Microsoft's .NET framework and is responsible for managing the execution of .NET programs. In a process known as just-in-time (JIT) compilation, the CLR compiles the intermediate language code known as CIL into the machine instructions that in turn are executed by the computer's CPU. The CLR provides additional services including memory management, type safety and exception handling. All programs written for the .NET framework, regardless of programming language, are executed by the CLR.
The CLR is Microsoft's implementation of the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) standard.

-- Reference:

• Wikipedia - Common Language Runtime

CLI(Common Language Infrastructure) is a standardized environment in which applications written in multiple high-level languages can be executed in different system environments without the need to rewrite those applications to take into consideration the unique characteristics of those environments. It's now standardized as ECMA-335 Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) and also in the equivalent ISO standard, ISO/IEC 23271.

-- Reference:

• Standard ECMA-335 Common Language Infrastructure (CLI)
• ISO/IEC 23271:2006
• ISO/IEC FDIS 23271

C++/CLI is simple C++ (mainly developed by Microsoft) for the Common Language Infrastructure.

HelloMFC: Create Visual C++ MFC Application using Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview

The FREE Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express have limited feature only: it can create applications using limited template of CLR, Win32 and General! Alternatively, you can using Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview to develope MFC Application using Visual C++ for FREE, till June 30, 2012.

- Start Microsoft Visual Studio 11 Developer Preview.

- Click New Project...


- Select Visual C++ MFC Application template, with name of HelloMFC.


- The current project settings show the default selection, click Next to modify the setting.


- The default Application type is Tabbed Multiple documents, click to select Single document. Select Project style of MFC standard, instead of default Visual Studio. Select Visual style and colors using Windows Native/Default.

[Tips: Move your mouse over any of the options in the dialog, a tooltip will be displayed to explaine the option.]



- Accept all other default selection by clicking Finish.

- The application wizard will creat the HelloMFC application for you.

- In the Solution Explorer on the right, scroll down and double click to open ReadMe.txt. The ReadMe.txt file contains a summary of what you will find in each of the files that make up your HelloMFC application.


- Finally you can Save All your work, Build and Run HelloMFC to see what happen:

Create HelloWorld of Win32 Console Application using Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express

- Start Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express, click New Project...



- Select Win32 under Visual C++ in Installed Templates from the left, and select Win32 Console Application from the middle, Enter Name (HelloWin32Console) and click OK.


- Win32 Application Wizard will list current project settings, click Finish.


- A dummy project of Win32 console application will be generated. Notice that a function of _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[]) is generated, it have the same function as main() in normal C++ program.


- Modify HelloWin32Console.cpp as listed below:

// HelloWin32Console.cpp : Defines the entry point for the console application.
//

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <iostream>

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
 std::cout << "Hello Win32 Console Application!" << std::endl;
 std::cout << "Press ENTER key to exit." << std::endl;
 getchar();

 return 0;
}

- Click File -> Save All (or Ctrl+Shift+S) to save all the works.
- Click Debug -> Build Solution (or F7) to build the application.
- Click Debug -> Start Debugging (or F5) to run it.

Download digital MSDN Magazine

Any MSDN Magazine issue since 2003 (.chm/.pdf) can be downloaded here. And also the code in the magazine can be downloaded here.