Microsoft is offering a new sample application called LitewareHR to serve as a springboard for discussions about software as a service. Available on CodePlex , this sample application uses many of the concepts and theories described in the white papers and articles on MSDN.
While the theory behind a living application to test theories sounds promising, early participation doesn't seem to be meeting expectations. As of the 19th, there are only two discussions, both about installation, and seven bugs/feature requests.
One possible reason for the lack of community interest is the high barrier to entry. Only developers with access to a Windows 2003 Server to play with can really participate in the program. As most developers probably use XP Pro for their day-to-day work, LitwareHR isn't something one can try without a spare server lying around. Other requirements include SQL Server 2005, .NET 3.0, Active Directory Application Mode, and Visual Studio 2005.
Eric Nelson does offer one suggestion; Microsoft is currently offering Windows Server 2003 as a virtual image. This does require Virtual Server 2005 R2.
In addition to the code itself, Microsoft is offering plenty of documentation and videos on both LitwareHR itself and the process that led to its creation.
InfoQ Asks: Are these reasonable requirements for sample code?