"WindowsXP/Windows Server 2003 ships many many command line tools. There is a help file called ntcmds.chm, which lists all the available command line tools, and detailed help for each tool. Type “hh ntcmds.chm” in your command prompt to see it."

Useful tip from Junfeng.

Astronomy Picture of the Day Sept 23, 1999

• Useful batch file rename utility. Till now I have been using the command line alternative.
• Attensa ! Attensa ! The replacement for Newsgator. Outlook Feed reader and manager. Intelligently sorts the feeds based on what you have clicked before.
• ASP.NET 2.0 Data Layer tips.
• Roy Osherove has it again. The last time there was REGulator. This time he has REGulazy. This neat utility allows you to take some sample text and then intuitively generate regex to parse the text.
• Sample data models for everything.

After a slightly disappointing 1-4 defeat in the ODI series (I say "slightly" because there were a number of positives that came out from that series, so does Greg Chappell), India have managed to capture the Test series with a 49-run win in the Final Test at Jamaica. This win comes 35 years after they last won a series at West Indies in 1971 under captain Wadekar. Dravid did what he has been doing so often, re-writing history, leading the team from the front with brilliant half-centuries in both the innings of the Test match. Playing on a tricky pitch that for a change did not do much for the batsmen, Dravid's scores of 81 and 62 are testimonial to his greatness. Dravid - the greatest Test batsman India has ever produced.

Given the pre-tour state of the West Indies team, we were hoping for a straight cut win for India. But this win feels better after it has been fought for.

Below - that picture perfect cover drive.

Refer to IconSaver. They have an upgrade. New features include a settings editor which gives you more control over how/when the icons are saved. Also significant - HotKeys and Context Menu integration. Great!

*Legally, I am not allowed to use the above logo, yet, but I will have the certs soon :)*

I gave 70-536 on Monday and 70-526 on Wednesday. Passed ! There is very little material available on these new generation tests. So, here I am trying to compile whatever material I found and used for the little preparation I did.

I haven't used dumps before, so I dont know how that works (and its illegal ;)).

But the following guides will help. Preparation link for 70-536. Michael's guide provides links to most of the topics listed in the MS prescribed syllabus. I suggest going through all these links - some briefly and some in detail. The questions are very much from these sections. You will pass if you have some experience working with .NET 2.0 and if you know the basic details about specific classes, interfaces listed in the syllabus.

Similar guides are available for 70-526 - here and here. But these are not complete. So I took the syllabus as the starting point. With a google firefox window open in parallel, I ran through a lot of these topics. Have tried to add to PublicJoe's good work. The updated 70-526 guide is available - 70-526 Preparation Guide. (Initial links provided by PublicJoe)