Posted in Uncategorized on November 30, 2007| Leave a Comment »
SilverLight 1.1 to be renamed Silverlight 2.0 and its beta will be release March 2008 http://www.itworld.com/AppDev/530/071129silverlight/
.NET Web Product Roadmap (ASP.NET, Silverlight, IIS7) http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/11/29/net-web-product-roadmap-asp-net-silverlight-iis7.aspx
New Features in Visual studio 2008 http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/11/19/visual-studio-2008-and-net-3-5-released.aspx
Posted in Good Links on November 30, 2007| Leave a Comment »
Evidence based scheduling: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2007/10/26.html
How to demo software: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2007/11/16.html
Posted in Software development, Tools, tagged C# Visual Studio.NET 2008 on November 19, 2007| Leave a Comment »
Visual studio 2008 was released today !
Trial versions found here
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/products/aa700831.aspx
And the free express versions are here
Posted in Good Links, Uncategorized on November 14, 2007| Leave a Comment »
Working example of how the new Microsoft Asp.NET MVC framework will look like and how to use it to build applications: http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/11/13/asp-net-mvc-framework-part-1.aspx
Preview of new features in the coming version of Nhibernate: http://ayende.com/Blog/archive/2007/11/13/What-is-going-on-with-NHibernate-2.0.aspx
Saddest Cubicle contest:) http://ayende.com/Blog/archive/2007/11/13/What-is-going-on-with-NHibernate-2.0.aspx
Dilbert creator is now a boss himself http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/11/business/11dilbert.php
Posted in Good Links, tagged freeware, Links, WWF on November 6, 2007| Leave a Comment »
PCWorld’s Top 101 Freeware http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,130045-page,2-c,freeware/article.html ( some are just freeware services like gmail, live mail, google docs)
Lhotka, creator of the famous CSLA framework discuss where to put code to validate user input. For web apps, to give User a more responsive and richer experience, it may be necessary to “duplicate” the code in the UI. He stresses that it is paramount to have the business objects do the validation anyway since the browser validations can be easily bypassed. http://www.lhotka.net/weblog/CommentView,guid,8fa07593-a357-49a4-9b86-1ee82a58f2b9.aspx
Windows Workflow Foundation Web Workflow Approvals Starter Kit
This starter kit is a Visual Studio 2005 (with updates for Visual Studio 2008) project that demonstrates using Windows Workflow Foundation for simple task-oriented workflow in an ASP.NET Web application. A workflow model is used to automate work order requests at a small example company. It includes three pre-defined roles which each play a part in the work order creation, approval and monitoring. The starter kit may be modified for other workflow models to suit other small Web-based task management systems. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a438a9b9-9f15-42ec-866f-2ea58e10db36&DisplayLang=en
Posted in Uncategorized on November 4, 2007| 6 Comments »
Today I went to silverlight code camp DC. It was a wonderful overview to this technology that is totally new to me.
On my way back, I started thinking about all the new technologies coming out. Just think of all the releases/betas/previews/etc. available: silverlight 1.1, SQL server 2008, WPF, LINQ, powershell, F#, etc.
I started to think that things are moving very fast in different directions that it is become increasingly hard to stay on top of all the new technologies.
I think that in a few years, Software development will have specializations. We already have now: Database administrators vs. Graphics designers vs. software developers. I think that in a few years: saying “I am a software developer” will be just like saying “I am a physician”. Just like in medicine, since the sheer magnitude knowledge have exploded, We have physician specializing in very detailed cases. Just a quick look at the different branches of medicine today will give you an idea ( here)
Reading about scientists up to may the 18th century, it was normal to read that someone was a poet/chemist/physician/mathematician/inventor/etc. Today, It is hard enough to keep up to date with all the advances in just one specific branch of each of the sciences mentioned.
I think software development is going in this direction. It may be just a few years away that we start seeing jobs with titles like ( Software Unit test engineer – Mock specialist) , (.NET Business components developer ), (Data Access developer/MS-SQL), (UI developer – Animation specialist) or (software developer specializing in File system access). Just like we find lawyers specializing in labor laws, civil rights, or even just in first amendment cases.
I know this may sound odd now, but I really think that with the speed things are moving, this will be case. I don’t see why Software development as a profession, as it evolves will be any different than medicine, Pharmaceuticals, engineering, journalism, etc.
I also think this will considerably affect development methodologies. For people working in “behind the scenes stuff” like data access or business rules, estimation could be easier as work is more predicatble. Whereas for people working in UI or animation or graphics, they have to adapt a wayt to respond to constant feedback from customer.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Links, Performance, Tips on November 4, 2007| Leave a Comment »
Performance:
This post shows how important the Hard Drive rpm rate in the overall performance of the system http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/11/01/tip-trick-hard-drive-speed-and-visual-studio-performance.aspx
Another post also talks about the same point http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000800.html
Here are also some tips about speeding up visual studio http://dotnettipoftheday.org/tips/speedup_visual_studio.aspx (Note that some of them affect some scenarios so make sure you know the effect of any change before appying it)
This is a hotfix to address some performance issues when debugging ASP.NET project with visual studio http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2007/08/21/public-hotfix-patch-available-for-vs-2005-f5-debugging-performance-issue-with-asp-net.aspx
Effective Writing:
In a podcast about effective business writing (great podcasts by the way http://www.manager-tools.com/complete-index), the show mentioned the Army guidelines for effective writing as one of the best, here it is http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/imo/DDB/writ-tip.htm
Emad's Blog 