Columns: Dev How-To and Advice


Perspective on XML: What is this ‘agility’?

The pitch on the buzzword “agility” is that software development can be more like a maneuverable motorcycle than a lumbering locomotive.

Analyst’s Soapbox: Is it lock-in or is it commitment?

Gary Barnett asks whether lock-in truly is the demon we all make it out to be or whether it is just a case of being afraid to tie the knot.

Reporter’s Notebook: Risk is real

It is quite possible that the notion of the real-time enterprise will confront the IT development manager with a risk-reward problem of the kind that can make or break a career.

Books in Brief: Web services from a business perspective: A review of “Web Services: A Manager’s Guide”

New book advises when to use Web services and when not to use Web services.

Q&A: Objects meet VB .NET

ADT’s Jack Vaughan spoke earlier this year with Deborah Kurata of InStep Technologies Inc. about the migration of Visual Basic developers to .NET.

Goyal takes Lotus helm

ADT’s Jack Vaughan spoke recently with IBM’s new Lotus group head, Ambuj Goyal. He talked to us from his offices in Sommers, N.Y.

Product Briefs

A look at software tools and technologies on the market.

.NET & Beyond: One more time: What exactly is .NET?

Recent changes have left some believing that Microsoft’s technology strategies have changed or even that the company is de-emphasizing .NET -- and neither of these is true.

The testing challenge

Automated testing must become an even more critical part of development projects.

UPS-developed messaging software keeps global air hub running smoothly

When UPS needed a middleware system that could support more than 3,000 messages each second, it turned to its internal software engineers to develop UPS’ Common Infrastructure Services (CIS) and Common Message Environment (CME).

Developers or bust for Sun

At this year’s JavaOne, Sun began a renewed push to court developers with the unveiling of a low-end toolset that officials said eases the process of helping Visual Studio and .NET developers to start building Java-based apps.

Harvard experts put hurt on IT

An article in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) by Nicholas G. Carr presumes that IT someday soon will be taken for granted. This reporter offers a few thoughts on the subject.

Bringing developers up to speed on AI

Bringing developers up to speed on AI is the goal of M. Tim Jones’ book “AI Application Programming.”

Three little words

In the business intelligence (BI) world, the importance of Return on Investment in cost justifying new projects may be overrated.

Product Briefs

A look at software tools and technologies on the market.

Are you a manager or a leader?

Running a business intelligence (BI) project requires an unusual combination of managerial and leadership skills.

Extending Eclipse -- Part 2

Want to know more about extending Eclipse? Dwight explains how to add a new view and create your own perspective.

Borland tries again

Observers are cautiously optimistic that Borland’s integrated toolsets for the application development life cycle could take the company to the next level.

Product Briefs

A look at software tools and technologies on the market.

.NET & Beyond: Why there’s no business case for Web services

While we in IT are rightfully excited about these technologies, businesspeople just don’t care about them. Just use the technology where it makes sense and show the people who run your business how it makes connecting applications easier and cheaper.