Rangers Flash – June 2012

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PROJECT NEWS

Visual Studio Readiness “GIG”

  • The latest release notes can be found here, whereby the ALM Ranger teams are busy wrapping up the “GIG” and preparing for the RTM milestone. We are freezing the ALM Rangers “GIG” on July 20th, to announce the latest and greatest at TechReady15.
  • Watch the Release Candidate (RC) awareness video and presentation Winking smile

Coded UI for Word Add-In

Visual Studio Word Add-in for TFS

Downloads Update (as @ June 25th 201223:59 PDT)

  • Average daily downloads since 2007: 178
  • Total downloads since Jan/1/2007 of tracked and Dev10/11 focused ALM Ranger projects: 355511 (May Flash: 346076)

COMMUNITY NEWS

Visual Studio ALM Rangers emerge in Japan
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An ALM Rangers Awareness presentation in Poland
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  • Karpacz, driven by Lennart Jansson and Fabio Stawinski was a presentation for an international team in Volvo IT showing how ALM Rangers have worked and what projects we have. Several people got impressed with our work! Congrats!

Community TFS Team Tools released on CodePlex
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Microsoft Team Foundation Server (TFS) ALM Integration Patterns with Tasktop Sync

  • Webinar: 'Microsoft Team Foundation Server (TFS) ALM Integration Patterns with Tasktop Sync' presented by Lance Knight, Director of Solution Architects at Tasktop Technologies, and Wesley Coelho, Director of Business Development at Tasktop See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKI3Ixwu7Mk for the session recording.

Publications

  • Visit and bookmark Ranger Publications for an up to date list of ALM Ranger publications and planned articles.

MSDN Flash Appearances

ECOSYSTEM NEWS

New Associate Rangers

  • Please welcome the following new Associate ALM Rangers who joined at the end of June: Anna Galaeva, Darren Rich, Dave Crook, Jesse Houwing, Tarun Arora and Vlatko Ivanovski.
    clip_image002[10] Dave Crook

 

Scrub | Recognition Process

  • The scrub and new ecosystem implementation processes have been completed and the result is published on the new Rangers Index.

ALM Rangers “Ruck” Training

  • The ALM Rangers are presenting the first version of their “Ruck” process training at TechReady15, based on real-world dog fooding experience during the “GIG”. Join us at these “Ruck” sessions and give us candid feedback!
    - DEVIL201 - Demystifying the role of the ALM Ranger Project Lead ILL 
    - DEVCT303 - Scrum/RUCK 101
    - DEVHOL203 - Scrum/RUCK 101

UserVoice

  • Please start using these UserVoice channels, else your “voice” will not be heard.
  • Select the Rangers category when using the (Public) UserVoice forum.

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WE ASKED, YOU RESPONDED

We recently asked all Rangers two questions and would like to share some of the responses, “as is”, unedited in italic Smile

What Rangers are you aware of within Microsoft … are we (ALM Rangers) alone?

  • I think that I’ve heard of an Exchange Ranger program, but I know nothing about it.
  • I am not aware of other Rangers.
  • Of course we are alone, there can be only one J As far as I know (or think I know) the Rangers term has been used from time to time within MSFT but not as “official” as for the ALM rangers.
  • Not aware of other Rangers in Microsoft. In touch only with ALM Rangers
  • Yourself, Chuck & Bijan (also known as the hole-y trinity - because you like cheese with holes). There are a few advisory types (Clemens comes to mind) but by way of contributors can't name one.
  • I don't know of any other Rangers in MS.

What makes the ALM Rangers the best thing since sliced cheese with holes?
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  • We bring value to tons of people that are looking for guidance with TFS & ALM. TFS is so powerful and most people only scratch the surface of what can be done with it…we help people take full advantage of their investment.
  • The ALM Rangers have high visibility and provide high quality solutions to help the entire development community. The best part about the solutions is that they are not theoretical, that is to say, they have real-world applicability. The Rangers Program is driven by customer feedback and needs, but from Rangers and Non Rangers; which makes the developed solutions even more valuable.
  • Working with a crew so passionate about what they do that they want to help educate the entire community on how to do it well...on their own time!
  • The fact that the combination of Practical Experience, Entrepreneurship, Commitment, Collaboration and Knowledge makes a BIG difference and creates Value in Real Life Situations.
  • ALM Rangers Eco-System and Principals and of course ... Your Management. :). I would say it is very difficult to make geographically separate teams tick and work. But ALM Rangers have somehow managed to pull it off.
  • Passion
  • It is the in depth knowledge that the rangers have and the wealth of experience that we can allow our customers to get to. The projects that the rangers produce allow me to provide information and solutions to the client that delights them J
  • Early visibility and access to upcoming product at or around the same time as MVP's
  • We promote adoption and resolve blockers in ways that would otherwise not happen, and we’re all very passionate about ALM! J
  • Passion, real world experience injected into the guidance.

ACTIONS

ASK #1 – Quotes anyone?

  • As always we would appreciate quotes from you or your communities in terms of the ALM Ranger solutions. Good news and positive quotes are invaluable!

ASK #2 – Pictures anyone?

  • For the upgrade and planning project session I would appreciate if you can send me pictures we can use that show installations / environments that could probably have used a bit more planning … again a picture speaks a thousand words.

ASK #3 – Tell us about your successes!

  • One thing we love is celebrating your successes. Unfortunately not being omniscient we simply don’t know about many of them. So if you have done or know of some outstanding contributions/actions please send them to Chuck and Willy to post in our internal newsletters that go to our upper management and the MVP leads.

For more information refer to: Rangers Website | Rangers Solutions | Rangers Blog | Understanding the Visual Studio ALM Rangers