As I have posted, also the older links to beta 1 and 2 zipped files are now refreshed to contain beta 3.

The Beta 3 of RSS Bandit is now ready for further tests. Fixes: * move to next unread item now considers the feed item dates (oldest unread selected first) * now there is input validation on the proxy dialog * selecting multiple feed items to mark them unread does not mark the tree node bold * creating a new feed/category now selects the new node Improvements: * new entries within help menu: Bug report and display news * the "Post reply" command is also on the toolbar now * reordered main toolbar items * new "new browser tab" command on the browser toolbar * more intuitive web browsing: tabs display parts of the website title. * node items visualizes the unread items * sort order of the feed item listview is restored on re-populate These features should be tested (and feedback is welcome) because I do not have the posibilities to apply the tests by myself: !!! proxy stuff !!! on XP common controls 6 should be used now.

Simon, Dare Obasanjo, Sam and Chris had a discussion about Extensibility. In general it is good idea to have them. On a complete new design it is always nice to have a look to current existing solutions: that of the VS7 IDE itself (was not a big change from VS6) or more interesting that of SharpDevelop (uses the framework to program the framework). They use a combination of xml/native API (interfaces) that works very well: xml describes the plug-in/add-in while the add-in itself use native API to communicate. To get the ideas take a hour to examine the code. A nice plug-in for an RSS reader would be an editor/blog post program. Also: for an blog maintenance program like w.bloggar or BlogX it would be nice to have a reader plug-in. So what is the "master" application to workaround the hen egg problem?

I currently use a separate archive index page on my private blog. But as the archivelist is also available on the main blog page, it is not really needed. But it opens more flexibility to users that want only one link to the archive, not the whole list list itself on the main page to save layout space or have other more important links there. You should keep it supported. A separate template for archive pages would open to render them more specific to give better feedback to a visitor that he currently not display the newest item(s) and provide backlinks etc., nice to have. I would like to have the additional RSS tags available at edit time (and also the support within the templates). Also: to be able to provide a trackback URL I have to "fall back" to the web editor. Any extensions to w.bloggar are known to support categories/trackback ? [content related to...]

There is a real life.

First: there is a refreshed download version of the Bandit Beta 2 available. The Beta 1 download archive is also updated to Beta 2 to keep some external links valid. Warning: they all will be gone as soon the public release is out [here]. Fixed an important bug that pops up a exception box every 5 minutes because of an ConnectFailure. So for now it should really have [beta] state. [marcos], [codemonkey_uk]: yes it [rocks] thanks. Your suggestions are welcome and considered in one of the next public releases. All these small issues really takes (design-)time and as long Bandit is a leisure time job and with our deadline for the current final version we focus currently on fixing important bugs. [Microsoft UI's -- Why is it?] Good question. My experiences on windows programming (COM) with the most popular RAD tool in the last years: the same story goes on with .NET -- purchase the third party GUI components you like to use. For our example public project we didn't have an option to do so, therefore we use other public components like MagicLibrary.

[A Proud American] that is proud to use mozilla: yes, same thoughts. Just replace the feeds tree with a favorites tree, hide the feed detail tab and "tadaa": the tabbed IE with an option to open separate windows is reality.

Only fixes will be applied to the current state to get the next final. Screenshots to view: one, two, three. Here are som Highlights:

• new GUI version dev. reach the current dev. state of V1.0d
• Autodiscovery of Feeds (sensitive to current displayed web page)
• Hierarchical categories
• new Application property dialog (have a look there and test all the new stuff)
• extended One-Click feed subscription within Bandit window (now listen to:
  • AmphetaDesk (Wildgrape Newsdesk)
  • Userland
  • BottomFeeder
  • Headline Viewer
  • nntp//rss
• Shift-Click a link opens separate window
• Ctrl-Click a link opens a separate tab
• Posting Comments (CommentAPI support)
• Customizable Feed Item display formatting via .xslt stylesheets

Who want's to test please download here: RSSBandit_1.1.beta1.zip Any feedback is welcome to get the final a more stable version.

Nice ideas on RSS found here. Get inspired on "item posts by day" grouping and added to my TODO RSS Bandit feature list.

Just a reminder: I should have a look to managed wrapper for BITS, thanks to Chris.

Syndirella dev. seems to be over. I had the same feeling as SharpReader and Harvester appeared on the horizon. But hey: giving up because coding goes out of fun and will be real hard work? Should not be a problem if the product succeeds. Just make the features a bit better and the product more stable and all folks will love you

Sam is really a source of ideas related to RSS. Many of my own thoughts regain on his blog, so I do not have to scribble down all the stuff again just read the blog again. Hints about the BCL type names are important to me if I have to design own components:

[CLSCompliantAttribute(true)]
public class XXY ...

The CLSCompliant should be one of my defaults. Anyone knows about a c# compiler switch to check this without the attribute?

The seminar "Making sense of Windows Installer" gave me really somewhat! Now I really know what all the GUID's are for. Thanks again to Sophie T. from InstallShield!

Sorry to all folks that have requested the Bandit 1.1 alpha screenshots yesterday. My hoster goes down at 11:28 AM on an Bandwidth Limit. Dare Obasanjo's story links to me that raises my hit counter immediatly. Nice to have them all here, and then brinkster shot back. I have moved the images to an alternate location to workaround the limit. Look here:

• Shot 1
• Shot 2
• Shot 3
• Shot 4

Monday, 7. April I'm out of office for an seminar at Ulm (offline).

Upgraded to BWXML 1.1 and changed the css to get a more compact design. The Brinkster (my host) own problem with upload of .asp pages with On Error Resume Next (not paired with On Error goto 0) statements is considerable frustrating. The rss.xml feed is now of version 2.0.

Hey, nice: BlogX moves to GotDotNet. Welcome!

Found on Tim Ewald's Spoutlet: MSDN finally has official RSS feeds! And: "... We have big plans for using RSS going forward!". Sounds like a Bandit Clone will be a official Office product soon... (May be not a joke)

For all people that want to know about and test the alpha preview state of Bandit GUI development, here are some screen shots:

• Shot 1
• Shot 2
• Shot 3
• Shot 4

Who wants also to test a executable, please mail and I will provide a download link.