Steve Glendinning

I’ve had an Orange Samsung i200 (running Windows Mobile 6.1) for just over a week now, and I have to say I like it! It’s noticeably more responsive than the Nokia N73 it replaced (TBH i think that mostly illustrates how sluggish the N73 was), and I’ve *nearly* got used to the different keypad. Honestly, why do all the different manufacturers use a different key for “space”?!

Being a Windows Mobile handset, it came loaded with all the expected Microsoft applications… except one! It seems Orange have decided to remove the MSN Messenger client, presumably because they’re worried it’ll dent their extremely profitable SMS revenue. And Microsoft no longer makes the client available for download (”ask your operator for MSN access”).

After several hours of trawling through forums, I found the nice chaps at xda-developers have many builds of the mobile msn client available for download (although you need to register to get access). Most are for the full PocketPC (PDA) OS, but the file attached to post #202 works on SmartPhones like the i200.

As expected, Pocket Outlook’s Microsoft Exchange synchronisation works seamlessly, so I now have real-time push email, contacts and calendar sync. And it’s actually usable as a phone too!

Now Visual Studio 2008 has been released, I thought I’d look at the new LINQ functionality. I followed ScottGu’s introduction tutorials, but came across a problem.  hopefully this post will save others some time!

ScottGu wrote his LINQ tutorials based on the Beta2 release of .NET 3.5. Between Beta2 and the final RTM, Microsoft renamed several methods:

• Add is now InsertOnSubmit
• AddAll is now InsertAllOnSubmit
• Remove is now DeleteOnSubmit
• RemoveAll is now DeleteAllOnSubmit

So when I followed Scott’s 3rd tutorial, I thought the methods were missing.

Of course, if you know where to look, this is all documented in the Linq to SQL Beta2 to RTM breaking changes document. But that doesn’t help the huge number of online tutorials already published with the Beta2 naming convention.

Forefront Client Security is Microsoft’s anti-virus product. It’s designed to be deployed to entire organisations, integrated into MOM (for reporting) and WSUS (for signature and engine updates). This is all great but how do you install it in standalone mode on a single PC?!

I had to dig through quite a bit of microsoft deployment guide, but I found the answer: it is possible.

Open up a command prompt (”run as administrator” if you’re running vista), change directory to the CLIENT folder of the FCS CD and type:

clientsetup.exe /NOMOM

It should install totally silently, then you’ll see the icon in the system tray telling you it needs an update already. Open internet explorer, visit Microsoft Update and install the critical update available for forefront.

When it’s all installed and updated, the forefront system tray icon should turn into a green tick.