Hello.

I've finally posted the demo code from my Buzz talk at TwitterDevNest. Find it on GitHub: PaulKinlan/BuzzInOutDemo. Read More

Back in February, I presented at TwitterDevNest about getting data in and out of Buzz. The slides are now available on SlideShare. I covered WebFinger, OpenID, Buzz feeds, Pubsubhubbub, and Salmon. I also promised to open-source the demo code, which I'll be pushing to Github later today (covering most of the topics except Salmon). Read More

I've migrated my blog from kinlan.co.uk to paul.kinlan.me, now powered by Posterous. Hoping this simpler platform encourages me to blog more frequently. Read More

I'm excited to announce the launch of FriendDeck, a new tool inspired by TweetDeck that enhances the FriendFeed experience. Built on Google App Engine and using jQuery, FriendDeck lets you create persistent searches to track topics in real-time, rather than just seeing your friends' posts. This is particularly helpful for monitoring developing events, as demonstrated by Neville Hobson's use of FriendDeck during the US Airways Hudson River landing. FriendDeck supports a simple query language for searching by keyword, user likes/comments/friends, URLs, domains, and FriendFeed rooms. It also allows posting to FriendFeed directly from the application. Each deck auto-refreshes every minute, and new features like inline commenting are coming soon. Check it out at www.frienddeck.com! Read More

I've launched Twollo, a Google App Engine project that helps you find and automatically follow Twitter users who share your interests. Unlike MrTweet, which suggests popular accounts, Twollo focuses on connecting you with people based on shared interests. Just enter your interests, like "Google App Engine," and Twollo will automatically find and follow relevant users every hour. Recent updates include viewing and unfollowing Twollo-followed users, preventing re-follows, tracking reciprocal follows, setting follow limits per interest, language filtering, UserVoice feedback integration, and one-click profile removal. More details about Twollo and Google App Engine coming next week! Read More

I'm moving my blog from Blogger to Wordpress! While I've used Blogger for years, it no longer meets my needs. This blog will remain online but the new blog, covering broader software development topics (not just C#), is where I'll focus my writing. Find it at http://www.kinlan.co.uk/blog/ . Read More

I'm giving a talk on DSL Tools and T4 templates at the Liverpool Users of .Net User group on April 17th. The talk will cover an overview of DSLs, what Microsoft DSL Tools are (and aren't), how they can be used, and a walkthrough of creating a DSL Tool. The event is at AIMES and details can be found on Upcoming.yahoo.com. I'll share the slides afterward. Let me know if you have any good examples of tools built with the DSL Toolkit! Read More

I'm excited to announce the launch of Topicala Business, a new search tool for UK businesses! List your business for free to add your description, services, contact info, and more. Topicala Business also searches the web to show you what customers and competitors are saying. Find your listing using your company number (www.topicala.com/business/{companyNumber}) or search by business name (e.g., www.topicala.com/business/topicala or www.topicala.com/business/06512461). We're using data from Companies House and currently have over 169,000 companies listed. Claim your free listing now to boost your visibility on Google and other search engines. I'm eager to hear your feedback and suggestions for future features! Read More

The Liverpool .Net User Group is officially formed! Join fellow .Net enthusiasts in the Liverpool area for discussions on all things .Net. Visit our website at http://www.usersof.net/ or join our Google group at http://groups.google.co.uk/group/liverpoolusersofdotnet to connect with other members and stay updated on upcoming meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for April 17th, 2008 - http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/454169/. We encourage everyone interested in .Net to join us! Read More

I've joined Twitter! Follow me @PaulKinlan - http://www.twitter.com/PaulKinlan Read More

Concerned about Facebook privacy? I've created a Facebook application called "Know Your Privacy" to help you understand how third-party apps access your profile data. It highlights potential risks and offers common-sense advice. Find it at http://apps.facebook.com/knowyourprivacy/. Your feedback is welcome! Disclaimer: This app is for informational purposes only and doesn't imply any misuse of data by installed apps. It's not professional advice; contact authorities for accurate information. Resources on identity theft are included. Read More

I've integrated Topicala into Facebook, allowing users to search the internet without leaving the platform. Check out the app at http://apps.facebook.com/topicala/. It's easy to use, requires no personal data, and was a breeze to develop. I'd love to hear your feedback! Read More

This post introduces a C# 3.0 extension method for converting IDataRecord fields into a Dictionary<string, object>. This simplifies access to field data, particularly useful in scenarios like passing data to a Workflow instance. While convenient, it's important to note that direct IDataRecord access offers better performance for frequent data retrieval. Read More

I've released a new, open-source Microformat parser for .NET, available on Codeplex! This stream-based parser uses a flexible XML configuration to define how microformats like hCard and rel-tag are extracted from HTML/XML, allowing for easy adaptation to spec changes. The provided C# code example demonstrates the simplicity of using the framework to read and process microformat data. Feedback and contributions are welcome! Read More

My review of "Microsoft XNA Unleashed" by Chad Carter. XNA is Microsoft's game development platform for Windows and Xbox 360. This book provides a great introduction to game development with XNA, covering key concepts like componentization and game components/services. It also touches upon physics and AI. While the book is light on visuals and the AI chapter could be more substantial, it's a good starting point for C# programmers wanting to explore game development using XNA. It's less suited for experienced graphics programmers or those unfamiliar with C#. The release of XNA v2 might make some parts of the book outdated. Read More

Introducing Topicala Desktop, a new application developed in partnership with Rosetta Software Ltd. This handy tool allows users to search Topicala.com directly from any Windows application by simply highlighting text and pressing CTRL+T. It's perfect for anyone who needs quick access to information, like journalists and students. Whether you're reading an email, a legal document in Microsoft Word, or anything else, Topicala Desktop provides instant search results in Internet Explorer. Download and install this free tool today! Read More

I've launched two new beta features for Topicala: Topicala Popular and Topicala People. Topicala Popular helps you discover trending content online, similar to Digg or Delicious, by tracking site visitors via an embedded image. Topicala People helps you find people online using hCard microformats. You can get your information on Topicala People by wrapping it in hCards and either including the Topicala image or pinging our server. These features will soon integrate directly into Topicala's main search. Try them out and let me know your feedback! Read More

I'm developing a Digg-like platform called Topicala to help smaller blogs gain more visibility. I'm looking for beta testers with small blogs to try out the new features. If you're interested, please email me at paul.kinlan@gmail.com or leave a comment on this post. Read More

This post introduces a ReSharper Live Template to expedite creating default constructors in C#. The template, activated by typing "dc", automatically inserts a public default constructor for the containing class, saving developers keystrokes and time. An example demonstrates its usage. Read More

DevWeek Day 3 wrapped up my attendance with increasingly advanced sessions. Christian Weyer's talks on SOA development using the Webservice Software Factory (and its limitations) and integrating WPF, WCF, and WF were insightful, showcasing practical applications and upcoming open-source tools. Niels Berglund's LINQ discussion, while informative, left me wanting more technical depth and raised concerns about tight database coupling. Jeff Prosise's WPF/E presentation highlighted its potential for rich web UI but also its current limitations regarding input controls and data binding. The lack of VisualBrush in WPF/E and its similarities with the upcoming Flash 9 release were noteworthy discussion points. Read More