Jacob Sebastian, a SQL Server MVP from Ahmedabad, India has just got his book published - The Art of XSD - SQL Server XML Schema Collections. What’s remarkable is that he’s managed to make the eBook available as a free download for all. A print and Kindle edition is coming up shortly.

The Art of XSD - SQL Server XML Schema Collections is a 485 page book that takes the readers step by step from the basics to advanced topics on XSD and SQL Server XML Schema Collections. Prior knowledge of XSD is not required to start with this book, although any experience with XSD will make your learning process easier.

Jacob has also implemented a group, a forum, and a blog to support the book which would allow him to discuss, answer reader questions, listen to feedback, and provide the readers latest information on the topics discussed in this book.

A post by Anand Khanse, a Windows Desktop Experience MVP from India - Troubleshooting Windows Vista Search & Indexing Errors has been automated into a Fix it MSI package. It is also being recognized as the First MVP Fix It.

This Fix it Solution automates the steps described in Anand’s blog post to resolve the error message - Search Failed to Initialize when you are searching in Windows Vista. To fix this problem automatically now, users would just need to click the Fix it button!

Fix this problem

Also, Anand (popularly known as HappyAndyK on the Web) has recently started a forward looking Windows portal, The Windows Club, moving ahead from his hugely popular WinVistaClub.

Vikram Pendse, an ASP.NET MVP from Pune, India, is a self-confessed Silverlight enthusiast. Though he blogs about all things .NET on his blog, Explore .NET with Vikram Pendse, he went into a Silverlight overdrive after Silverlight 3 Beta was unveiled at MIX09.

We understand the excitement since Silverlight 3 Beta introduces more than 50 new features, including support for running Silverlight applications out of the browser, dramatic video performance and quality improvements, and features that radically improve developer productivity.

Vikram has written an 8-part series on Silverlight 3 (in less than a month!), that could any day serve as a Silverlight 101 guide. Each post covers one topic, and is comprehensive with code snippets and screenshots. The posts are loosely isolated in content, so you can directly jump to the one you want to read.

Following are the links to the eight posts:

1. Lap around Silverlight 3 Beta 1 – Part 1
2. Explore Power of Blend 3 Preview – Part 2
3. DataForm control features – Part 3
4. Master Pages implementation with Navigation Framework – Part 4
5. Creating Ads using Silverlight Advertising Creation Kit aka SACK – Part 5
6. Out of Browser Support – Part 6
7. DataGrid Programming – Part 7
8. Overview of Live Smooth Streaming,Live Encoding and Streaming with Expression Encoder 2 – Part 8

S.Somasegar is Senior Vice President of the Developer Division at Microsoft. He joined Microsoft in 1989, and worked on eight different operating system releases before heading up the Developer Division.

He leads the teams responsible for providing tools and developer platform technologies targeted at developers, designers and teams involved in software development. Somasegar is also responsible for the Web server platform and his team also owns MSDN and TechNet online properties to enable a deep connection with the developer and IT professional audience. 

Soma was travelling to New Delhi, India, and being a big supporter of technical communities and MVPs, he graciously pulled out some time from his schedule to meet some MVPs and members of community at large. The roundtable was held at Hotel Oberoi, New Delhi on April 16, 2009. There were interesting discussions at the roundtable and the MVPs shared their insights of the community culture in India.

 Click here for more photos of the event.

On Saturday, 18th April 2009, several User Groups in India would host Windows 7 bootcamp event.

Windows 7 Beta is attracting a lot of buzz recently, and here is your chance to dive in the same. Attend the one-day workshop to gear up on all the necessary skills to get started on Windows 7 efficiently.

• Walk in with your laptops and get them powered with Windows 7
• Participate in the parallel sessions running
• Even if you are not carrying your laptops, feel free to attend sessions
• Lot of surprises await you!

Gurgaon (Hosts: Delhi IT Pro): Register here

Mumbai (Hosts: Mumbai IT Pro): Register here

Pune (Hosts: Pune User Group): Register here

Bangalore (Hosts: Bangalore IT Pro): Register here

Chennai (Hosts: Chennai IT Pro)

Siliguri (Hosts WindowsSupport)

Registration for the event is free.

Please obtain your own Product Key by visiting: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx