The 2020 Christmas List of Best STEM Toys for Kids

Hey friends, another year, another list of Great STEM Christmas Toys for Kids (and people who are kids at heart)! In case you missed them, here's the previous years' lists! Be aware I use Amazon referral links so I get a little kickback (and you support this blog!) when you use these links. I'll be using the pocket money to...wait for it...buy STEM...

6d

Spectre.Console lets you make beautiful console apps with .NET Core

I've long said, as a fan of the console and text mode, that the command line is underloved. You can do accelerated 3D VR, sure, but impress me with a nice ASCII progress bar or spinner and oh my! *Chef's kiss* Enter yet another lovely Console library in the form of Spectre.Console. You may know Patrik Svensson as the creator of the wonderful Cake build...

2w

How to make a WinForms app with .NET 5 entirely from the command line and publish as one self-contained file

I got a lovely email from a reader named Steven who has been doing .NET for many years and is excited about .NET 5. He has an interesting perspective: I really like the .NET library. During 2020, I've taught myself enough Windows Forms to write my own JPG photo viewer.  Sorry but I'm not a fan of XAML, so I just write and compile raw Windows forms...

2w

Your dotnet outdated is outdated! Update and help keep your .NET projects up to date

I've talked about the dotnet-outdated tool before but now it's, ahem, outdated. It's moved to new owners so head over to your command line and update "dotnet-outdated" like this:dotnet tool uninstall --global dotnet-outdated dotnet tool install --global dotnet-outdated-tool Just copy paste those and you'll be updated. Yes, it's changed it's moniker...

3w

How to change the background of your Windows Terminal settings

I've often asked for my Windows Terminal's settings.json (formerly profiles.json) so I keep it up on GitHub. The thing is, all my machines are different. I mix it up, I change it. Remember that the Windows Terminal is approaching version 1.5 today! Make sure you upgrade and read about the new features! This version includes clickable hyperlinks! UPGRADE...

4w

Creating a question friendly environment

A few years back I had a lovely podcast conversation with technical leader Keavy McMinn. Sometimes I wonder if anyone listens to the show. Then a nice comment will come in when someone listen to an episode years ago and is still thinking about particular quote or line. Last week I got an email asking about a blog post or podcast that I might have written,...

4w

How to allow executable .exe files to be downloaded with ASP.NET Core and UseStaticFiles middleware

In the long process of upgrading this blog and moving it to Azure I've been slowly fixing small bugs and also dealing with the dozens of microsites I have hanging off of hanselman.com. Some were forgotten, and some just keep chugging along. https://www.babysmash.com/ is one of them. BabySmash is a silly WPF app I wrote 15 years ago for my baby, natch....

5w

Using an Xbox Adaptive Controller and Xbox Copilot to get back into gaming after surgery

Thanks for the kind words on my post earlier this week. Lots of great tips both in the comments and were sent to me privately. I'm still alternating meds, struggling at physical therapy every day, but I'm fortunate to have my wife (a medical/surgical nurse) here to tell me when it's supposed to hurt and when it's not. That said, BEFORE the pain started...

5w

Using an Xbox Adaptive Controller and Xbox Copilot to get back into gaming after surgery

Thanks for the kind words on my post earlier this week. Lots of great tips both in the comments and were sent to me privately. I'm still alternating meds, struggling at physical therapy every day, but I'm fortunate to have my wife (a medical/surgical nurse) here to tell me when it's supposed to hurt and when it's not. That said, BEFORE the pain started...

5w

How to deal with Extreme Physical Pain

I'm in a LOT of pain right now. It's hard to say that, especially considering that everyone experiences pain be it emotional or physical. I don't want to make unneeded comparisons or consider my pain as being more important than anyone else's. I'm not burned. I'm not dying of cancer. I am blessed. But I'm hurting. A lot. It's mine and it's now and...

Oct 2020