Are you a .NET developer or SQL Server expert that is looking for a job in Memphis? If so, and you meet the requirements listed below, shoot me an email with your resume – we're hiring!

This profitable, Memphis-based company provides web-based software to customers throughout the US. The company is growing and working to provide the best products while utilizing the newest technologies.

The company is seeking a senior-level programmer to add to the current software development team. The ideal candidate will have a four-year college degree and at least 5 years of programming experience.

Excellent knowledge of ASP, ASP.NET, Microsoft SQL Server, Multi-tenant architectures, JavaScript, and HTML are required. The candidate should also possess a very good working knowledge of database tuning, ADO.NET, XML, AJAX, and n-tier architecture based on Microsoft patterns and practices. The applicant must have good analytical and troubleshooting abilities.

This is a great chance to work in a highly-available, scalable, enterprise-class environment featuring Windows Server 2003, SQL Server 2005, SQL clustering, database mirroring, geographic redundancy, and a n-tier architecture. In addition, this company is working closely with Microsoft as an early adopter of SQL 2008, Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and .NET 3.5.

I was sending out some emails this morning, and while using spell check I noticed something strange: my "Add to Dictionary" button was grayed out!?!

First thought: this cannot be! I love that button!

Next thought: check what's going on with my custom dictionary. So I checked out the options panel under the office button (in Outlook 2007.)

Under "Proofing", there is a "Custom Dictionaries…" button:

Next step: check my custom dictionary path… uh, where is my custom dictionary – and its path?

Next step: use the "Add…" button to add the custom dictionary back to the list. Fortunately, it defaulted to the appropriate path:
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\UProof\CUSTOM.DIC

Problem: after adding the dictionary to the list and closing the "Custom Dictionaries" dialog, I checked the list by reopening the dialog – nada… it disappeared! Outlook wouldn't let me add the custom dictionary back to the list.

Solution: restart outlook. After the restart, everything works perfectly.

Weird.

High-Quality Training and Networking – Cheap!

This October in Nashville, TN, you can get the benefit of a $2,000 conference for only $50! If you think I'm exaggerating, check out the quality of the speakers listed on the devLink website. John Kellar has done a great job of putting on this conference for the second year. I was fortunate to be able to attend last year, and I expect to attend again this year. If you have a blog (or would like to start one) and plan to attend, but sure to blog about it to enter into the contest… but if you don't, I won't mind a bit – it gives me a better chance of winning the Xbox 360 for myself!

Hope to see you there!

If you're in the mood to learn some .NET this year, Jon Box just posted a list of upcoming .NET events – some local to this area and über cheap (read: free)! High quality and low cost is a good thing.

Give Back to the Community!

As indicated on Jon's list, we at the Memphis .NET User Group are planning to have a Day of .NET this November. We are still in the process of working out all the details, but we're beginning to round up speakers. If you might be willing to share some of your .NET-related experience, please consider speaking at this event. Keep in mind: your session does not have to take the form of a PowerPoint lecture. In many cases, it will be better if it's not – be creative:

• Ask a co-worker or two to co-present with you
• Use a "chalk talk" style of session (very conversational and usually involving a white board… "White board talk" just doesn't sound as good!)
• Facilitate a discussion around a specific problem or technology – "birds of a feather" style

If you're thinking "What would I talk about? I don't have anything to say!", give me a holler; I'll help you think through it. Your topic could be as simple as thinking up a list of obstacles you've stumbled over in the last few months, and presenting your workarounds to each problem. Taking a different approach, you could get a list of "pain points" from the audience around a specific technology (e.g. ASP.NET & Ajax), and facilitate a discussion of workarounds. If you are interested at all, I would be happy to brainstorm with you both the topic and format of your session.

Even if presenting/facilitating is not your "thing", please consider attending the event. We're hoping to have a great turnout from the Memphis area and surrounding regions!

It occurred to me that I heard little (read:none) about ASP.NET 3.5 at TechEd, so I thought I would search the web to see what's coming down the pipeline.  My search engine brought back the answer: nothing.  You'll find some about Silverlight, some about ASP.NET futures, even a unreleased book on ASP.NET 3.5, but no real information (that I found) on ASP.NET 3.5. 

My thought: "Ah, a challenge!  Since I have VS 2008 Beta 1 installed, I'll just compare System.Web v2.0 to v3.5 using Reflector."  Should have worked, right?  Well, it may well have... had I found System.Web.dll v3.5.  I did successfully find a LOT of 3.5 assemblies, but the only one under System.Web.* was System.Web.Services...

My question to the blogosphere: has anyone seen any information on ASP.NET 3.5?