Windows 7 "Windows @ Work" Article Contest
This competition is over -- thanks to everyone who participated!
Use Visual Studio 2008 and/or Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 to build a great
Windows 7 application, and then post an article on The Code Project. You could win a fully loaded
HP Touchsmart tx2z Notebook!
Congratulations to our winners!
Ivo Beltchev -
Classic
ShellDmitry Vitkovsky -
Creating
a Timer Using the Amazing New Windows 7 FeaturesSacha
Barber -
Windows 7 /
VS2010 demo app
The original rules follow:
Submit a great article explaining how you built an app for Windows 7 –
complete with code - and if yours is the highest rated article by both The Code
Project community and our judges, you could win a fully loaded HP
Touchsmart tx2z Notebook!
Requirements
- Write a great article using the regular Code Project
submission guidelines
- Your article should include screen shots and code samples
- Your article must use Visual Studio 2008 and/or Visual Studio
2010 Beta
- The app should run as a Windows client, and should take advantage
of Windows-specific technologies/features found in Windows 7 (such as jumplists,
thumbnails, etc.)
- You’ll need to tag your article with the key words "Windows 7”
- Post your article on The Code Project to automatically be entered
in the contest
What You Can Win
Codeproject.com members can vote on your article. The articles that are
highest-rated by members will be rated by our judges to determine the final
winner. If your article wins, in addition to receiving one of our three great
prizes, you’ll be highlighted in The Code Project’s weekly newsletter and on our
contest page.
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Grand Prize |
Runner Up Prize |
Second Runner Up Prize |
|
FULLY LOADED!
HP TouchSmart tx2z Notebook PC |
HP TouchSmart tx2z Notebook PC |
HP TouchSmart tx2z Notebook PC |
|
Valued at over $2,600!! |
Valued at over $1,700! |
Valued at over $900! |
- Upgrade to Windows 7 (64-bit)
- AMD Turion(TM) X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-87
(2.4GHz, 2MB L2 Cache)
- 8GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
- 500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
- ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3200 Graphics with 64MB Display Cache Memory
- 12.1" diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP LED Widescreen
(1280x800) with Integrated Touch-screen
- LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
- Webcam Only with HP Imprint Finish (Reaction)
- Upgrade to Wireless-N Card
- HP Color Matching Keyboard
- 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
- Microsoft(R) Office Professional 2007
- Corel(R)PaintShop(TM) Pro X2
- Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements 7 & Adobe Premiere(R) Elements 7
- Syncables Mobile v4
- HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope
- HP 90W Smart AC/Auto/Air Combo Adapter KS474AA#ABA
- 3-year Accidental Damage Protection Extended Service Plan for
Notebook PCs
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- Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
(64-bit)
- AMD Turion(TM) X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-86
(2.4GHz, 2MB L2 Cache)
- 6GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
- 500GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
- ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3200 Graphics with 64MB Display Cache Memory
- 12.1" diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP LED Widescreen
(1280x800) with Integrated Touch-screen
- LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
- Webcam Only with HP Imprint Finish (Reaction)
- Wireless-G Card
- HP Color Matching Keyboard
- 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
- Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
- Computrace LoJack for Laptops, Two Years
- Adobe(R) PhotoShop(R) Elements 7.0
- Roxio Creator 2009
- Syncables Mobile v4
- MAGIX Music Maker 15
- HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope
- 1-year Accidental Damage Protection Extended Service Plan for
Notebook PCs
|
- Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
64-bit)
- AMD Turion(TM) X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile Processor ZM-85
(2.3GHz, 2MB L2 Cache)
- 4GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
- Upgrade to 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive from 250GB 5400RPM SATA
Hard Drive
- ATI Radeon(TM) HD 3200 Graphics with 64MB Display Cache Memory
- 12.1" diagonal WXGA High-Definition HP LED Widescreen (1280x800)
with Integrated Touch-screen
- LightScribe SuperMulti 8X DVD+/-RW with Double Layer Support
- Webcam Only with HP Imprint Finish (Reaction)
- Wireless-G Card
- HP Color Matching Keyboard
- 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
- Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
- HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope
|
| *Sample Configurations, may vary at award
time. The Code Project reserves the right to substitute prizes for the
cash equivalent. |
The Rules
- Articles must follow the guidelines listed above.
- The articles can use any programming language but must focus on one of
the Windows 7 features.
- No cheating, lying, stealing code, or biting.
- The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered
into.
- Only those who live in jurisdictions in which this contest is legal may
enter.
- Any breach of the rules and the prize will be awarded to the runner up.
- The contest runs from 3 November 2009 to 3 February 2010, at 11:59:59 PM US
Eastern Standard Time. After the contest closes, no additional entries will
be permitted.
- By entering the contest you agree to the rules, conditions of entry, and
agree that your name, member profile information, article, code and any
other submitted material can be used for promotional purposes by The Code
Project and Microsoft.
- By entering your article in the contest you agree that The Code Project
and Microsoft can link to your article and all accompanying data or information
for promotional purposes.
Some Excellent Resources
Below are some great links to help you get started.
Download the Windows 7 Training Kit for
Developers
This is the most comprehensive Windows 7 training kit to date.
Get the Windows API Code Pack for
Microsoft .NET Framework
Windows API Code Pack for Microsoft .NET Framework provides a
source code library that can be used to access some new Windows 7 features from
managed code.
Download the Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2
Discover how Visual Studio 2010 Beta 2 and .NET Framework 4.0 mark the next generation of Microsoft developer tools. This is no namby-pamby beta. It’s a full-octane beta release with a "Go Live" license that you can use to concept, build, test, and deploy killer Windows 7 apps —and you can even use it to create your contest submission.
Check out these Windows 7 resources:
For continued support for developing applications, services, and
drivers for Windows 7—including application compatibility resources, a source
code library, and much more—bookmark these resources:
Discover how to build Innovative Applications with the Windows 7 Developer Guide
Download the Windows 7 Developer Guide to learn how Windows 7
makes it easy for developers to create engaging, user-friendly applications by
providing familiar tools and rich development features that allow them to take advantage
of the latest PC capabilities.
Check out a Sample Article and then get started on your Windows @ Work contest article
submission
Titled “Display Progress and Overlay Icons
for Multiple Views from .NET in Windows 7 Taskbar”, this article describes how
to use Windows 7 new taskbar features, progress indication and overlay icon,
from unmanaged .NET code. The second part shows you how to manage progress
indication and overlay icons in case of multiple views (windows) and provides
appropriate missing classes for Windows API Code Pack.
Update
to Windows API Code Pack is available!
This release includes bug fixes,
new APIs to support DirectWrite and Direct2D, additional samples, and
documentation improvements.
Develop
Your Windows 7 Application
Windows 7 is a highly anticipated
operating system release for Microsoft, and we believe that migration to
Windows 7 will be faster than with our last three releases. To get you started,
we've set up a clear, three-phase approach to take advantage of the operating
system's innovations.
Platform
Update for Windows Vista and Platform Update for Windows Server
2008
Start writing applications and
drivers that take advantage of the latest Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
technologies, without losing customers on Windows Vista and Windows Server
2008.
Get
the Windows Driver Kit
Windows Driver Kit includes:
A set of headers, libraries, build tools, build environments, code samples, documentation,
and other tools that can be used to create drivers and kernel software
Ultimate
Developer Gift:
Buy
Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition with MSDN Premium before
March 22, 2010, and you will automatically be transitioned to the new Visual
Studio 2010 Premium with MSDN at no extra cost. Visual Studio 2010 Premium
offers all the functionality of today’s Visual Studio Team System 2008
Developer and Database Editions, plus many more new features. With your MSDN
Premium subscription, you can use Windows 7 to design, develop, test and demo
your applications on as many machines and devices as you need, as long as each
person on your team is a subscriber.
Conditions of Entry
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Current winners list
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TexasQuest is a 2D side scroller platform game similiar to Super Mario
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Is this a contest of innovation or profit?
A laptop? Who get's the rights to the .. winning .. killer app?
Oh. Glory and praise... that's your prize.
So.
Get a laptop.. we get to market a potential profit hog. You get squat.... er.. laptop.
Am I off-base?
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eh? I have no idea what you mean by "profit hog".
It's a competition to encourage developers to have a crack at Windows 7 and we managed to pull a few laptops into the deal. Developers write articles on manay topics constantly. We're just offering a prize on a specific topic.
I'm lost.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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U call that a laptop? A laptop should be at least 15", 17" or 18" if u like that.
12" is a PDA on steroids so to speak 
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Why the requirement is to use Visual Studio only? What about Delphi 2010 supporting all the new Windows 7 features including touch, multi-touch, gesturing, Ribbon, TaskDialogs, glassing and all the fancy Win7 stuff?
regards,
Paweł Głowacki
EMEA Technical Lead for Delphi
Embarcadero Technologies
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Use whatever tool you like to build a great Windows 7 app.
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I don't doubt that Delphi supports all these, but I do not like the fact that C++ Builder is left ages behind and I don't like the fact that although x64 is not new, there is no support in delphi as of 2010 and of course nothing announced for C++ Builder.
Since you work from Embarcadero, please note them that all the goods and whistles are good, but basic stuff like a new optimizing compiler and x64 support are more important - and, If we have a tool that does it all (MS C++ compiler), then it is highly unlikely to switch to Embarcadero Techs just for the VCL.
Michael.
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BECAUSE SOMEONE HAVE TO PAY FOR AWARDS.
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If(it's a desktop)
{
GiveItATry();
}
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The laptops were my idea. I wanted folks to have a fully functional machine that could do multi-touch and sensor / location stuff in addition to all the other great things Win 7 has (jumplists, libraries, etc...). In addition, I wanted them to be able to take them out and show people all that great stuff so laptops were the logical choice. 
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Because they are easier to mail.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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Thanks - fixed.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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So, I'm working with the Code Project folks on this contest and wanted to know what features you feel are the coolest in Windows 7 for developers. There is a long list of stuff that is available but what really matters / impacts you in your daily work?
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Depends what you like - UI (ribbon, taskbar), web services, the biometrics stuff. Do what you think is cool, because everyone has a different version of cool.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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Exactly! So I want to hear what YOUR version of "cool" is. Personally, for example, I think Libraries are one of the coolest features you never hear much about in Win7.
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I'd have to say the coolest feature for me in Windows 7 is the Libraries, along with jump lists. Libraries allow me to organize my often-fragmented files that are stored everywhere (external hard-drives, jump drives, etc.). Jump lists are very cool, and are great time savers.
Edit: In a nut-shell, all the time-savers now included in W7.
modified on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 3:18 PM
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I was thinking the exact same thing. Even in a Windows 7 contest are they trying to push Vista. 
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By the time the contest ends, these laptops will be outdated and new ones will come with WIndows 7.
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If Windows 7 is available on those machines we'll definitely work to ensure that's what the winner gets.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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All corrected now.. great!
Now the original post is no more needed. Removed, in the good competition spirit!
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