Software Engineering Research·1yWhat causes 'bad days' for developers?
Microsoft's study reveals that engineering system friction, such as unreliable tools and slow processes, is a major cause of bad days for developers. These issues lead to reduced productivity, increased stress, and self-doubt, particularly affecting junior and senior developers differently. Telemetry data confirms that inefficiencies in code review and build times significantly impact developer morale and performance.
Fireship·2yMicrosoft Notepad.exe is overpowered now… and 13 other major updates for devs
Microsoft has enhanced Notepad with AI capabilities, allowing it to generate and rewrite text. Adobe introduced Project Turntable, enabling 3D manipulation of 2D vector graphics. Google's Chrome browser now supports in-browser AI through Gemini 9 Nano. GitHub Co-pilot added support for multiple AI models like GPT, Gemini, and Claude. Stack Blitz's Bolt integrates AI to build and preview full applications in the browser. Next.js released version 15 with changes to caching defaults. Dino 2.0 and T 2.0 introduced improvements for JavaScript developers. Flutter was forked into a new project called Flock for quicker updates. AAHi Linux allows AAA games to run on M1 Macs. JetBrains made WebStorm and Rider IDEs free for personal use.
Cassidy's blog·2yTwo months at GitHub
After two months at GitHub, the author reflects on their new role as Senior Director for Developer Advocacy. Despite a hectic schedule that included preparing for GitHub Universe, Microsoft Ignite, and a family wedding, they appreciate the supportive team and work-life balance culture. The job offers the excitement of a startup within the structure of a large corporation like Microsoft, providing a great blend of challenges and the ability to disconnect after work.
The Register·2yMicrosoft goes all-in on AI with SQL Server 2025
Microsoft is introducing SQL Server 2025, enhancing performance and availability with features borrowed from Azure SQL. New additions include optimized locking, query optimization, REST API support, and Copilot for real-time coding assistance. This version prominently integrates AI to aid in AI application development and retrieval-augmented generation patterns. Native JSON support and improved credential management are also featured. SQL Server 2025 is expected to follow a 5+5 years support lifecycle, continuing Microsoft's push towards an AI-centric future.
Towards AI·2yTransformers For Images!!
This post explores the application of transformers in image processing within the field of computer vision, detailing three main methods: Pixel Transformers, Vision Transformers (ViT) by Google Brain, and Swin Transformers by Microsoft. It highlights the limitations of CNNs and offers solutions to computational inefficiencies, such as using image patches and techniques like window attention and hierarchical patches.
freeCodeCamp·2yTo code is to struggle! I interview Tech with Tim, who got a job at Microsoft at age 19 [Podcast #150]
Tim Ruscica, the software engineer and Tech with Tim YouTube channel creator, shares his journey to securing a $70k salary at Microsoft at the age of 19, learning computer architecture through Minecraft, and lessons from a failed tech startup. He also discusses his recommendation of Python as a first programming language for beginners.
.NET Blog·2yOrleans: Microsoft's distributed systems framework for .NET
The post discusses Orleans, Microsoft's distributed systems framework for .NET, highlighting the shift from stateless to stateful services to improve performance and scalability. It explains the hidden costs of stateless services, the benefits of stateful services, and how Orleans handles placement, load balancing, and concurrency issues. Key updates in versions 8.0 and 9.0, such as live grain migration, resource-aware placement, and integration with Aspire, are also covered.