One of the questions I frequently get is how to upgrade from VB 6 to VB.NET. Though there are lot of upgrade scenerios explained in detail in MSDN, my favourite has always been step-by-step upgrade. In this approach, you take one of your existing forms, upgrade/re-develop them in VB.NET and have it being called from VB 6.0 applications. Then you move to the next form, by doing this, over a period you can have the entire application moved to VB.NET. The problem in doing this was to have the knowledge on how to turn the VB.NET form into a COM component that can be called from VB 6.0, MS has made this easier now with Interop Forms Toolkit 1.0.

• See a screencast on using Interop Forms Toolkit 1.0
• Hear the behind stories on Interop Forms Toolkit 1.0

Having the forms developed in VB.NET brings in lot of capabilities - foremost being the ability to support 100% Unicode, which is very important for Indic Languages like Tamil, Hindi, etc.

For doing Unicode with VB 6.0:

Though basic: If Windows XP / 2003 - First ensure you have selected the check box in Control Panel -> Regional and Languages Options -> Languages Tab -> Install Files for Complex Script and Right Languages (or) If Windows 2000 – Ensure you have Indic Support enabled

VB 6.0 even with MS Forms 2.0 will have some issues with Unicode, especially Indic languages like Tamil. I found it easier and better to do the forms in VB.NET 1.1 and then call the forms from VB 6.0. So the .NET application can be either a standalone EXE (or) called as a ActiveX COM DLL .

These references might be useful, check them out:

• http://www.cyberactivex.com/UnicodeTutorialVb.htm
• http://www.bhashaindia.com/Patrons/Events/ExpertChatTranscripts.aspx
• http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/6/e/f6e7aea8-d238-4676-93bd-1dcc0fa6c276/IndiaDevCon99PM.ppt

Today Indian PM Dr.Manmohan Singh left for a 3-day visit to few ASEAN countries. I saw now in the TV news a whole bunch of Senior people from Indian Government and Politics are there to see him off.

What is there to see off a PM who has done these foreign trips multiple times and he is not doing this trip for anything ground breaking. Right from Sonia Gandhi to a dozen Cabinet ministers and numerous number of senior bureaucrats where present to see the PM. I am sure each of them have tons of work to do, other than giving a bunch of flowers to PM and most of these people will be seeing people many times during a day as well. 

If this many important folks appear in the TV Clip, think about the hundreds of accessory people and cars (like Police, Security, Assistants) that would also have been wasted the time, energy, road-traffic coming for this. Why is our government and officials not waking up to 21st Century and see that these are wasteful?

I am not sure any western countries follow these protocols - do they?

I loved Mix '06 and I was eagerly looking for Mix '07. It is now open for registration, it is worth event to travel if you are in Web Development/Design Area.

Here is a latest release from MS on Mix '07:
A general manager within Microsoft’s developer division, Scott Guthrie chats about his upcoming keynote at MIX07 with Rory Blyth from Channel 9. Scott talks about why MIX is such a unique Microsoft conference, what his team is up to on the web technologies front including WPF/E, what’s so special about IIS 7.0, why you should care about the next version of Visual Studio that is code named Orcas, and what it’s like to go into meetings with big wig executives like Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and Ray Ozzie (another person who will keynote MIX07). And yes, even though Scott is an exec himself, he still spends lots of time coding; he’s a developer’s developer. And he’ll be on the floor at MIX for you to mingle with. Enjoy!

From my birth so far the far fetching news that I heard about India and Pakistan being friendly was made by Indian PM Manmohan Singh recently. Dr.Singh dreamt of having one day one can have 'breakfast in Amritsar, lunch in Lahore and dinner in Kabul'.

Join me in praying that one day this dream comes to reality.

I read in today's Economic Times supplement Madras Plus about Chennai Corporation deciding to beautify the Elliots Beach in Chennai. Elliots Beach in BesantNagar, Chennai is a sharp contrast to the buzzing Madras Marina Beach (One of Worlds Longest Beach). If developed to World Class Standards it has the potential to attract huge amount of travelers (both within India and Outside).   

Elliots Beach in Chennai

One of the best waterways in the world that I have seen, is Sydney's Darling Harbour. It has been developed from a marsh dumping area (that's what I heard) into a premier tourist destination. I dream one-day Chennai too has a version of Darling Harbour. Nature has been kind enough to Chennai to bestow it with everything that is needed to create one - including back-waters, Adyar River and more. Unfortunately Chennai lacks is a willing and determined Political and Bureaucratic leadership to make it happen.

The only good cosmetic development in Chennai done by Chennai Corporation in the last several years has been the development of almost a dozen Parks in the City. Almost all of them look very tempting to visit, unfortunately locked almost throughout the day - may be that's why they are still beautiful

Today I added to my blog Snap.com's quick preview feature. To use this, just hover your mouse on any external hyperlink on this page that points to a URL outside www.venkatarangan.com. For example, hover on top of this word "Vishwak" (or) "Easytools" to see a quick snapshot of those sites.

Hope this is useful for readers. Please post your comments.

Wish you all a happy new year 2007.

Today I received a good new year gift - I was nominated and accepted by Microsoft as one of their MVPs (Microsoft Valuable Professional) - Visual Developer Solutions Architect. I have been a Microsoft Regional Director from 1999 but this is an additional title for me to hold.

Update 1/Feb/2007: I received my MVP Welcome Kit and the MVP Certificate

I have been to Malaysia couple of times, I liked the country so much that I went there for my honeymoon. Last week my Sister's family had been to Malaysia and I gave them an itinery - I have given it below for benefit of others who are going to KL.

Kuala Lumpur:

1.  Battu Caves (Murugan temple, Batik/Tin/Shoe Factory) - Half a day
2. Mid valley mega mall in the city – 3 to 4 hours
3. Genting Highland (Can be seen by a day dour, go top by Cable Car) - Full day
4. Butterfly Park in the city – 2 to 3 hours
5. China town – toys and all china items
6. Lebu Ampang – South Indian Banana leaf food
7. Sri Mahamariamman Temple
8. Petronas Twin tower – need to get pass the day before; 1 to 2 hours
9. Suriya KLCC - this mall is next to Petronas Tower
10. Menara KL Tower – good to go in the evening around 5:30PM/6PM; 2 hours
11. Independence Square/War memorial – Good Photo Opportunity: 1 Hour
12. Palace: Entrance Photo: 10 minutes
13. Little India / Masjid India

Langkawi:

1. Aquarium – Definite see
2. Beautiful Beaches – Can be done as part of a day tour / seen individually
3. Eagle Square (Dataran Lang) – Can be done as part of a day tour
4. You can also rent 2/4 wheelers and go around
   

Reference Sites:

• http://www.tourism.gov.my/
• http://www.malaysiasite.nl/

சில்லுனு ஒரு காதல், சூர்யா ஜோதிகா நடித்த இந்தப் படத்தை ஓரிரண்டு மாதங்கள் முன்பு பார்த்தேன்.சூர்யா ஜோதிகாவின் திருமணத்தின் பொழுது வெளிவந்தது மட்டுமே படத்திற்கான விளம்பரமாக அமைந்தது.படத்தில் கணவன் மனைவி உறவை/அன்பை ஆழமாக அதே சமயம் இயல்பாக இயக்குனர் சொல்லியுள்ளார், மற்றபடி படத்தைப் பார்த்தப்பொழுது என்னை எதுவும் மிகவாக கவரவில்லை.

படத்தின் பாடல்களை பிறகு தொலைக்காட்சியில் பார்க்கும் பொழுது, பாடல் ஒளிப்பதிவு மிகவும் நெர்த்தியாக தெரிகிறது -குறிப்பாக "நியுயார்க் நகரம்" பாடல் மிக அழகாக Editing செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது.ஒரு காட்சியில் சூர்யா வலதுப்பக்கமாக வெளியேரினால் அடுத்த காட்சியில் ஜோதிகா இடதுப்பக்கமாக தோன்றுவார், ஒருவரில் (கணவன் சூர்யா) இருந்து மற்றவர் (மனைவி ஜோதிகா) வருவது போல் மிக நெர்த்தியாக தொழில்நுட்பத்தைப் பயன்படுத்தியுள்ளார் இயக்குனர் கிருஷ்ணா

இதைத் தவிர பாடல் சிடியை தினமும் வண்டியில் கேட்டப்பொழுது "நியுயார்க் நகரம்" பாடலும், "அம்மி மிதிச்சாச்சு" பாடலும் என்னை வெகுவாக கவர்ந்தது. இதில் "நியுயார்க் நகரம்" பாடல் முழுவதையும் கவிஞர் வாலி ஆங்கில கலப்பிண்றி (காபி பொன்ற ஒரிரு தவிர) இயல்பான தமிழில் எழுதியுள்ளார் - குறிப்பாக டயரியை (Diary)  நாட்குறிப்பு என்று அழகாக சொல்லியுள்ளார். ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் அந்த பாடலை கேட்கும்பொழுதும் ரகுமான் குரல் மனதை வருடாமல் விடவில்லை.  

Microsoft has recently launched a viral marketing effort for an upcoming product through a website titled Center for Digital Amnesia. It is rumoured on the Internet blogsites that it is about Windows Live Storage (something similar to xDrive).

And personally - I haven't heard from any Microsoftie on this

(Image Copyright: Microsoft Corporation)