Software Development Product Reviews


Amethyst and WebOrb Integrate Flash Development with Visual Studio

Well-integrated environment from SapphireSteel lets .NET developers create Flex applications for the Flash platform.

Tooling Around in Your Database

These products can help make your occasional forays into the world of databases much easier to take.

Optimal Trace Enterprise 5.0: Implement Project Requirements

Keep everyone working together with this comprehensive collaboration tool.

Product Review: Macromedia gives boost to RoboDemo

Macromedia Captivate enables virtually anyone to record on-screen activity to create software demonstrations and interactive simulations in Flash. It allows users to edit content, add media applications, and provide visual screen instructions. It’s based on eHelp’s RoboDemo desktop recording software.

Review: SmartOutline 2005

Everyone needs a place to store unstructured information. There are choices galore out there, from simple text files to Microsoft OneNote to OPML-based outlines. SmartOutline 2005 aims to shake up the outlining market with a flexible .NET plugin-based architecture.

Review: patterns & practices Enterprise Library

Microsoft used to just hand us compilers and tools, but somewhere along the way they realized that things had gotten too complex for many developers to know how best to use these tools. Enter the Enterprise Library, the latest set of useful code blocks packaged up as prescriptive guidance by Microsoft's Patterns & Practices group.

Review: DevPartner SecurityChecker

These days all developers need to be security experts - but it doesn't hurt to have some help. That's where DevPartner Security Checker comes in, helping you keep an eye on the security issues in an ASP.NET application from start to finish. With an extensive knowledge of secure coding practices, it can help almost any ASP.NET developer do a more secure job.

JBuilder: a powerful and special IDE

Borland’s JBuilder 2005 Enterprise is an all-Java IDE written by Java developers, for Java developers. This version targets enterprise developers with support for EJBs, Web services, XML, mobile, and database application development.

Review: VMware Workstation 5 beta

VMware has long been the leader in virtual machine technology for Windows and Linux developers. The recent acquisition of Virtual PC by Microsoft has brought new competitive pressures to bear, but a peek at the next version of VMware shows that they're not about to give up.

Review: Arcadia PowerButton

Sure, your IDE includes a button control. But isn't it sort of boring? If you're looking for an inexpensive way to make your applications look more exciting, Arcadia PowerButton may be the answer.

Omnicore tackles the IDE

Does the development world really need another IDE? Well, maybe not. But whether it's needed or not, Omnicore's X-develop (now in open beta) offers an interesting feature set with some worthwhile innovations.

Review: OurayCM

OurayCM is a relatively new cross-platform configuration management package that supplies fully ACID operations and complex branching in a solid package.

Unit testing for .NET gets even easier

Many developers have found themselves on the unit testing bandwagon, setting up tiny tests to check all of their code whenever they make a change. In the Visual Studio .NET world, this has required running an external tool to exercise the tests. With the advent of TestDriven.NET, that's no longer true.

Briefing: JMSL Numerical Library 3.0

Want a numeric, financial, charting, and statistical package written in 100% pure Java? Then JMSL ought to get your attention.

Review: AutoMate

Automation utilities are traditionally seen as tools for systems administrators. But why shouldn't developers use them too? Some time spent with AutoMate suggests interesting possibilities here.

Review: MyGeneration

MyGeneration is an object-relational mapper and code generator for .NET. It supports a great variety of databases, handles regeneration of existing code, and it's even free.

Review: SSW eXtreme Emails!

Instead of building e-mail into your bug-tracking system, why not build bug-tracking into your e-mail client? That's what SSW eXtreme Emails does, bringing an agile bug-tracking system to users of Microsoft Outlook and Exchange.

Review: ANTS Profiler

Now in its second major release, ANTS Profiler is a super-easy to use profiler for .NET applications, letting you track speed or memory usage and drill down to a very granular level.