New Webinar: Software Archeology with JBuilder 2008
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on May 14th, 2008 under Uncategorized | Comment now »New JBuilder webinar
What’s new in JBuilder 2008?
Join us for a Webinar on May 15
Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/148231045
JBuilder 2008 has just been released, come learn why the industry and customers are excited about the new Java development environment.
New features to be covered in the webinar will include:
* Software Archeology
* Performance Management
* Swing / GUI development
* Application Factories
More information on Software Archeology and Application factories can be found below:
"Software Archeology: What it is and why you should care" by Michael Rozlog - http://www.codegear.com/article/34268/images/34268/software-archeology.pdf
"Capturing Developer Intent in Eclipse via Application Factories" by Ravi Kumar - http://www.codegear.com/article/34268/images/34268/EclipseMagazine_Vol17-v2.pdf
Title: What’s new in JBuilder 2008?
Date: Thursday, May 15, 2008
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM PDT
System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista
Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.3.9 (Panther®) or newer
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on May 12th, 2008 under Uncategorized | Comment now »What is an RIEA?
The rage, the hype, and the excitement over the past couple of months has been around RIA(s). You don’t know what an RIA is? Well, RIA stands for Rich Internet Application. RIA(s) add significant eye-candy via various methods to make a web application and its interaction appear to act more like a Windows application.
For those that have been reading my blogs for a while now, you know I’ve been starting to raise the issue of new web technologies being introduced to solve a problem that may be more hype than actual solid issues. If you read the post on “how small is small enough” then you know that some of these applications can be fairly large in size and depending on how they are written they can be extremely chatty. If you read the post on “how many layers is too many” then you know that we are putting extreme pressure on our IT departments to enable RIAs using a plethora of methods; from the simple “AJAX” methodology, to using different frameworks (Adobe AIR, Microsoft Silverlight, Mozilla’s Prism Technology) all in an effort to get rid of the Browser and again act more like a Windows application.
That is also the second time that I mentioned “act more like a Windows application” in 2 paragraphs. Why are we trying to act like a Windows application? Because, they own 92% of the market, Apple has 7.5%, and Linux has a dismal 0.61% of the market. For more on market share check out: http://marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=8. Let’s face the facts, the only reasons why people want to do this are because it is new and it is cool. Or they have a belief that they need to be cross-platform or zero client side deployment and the only way to do that is web-enablement. But, as the numbers above clearly point out, that is really smoke and mirrors. I understand that management, or your team, may be saying you have to create applications this way and we all know how pressure works. Again, they may have people saying things like we have to move everything now to the web, but we should think more about that before we leap into the next major web application rewrite.
Now let it be said, I have no issues with any of the technologies being used, invented, or hoped for in the future. Those people, who know me, know that I have a background in CORBA, J2EE/JEE, Java, C++ and many other languages and platforms, but we need to be honest, all technologies have a place. For example, look at Java Enterprise Edition and Java in general. It is great on the server, but realistically the client side is a mess, no matter if you are talking rich-client (AWT, Swing, or SWT) or the exponentially growing list of platforms, frameworks, and best practices for building a web site with Java they all are attempts to try to be like a Microsoft Windows application. Again, I want to say I have no issues with Java, AIR, Silverlight, or any other technology. What I do have a problem with is the time we spend trying to solve the mythical cross-platform client concept when there really isn’t that many platforms being used by clients today. This could be the great Google(ization) or SalesForce.com(ization) of technology and interaction, and I do agree that Software as a Service (SAAS) has its place just like every other technology, approach, or best practice, but it is not the only solution for every problem.
When I was away from Borland/CodeGear for almost a year I was running Products and R&D for a startup and I had the great privilege of working with a developer from Apple. Let me say the person was beyond technically competent and brought with him the Apple philosophy; do it right, or don’t do it at all. Pick the technology that is going to give the best possible chance to succeed and impress the users. I still count this individual as a friend, but about 5 months into having him on the team, Apple called him back home and he left, but the single-minded approach of making great software using the best tool for the job had a problem-solving approach changing effect on how I now look at creating solutions. This laser focus on the solution is also hopefully evident in my prior research and post on Situational Applications on the Dr. Dobbs website, which is really where I began to preach the change in my approach. That is why I’ve been looking at the new technology and it is dawning on me that a better approach may be RIEA.
Rich Internet Enabled Applications (RIEA) is really built around the concept of using a standard Windows client that communicated using Internet technologies (Web Services, REST Web Services, TCP, SOAP and others). The ideas around AJAX are alive and well and the AJAX approach has the same pitfalls doing RIEA type solutions as it does in a standard Web application using an AJAX approach. Using products like Delphi, C++Builder or even Visual Basic or Java Swing (you know we have a new kick butt Swing designer in JBuilder 2008) and using internet communications to retrieve and update information on the server side is a valid approach. Even though I’m not as excited about Visual Basic! Heck, there are so many components already created, tested and available, that almost anybody can get things working very quickly using this approach.
I also know that some companies are worried about viruses and exploiting security holes in Windows applications, but I will submit as an argument, that anybody who has had a Browser Helper Object (BHO) in Internet Explorer and the same type of technology in Firefox that gets loaded from one of those great unscrupulous websites that install things without people understanding what they just installed… it can happen on any machine, in almost any technology. But, at least on Windows you know you have to keep your guard up. Technologies like BHO(s) are used to attach to the web browser to capture and export information back to the server, which can then be used for many different purposes. The point that I’m trying to make is that security is a risk no matter what platform or approach you use… Rich Applications, Web Applications, and RIAs, it does not matter. If you have valuable information, most likely there is a person or persons willing to steal or compromise a system or systems to get to that information.
What about software updates? I’ve seen some really slick Application update software lately. In some standard RIA applications when a change is made a lot of new software has to be loaded on to the client on the next run. If it is programmed correctly to use caching properly, it will hopefully only have to do this once. Plus with an RIEA approach, the client side functionality that end-users expect like client-side caching of data, off-line access, and additional client-side horse power to add value to the application. Sorry, did I just make a commercial or present the value-add items from the early-middle 80s PC revolution when power to the people meant that software like Lotus 123 could go to the people and not have to wait on IT to bless me with an application? I thought we fought this battle of the green screen or dumb terminal years ago. But like any technology there is a pendulum that swings from centralized processing to decentralized processing. I’m trying to push the best of both worlds with the RIEA approach.
With an RIEA approach, education of the facts back to your team, your management, and your users will be a constant challenge. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence and the next silver bullet will solve any issues we are having today, just wait a few days, months or years. However, if you have ever had a customer complain about the Web interface/paradigm and wish they had a “real” application like the old days, maybe you can make their day and reintroduce them back to the RIEA approach.
An interesting example is web search. Most are done with Browsers connecting to the web and returning results. Again, let me state, I have no issues with this approach. However, when you start looking at desktop search interfaces things start to change. Google still uses the browser interface, but other companies like the Halfone client for desktop search adds significant features and functionality to the simple text input. The same can be said about Copernic desktop search and their full windows (that is the one I use) has a good amount of additional settings and features that you just don’t get with the standard browser interface. This again is only one simple example. Think of media players, like Apple’s iTunes, Real player or many others, they all use web services and web protocols to enhance the software functionality in a full Windows client.
RIEA is again just another approach, and it is not perfect for every job, but for the vast majority of applications that are getting built on the web today, RIEA makes more sense than the hoops, strategies, and overhead we are putting our end-users, IT departments, and management through to get to the mythical cross-platform or zero “deployment” dreams that are so espoused.
In the end if your goal for creating a web application is to get away from Windows, ask yourself why? If all your users are using Windows why would you create a sub-par application just to put it inside the browser, or if you are using the new technologies to get away from the browser and into another layer of interface again ask the question why? If you come up with a good reason that makes a real business case or it will be far superior to what you can create in Windows then go for it, but if the business case is not there and the interface and the additional layers or structure is really unknown… then take a stand and create the best application possible that will make your company successful and your users happy and if it happens to be on Windows, then you know what, 92% of the rest of the world is using the exact same interface.
More to come…
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on April 21st, 2008 under Uncategorized | 3 Comments »Webinar today on Delphi & Delphi 400 products
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on April 17th, 2008 under Uncategorized | Comment now »Software Archeology for other languages then Visual Basic, COBOL, and others…
Coming soon…
More to come…
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on March 17th, 2008 under Uncategorized | Comment now »The PDF of the presentation from Unraveling the Complexities of Existing Applications and an encore new webinar on Monday March 17th at 10:00 am PST!
The response from the first webinar on Unraveling the Complexities of Existing Applications was AWESOME. So on Monday I will be doing the presentation and adding more demonstrations to hopefully show more products.
Outline of the Webinar:
Unraveling the Complexities of Existing Applications looks at IT brain drain as becoming a wide-spread, rapidly-growing problem as developers leave projects, intellectual capital leaves the organization – and you’re left holding the bag. Some of the basis for the conversation is around a study/survey that NASCIO (National Association of State Chief Information Officers) conducted. The state of the IT workforce is changing. It’s a problem that isn’t getting better with age: the graying of the American workforce.
When key players on your application development team leave the organization, how do you manage the millions of lines of code left behind? As you embark on new software development projects, how do you protect your organization against the future loss of intellectual capital? This webinar covers a great deal of JBuilder 2007’s functionality and it would be a great way to see the power of the product. I hope you or members of your team could join and participate. https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/517936044
I’m currently have issues uploading the file. As soon as I can get it uploaded I will.
More to come…
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on March 14th, 2008 under Uncategorized | 4 Comments »JBuilder and Instantiations Webinar
Here is the PDF of the presentation from today’s webinar on JBuilder and Instantiations Swing Designer plug-in promotion. This is a great Swing (GUI) designer for JBuilder 2007 built on Eclipse. The promotion ends on March 26th 2008.
More to come…
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on February 28th, 2008 under Uncategorized | 2 Comments »For the Love of Delphi, C++Builder, and RAD Studio webinar
First, thanks to all that attended my latest Delphi webinar. The feedback has been great and I plan on doing many more of these types of events as we continue to reintroduce our products and solutions to the market. I have posted the PDF of the presentation here.
Please remember, feedback always welcome and encouraged and please if you want to see a webinar on something technical let me know and I will try to get it done.
More to come…
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on February 19th, 2008 under Uncategorized | Comment now »Some more on Situational Applications
In my recent article on Situational Application (SA) that was published on DDJ’s web site in early February, I tried to establish a basic understanding of what a SA was, and how it could be approached with Delphi. I also focused on new technology being introduced to support these types of applications and how we already have some great technology with Delphi and C++Builder to support this type of application. I found a great in-depth article recently on SA, from IBM. Their take is a comparison of SOA vs. SA, and they try to make a case for removing the O from SOA and moving to SA. However they are more focused on the web aspects not applications like I was presenting. Check it out: The IBM Paper
For those of you keeping track, I’ve been blogging about the ideas of Layers and Sizes, now might be right to introduce Time to the equation. I will think more on that…
More to come…
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on February 8th, 2008 under Uncategorized | Comment now »Situational Application
I have a new article published on Situational Applications on Dr. Dobb’s website. Check out the product being used.
http://www.ddj.com/development-tools/206102105
More to come…
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Posted by Michael Rozlog on February 1st, 2008 under Uncategorized | 4 Comments »Server Response from: dnrh2.codegear.com
