MSDN Magazine - April 2008 - (Page 128)

The Magic of Software JULIA LERMAN tion of Bill Gates, who is leaving the helm of Microsoft in July 2008 wildly unrealistic portrayals of high-tech computing in movies and to devote his time to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I TV today, such as the transparent computer screens in the Steven asked him about his vision for computing and what he hoped to Spielberg movie Minority Report or the flashy fingerprint analysis see carried out after his departure. He explained to us that much software programs used on CSI. But perhaps the feats performed of the technical motivation at Microsoft is based on desire to realize the ultimate goal of computer science. That goal, he said, is on these shows are closer to actualization than we realize. In 2004, Carter Maslan, from the Platform Evangelism team that someday computers will be “hyper-intelligent,” and “as soon as you [achieve] that, then you just ask them what at Microsoft, wrote some of the first conceptuyou should do, and they tell you.” While this will al applications for what was then code-named Perhaps the high-tech take decades yet, Microsoft is currently targeting “Longhorn” (now Windows Vista®), using many feats performed in what Gates described as computers that function of the tools that are now part of the Microsoft® somewhat like a personal assistant. .NET Framework 3.0. After watching a video on movies and on TV are Gates also spent some time explaining the comthe first sample, which was a concept application closer to actualization pany’s quest process, in which a group of people for the real estate market, I remember thinking than we realize. is tasked with imagining what computers could that the fantastic imaginings of the TV crime do for particular communities (for example, deshows were actually coming to life—that life was, velopers, information workers, or consumers) within the next 10 in fact, imitating art. Recently, I was invited to attend an all-day event at Microsoft years. The ideas generated during these quests are sent to Microsoft called Mix n Mash 08, which is a precursor to the Microsoft MIX08 Research for further exploration. Periodic quest summits track the conference to be held in Las Vegas in March. MIX is all about new progress of these projects. For example, Microsoft Research is curWeb technologies offered by Microsoft. At the Mix n Mash event, rently working on audio watermarking, color barcodes, and memwe were able to view some already-public projects that Microsoft ory retention research, as well as several hundred other initiatives based on truly innovative research in technology. is working on and discuss their current state and future plans. Speaking of fantastic, one of my favorite absurdities on TV toOne of the highlights was the Microsoft Surface computer (microsoft.com/surface). Surface computing has the visual magic of Windows day is when the characters of the crime shows seem to invent pixels Presentation Foundation (WPF) at its core, combined with a multi- that don’t exist. It’s hilarious to watch them zoom in on a photograph and detect critical, case-solving information in the reflectouch surface in a table-sized format. The applications that have been built for it so far range from vi- tion of someone’s sunglasses. However, since I have returned from sually exciting and entertaining to serious business applications. Mix n Mash 08, I am laughing less and finding myself more and Surface is truly astonishing. The first demonstration included an more intrigued by what these television shows seem to be proposimage of pebbles under water. Running your hand over the table- ing. Certainly, criminal investigators are already benefitting from top makes the water image move just as real water would—but the fingerprint and facial recognition software, but both of these technologies have a long way to go before they are as effective as your hand doesn’t get wet! Another application we enjoyed was finger painting—a won- they appear on the fictional crime shows. Perhaps the Pattern derful escape for adults. Then we watched as a Zune was placed Recognition and Machine Learning team at Microsoft Research on Surface, which immediately revealed the device’s stored media will work on this. As Gates said to us, “What is the magic of softand allowed us to interact with the media right from the table top. ware going to do?” Yet another application transformed Surface into a restaurant table where we were able to order and pay for food and drinks. Surface is so advanced that it looks like a next-generation concept of what Julia Lerman, a .NET consultant, has been building software for more than 20 years. She is wellknown in the .NET community as conference speaker, author, Microsoft .NET MVP, and leader computing can do for you, yet it is here today. of the Vermont .NET User Group. Her upcoming book is titled Programming Entity Framework. At the end of the day, we each had an opportunity to ask a ques- Julia blogs at thedatafarm.com/blog. Software developers often enjoy laughing at the { } 128 msdnmagazine http://microsoft.com/surface http://microsoft.com/surface http://thedatafarm.com/blog

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of MSDN Magazine - April 2008

MSDN Magazine - April 2008 Contents Toolbox CLR Inside Out Basic Instincts Cutting Edge Foundations Test Run Service Station Windows with C++ Going Places { End Bracket }

MSDN Magazine - April 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.