giri.sh

Here’s an funny quote from Delhi Queer Pride 2008

Hindu Muslim Sikh Isai Hetero Homo Bhai Bhai

meaning “Doesn’t matter if you are a Hindu or a Muslim or Sikh or a Christian (Isai), homosexuals and heterosexuals are brothers.”

Bhai = Brother in Hindi.

Apparently, they just took an old statement Indian government has been using for decades, calling for unity in diversity that goes like this

Hindu Muslim Sikh Isai Aapas mein hai Bhai Bhai

meaning “Doesn’t matter if you are a Hindu or a Muslim or Sikh or a Christian (Isai), we are all brothers amongst us.”

We are seeking the right to love. was basically the point, hundreds of homosexual rights activists that participated in India’s largest gay pride parade, were trying to make when they marched through the cities of Kolkata, Delhi and Bangalore.

Things are obviously showing signs of changing. I knew there were gay people in India and i knew they didn’t want to come out even if they had the opportunity. What i didn’t know was that homosexuality was illegal there. That’s right. Illegal. You could get arrested for your sexual orientation.

Wow.

My parents are at my sister’s place in Phoenix at present. They arrived last Monday and are going to be staying with her for the next 6 months helping her take care of the family during her pregnancy. Good times! By the way, she’s having a boy baby.

I’m blogging this sitting at the DFW airport in Dallas on a Saturday morning (6:30 AM). My flight to Phoenix departs in about 45 minutes. Can’t wait to see my peeps.

I’ll be spending the next 10 days there. So many things to look forward to - mom’s cooking, Samhitha, Shyju’s bickering, long conversations with Dad etc.

So while i wait for the boarding call, i guess i have a few things to share. I passed another Microsoft certification exam 070-528. Scored 965. Required score to pass - 700. And that makes me an MCTS now, I guess. Yay me!

My best friend Ganesh had a girl baby. He hasn’t sent me the pics yet. I’m so happy for him.

And yet another important news….but i guess it deserves a post of it’s own….so you’ll have to wait. Not sure if i’m mentally prepared to openly talk about it just yet.

Ohhh! There is the boarding call…..gotta run…

10 items you think make you cool, but don’t.

I’m pretty sure there’s something in this list that made you go “Crap! That’s me. Sigh.”

A Team Foundation Server 2008 build uses 2 important files - the build file (TFSBuild.proj) of course and the response file (TFSBuild.rsp). A response file is used to pass configuration parameters to MSBuild process. By default, the build uses TFSBuild.rsp as the default response file.

Here’s the content of a sample response file.


# This is a response file for MSBuild
# Add custom MSBuild command line options in this file
/p:BuildPath=Source\Ordering\Source.Binaries\
/p:BTSPath="E:\Program Files\BizTalk 2006 Runtime"
/p:BiztalkLibsPath=Source\Ordering\BiztalkLibs\
/p:ExternalLibspath=Source\Ordering\ExternalLibs\
/p:IntegrationServerName=bztlk-m009
/p:IntegrationBizTalkDB=BizTalkMgmtDb
/p:WCFServiceDropLocation=\\bztlk-m009\Mi360\eCommerce.Ordering.ServiceHost
/p:BizTalkHelperDropLocation=\\bztlk-m001\Staging
/p:IntegrationBizTalkInsallDir=BizTalkInstall
/p:IntegrationStagingDirectory=E:\Staging
/p:PsToolPath=E:\Software\PsTools
/p:CodeAnalysisRules="-Microsoft.Design#CA1020;-Microsoft.Design#CA1031;-Microsoft.Globalization#CA1302;-Microsoft.Usage#CA2227;"
/p:BizTalkServerPassword=temp
/p:BuildBranch=MainDev-Branch
/p:AccountsApplication=http://test-m001/Accounts/Accounts.mvc


As you can see above, there are quite a few parameters that you can use in the proj file (which by the way, is by using $<insert_parameter_name_here>.

For example, <BizTalkFiles Include="$(SolutionRoot)\$(BuildBranch)\$(BuildPath)*.dll" />

Now sometimes you might need the build to use a custom response file instead of the default one. For example, if you want to have just one master build file that would use different response files depending on the type of deployment (QA, Development, Testing etc.), you need a way to pass in the response file.

Here’s how you do it using Visual Studio 2008.

1. Right click on the Build Definition you want to use (in my case the build definition is called “Interactive” as you can see below) under the Builds folder in your Team Explorer window and click “Queue New Build…”

2. In the MSBuild command-line arguments (optional) text field, type “@” followed by the location of the response file you want the build to use.

3. And click Queue.

I have written a little windows deployment helper that would do all this and much more for you. For example, it would help deploy builds by TFS labels. I’m thinking about putting it on codeplex after cleaning it up a little bit. Will write about it here soon…

Ok…so let’s face it. Windows Vista has had it’s own problems just like with any other Microsoft OS. And we also know that this one stings much more than others because of all the hype around it. (6 years in the making? All for this?)

My notebook runs Vista Ulitmate Edition and it’s only a year old. But it has already BSOD’ed on me. Thrice (at least).

In any case, check this video out. I can only hope it’s a joke. It may not be. Either way, it made me LOL.