Columns


Abstract and Delegate-based Factories in .NET

In part 2 of a series of columns on using factory patterns, Patrick Steele shows how factory patterns can be used to make your applications more flexible.

Platforms Question: Silverlight and ASP.NET

Peter Vogel reviews the decision that organizations will have to make in choosing between Silverlight and ASP.NET.

Visual Studio 2010 Feature Pack 2

Microsoft's cumulative Feature Pack update for MSDN subscribers adds useful new testing capabilities to Visual Studio 2010.

The Factory Pattern in .NET

Just as a car factory creates cars on an as-needed basis, we can create "factories" in our code to create objects for our applications' specific needs. In this first article of a series, we'll explain what the factory pattern is and how you can use it in your code to make your applications more flexible.

Encrypting the WebConfig (A Return)

Peter Vogel returns to encrypting web.config files in subfolders and encrypting non-standard sections. Sort of everything you wanted to know about encrypting the web.config file but were afraid someone would tell you.

To Comment or Not to Comment

On VB columnist Joe Kunk explores the benefits and drawbacks of commenting source code, and finds that the answer is not as clear cut as many might think.

Silverlight Reactions

In our December cover story, "Silverlight Futures," developers expressed their views about Redmond's aggressive promotion of HTML5 and awkward disclosure of a shift in Silverlight strategy.

A Look at Silverlight 5

On Dec. 2, 2010, at the Silverlight Firestarter event, we unveiled Silverlight 5.

Line-of-Business Dev in 2011

With all the activity around mobile and Web technologies, it's easy to think that Microsoft might take its eye off the ball in the area of line-of-business (LOB) development.

If You Love Your Developers, Set Them Free

Every once in a while, Microsoft toys with the idea of taking its dev tools cross-platform.

Discarding More Dependencies

Nearly all applications need to open or save data files. Use the common file dialog APIs to easily avoid another unneeded dependency and sidestep some system bugs as a bonus. (Part 2 of 2)

2010: The Year in ASP.NET

With the new year upon us, Peter Vogel looks back at some of the big changes and advancements in ASP.NET in 2010.

Discarding Dependencies

Why tempt fate by making your application dependent upon an easily replaced component? Karl Peterson shows how you can begin reducing external dependencies in your VB apps.

Crystal Reports vs. SQL Server Reporting Services

If you're trying to decide whether to use Crystal Reports or SQL Server Reporting Services with ASP.NET, you can rest assured that there is no bad choice.

Coded UI Tests (Part 4): Tips and Tricks

Mickey Gousset finishes out his series on coded UI testing with some useful tips and tricks.

Extending the ListView

Peter moves beyond the basics of setting up a ListView to add databound controls, control headers and footers and turn on updating.

Looking Forward

If there's one constant in the world of Visual Studio development, it's change.

Letters to the Editor

A reader responds to "Protect What's Yours" (November 2010), in which Andrew Brust expressed concerns about Microsoft's ability to defend its ground.

Whither BizTalk

BizTalk Server is a blockbuster product, but it's also a sleeper. Andrew Brust explains why BizTalk could be headed for big things in the cloud.

The .NET Whistleblower

Terry had spent the better part of the past decade digging through the trenches of QuidCorp's flagship application QuidFlow -- a program used to flowchart business processes.

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