Internet Explorer 8 and above all have a “Compatibility Mode” option that is supposed to help render pages that were designed for earlier versions of IE. Comparability Mode is toggled by pressing this icon here:

I have seen this option create more problems than it has helped. Many times the user will click it on accident since it is so close to the refresh button. The browser will then re-render the page and in my experience break a lot of the CSS features.

How to disable IE Compatibility Mode

There are 2 simple ways to remove compatibility mode from all IE clients accessing your website. Once you implement one of these method, the icon will no longer be available in the browser.

Option One, Response Header

If you have access to the web server, you can add a response header that directs IE to use it’s latest versions rendering engine.

Option Two, Meta Tag

If you don’t have access to the webserver, you can add the following meta tag, but it will have to be added to all pages on your site.

<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge">


<select onchange="if(this.options[this.selectedIndex].onclick && document.all) this.options[this.selectedIndex].onclick()">


Since IE does support the onChange event on the select box, you can have it find the selected element and then call that elements onclick event.

1. On your app fabric server, make a new local account called “AppFabric”
2. Create a file share named AppFabric that gives the AppFabric user full control
3. Install AppFabric, set the run as user to AppFabric
4. Select the XML config provider and point it to the AppFabric Share
5. In the start menu, there will an app fabric folder, with a windows power shell
   1. Run the power shell as administrator
   2. run the following command Set-CacheClusterSecurity -SecurityMode None -ProtectionLevel None
      
6. Start your cache using the AppFabric Caching Admin Tool

That is everything on the server side. On the client ASP.NET app, it took a bit of tweaking. Here is my complete web.config file. Also note, that your Client must resolve the host name of the AppFabric server. I had to add an entry to my hosts file.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!--
For more information on how to configure your ASP.NET application, please visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=169433 -->
<configuration>
<configSections>
<!-- required to read the <dataCacheClient> element -->
<section name="dataCacheClient"
type="Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.DataCacheClientSection,
Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.Core, Version=1.0.0.0,
Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"
allowLocation="true"
allowDefinition="Everywhere"/>
</configSections>
<dataCacheClient>
<!-- cache host(s) -->
<hosts>
<host
name="ServerName or IP Address"
cachePort="22233"/>
</hosts>
<securityProperties mode="None" protectionLevel="None" />
</dataCacheClient>
<system.web>
<compilation debug="true" strict="false" explicit="true" targetFramework="4.0">
<assemblies>
<add assembly="Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.Client, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/>
<add assembly="Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.Core, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35"/>
</assemblies>
</compilation>
<sessionState mode="Custom" customProvider="AppFabricCacheSessionStoreProvider">
<providers>
<!-- specify the named cache for session data -->
<add
name="AppFabricCacheSessionStoreProvider"
type="Microsoft.ApplicationServer.Caching.DataCacheSessionStoreProvider"
cacheName="Name1" sharedId="SharedApp"
/>
</providers>
</sessionState>
</system.web>
</configuration>


In this example I want to submit a ASP.NET form as if the user clicked a link button, if the user hits enter while on the last form field.

To accomplish this, first lets create a function to look at the characters and check to see if it is a line break. This JS Function will then execute whatever command is passed into the second parameter.


function onEnter(input, funk) {
if (input.keyCode == 13) {
input.returnValue = false;
input.cancel = true;
eval(funk);
}
}


We then need to add an event handler to pass the keystroke data, and command to be run as the user types. This is done by using onKeyDown on the textbox. In this example, when enter is typed into the textbox, it will execute the JS function submitLinkButton passing in a parameter.


<asp:TextBox ID="LastTextBox" runat="server" onkeydown="javascript:onEnter(event, 'submitLinkButton(\'LinkButton1\')');"></asp:TextBox>


The last step of this tutorial is to emulate a asp:linkbutton click. Make sure you select ClientIDMode=”static” for the link button. When the anchor renders, the href will look something like this href=”javascript:__doPostBack(‘ctl00$Content$ctl00$LinkButton1′,”). In this function we find the anchor element, and execute whatever code is rendered in the href. This is really easy when using a JQuery selector.


function submitLinkButton(linkButton) {
eval($('#' + linkButton).attr('href'));
}


Reading Downloaded PDFs on the Kindle

The Kindle 3 does support reading PDF’s naively, but their are a few problems with the build in reader. The build in PDF reader does not treat PDF files like the normal book formats. Instead of interpreting the file as text and images, It treats the whole page as an image. This means that you do not have control over the font size, and you can not use the text to voice feature. If the font size is too small (as in most cases) then you have to “zoom in” on the page, then scroll left to right. It is almost unusable in this manor.

To get around these limitations, there are a few tools available. The one that I have been using is called Mobipocket Creator. Mobipocket Creator Publisher Edition (free) allows you to open several file formats such as PDF and Word Docs, then save them in several e-Book formats. Simply  run the application, under the “Import from Existing File” header, select Adobe PDF. After selecting the file, click the build button. This will make several e-Book formats in a “My Publications” Folder.

The next step is getting the e-Book onto your Kindle. You can copy the file over using the USB cable provided, or via email. To email yourself a book, you first need to log into your Amazon account,  and approve your email address to send content to your kindle. To do this, go to amazon.com, select “Your Account”, then under the “Digital Content” header look for a link titled “Manage Your Kindle”. On this screen you can add your email addresses. Once your email addresses are on the approved list, you can email your kindle the e-Book as an attachment. The file format Mobipocket creates that is compatible with the kindle is the PRC file.

If you have the 3G Kindle, you actually have 2 email addresses available, (name)@kindle.com and (name)@free.kindle.com. The @kindle.com email address will use wifi if available, but if not available it, will download the attachment via 3G incurring charges at Amazon. If you use @free.kindle.com , this will force the Kindle to wait for wifi to become available bypassing any bandwidth fees.

Reading Web Content on the Kindle

The second way that I use the Kindle is for reading web content like Blogs and other online articles. For this task, I use Instapaper. Instapaper is a very useful free service. Once you create an account, it gives you a bookmarklet that allows you to save an article for reading later. When you click this bookmark on a website, it takes the content from that site (without user comments and advertisements!) and sends it to your instapaper account.

You can then have instapaper send these saved web articles to your kindle daily. I find it very useful. When I see an article that I am interested in reading in my RSS reader, I can just click read it later, and continue with what I’m working on. The next day I will have that content on my kindle wireless allowing my to read it whenever I have the time. To setup the delivery you will need to add the instapaper to the list of approved email addresses.

The only other thing to note about instapaper, is it can not tell when you read an article, so you will need to log into your instapaper account from time to time and archive the articles that you have read. Otherwise it will re-download those articles every day.

Exactly 24 hours later I received a phone call from a sales person. This sales person, before announcing his name or the company he worked for, started asking about the weather, and if I had got all my Christmas shopping done. After stopping him and asking him who he was, he went into his sales pitch. “It’s the end of the year”, “we have inventory we have to move”, “I can get you great pricing”, “we can store the building for you”. About 15 minutes into the phone call he had still not given me any type of price. I asked him to not call again and we disconnected.

Later that day I got a call from someone stating to be his manager. After expressing my dissatisfaction, he acted concerned asking exactly what the sales person said.  I expressed that his company used high pressure sales tactics and I was not interested in dealing with them. He then hung up on me.

Everything seemed fine after that.  Although annoyed, I was done dealing with them… until today.

Today I received a call from the same company.  I asked to be placed on the ”Company No-Call List.” I was told NO and hung up on.

Later at lunch time I received another call. This is where things got weird. During the call I expressed wanting to be placed on the no call list, and mid conversation someone on the other end of the line started groaning in a sexual manner. I know it was not the individual I was on the phone with, I could hear him saying “that’s strange”, “whats that?”

A few minutes later I called the same number on my caller ID hoping to connect to someone that could transfer me to a manager.  At that point the same sales guy, “Joel” answered and started moaning.

When I got back to my office I called in one last time  from my office phone hoping to record the conversation. While dialing from a new number (same area code) he answered the phone and whispered “whore” and hung up. During one of the calls he even played back a clip of my voice recorded saying “stop harassing me.”

I then received several more calls to my mobile phone in the same fashion. Eventually I was able to contact the main company (this was the “clearance” department). The woman I spoke with seemed very concerned and said she would have a manager call me back.

About 2 minutes later I received a call from the manager. He seemed concerned, said there was a Joel that worked there. I am really not sure if this is a real manager or one of his buddies covering for him. I would really like to press charges for harassment. Since he played a recording of my voice, it seems that they record phone calls. I have contacted the Sheriff’s office in his city and am awaiting reply.

After calling AT&T I was told my options were to pay them $4.99 to block the number or they would change my number for me (the same number that I have had for 10+ years).

Today Golfballs.com launched an exclusive special on Bridgestone Golf Balls. Buy 3 Dozen of any B or e series ball and get the 4th free. The promotion is also valid on Personalized Golf Balls.

Custom Logo Bridgestone Golf Balls are also available although the terms of the special are a bit different. Offer ends August 31st.

The Gun

A few weeks ago I ended up buying a Smith and Wesson Sigma 9MM Pistol. I had wanted a hand gun for some time for personal and property protection. There was a lot of unrest and rumors going around my area after hurricanes Rita and Katrina, and at the time I would have felt safer knowing that I had a firearm in my home.

I had done some research and wanted to get a Glock. When I went to Academy the showed me the S&W Sigma. The Sigma is a clone based off the Glock (so much so that Glock sued Smith and Wesson, and S&W Settled). I read reviews online and the main negative seemed to be the excessive trigger pull on the Sigma. Because of the few cons, and the Sigma being 1/2 the cost (I paid about $330 for it w/ 2 Magazines and 2 Extra via Rebate) I decided to buy the Sigma.

The Experience

Left Handed, 10 Rounds at 7 Yards

A few days after my purchase I went with some co-workers to a shooting range. I loved shooting the gun! It was my first time ever shooting a hand gun, I didn’t find it to hard to use / aim and I was happy with my shooting results. I did get to fire a few other guns while I was there. I quickly went through a 100 rounds of ammo.

I am happy with the Sigma. If I would have known how much fun I was going to have shooting, I probably would have purchased the Glock. The trigger pull causes a little hesitation when shooting, allowing the gun to wobble around a little while pulling the trigger. I found with the other weapons that had a lighter trigger pull, I was more accurate. If this is a home protection gun, it doesn’t matter that much. For something that you want to take to the range and target shoot with often, I would recommend the Glock.

Set ArgObj = WScript.Arguments
Set objIIS = GetObject("IIS://LocalHost/W3SVC/AppPools/" & ArgObj(1))
If ArgObj(0) = "start" then
objIIS.Start
Else
objIIS.Stop
End if


It is executed by using the following commands

AppCode start [application pool name]
AppCode stop [application pool name]


To export data to a binary data file, use the following command,
bcp "[sql query]" queryout [filename].bin -S [serveraddress] -U [username] -P [password] -d [database] -n
To import the data via the BCP utility, you can use the following command line,
bcp [table] in [filename].bin -S [serveraddress] -U [username] -P [password] -d [database] -n
Alternatively, you can also import the data via a SQL Query by using BULK INSERT
BULK INSERT  [tablename]
FROM '[path and filename]'
WITH (DATAFILETYPE='native')

To use these commands with Azure, you must be using version 10. bcp /v will tell you your version number.