Six Microsoft Web Developer Tools You Might Not Know About

by Darryl Taft

Gestalt is a library released by MIX Online Labs that allows you to write Ruby, Python & XAML code in your (X)HTML pages. According to the site, “It enables you to build richer and more powerful Web applications by marrying the benefits of expressive languages, modern compilers, AJAX & RIAs with the write-save-refresh development model of the Web.” This is one of a set of samples that loads 100K-to-3MB XAML illustrations that were exported from Illustrator.http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/samples/big.xaml/big.xaml.crystal.html

This is another in a set of samples that loads 100K-to-3MB XAML illustrations that were exported from Illustrator.http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/samples/big.xaml/big.xaml.ruffmouse.html

The Gestalt Trigonometry Pack contains samples that demonstrate animation techniques that utilize basic trigonometric concepts, as well as advanced ones to implement 2.5D animations. http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/samples/trigonometry/trigonometry.simple.python.html

The Gestalt Trigonometry Pack shows off its multidimensional behavior.http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/samples/trigonometry/trigonometry.advanced.python.html

The Gestalt Transformations Pack contains some advanced samples that demonstrate techniques to implement color, scale and rotation transforms using Gestalt.http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/samples/transforms/transform.simple.python.html

This interactive example from the Gestalt Transformations Pack highlights the flexibility of the platform.http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/samples/transforms/transform.advanced.python.html

The Gestalt Particles Pack includes examples such as this that illustrate how to create particles systems to emulate natural phenomena like snow or falling leaves.http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/samples/particles/particles.simple.python.html

This Particles Pack example lets users draw their own conclusions.http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/samples/particles/particles.advanced.python.html

This Twitter widget from the home page of the Gestalt Website demonstrates how to connect to a Web service and consume that data using Gestalt. This sample must be hosted (through Apache, IIS, etc.) to run.http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/samples/twitter.badge/twitter.badge.python.html

“Glimmer enables users to easily create interactive elements on their Web pages by harnessing the power of the jQuery library,” according to Microsoft. Without having to handcraft your JavaScript code, you can use Glimmers wizards to generate jQuery scripts for common interactive scenarios. Glimmer also has an advanced mode, providing a design surface for creating jQuery effects based on your existing HTML and CSS. This is an example of a rotating banner/image sequence wizard from Glimmer.http://visitmix.com/labs/glimmer/samples/sequence.html

Glimmer aims to make it easy to create standards-based, custom animations that can work directly with your existing HTML and CSS.http://visitmix.com/labs/glimmer/samples/freestyle.html

Using Glimmer’s custom tooltips wizard to deliver images or stylized text can enhance the experience for users. http://visitmix.com/labs/glimmer/samples/tooltip.html

The Archivist is a Windows application that runs on your local system and allows you to archive Twitter tweets for later data mining and analysis for a given search. The Archivist allows you to start a search and will get as many results as it can on the initial search. If you leave The Archivist open, it will update with the latest results every 10 minutes. http://www.flotzam.com/archivist/

Project Descry demonstrates the power of data and information visualization as a communication tool.http://www.visitmix.com/labs/descry/theirfirstwords/

Oxite is an open-source, standards-compliant and highly extensible content management platform that can run anything from blogs to big Websites. It runs MIX Online. http://visitmix.com/Lab/oxite

Microformats are about enhancing the Web, representing data in HTML and moving that data around. Oomph: A Microformats Toolkit is for Web developers, designers and users, making it easier to create, consume and style Microformats. http://visitmix.com/Lab/oomph