In this episode of Scott & Mark Learn To, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich dive into the history and evolution of ZoomIt, a popular screen annotation and zooming tool Mark created over 25 years ago. Originally built to enhance technical demos, ZoomIt has become an essential utility for countless users, including Scott, who calls it second nature. Mark shares how the tool's intuitive, keystroke-driven design surpasses alternatives like Windows Magnifier, making it a favorite for presentations and daily use.

You can download Zoomit for free here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/zoomit

And it is now part of PowerToys toolkit: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/zoomit

Takeaways:

• ZoomIt's key features, including live zoom, annotations, blurring, and color customization
• Mark highlights new features showcasing ZoomIt's ongoing evolution to better serve users
• ZoomIt is entirely keystroke-driven, eliminating the need for menus or toolbars

Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn

Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube

Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Scott & Mark Learn To, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich dive into the art of giving technical talks. With Scott preparing for a keynote abroad and Mark gearing up for an internal presentation, the duo reflects on their journeys as speakers, from their very first presentations to commanding stages with thousands of attendees. They discuss how preparation evolves with experience, balancing off-the-cuff speaking with intensive demo prep. From brown bag sessions to high-stakes keynotes, and even Scott’s upcoming TEDx talk, they explore how stakes and familiarity shape their approach to crafting impactful presentations.

Takeaways:

• Scott manages nerves with monitoring heart rate and using breathing exercises to stay calm
• Mark’s time management techniques, dividing content into sections and time limits for each
• Structuring talks in three acts and evenly divided segments in between

Useful Links:

Scott’s the Art of Speaking Class on Pluralsight: https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/hanselman-speaking

Public speaking episodes from on-Net:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/shows/on-dotnet/public-speaking-scott-hanselman-kendra-havens-maria-naggaga-nakanwagi-kasey-uhlenhuth-donov

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/shows/on-dotnet/tips-on-public-speaking-from-andres-phil-scott-and-cecil

Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn

Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube

Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Scott & Mark Learn To, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich explore the evolution of cloud computing, tracing its roots from the early days of Azure to its transformation into a powerful, flexible platform. Mark explains the shift from "pets" (individual servers) to "cattle" (easily replaceable servers) as cloud infrastructure became more scalable and cost-efficient. They discuss the challenges of scaling websites, from physical data centers to cloud-based solutions, and the economic and technical factors that led to the rise of multi-tenancy and on-demand services. The episode also highlights Azure’s adoption of Linux and the broader embrace of open-source technologies, marking a key shift in Microsoft’s cloud strategy. The conversation reflects on how modern cloud services abstract away complex infrastructure management, much like the simplification seen in programming languages with garbage collection.

Takeaways:

• Why cloud existed in the first place and how it evolved
• Difference abstraction leads to different services, IaaS, PaaS, SaaS
• Microsoft’s strategic decisions in the history of Azure, like embracing Linux and opensource technologies

Resources:

• The Mind Behind Windows: Dave Cutler
• Microsoft Volume I: The Complete History and Strategy of founding through Windows 95 (Audio)
• Microsoft Volume II: The Complete History and Strategy of the Ballmer Years (Audio)

Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn

Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube

Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.