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Try Windows® Azure in March and Win a Netbook

Our sample app makes it easy!

Give Windows® Azure a try in March and you could win one of three Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbooks (approximately $350 USD value)!

Follow the simple directions below to create a trial Windows Azure account, then upload our CodeProject Sample App. Once you receive your confirmation email from us, be sure to remove your sample app and shut down all services – so you won’t be charged for Windows Azure usage. Hurry! You must enter by March 31, 2010.

What you can win

You could win one of three Dell Inspiron Mini 10 (Windows 7 edition) netbooks (Like this one) or similar). This compact netbook features a 1.66GHz Intel® Atom® processor, Windows 7 (Starter), 1 GB SDRAM, a 250GB hard drive, a 6-cell battery, integrated wireless, and more!

 

Getting started

Here are the four steps to enter:

  1. You will need Vista or Windows 7 to be installed, then sign up for Windows Azure Offers at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsazure/offers/.
    • Open to anyone - Windows Azure Platform Introductory Special
    • MSDN Premium subscribers - Windows Azure Platform Benefits for MSDN Subscribers
    You will need your Windows Live ID (if you don't have a live ID you can get one quickly) and credit card. We’ve made our sample app small so you will likely not incur any usage charges.

  2. Download our custom, one-stop installation package. Make the simple changes to The Code Project's Azure app, and upload your app to Windows Azure. Our package contains full instructions.

    Note: you will need your member profile URL for the app. It will be:
    http://www.codeproject.com/Members/YourMemberName
    You can also upload your own apps and pages – just be sure to tell us about it!

    Those running Visual Studio 2010 will need to download Windows Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 1.1.

  3. If you'd like to learn more and fast track your Azure knowledge, check out the Front Runner for Azure, Tony's training videos and the Four-minute Windows Azure virtual lab.

    For information on how to provision and then de-provision correctly see
    1. Provision using no cost offer
    2. De-provision - why and how:
  4. Make sure you've received the confirmation email from the codeproject.com sample app. If you've created additional apps or sites on your Azure account, be sure to email us the URLs to azure2010@codeproject.com along with your CodeProject member name. Once you’ve received the confirmation email, remove your sample app to avoid incurring usage charges on the Windows Azure service. Very important: if you wish to avoid charges to your credit card, it is very important that you de-provision all services. Please note that one application deployment consumes two services and thus 48 hours of compute time per day.

If you've built a custom application on Windows Azure, let us know ... we're working on some special prizes for custom apps.


*This challenge is from The Code Project, an independent third-party company not affiliated with Microsoft, and is not a Microsoft offering. The Code Project is a registered trademark of The Code Project Inc. Microsoft, and Windows are registered trademarks; Azure is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Intel and Atom are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. Dell is a registered trademark of Dell Corporation. Any other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Competition Winners!

  • TimTallman
  • joseguia
  • Byron Jones
 

Windows Azure Contest Terms and Conditions


Contest Rules and Entry Requirements

  1. Participants must upload an application or web site (consisting of one or more .aspx pages) to Windows Azure™ cloud services and send a verifiable URL of that app or site to The Code Project via email to azure2010@codeproject.com (or using the automated mechanism in the sample application provided)
  2. The contest begins on March 5, 2010 and will end March 5, 2010 at 11:59:59 PM US Eastern Standard Time. All entries must be submitted during this period in order to qualify.
  3. No cheating, lying, stealing code, using the phrase "hippity hop" if you're a grown adult, or biting.
  4. Our judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  5. Only those who live in jurisdictions in which this contest is legal may enter.
  6. Any breach of the rules will result in the prize being awarded to another entrant.
  7. By entering the contest you agree to the rules, conditions of entry, and agree that your name, member profile information, and article can be used for promotional purposes by The Code Project and Microsoft.
  8. Entries shall be deemed to be submitted by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of entry unless clearly indicated otherwise. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an internet access provider, on-line service provider, or other organization (e.g. business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

Eligibility

This competition is open to software development professionals & enthusiasts who are of the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence; however, residents of Quebec and of the following countries are ineligible to participate due to legal constraints: Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. Employees (or a member of their immediate family) of The Code Project or of Microsoft or any of their affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising or promotional agencies are also ineligible to participate. Void where prohibited by law.

Determination of Winner

In addition, all entries will be reviewed by judges appointed by The Code Project. Winners will be determined by the judges on the basis of which entry best meets the judging criteria set forth below.

Judging criteria include:

  • How tightly an entry adheres to the conditions of entry
  • Any exceptional customisation
  • Quality of submission

How to Enter

Participants must upload an application or web site (consisting of one or more .aspx pages) to Windows Azure™ cloud services and send a verifiable URL of that app or site to The Code Project via email to azure2010@codeproject.com (or using the automated mechanism in the sample application provided)

Lost, late, misdirected, or illegible entries will be disqualified. Any entry containing content that The Code Project deems objectionable for any reason will be disqualified. All decisions of The Code Project with respect to any aspect of the competition, including, without limitation, the eligibility of entries, are final and binding on all entrants in all matters as they relate to this competition. The Code Project reserves its right to modify the Rules.

All entries become the property of The Code Project who assumes no responsibility for lost, late, delayed, destroyed or misdirected mail, voice messages, e-mail or any computer errors or malfunctions. No correspondence will be entered into with entrants.

The Code Project does not assume any responsibility for incorrect or inaccurate capture of entry information, technical malfunctions, human or technical error, lost, delayed or garbled data or transmissions, omission, interruption, deletion, defect or failures of any telephone or computer line or network, computer equipment, software or any combination thereof. Entry materials/data that have been tampered with or altered are void. If for any reason, in the opinion of The Code Project in its sole discretion, the competition is not capable of running as originally planned, or if the administration, security, fairness, integrity or the proper conduct of the competition is corrupted or adversely affected, including by reason of infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond its control, The Code Project reserves its right to cancel, terminate, modify, amend, extend or suspend the competition including cancelling any method of entry, and select a winner from previously received eligible entries. The Code Project reserves its right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the competition or to be acting in violation of the Rules or otherwise in a disruptive manner. The Code Project reserves its right to seek remedies and damages to the fullest extent of the law for any attempts to deliberately damage the competition web site or to undermine the legitimate operation of this competition. The Code Project shall not be held responsible for any errors or negligence that may arise or occur in connection with the competition including any damage to an entrant's computer equipment, system, software or any combination thereof, as a result of their participation in this competition or from downloading any material from the competition website where applicable.

Prizes

Three winners will receive a Dell Inspiron Mini 10 (or similar).

All decisions are final.

Should you win you agree to cover all income taxes, Customs duties, taxes and excise that you may incur or may be charged on delivery of your prize. The Code Project will not be held liable for any costs once the prize has been sent. If you are not willing to accept any imposed charges then the prize will be reclaimed and awarded to another contestant. Prize(s) must be accepted as awarded. The Prize(s) may not be sold, transferred and is/are not convertible to cash. The Code Project reserves the right to substitute the Prize(s) in whole or in part in the event that all or any component of the Prize(s) is/are unavailable.

Intellectual Property

It is a condition of entry that you grant to The Code Project and Microsoft a royalty-free, non-exclusive, transferable, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide license to reproduce, and otherwise use and publicly display your entry (in part or in its entirety) in any and all media for any purpose. All entries submitted and judged as winners may appear on The Code Project and/or Microsoft Web site(s). Entries will not be returned. All articles submitted by you will retain your copyright and will be attributed to you.

Your Warranties

It is a condition of entry that you confirm that your entry: is original; has not been previously published, released, distributed or submitted or used for study or work-related purposes; has been created by you; and is owned exclusively by you, or where you enter as part of a group, by the individual members of that group; is virus-free; and complies with Canadian law.

Liability

It is a condition of entry that you agree that to the extent permitted by law that The Code Project, its retailers, suppliers, associated companies and agencies will not be liable for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage whatsoever, including personal injury, which is suffered as a result, or arising from, any person participating in the competition or on connection with winning any prize.

Before being awarded a Prize, a potential winner may be required to sign and return within the time stipulated by The Code Project, a full release and indemnity form stating that he/she has read and understood these official rules and regulations ("Rules"), grants all consents required, authorizes The Code Project to broadcast, publish and disseminate his/her name, city of residence, photograph, likeness, sobriquet and voice, in connection with any promotion or publicity, and/or for general news, entertainment and information purposes at no additional compensation to the potential winner, beyond the awarding of or participation in the Prize, accepts the Prize as offered and releases The Code Project from any and all liability of any kind arising out of the potential winner's participation in the competition and receipt and use of the Prize.

In the event that the potential winner does not comply with all the provisions as contemplated in these Rules, The Code Project shall have the right to disqualify the potential winner and award the prize to an alternative winner and The Code Project shall be fully and completely released and discharged from any liability or responsibility in this regard.

The Code Project and its associated entities are not liable for any charges incurred as a result of using the Windows Azure service. NO warranties or guarantees are express or implied. Entrants are solely responsible for any charges they may incur.

Notification of Prize Winners

The Code Project will make reasonable efforts to notify a prize winner, however, The Code Project may disqualify your entry and select an alternative winner if your prize or prize notification is returned to The Code Project as undeliverable.

Privacy

It is a condition of entry and of receiving the benefit of the prize that prize winners agree to the use of their images, names, article in any publicity desired by The Code Project, without compensation. By entering this competition, each entrant consents to the collection, use and distribution of his/her personal information (information that identifies an entrant as an individual, such as home telephone number, age and home address) by The Code Project for the purposes of implementing, administering and fulfilling this competition. The Code Project will not sell or transmit this information to third parties except for the purposes of administering this competition. Any inquiry concerning the personal information held by The Code Project should be addressed to The Code Project at 250 Ferrand Drive, Suite 503, Toronto, Ontario, M3C 3G8, Canada.

No relationship with The Code Project or Microsoft

Participating in the competition does not constitute any form of employment or contractor relationship between you and The Code Project or Microsoft.

Governing law

The competition is governed by the laws of Ontario, Canada and the applicable federal laws of Canada. The competition is subject to all applicable federal, provincial, state and municipal laws and regulations. This competition is void where prohibited by law.


The Code Project is a registered trademark of The Code Project Inc. Microsoft, and Windows are registered trademarks; Azure is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Any other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

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This contest has ended.
5 Mar - 31 Mar 2010