Codeplex is my favorite site. CodePlex is Microsoft’s free open source project hosting site. You can create projects to share with the world, collaborate with others on their projects, and download open source software. It is great place to find so many open source project available to explore. All the softwares are free and open source. I often go there at intervals to check what is new in SQL Server field as well on other technologies. Yesterday when I visited it, I had nice surprise as it has total makeover and looks very decent as well elegant at the same time.

I have noticed that when I talk about Codeplex is user community, not everybody knows about it. The quickest way I explain what is codeplex is that I start naming few of the projects which are available there and suddenly I start noticing a few hands going up knowing the projects. This is indirect way to prove that many of us know CodePlex usability but do not pay special attention to what it is actually.

Let me name a few popular projects of the CodePlex here.

1. SQL Server Sample Database [link]
2. Image Resizer for Windows [link]
3. Ajax Control Toolkit [link]
4. Skype Voice Changer [link]
5. Silverlight Toolkit [link]
6. Windows 7 USB/DBD Download Tool [link]
7. Orchard Project [link]

There are very interesting SQL Server projects available on Codeplex as well. I am listing few of them here for reference in listed in no particular order.

1. SQL Server Sample Database [link]
2. SQL Server Compact ToolBox [link]
3. Microsoft Drivers for PHP for SQL Server [link]
4. Internals Viewer for SQL Server [link]
5. SQL Server Spatial Tooks [link]
6. SQL Monitor – managing sql server performance [link]
7. SQL Server 2008 Extended Events SSMS Addin [link]

Reference: Pinal Dave (http://blog.sqlauthority.com)