The Daily Grind 508

Happy Turkey Day to those of you celebrating in the US with the traditional pig-out. Our turkey is getting a reprieve until the wife & infant are home, but the other kids and I will be roasting some Cornish hens later. While I'm on the subject of thanks, hat tips to Scott Hanselman, Randy Holloway, and Robert Scoble for plugging the Daily Grind. Meanwhile, the net is never silent.

Software

• NDoc 1.3 RC1 - New version of the class library documentation generator for .NET apps is just about ready to fly. Here's the What's New link. (thanks to Peter Johnston for the tip)
• Hector Protector Button/Screen Saver - From Microsoft, "The function of this button is to give a child the ability to quickly cover the screen of the computer with a screensaver of Hector Protector™ when they encounter material that frightens or upsets them. With a click of the button, the problem is covered over by Hector until a trusted adult can come and deal with the situation." But if Microsoft is so concerned with protecting the children, why is this download only available to people who will put up with their intrusive genuine Windows snooping?
• Sending MSN IM messages from the Command Line

• Why Writing Into .NET Application Configuration Files Is a Bad Idea - Ian Griffiths posts a definitive answer to a common .NET FAQ. Of course, the fact that this is such a FAQ indicates that the .NET designers messed up a bit in this area. If they'd simply called them "XML Deployment Files" people wouldn't be eternally trying to write to them.

Community

• Load up your USB drive before you visit your parents - More suggestions on what software to take to the holidays. Too late for Thanksgiving, but you know you'll be fixing machines at Christmas too. Frankly, though, if you really want to make your parents happy: forget about installing browsers and anti-spyware applications. Just burn a DVD with all those digital photos of the grandkids that are too large for you to e-mail.

Mike Gunderloy is the lead developer for Larkware and author of numerous books and articles on programming topics.

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