Top Tips for free Microsoft support and training resources
Clare asked Dave and me to reveal some hidden gems that are available from Microsoft for technical support and learning.
This was our list of the shiniest gems that we find devs and IT pros don't always know about. I also posted the Best of the Rest as an article.
1. MSDN Forums – https://forums.msdn.comLooking for answers to your toughest technical questions? The MSDN forums are regularly visited by members of the product teams, MVPs, influencers, and experts. Broken out by technology and then by detailed subject. Solve technical problems, or supply the answers yourself.
2. Microsoft Patterns & Practices - https://msdn.microsoft.com/practices/ A wealth of resources from the Patterns and Practices group, including books, articles, application blocks, etc. This portal's contents are relevant to architects, senior developers, and IT professionals, who are sure to find the quality of writing exceptional.
3. MSDN Documentation Wiki - https://msdnwiki.microsoft.com/ The thorough MSDN Documentation eats a worthwhile gig of disk, but it doesn’t incorporate community feedback and learning. Until now. Check out this wiki, where you can contribute your own tips, samples, gotchas and ideas to the MSDN Documentation.
4. MSDN Virtual Labs - https://msdn.microsoft.com/virtuallabs/ What could be better than a series of guided hands-on labs that let you explore new technologies in 90 minutes or less? Not having to install them on your own PC! These require IE6 or IE7, and provide a convenient way for learning, training and evaluating. It’s like having a TechEd hands-on lab session in the comfort of your home or office.
5a. CodePlex – https://www.codeplex.comThink "Team Foundation Server in the sky." Codeplex is an online source repository that hosts a number of community projects, including the ASP.NET “Atlas” Control Toolkit, and IronPython, a .NET implementation of Python which just reached v1.0.
5b. No-Charge Security Support Line (Ireland) - 1 850 940940
Real-time, no-charge phone support for virus- and security-related support. It is available Monday through Friday from 8am through 6pm.
Here are the Best of the Rest .
What do you think?