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CodeGuru Newsletter
March 7, 2006
http://www.CodeGuru.com
This newsletter is part of the Developer.com, EarthWeb, and
internet.com networks.
Jupitermedia Corporation
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TOPICS:
–> Editorial – “OOP is so ten minutes ago…”
–> Recently Published Books
–> New Articles on CodeGuru:
==> Algorithms
(C++)
– Computing a MS-CHAPv2 Client Response
==> COM
(C++)
– A Pure C++ Implementation of a COM Smart
Pointer
==>
DHTML
– Using Gradient Shading in Web Pages
==> DirectX
(C++)
– Intercept Calls to DirectX with a Proxy
DLL
==> Multimedia
(VB)
– VB and Voice Recognition: Part 4
==> Security
(C++)
– Inject Your Code to a Portable Executable
File
==> System
(C++)
– A C++ Wrapper and Extension of Windows FileSystemObject
Objects
==> Visual Studio Tools
(C++)
– Get to Know the VSTS Native C/C++ Code Analyzer
–> Discussion Groups — HOT
Threads
– Iterate through
std::vector?
– C Char
Array
– Date validation check code
(VB)
–> Highlighted new articles on
Developer.com
1.
Capitalizing on SOA
2. Ten of the
Biggest Mistakes Developers Make With
Databases
3. Ten Aspects of
Security to Improve Application
Strength
4. Programming the
Eclipse Workbench
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Comments
from the
Editor
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OOP is so ten minutes ago, SOA is the “cool” thing, and SaaS is where it is
all headed.
It is interesting to talk with people at large software companies about what
is important to developers. It is also interesting to talk to developers about
what they consider important. Equally interesting are discussions about the
evolving role of the developer.
Over the past few years, the infrastructure for developing has been changing.
Competing standards have been normalizing, programming languages are becoming
more sophisticated, and the expected role of the key developers is expanding to
require even more business and process understandings.
With the changes, however, one thing remains the same. The use of buzz terms
and acronyms to obfuscate what otherwise could be simple concepts into something
that sounds overly complex by creating “corporate speak.” This is the
implementation of fancy terms to make something sound like it is more than it
really is to help sell the concept. Worse, when such terms are presented to the
public, it seems that the selling points are non-descriptive. Consider the
following five benefits that were presented as selling points for a current
technology:
1 – Faster response to changing business needs
2 – Increase productivity
through improved access to information
3 – Less time and cost required to
integrate information source
4 – Faster return on investment
5 – Lower
application development, maintenance costs
What are these five benefits describing?
If you guessed Dictionarification of Developer resources, you are correct!
This is the process by which you put a paper dictionary on every developer’s
desk as well as a link on their computer desktop to a glossary site such as
Webopedia.com. Your developers will become much more able to answer what terms
mean (thus respond faster because the link and information are right there).
They will have better access to information. They will be able to respond
quickly with information on terms, spellings, definitions, and more; thus, you
should see a quick return on investment because the development costs of
Dictionarification is cheap and easy. Maintenance costs are low. You simply need
a process to replace outdated dictionaries as time passes.
Okay, Dictionarification may sound silly, but the point is that a lot of hype
is used to describe otherwise simple concepts to make them seem new again.
Today, we have terms such as SOA, AJAX, SaaS, and more that fall into this
category. The above five bullets could be used as selling points for any of
these technologies. These technologies, however, are not holy grails presenting
new things. Rather, they are simply an evolution of existing technologies.
So what is the point?
Look beyond the hype. New technologies are great, but often they are simply
an evolution of existing technologies. There are a lot of technologies that
provide the selling points mentioned above. Before investing money in new
gadgets, make sure you aren’t buying the same old gadgets you already own that
simply have a new coat of paint on them. SOA, AJAX, and SaaS are cool terms and
fantastic technologies, but if you dig into them, you’ll find that you have what
it takes to use them already.
Don’t get caught up in the hype!
Until next week…
Brad!
—————————
Bradley L. Jones
www.CodeGuru.com
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Recently
Published Books
=========================================================
For those of you keeping up by reading books. The following are just a few of
the new books that have been recently released. If you’ve read any of these,
feel free to write a review to be posted on CodeGuru. See the submission
guidelines at:
https://www.codeguru.com/review-guidelines.php
–> SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Starter
Kit
By Rajesh George and Lance Delano
for WROX
320 for $29.99 with
CD
http://books.internet.com/books/0764589237
Includes a CD with Visual Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition. I assume it
also has SQL Server 2005 Express Edition as well.
–> Professional SQL Server 2005 Reporting
Services
By Turley, Bryant, Counihan,
and DuVarney for WROX
700 pages for $39.99
http://books.internet.com/books/0764584979
Covers topics such as reporting service architecture, report design, data
access design, report server administration, report management, using Transact
SQL, migrating access reports, integrating report services into your apps, and
much more.
–> Beginning SQL Server 2005 for
Developers
From Novice to
Professional
By Robin Dewson for
Apress
520 pages for
$49.99
http://books.internet.com/books/1590595882
Covers
topics such as database design, security, tables, indexes, backup and
recovery, views, stored procedures, Transact SQL, triggers, and
more.
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New
& Updated Articles on
CodeGuru
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Following are short descriptions of new articles on CodeGuru. If you are
interested in submitting your own article for inclusion on the site, then you
will find guidelines located at
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,fka1,909i,jorm,i5r0
This week’s posted CodeGuru articles:
==> Algorithms (C++)
– Computing a MS-CHAPv2 Client
Response
By Eugene Prigorodov
Learn about a
RFC2759-compliant implementation of the MS-CHAPv2 response calculation
algorithm.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,9av4,jadb,jorm,i5r0
==> COM (C++)
– A Pure C++ Implementation of a COM Smart
Pointer
By Skeeter Xu
CComPtr wraps any
interface pointer and will call AddRef() and Release() properly. You don’t need
to worry about controlling the lifetime of your interface pointer.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,2j51,7291,jorm,i5r0
==> DHTML
– Using Gradient Shading in Web Pages
By Paul Kimmel
Cascading Style Sheets have all kinds of filters that add neat
effects to your Web pages. Learn how the gradient filter adds gradient
coloring.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,bkt2,8q13,jorm,i5r0
==> DirectX (C++)
– Intercept Calls to DirectX with a Proxy
DLL
By miko93
Learn to intercept calls to
DirectX (D3D) by using a proxy DLL (“stub-dll”). The concept is used to show
information on top of a DirectX full screen game, without touching the game’s
source.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,b02a,fkxn,jorm,i5r0
==> Multimedia (VB)
– VB and Voice Recognition: Part 4
By
Richard Newcombe
Although many use text to speech, this covers most of the
controls, properties, and how to add it to a diction application.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,iimi,66z3,jorm,i5r0
==> Security (C++)
– Inject Your Code to a Portable Executable
File
By Ashkbiz Danehkar
Learn the five steps needed
to inject your code in a portable executable (EXE, DLL, OCX,…) file without
recompiling the source code.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,ersm,hdwe,jorm,i5r0
==> System (C++)
– A C++ Wrapper and Extension of Windows FileSystemObject
Objects
By Skeeter Xu
Learn about a C++
implementation of Windows FileSystemObject objects. It wraps and extends
standard FileSystemObject interfaces (methods/properties).
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,8k6g,ay1a,jorm,i5r0
==> Visual Studio Tools (C++)
– Get to Know the VSTS Native C/C++ Code
Analyzer
By Nick Wienholt
The Static Code
Analyzer that ships with Visual Studio Team System, Developer Edition can detect
common security issues in native C/C++ code.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,ix82,act2,jorm,i5r0
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Discussion
Groups
==========================================================
Check out the CodeGuru discussion forums at:
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,bcr8,cx5j,jorm,i5r0
Forums include Visual C++, General C++, Visual Basic, Java, General
Technology, C#, ASP.NET, XML, Help Wanted, and much, much, more!
… HOT THREADS …
Some of the current threads with the most activity are:
==> Iterate through
std::vector?
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,llms,jt51,jorm,i5r0
==> C Char
Array
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,mfy2,6lh8,jorm,i5r0
==> Date validation check code
(VB)
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,h4be,1zye,jorm,i5r0
==========================================================
New
Articles on
Developer.com
==========================================================
Below are some of the new articles that have been posted to Developer.com (http://www.developer.com).
1. Capitalizing on SOA
By
Arulazi Dhesiaseelan
Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is another strategic
milestone in the enterprise architecture world.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,l8q1,caqr,jorm,i5r0
2. Ten of the Biggest Mistakes Developers Make With
Databases
By Mike Gunderloy
You are
probably still pumping data in and out of a database, just as we all did a
decade or more ago. That makes it all the more surprising that mistakes are
still being made that date back to the good old days of Windows 95 and
before.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,i3qq,568h,jorm,i5r0
3. Ten Aspects of Security to Improve Application
Strength
By Chad Cook
Making mistakes
when trying to build secure applications can lead to critical flaws and
vulnerabilities. Learn how to strengthen an application and avoid costly
mistakes.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,dt5c,arsz,jorm,i5r0
4. Programming the Eclipse
Workbench
By Peter Nehrer
What makes
Eclipse applications most easily recognizable is the Workbench. Explore the
Eclipse Workbench parts in detail — specifically the views and editors that
make up most Workbench applications.
http://nl.internet.com/ct.html?rtr=on&s=1,2a1y,1,3ntr,7o6f,jorm,i5r0
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