Basics of the Domain Name System (DNS)

This was really interested - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srBQSzRRNF4&feature=related who are looking for the basics of DNS

The 2012 Watchlist for Enterprise App Development Trends

1. The Cloud Landscape Will Mushroom

All cloud markets will continue to grow. In fact, the total cloud market (private, virtual private, and public cloud markets) will reach about $61 billion by the end of 2012, predicted Forrester analyst Holger Kisker. By far, the largest individual cloud market continues to be the public SaaS market, which will hit $33 billion by the end of 2012.

In 2012, Kisker said he expects more and more infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) vendors to offer technology platform services, platform vendors to offer software services, and application vendors to add business process services into their products and services.

Also on the horizon are a new wave of SaaS implementations, said Kisker, who expects to see more SaaS solutions for product life-cycle management (PLM), business intelligence (BI), and supply chain management (SCM).


2. The HTML 5 Juggernaut Will Continue to Roll

HTML5 is coming on strong as a standard, accelerated by the speed at which hardware devices are changing.

Microsoft has adopted HTML5 for Windows 8, Internet Explorer 9 and upcoming versions of the browser and other products.

The onset of HTML5 also drove Adobe to halt its development of its Flash technology for mobile browsers.

Al Hilwa, an IDC analyst, has predicted that 90 percent of smartphones and tablets will sport HTML5-capable browsers by 2013.

3. Get Ready for 'Internet Everything'

The Internet of things is leading to the Internet of everything, said Gartner analyst David Cearley recently.

He noted that 50 percent of Internet connections already occur between things rather than people, and this trend is growing rapidly because the cost of connected electronic devices is dropping very quickly.

Cearley said contextual and social user experiences will become more important, particularly using features such as identity, time, location, social networks, and sensors like GPS devices and near-field communications (NFC).

What this means for enterprise developers is tremendous demand for the creation of Internet-centric apps and solutions that will connect legacy apps to the Internet

4. Expect to See Lots More Mobile Apps

Mobile-centric applications and interfaces are also a growing trend, noted Cearley. Interfaces will not just have touch and gesture support, but will include search, voice, and video as inputs.

Cearley believes simple and focused mobile applications will be crucially important not just for consumer applications, but for enterprise applications as well.

"As a result, application development will change too, as multiplatform support is inevitable," he said. "HTML5 helps but is no panacea."

Cearley predicted that app stores and marketplaces will expand to meet enterprise needs such as license management and verification. He said enterprise app store adoption will likely become more mainstream in 2013 and 2014.

5. The Growth of Web-Based Development Environments

The 'Internet everything' phenomenon allied to the rise of mobile apps will drive the growth of Web-based development environments. Web-based development environments, such as Eclipse Orion, Cloud9 IDE, eXo Cloud IDE and others, are becoming more and more popular as development moves into the cloud.

This year will see more of the same, driven by the explosion in mobile apps.

6. Big Data and Big Data Analytics Trends Will Grow

Big data and big data analytics will continue to grow due to the explosion of data coming from intelligent devices, social media and other sources.

IDC predicts that the market for intelligent systems will grow substantially in the next few years, from 800 million units today to more than 2.3 billion by 2015.

Shipments of embedded devices already exceed those of cell phones and PCs, according to IDC, which predicts the market for intelligent systems will soon represent a $520 billion industry.

7. Agile Will Mature More This Year

In 2012, Agile will move from a development practice into more of a mainstream business process, forcing companies and developers to improve their release management solutions and to reduce the bottlenecks that often exist at the point of deployment. To make all of that happen, expect to see the emergence of highly collaborative DevOps teams composed of application developers and IT operations.

Extracted From - http://www.devx.com/enterprise/Article/47800/0/page/1

Future Software Engineering

Bragging Rights - Change you are proud of

Paul put it well when he said to me: "The top of Maslow's pyramid is self-actualization...in some ways I think we like to achieve self-actualization through our code, [such that] in years to come, maintenance programmers will stumble upon this architecture and exclaim, 'Wow, Scott was here.'"

Are you writing software or crafting software? When does your craft become art?

This is a noble and certainly attractive goal, but is one that should be attempted only after the basic needs are met.

Refactorable - Change without fear

Is your code/system easy able to be refactored? Can you rearrange it without fear? Does it follow all the conventions and use the appropriate idioms of your chosen language? Do you have automated unit tests?

Maintainable - Change with verification

Is it able to change at all? Are bugs fixable? When you make a change is that change verifiably correct? Any tests at all?

Buildable & Deployable - Change in production

Can you deploy your system as easily as you can build it? Continuous Integration is effectively a must in today's software systems, but moving up in importance is Continuous Deployment - with rollback!

Revisable - Change

Is your system in source control with a clear workflow that governs contributions? Can you revert changes, stamp official changes, branch and merge? What? You're using zip files? Sorry, friend, you don't get to talk about class design or move around UML diagrams until you're using source control.

The importance of leadership

This underscores the importance of a strong and appropriately self-aware leader. Creating art is the fun stuff but it isn't always what needs to be done to move the project forward. The tech lead needs to recognize the right time to be an artist and the right time to invest in strong foundational processes.

Are we eating enough leafy greens as a team? Let's start with "are we eating tonight?" and work from there.

Extracted From

- http://www.hanselman.com/blog/MaslowsHierarchyOfNeedsOfSoftwareDevelopment.aspx?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ScottHanselman+%28Scott+Hanselman+-+ComputerZen.com%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Microsoft Provides Tips to Help Protect Your Online Image

Extracted From - http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2012/jan12/01-24DPD12PR.mspx?rss_fdn=Custom

Android project structure (Eclipse)

The general information about support package can be found on the web page:http://developer.android.com/sdk/compatibility-library.html[^]. There is a section about Downloading the Support Package[^], as well as Setting Up a Project to Use a Library[^]. I recommend to use setting up pattern in for others third party libraries.

Another type of files are the sources for the of the images, like the photoshop images, inkscape ore any other used graphics editor. The suggested way is to put them in the art project subfolder. This is extremely useful if germination the resource files is automated.

General project structure will look then similar:

• art - graphics element sources (psd, svg, xcf, ...).
• src - java packages with classes (class).
• res - resources files (xml, images).
• libs - third party packages (jar).
• assets - custom files related to the application (any type).
• gen - generated classes files (java).
• bin - output files (include apk).

Extracted from - http://www.codeproject.com/Tips/318089/Android-project-structure-Eclipse

What Is Augmented Reality?

“Augmented Reality blurs the limits between what is real and what is computer generated”

Augmented reality (AR) is the integration of digital information with live video or the user's environment in real time.

If talking academic and technical, Augmented Reality can be explained as the generation of a composite view for the user that is the combination, in real time, of a virtual scene viewed by the user, via a camera for example, and a virtual scene generated by the computer, therefore augmenting the scene with additional information.

4 Different Types of Augmented Reality

Black & White Markers: The detection of interest points is here done through black & white fiducial markers. Most of the time, the applications using markers are based on open source technology. It has the advantage to be easily affordable but it is not supported, nor fully secured and fairly weak. It is usually implemented in small non-commercial projects. Total Immersion supports this technology without having the disadvantages of open source software.

Marker Less Tracking (MLT): This is currently one of the best technology for tracking and the one chosen by Total Immersion to integrate their software suite. It performs active tracking and recognition of real environment on any type of support (visuals, objects, faces, movement) without using special placed markers. It is more powerful and allows the performing of more complex applications of Augmented Reality. This new technology is operational on stationary, web or mobile devices. Total Immersion is continuously developing MLT, for instance with the latest depth cameras (with sensors able to measure the depth for each of the captured pixels).

Sensor based Technology: Sensor tags along with immersive Augmented Reality can provide a better end user experience. Sensors are used in locations where MLT are less operational (e.g.: due to lack of light). They send a signal to a receiver within range and are able to curate information pertinent to the individual instead of everything around thanks to powerful filters.

GPS and Compass Technology: Mainly found on smartphones and tablets, this type of applications takes advantage of the devices' GPS and compass features with access to high-speed wireless networks. Still fairly imprecise due to current inaccuracy of the GPS technology, its main attraction lays to provide useful local web-content information and added services in 2D format at the geolocation of the user. Total Immersion is specialised in image recognition and analysis (known as Computer Vision). This is where the Company has invested most of its R&D efforts, with several patents already filled in.

Straightforwardly, three main stages are recognized in the Augmented Reality process of treatment of real time video flux:

1. Recognition of an image, an object, a face or a body
2. Space location in real time of this image, object, face or body
3. Superposition of a media (video, 3D, 2D, text, etc…) on this image, object, face or body

The process of these three steps takes less than 40ms to match the human eye fluidity of 25 images per second. Powerful algorithms need to be applied and research is continuously progressing to further develop each of these three processes boosted by the growing performances of equipment and devices. Computer Vision is in itself a high consumer of CPU but higher is the available power, better is the sophistication of the algorithm for a truly enhanced user experience. Furthermore, with the rapidly progressing utilization of captors, such as GPS, Compass, gyroscope, thermometers, speedometer, the sum of information collected can be used to further enrich and boost users experience in a current context.

How does Augmented Reality work?

Geolocalized Augmented Reality

The mix of these two technologies is obviously the answer to respond to users’ individual expectations. They need to be combined and not matched against each other to provide the most immersive final experience. Although the GPS technology is still somewhat imprecise, specifically in city zones, it is sufficient to filter the information necessary to trigger and gain users’ interest.

The result can then be further improved through a process of image analysis and relevant information precisely superposed on actual scenes. This can be, for example, snapping a statue on a main piazza and receiving information on its origins, on the life of its sculptor; visualizing the change of a building from its current state to what it was 100 years ago or what it will look like after planned renovations are completed. It may also be the case whilst shopping in a supermarket, of accessing products information on allergy risks or on associated products available… The scope and feasibility of Augmented Reality Technology is unlimited.

Extracted From - http://www.t-immersion.com/augmented-reality/what-augmented-reality

Top five trends for enterprise software development

It is easy to predict what types of technologies will be trendy in the coming months, and harder to predict what developers will do with the technologies to help the enterprise end user. That said, Scott Plewes, VP of user experience at software consulting firm Macadamian, offered up five predictions for enterprise software trends based on his experience with customers.

According to him, the battleground for enterprise software is shifting from what features can be delivered to the usability of a software solution, based mainly on the way companies and individuals work.

Mobile workplaces
The nature of work, Plewes said, is not about mobile technology or applications on smartphones and tablets; it’s about enabling people to make decisions in real time. People don’t always work a 9-to-5 schedule at a desk; they may be changing locations or working in different time zones. Using mobile technologies in the enterprise technology space means that developers need to understand these new environments and allow their solutions to seamlessly integrate into such a workplace.

A mobile workplace, Plewes said, provides different distractions, and it’s important for developers to be aware of creating a user experience that takes these into account. This also ties in with his second prediction, the advancement of cloud computing.

Cloud computing
This is, according to Plewes, best described as the Apple iCloud concept. “The idea is that in the cloud, information is shared appropriately to different devices at different times with the proper security information, without the user noticing,” he said. Seamless sharing, and a security solution for it, will be a trend in the cloud space in the coming year, he predicted.

Context awareness
Developers will have to be aware of not only what types of devices end users are working on, but where they are working, or what distractions they may have and how the applications can help with these environments.

Plewes said the designer must understand the needs of the user in order to design a proper application. Desktop applications, he said, cannot be simply shifted to mobile apps; some features need to be removed, while others need to be added. Sign on should not be as complex as desktop versions, and security, in some instances, needs to be enhanced.

Data analytics
The amount of data people can consume has not changed, but the amount of data to be consumed has changed, Plewes said. Developers, he added, “need to figure out how to present information quickly so people can interpret it quickly in order to gain the insight necessary to make a business decision.”

Specialization
Development teams will have specialized sectors, Plewes predicted, that handle different industries as the context and needs of each industry is becoming much different. Vertical industries are developing many more specialized needs that require developers to understand specific business problems in order to create solutions. He said it is similar to the specialization of developers who are experts in a particular language; so there will be trends for developers to be healthcare solution developers, educational developers or financial developers, for instance.

Ultimately, Plewes said it is the job of the developer to work with the entire team to determine what exactly the end user wants and needs. This, he said, will be accomplished by extensive communication between end users and developers, and by proper testing.

this was extracted from - http://www.sdtimes.com/content/article.aspx?ArticleID=36287&page=2

Leaked Windows Phone Roadmap

Extracted from -

http://wmpoweruser.com/leaked-windows-phone-roadmap-gives-us-a-peak-into-the-future/

What an IT Person Needs to Know About Near Field Communications

Near Field Communication (NFC) is an electromagnetic wireless technology designed to enable communications between two devices. Near Field Communication or NFC is designed to communicate over very close distances. NFC is currently in the news because of rumors that Apple will be including the technology in the next release of the iPhone. Google is including the technology in Android and Samsung has also included in some of their handsets.

Imagine the CEO from your company slips into your elevator as it's about to close. She says, "Hi Jimmy. I was reading about NFC on one of my favorite ivory tower technology blogs. How does that work, anyway"? First things first. Don't panic. Since you are a regular reader to newtech.about.com, you have a prepared an "elevator statement" about Near Field Communications. An elevator statement or elevator speech results from the scenario when you have a couple of minutes to explain or pitch something to an executive. The idea is that the elevator statement is somewhat rehearsed. The timing is critical because you only have the length of the elevator ride to cover it all. Let's get your elevator statement ready for Near Field Communication or NFC.

Near Field Communications (NFC) - A Primer

Near Field Communication (NFC) is contactless technology that operates at a range of about 4 centimeters. Think of waving your iPhone near a credit card reader at the counter of Chipotle. NFC is based on a communication standard that specifies how two devices establish a peer to peer network in order to exchange data. NFC uses electromagnetic radio fields to communicate. This is in contrast to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi which use radio transmissions. However, NFC is compatible with both technologies. It is inherently secure as the distance requirement is so close. Get ready to impress your CEO with a some data:

• UFC operates at13.56 MHz and has a read and write mode.
• UFC transfers at a rate up to 424 Kbits/second.
• UFC implements standards from ISO, ECMA, and ETSI.

Near Field Communication (NFC) - History

Sony and Phillips are leading innovators of NFC today, but the origins of the wireless standard go back to late 2003, when it was approved as an ISO/IEC standard. In 2004, Nokia, Sony, and Phillips formed the NFC Forum, which has more than 200 members including manufacturers, developers, and financial services institutions today.

In 2006, the NFC Forum documented the technology and created its first road map. Several trials of the technology took place in 2007 and 2008, but it didn't really take off due to the lack of support by carriers and banks. NFC is poised to take off, as the major mobile manufacturers are including the technology in their products. 2011 could be the year of Near Field Communications. Currently, NFC technology is more common in Asia, Japan, and Europe. However the US is starting to catch up.

Near Field Communication (NFC) - Applications

The applications for NFC are exponential. Here are a few scenarios:

• Two NFC cell phones can exchange data by just tapping them or bring them close together.
• An NFC camera device could transfer photos to an NFC equipped computer or HDTV.
• An NFC equipped computer could transfer data to a mobile device.
• Use of NFC mobile device to check out and pay at a cash register - a virtual wallet.
• Use of NFC mobile devices to make purchases from vending machines.
• An NFC mobile device can pay a parking meter.
• An NFC mobile device can access cash from an ATM.
• Use of an NFC mobile device for ticketing applications.

Near Field Communications (NFC) - The Technology

The technology of Near Field Communication is really interesting. NFC operates in two modes.

• Active - Active Mode: In this mode, both devices are generating their own RF fields. This would be in the case that two mobile devices are being used to exchange data.
• Active - Passive Mode: In this mode, one of the devices generates the RF field and the other device uses the field to power itself and communicate. The active device is usually the "reader" and the passive device is the "tag".

The active device or reader generally polls for nearby NFC devices. The passive device or tag begins to listen when it comes within a few centimeters of an active NFC device. The reader will then communicate with the tag in order to determine which signaling technologies that can be used. Currently, there are three signaling technologies:

1. NFC-A, which is RFID Type A
2. NFC-B, which is RFID Type B
3. NFC-F, which is FeliCA

Once the tag responds to which signaling technology should be used, the reader will set up a communication link with all the necessary parameters. Some tags are re-writable so readers can actually update data. Consider a NFC enabled credit card. The credit card might pass along data such as a credit card number or an expiration date.

An NFC equipped phone can act in an active or passive mode. As a payment method in a retail application, the NFC equipped phone would act in the passive mode with the equipment at the check out station acting in the active mode. In another application, the NFC equipped phone might be used to scan a tag on a package to retrieve detailed data about the contents. In this case, the phone is acting in a active mode.

The obvious key to the adoption of NFC technology is the creation of NFC integrated circuitry or chips. The reason for NFC being in the news recently is the growing number of manufacturers including these chips in their mobile devices. In response, the market will have to produce low cost, platform independent NFC tags for the market to grow. One of the leading commercial developers of this technology is Innovision Research & Technology from the UK, which was acquired by Broadcom Corporation. See Broadcom's press release on it's NFC tagging solution.

Near Field Communications (NFC) - Security

The basic need for security is because the two devices must be within a very close proximity to function. Data between the two NFC devices connecting can be encrypted using AES standards. Encryption is not required by the standard, but would definitely be a best practice. The omission of encryption was intentional in order to make sure the technology was compatible with prior implementations of RFID.

Eavesdropping is something of concern in terms of security. Theoretically, a third device could enter the picture and steal data. This is why encryption would be necessary for things such as credit card transactions.

In the event that an NFC ready device is stolen, there is a risk that a credit card, for example, can be used to make purchases. The scenario of a stolen NFC ready mobile device might be prevented with the use of a passcode or password to complete the communication. Researchers are looking at ways to deal with security in credit cards and other passive devices. When it comes to the secure connection between two NFC enabled devices, encryption is the best method to protect the communication stream.

NFC Elevator Statement

So now that you know enough about Near Field Communication to ride the elevator with your CEO and explain it to him, here we go.

CEO:

Hi Jimmy. I was reading about NFC on one of my favorite ivory tower technology blogs. How does that work, anyway"?

IT Person:

Near Field Communications is really interesting and will continue to mature in 2011. You know that chips are being including the new iPhone which allows NFC to work and will drive adoption. While the technology is common in Japan and Europe, the US has been slow to adopt it. Anyway, the technology allows a simple communication between two NFC enabled devices. One of the devices can even be a passive device like a label embedded with NFC technology. By the end of this year, your iPhone might be able to download data from your laptop, buy you lunch, or even look up our product information by waving it near an NFC ready tag or device. Imagine our products are NFC tagged and our customers can wave their iPhone near the NFC tag and retrieve product information or even deals. What do you think? Should we do a proof of concept?

Pricing Tables – Best Practices, Tips and Inspiration

pricing tables have become an essential element of every online business website. While it can hike up your business if done neatly, it can also be the tombstone of your online business. A pricing table’s task is to help users choose the best pricing plan for them based on their needs. But we often find the tables dazzling and hard to understand. Designing an efficient pricing table requires a subtle yet solid mix of design and usability. In this post I’m going to share some tips on creating stunning pricing tables, discuss some of the best practices and present a list of some of the most successful pricing tables out there.

Dev Express ASP.net Reporting මුල සිට සරලව

Main Page -

http://devexpress.com/Products/NET/Reporting/

ASP.NET Reports Lessons -

http://documentation.devexpress.com/#XtraReports/CustomDocument9814

ASP.NET Data-Aware Reporting: Getting Started

http://tv.devexpress.com/#XtraReports04;XtraReports+Suite.product;6

Happy Reporting

Identify Unknown Hardware Using Hardware IDs

http://www.codeproject.com/Tips/308855/Identify-Unknown-Hardware-Using-Hardware-IDs