Archive for Programming
Snippet Designed for VS 2008 and VS 2010
Posted by: | CommentsI love code snippets. Way back in the early VB days, I created add-ins for the IDE that allowed me to create and save an array of short snippets of code and automatically insert them into the code window. I like to use snippets for things that I either don’t use often enough to remember, or to quickly enter templates for things I use a lot to save time. Visual Studio .Net has a Snippet Manager and lets you create snippets in XML, but there is no built-in editor. There are a couple of editors available, some stand-alone and at least one called Snippet Designer that is integrated into the IDE. Read More→
Create Singleton in C#
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most basic and most useful object patterns is the Singleton design pattern. A Singleton is a class of which there will only be one instance created at any time. All users of the Singleton class will all use the same instance. This is great for a wide range of applications such as cached values and lookups or utilities that execute quickly. The Design Patterns book by Gamma et al . describes the structure of a basic Singleton. We’ll describe how to create one in C#.
Java vs. .Net – Another Blast From the Past
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s another ancient article I wrote that I recently reread. It is interesting to see what has changed since this was first published on SearchSOA almost 8 years ago (see link at end of article). There are also many things that have not changed in those years. Companies continue to be faced with the question of what technology platform to choose for their Line of Business (LOB) applications. Often decisions are made based on criteria that have not been properly matched to business objectives. Sometimes the result is that the new technology platform is abandoned in the not so distant future, with a corresponding loss of investment dollars.
With a Just Enough Technology approach, a company evaluates technology against its core problem or objectives. I work with business and technology leaders within a company to define their true objectives and then weigh the technology decisions with their business objectives as the main criteria. Read through this article on choosing between the Java and Microsoft platforms. Both technologies have evolved quite a bit since this was first published, but some of the core arguments remain to this day.
Enable Joins WebSiteSpark
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1/12/2010 – Today Enable Web Technologies has been selected to join the Microsoft WebSiteSpark program. Enable Web Technologies (www.enablewebtech.com) is the consulting company owned by myself and Victoria, my wife. We recently joined the Microsoft WebSiteSpark program.
Craftsmanship and Software Development
Posted by: | CommentsIn a previous post I quoted a colleague who stated :
I like how they use the term “Craftsman” to describe what we do….[the craftsmen are] the ones who have taken the time to master the tools that have been made available to them to assist in their craft.
Craftsmanship in the manner used above, refers to an attention to detail and a pride in one’s work product. A craftsman is more than a worker – he or she truly cares that they do things right and to the best of their ability. I agree with this thought in principle, but I want to expand on it a bit and speak to one difficulty with software craftsmanship as a methodology. Read More→
Choosing Between Java and .Net
Posted by: | CommentsAnother Blast From The Past Article – Originally Published in Oct. 2004
I’ve been going over some articles I wrote over the years and have resurrected a few for Just Enough Technology. They are interesting in that the ideas are (usually) still valid and relevant in today’s world. This article was the basis of my focus on .Net over the last 7 or 8 years. I’ve created significant applications in both Java and .Net, and I am a great believer in choosing the right technology for the job. That could be Java or .Net or something else. This article contains some tidbits of truth concerning selecting the best technology based on real criteria – that is, criteria that are based on solving a business problem, not an arbitrary preference. Read More→
A Programmer’s Bill of Rights?
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s a link to good post that talks about how companies can enhance developer productivity with some small investments in things like dual monitors. I just reread this article after finding it over a year ago. I am diligently trying to move our own department towards the things listed in the article, though some items, such as dual monitors, may be difficult for us given the current economic climate. We developers understand experientially how these things help our productivity, but is not always easy to communicate these truths to management. Read More→
