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  • Rescue overdue offshore projects and convince management to use automated tests

    - by oazabir
    I have published two articles on codeproject recently. One is a story where an offshore project was two months overdue, my friend who runs it was paying the team from his own pocket and he was drowning in ever increasing number of change requests and how we brainstormed together to come out of that situation. Tips and Tricks to rescue overdue projects Next one is about convincing management to go for automated test and give developers extra time per sprint, at the cost of reduced productivity for couple of sprints. It’s hard to negotiate this with even dev leads, let alone managers. Whenever you tell them - there’s going to be less features/bug fixes delivered for next 3 or 4 sprints because we want to automate the tests and reduce manual QA effort; everyone gets furious and kicks you out of the meeting. Especially in a startup where every sprint is jam packed with new features and priority bug fixes to satisfy various stakeholders, including the VCs, it’s very hard to communicate the benefits of automated tests across the board. Let me tell you of a story of one of my startups where I had the pleasure to argue on this and came out victorious. How to convince developers and management to use automated test instead of manual test If you like these, please vote for me!

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  • Oracle SOA Suite customer panel: Successful Application Integration & SOA Projects

    - by Simone Geib
    At the recent SOA Suite customer panel, Roger Brown from UNS Energy, Fabio Ravagni from Cencosud and Paras Jain from Cisco discussed their recent SOA Suite implementations, business drivers and challenges, architecture and lessons learned. Roger started by describing how UNS redesigned their internet portal to improve their customer experience and reduce manual steps in their business processes. Through the use of Oracle Service Bus, Oracle BPEL Process Manager and Oracle Business Activity Monitoring, they provided more self-service functionality, automated their business processes and increased the use of their web site by 12.98% for number of visits and 33.58% for average visit duration. The screenshot below shows the UNS architecture: > Next Fabio described the challenges Cencosud faced through continuous expansion of their business, different standards and levels of expertise and large volumes of information. By introducing Oracle SOA Suite, Oracle Data Integrator and Oracle Enterprise Repository, and with the help of Oracle Consulting, they significantly simplified their integration model, reduced their maintenance effort and increased their integration governance. The picture below shows the implemented solution with so far more than 400 services in production and more than 20 ongoing projects, which will make use of the new integration platform. > Last, but not least, Paras discussed the challenges the Webex division of Cisco faced with a highly manual service fulfillment process, multiple data sources and the resulting large room for errror and delay in customer time-to-service. Through a redesign of their order fulfillment process and the introduction of Oracle SOA Suite (see below), they significantly improved their SLAs, eliminated duplicate orders, provided higher visibility into the order process and aligned business and IT. For more information about Oracle OpenWorld SOA & BPM Session, please see the Focus on SOA and BPM document

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  • Using Scrum on small projects where Owner doesn't want to be involved

    - by Andrej Mohar
    Recently I've been reading and learning quite a lot about scrum and I like it a lot. However, I do have a couple of likely scenarios in my head to which I don't know the solution. So let's say that I might want to organize an agile team of (for instance) four web developers (one of them UI/UX designer). This team would operate on scrum principles. Initially we would probably be working on projects like landing pages for ordinary people's small businesses, like renting apartments, selling cookies... Such customers simply can't be set with Product Owner role (IMHO), because they usually expect to hire a company, give them the overall project goal with some details, and then expect the job to be done (including a lot of decision making) with as little of their involvement as possible (in their opinion, they have more important things to do). Let's say I'd like to engage myself in a developer/scrum master role (I know that even that is debatable, being a team member and scrum master at once), so I simply shouldn't take the role of the product owner as well. So as for my questions: If I'm my company's business owner, do I simply need to be a product owner as well (do these roles include each other)? Can I employ a sales person which might have the product owner role? Would it be better if it is an experienced developer instead of a sales person? Is this even a smart move? Lastly, is there another agile approach that might better suit my position? EDIT: Thank you everyone for good inputs. I added some comments, any aditional info will be greatly appreciated.

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  • The Inebriator: A DIY Arduino-powered Cocktail Machine [Video]

    - by Jason Fitzpatrick
    We’ve seen our fair share of geeky alcohol-related projects over the years but this, this, is something to see. The Inebriator is the slickest automated drink machine we’ve laid eyes on. Before we even start talking specs, check out the video above–don’t forget to first assure your liver that you don’t actually have access to such a magnificent device and it can remain calm. As dazzled as we were? The whole thing is powered by an Arduino Mega 2560, sports a cooler with nitrogen pressurization of drink mix bottles, and relies on a rather ingenious and elegantly simple 12v valve system. It even has an RFID security system to prevent party goers with a few drinks in them from messing up the custom drink menu. Hit up the link below for more information, including photos of the guts and technical specs. The Inebriator [via Hack A Day] Java is Insecure and Awful, It’s Time to Disable It, and Here’s How What Are the Windows A: and B: Drives Used For? HTG Explains: What is DNS?

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  • HTG Projects: Create a Pop Art Sci-Fi Poster with an Inkjet Printer

    - by Eric Z Goodnight
    Looking to decorate your house with some cool artwork? Grab some of your favorite Sci-Fi pics and some surprisingly simple tools, and create a Pop Art style poster in minutes. Through a simple process called “posterization,” you can reduce any graphic into a cool limited graphic with a similar look that Andy Warhol would have used when he created his famous Marylin Monroe image in the sixties. Pick a theme, grab some images, and get ready to decorate your home with a surprisingly easy and surprisingly cool poster any inkjet printer can produce Latest Features How-To Geek ETC HTG Projects: How to Create Your Own Custom Papercraft Toy How to Combine Rescue Disks to Create the Ultimate Windows Repair Disk What is Camera Raw, and Why Would a Professional Prefer it to JPG? The How-To Geek Guide to Audio Editing: The Basics How To Boot 10 Different Live CDs From 1 USB Flash Drive The 20 Best How-To Geek Linux Articles of 2010 Arctic Theme for Windows 7 Gives Your Desktop an Icy Touch Install LibreOffice via PPA and Receive Auto-Updates in Ubuntu Creative Portraits Peek Inside the Guts of Modern Electronics Scenic Winter Lane Wallpaper to Create a Relaxing Mood Access Your Web Apps Directly Using the Context Menu in Chrome The Deep – Awesome Use of Metal Objects as Deep Sea Creatures [Video]

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  • Releasing an open source project without getting embarrassed

    - by Hopeful
    I've been working by myself on a fairly large open source project for quite a while and it's nearing the point where I'd like to release it. However, I'm self-taught and I don't really know anyone who could adequately review my project. A few years ago, I had released a small bit of code which pretty much got ripped apart (in a critical sense) on the forum where I released it. Even though the code worked, the criticism was accurate but brutal. It prompted me to begin searching for best practices for everything and in the end I feel that it made me a much better developer. I've gone over everything in my project so many times trying to make it perfect that I've lost count. I believe in my project and think it has the potential to help a lot of people and I feel like I've done some cool things in interesting ways with it. Still, because I'm self-taught, I can't help but wonder what gaps exist in my self-education. The way my code was ripped apart last time isn't something I'd like to repeat. I think my two biggest fears with releasing my project that I've poured countless hours into are being absolutely embarrassed because I missed some patently obvious things because of my self-education or, worse, releasing it to the sound of crickets. Is there anyone who has been in a similar situation? I'm not afraid of constructive criticism, so long as it is constructive and not just a rant on how I screwed up. I know there is a code review site on StackExchange, but it's not really set up for large projects and I didn't feel like the community there is large enough yet to get good feedback if I were to post parts of my project piecemeal (I tried with one file). What can I do to give my project at least some measure of success without getting embarrassed or devestated in the process?

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  • Inheriting projects - General Rules? [closed]

    - by pspahn
    Possible Duplicate: When is a BIG Rewrite the answer? Software rewriting alternatives Are there any actual case studies on rewrites of software success/failure rates? When should you rewrite? We're not a software company. Is a complete re-write still a bad idea? Have you ever been involved in a BIG Rewrite? This is an area of discussion I have long been curious about, but overall, I generally lack the experience to give myself an answer that I would fully trust. We've all been there, a new client shows up with a half-complete project they are looking to finish and launch. For whatever reason, they fired their previous developer, and it's now up to you to save the day. I am just finishing up a code review for a new client, and in my estimation is would be better to scrap what the previous developers built since and start from scratch. There's a ton of reasons why I am leaning toward this way, but it still makes me nervous since the client isn't going to want to hear "those last guys built you a big turd, and I can either polish it, or throw it in the trash". What are your general rules for accepting these projects? How do you determine whether it will be better to start from scratch or continue with the existing code base? What other extra steps might you take to help control client expectations, since the previous developer may have inflated those expectations beyond a reasonable level? Any other general advice?

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  • Roll a DIY Camera Jib for $25

    - by Jason Fitzpatrick
    Video gear is expensive; save your pennies by building a DIY camera jib for smooth camera movement on a budget. Over at Oliva tech they explain just how few parts you need to build their DIY jib: The guys here at the studio mocked up a simple DIY jib that is not only ridiculously inexpensive to piece together, but also very straight forward. The point of this jib was to get a very wide range of motion from top to bottom with only a few feet of 0.75? square tube, 1? angled aluminum, 1/4? nuts and bolts, and nylon washers is all you’ll need to put the jib together. This light weight jib can be used on small portable tripods, but will require a fluid head for panning left and right. Hit up the link below for a detailed parts list and build guide. How to Make a DIY Camera Jib [via Make] How to Own Your Own Website (Even If You Can’t Build One) Pt 1 What’s the Difference Between Sleep and Hibernate in Windows? Screenshot Tour: XBMC 11 Eden Rocks Improved iOS Support, AirPlay, and Even a Custom XBMC OS

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  • Inheriting projects - General Rules?

    - by pspahn
    This is an area of discussion I have long been curious about, but overall, I generally lack the experience to give myself an answer that I would fully trust. We've all been there, a new client shows up with a half-complete project they are looking to finish and launch. For whatever reason, they fired their previous developer, and it's now up to you to save the day. I am just finishing up a code review for a new client, and in my estimation is would be better to scrap what the previous developers built since and start from scratch. There's a ton of reasons why I am leaning toward this way, but it still makes me nervous since the client isn't going to want to hear "those last guys built you a big turd, and I can either polish it, or throw it in the trash". What are your general rules for accepting these projects? How do you determine whether it will be better to start from scratch or continue with the existing code base? What other extra steps might you take to help control client expectations, since the previous developer may have inflated those expectations beyond a reasonable level? Any other general advice?

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  • Modded Portal Gun Levitates a Companion Cube [Video]

    - by Jason Fitzpatrick
    This cleverly designed Portal gun prop levitates a model Companion Cube; the whole setup just begs to be paired with a Halloween costume. Courtesy of Caleb over at Hack A Day: I was out to lunch with a couple friends, brainstorming ideas for fun projects when one of them says “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could build a working gravity gun?”. We all immediately concurred that while it would in fact be cool, it is also a silly proposition. However, only a few seconds later, I realized we could do a display piece that emulated this concept very easily. Floating magnetic globes have been around for quite some time. I determined I would tear the guts out of a stock floating globe and mount it on a portal gun, since they’re easier to find than a gravity gun. I would also build a custom companion cube to be the correct size and weight necessary. Watch the video above and then check out the link below for more information on the build. HTG Explains: What is the Windows Page File and Should You Disable It? How To Get a Better Wireless Signal and Reduce Wireless Network Interference How To Troubleshoot Internet Connection Problems

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  • How to manage focus for a small set of simple widgets

    - by Christoph
    I'm developing a set of simple widgets for a small (128x128) display. For example I'd like to have a main screen with an overlay menu which I can use to toggle visibilty of main screen elements. Each option would be an icon with a box around it while it is selected. Button (left, up, right, down, enter) events should be given to the widget that has "focus". Focus is a simple thing to understand when using a GUI, but I'm having trouble implementing this. Can you suggest a simple concept for managing focus and input events? I have these simple ideas: Only one widget can have focus, so I need a single pointer to that widget. When this widget gets some kind of "cycle" input (as in "highlight the next item in this list"), the focus is given to a different widget. a widget must have a way of telling the application which widget the focus is given to next. if a widget cannot give a "next focus" hint, the application must be able to figure out where the focus should go. Widgets are currently structured like this: A widget can have a parent, which is passed to the constructor. Widgets are created statically, as I want to avoid dynamic memory allocation (I only have 16kB of RAM and I'd like to have control over that). widgets have siblings, implemented as an intrusive linked list (they have a next member). A parent has a pointer to the head of its list of children. Input events are arguments to the widgets buttonEvent methods which can accept or ignore that event. If it ignores the event, it can pass the event to its parent. My Questions: How can I manage focus for these widgets? Am I making this too complicated?

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  • Small, fast shopping cart setup

    - by R..
    I'm looking for an open source shopping cart solution that's simple and easy to setup. The requirements are: Quick setup for someone familiar with *nix webservers. Checkout via PayPal (other payment methods not needed). Customers should not have to create an account to make a purchase. At least a minimal level of inventory control. Ability to print/export a list of orders in compact form. Any recommendations for something I should try? Ability to get it up and working quickly is really my priority right now; if it's not ideal, it can be replaced (or, as I'm looking for open source, I can adapt it to fit the requirements better) at a later time. Edit: Really what I'm looking for is simplicity. This will be for a small local business, and the orders will consist of 1-10 items that are being delivered by a driver who needs a simple list of what each customer received when making delivery. Looking like a giant online computer/electronics/etc. store is definitely not a desirable quality. The simpler the interface presented to customers (who are used to purchasing through dumb web forms and paying COD), the better.

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  • Many small scripts, one repository or multiple?

    - by The Jug
    A co-worker and myself have run into an issue that we have multiple opinions on. Currently we have a git repository that we are keeping all of our cronjobs in. There are about 20 crons and they are not really related except for the fact that they are all small python scripts and essential for some activity. We are using a fabric.py file to deploy and a requirements.txt file to manage requirements for all of the scripts. Our issue is basically, do we keep all of these scripts in one git repository or should we be separating them out into their own repositories? By keeping them in one repository it is easier to deploy them onto one server. We can use just one cron file for all the scripts. However this feels wrong, as the 20 cronjobs are not logically related. Additionally, when using one requirements.txt file for all the scripts, it's hard to figure out what the dependencies are for a particular script and they all have to use the same versions of packages. We could separate all of the scripts out into their own repositories but this creates 20 different repositories that need to be remembered and dealt with. Most of these scripts are not very large and that solution seems to be overkill. A related question is, do we use one big crontab file for all cronjobs, or a separate file for each? If each has their own, how does one crontab's installation avoid overwriting the other 19? This also seems like a pain as there would then by 20 different cron files to keep track of. In short, our main question and issue is do we keep them all closely bundled as one repository or do we separate them out into their own repository with their own requirements.txt and fabfile.py? We feel like we're also probably looking over some really simple solution. Is there an easier way to deal with this issue?

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  • Server 2008R2 in Extra Small Windows Azure Instance?

    - by Shawn Eary
    Windows Azure hosting for an Extra Small (XS) Windows VM seems to come out to be about $10 a month right now. I think this XS instance gives you the equivalent of a 1 GHZ CPU with 768MB of RAM. I think the minimum requirements for Server 2008 is 1GHZ CPU with 512MB of RAM. Also, I think the minimum requirements for SQL Server Express is 1GHZ CPU with 256 MB of RAM and that the minimum requirements for Team Foundation Server Express 11 Beta is 2.2 GHZ CPU with 1 Gig of RAM (this 2.2 GHZ part could be a problem for my 1 GHZ XS VM...). Given the performance of the XS Azure instance, would I be able to install: a very basic MVC web site; a free instance of SQL Server Express; a free single user instance of Team Foundation Server Express 11 Beta and run the XS VM instance without serious crashing? I know there are other Shared WebHost providers that can provide these features for me, but those hosting providers have the following disadvantages: They sometimes cost a lot of money after all of the "addons" are in place They probably don't provide the level of security and employee integrity that Microsoft can provide They don't provide the total control that an Azure VM seems to provide

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  • What's the proper way to merge two projects in source control software

    - by Mallow
    I'm using Fossil-SCM to maintain my projects. Since I don't work in a team I usually have just a very linear branch of development: 1.0 - 1.1 - 1.2 I'm wondering what the procedure is when you have one project who's task is about to be given to a related project. And thereby rendering the first project obsolete. Although I tend to rewrite most of my code if I don't remember having already written it, I still would like to keep the code archived. And I'ld rather not have a fossil repo that just is dead. Can I merge it? Is that the proper way of handling this? For example the code was extracting data from an excel file in order to format an HTML page. Now, I've convinced my employer to move their excel spreadsheet into a database to decrease redundancy, increase efficiency and yaddy yadda. Since I can now make logical queries that don't have to jump hoops to preform using the database I won't need the extra vbs files that originally manipulated the excel file. Technically I would be porting part of the existing code into the current new project. Since it already has it's own trunk, would it be advisable to combine the trunk of a different project to this one, and how would I do that exactly?? SO I guess my tree would look like this, and I haven't seen examples of software branching that resemble this inverted tree before so I'm wondering what the norm for a situation like this?

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  • Huge Opportunity in Small Things

    - by Tori Wieldt
    Addressing the strong demand for Java in the embedded market, Oracle is hosting a new Java Embedded @ JavaOne event in San Francisco October 3-4. The event allows decision makers to attend the Java Embedded @ JavaOne business-focused program, while their IT/development staff can attend the technically-focused JavaOne conference. [Obligatory comment about suits & ties vs. jeans & T-shirts removed.] The two-day event includes keynotes, sessions and demonstrations. In his keynote this morning, Judson Althoff, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Alliances and Channels and Embedded Sales, Oracle explained  Devices are all around us - on 24x7, connected all the time. The explosion of devices is the next IT revolution. Java is the right solution for this space. Java embedded solutions provide a framework to  provision, manage, and secure devices.  Java embedded solutions also provide the ability to aggregate, process and analyze multitude of data.  Java is one platform to program them all. Terrance Barr, Java Evangelist and Java ME expert is enthusiastic about the huge opportunity, "It's the right time and right place for Java Embedded," he said, "Oracle is looking for partners who want to take advantage of this next wave in IT." The Embedded space continues to heat up. Today, Cinterion launched the EHS5, an ultra compact, high-speed M2M communication module providing secure wireless connectivity for a wide variety of industrial applications. Last week, Oracle announced Oracle Java ME Embedded 3.2, a complete client Java runtime Optimized for resource-constrained, connected, embedded systems, Oracle Java Wireless Client 3.2, Oracle Java ME Software Development Kit (SDK) 3.2, and Oracle Java Embedded Suite 7.0 for larger embedded devices. There is a huge opportunity in small things. 

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  • Mod a Swing Arm Lamp into an Adjustable Camera Stand

    - by Jason Fitzpatrick
    If you’re looking for a simple way to get a bird’s eye view to record your DIY projects or other table-based activities like gaming or tinkering, this simple modification to a swing-arm lamp offers a highly flexible camera mount on the cheap. IKEAHacker reader Stef needed an adjustable arm for his iPhone camera so he could record in a top-down-view for some drawing tutorials he was working on. Rather than shell out big bucks for a custom boom arm, he scrounged up a swing arm lamp with a broken shade in the as-is bin at his local IKEA. To mount the iPhone he simply attached a car mount for the iPhone to the swing arm and called it good. Hit up the link below for more pictures; even if you don’t have an IKEA nearby, swing arm lamps are cheap and easy to acquire. Forsa Camera Stand [IKEAHackers] How to Make Your Laptop Choose a Wired Connection Instead of Wireless HTG Explains: What Is Two-Factor Authentication and Should I Be Using It? HTG Explains: What Is Windows RT and What Does It Mean To Me?

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  • Video White Paper: Successful Maintenance Management Strategies for Oil & Gas Projects

    - by Melissa Centurio Lopes
    Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Watch this short video white paper to learn how you can optimize your daily and routine maintenance with Oracle Primavera’s project portfolio management solution. You can also Register and read the full white paper “Optimizing Daily and Routine Maintenance through Project Portfolio Management” to discover how to: Capture best practices to successfully manage daily and routine maintenance projects. Keep your equipment running longer and more efficiently.

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  • Small-scale database options for .NET

    - by raney
    I have a .NET 4.0/WPF based application I've developed and maintain for my company that acts as a friendly GUI central-point-of-information, combining information pulled from a couple of SQL databases, as well as CSV exports from a few other applications. I would like to build out my own database to support the entirety of the information that the application accesses, so that I could have a service running on my server that would read in necessary remote SQL info and file exports, to provide the user's application with a single database to connect to, as well as to remove all of the file handling currently involved in the program (copying new CSV resources from network location, reading them into memory each launch.) I have complete control and flexibility here as long as the user's experience isn't affected, and this is as much a learning experience as it is tidying up. Caveat being, I don't have much in the way of a budget. Right now I recognize my options to be: SQL Express - I'm comfortable with the server setup, I like ADO.NET and LINQ to SQL. I feel that I have the least to learn here, but it would let me focus on SQL in a familiar environment. Perhaps in conjunction with Entity Framework? MongoDB - I don't know a whole lot about, but I've heard the name enough to make me curious. Brief research seems friendly enough, and there is .NET support. I like working with open source projects. My questions are: What's popular and extensible right now? I'm not far from starting to job-hunt, and I'd like this project to be relevant going forward. What am I missing? Pros, cons? Other options? What plays well with .NET? What are the things I should be considering, the questions I should be asking, when making a decision like this? Thanks for your time.

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  • A Huge Opportunity in Small Things

    - by Tori Wieldt
    Addressing the strong demand for Java in the embedded market, Oracle is hosting a new Java Embedded @ JavaOne event in San Francisco October 3-4. The event allows decision makers to attend the Java Embedded @ JavaOne business-focused program, while their IT/development staff can attend the technically-focused JavaOne conference. [Obligatory comment about suits & ties vs. jeans & T-shirts removed.] The two-day event includes keynotes, sessions and demonstrations. In his keynote this morning, Judson Althoff, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Alliances and Channels and Embedded Sales, Oracle explained  Devices are all around us - on 24x7, connected all the time. The explosion of devices is the next IT revolution. Java is the right solution for this space. Java embedded solutions provide a framework to  provision, manage, and secure devices.  Java embedded solutions also provide the ability to aggregate, process and analyze multitude of data.  Java is one platform to program them all. Terrance Barr, Java Evangelist and Java ME expert is enthusiastic about the huge opportunity, "It's the right time and right place for Java Embedded," he said, "Oracle is looking for partners who want to take advantage of this next wave in IT." The Embedded space continues to heat up. Today, Cinterion launched the EHS5, an ultra compact, high-speed M2M communication module providing secure wireless connectivity for a wide variety of industrial applications. Last week, Oracle announced Oracle Java ME Embedded 3.2, a complete client Java runtime Optimized for resource-constrained, connected, embedded systems, Oracle Java Wireless Client 3.2, Oracle Java ME Software Development Kit (SDK) 3.2, and Oracle Java Embedded Suite 7.0 for larger embedded devices. There is a huge opportunity in small things. 

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  • Open Source Projects for Beginning Coders?

    - by MattDMo
    After working as a molecular biologist at the bench for many years, I lost my job last year and am thinking about a career change. I've been using open-source software and doing Linux system administration since the mid 90s, and have written/improved some small shell/Perl/PHP scripts, and am very comfortable building from source, but never progressed to creating non-trivial programs de novo. I want to move to actually learning real programming skills and contributing back to the community, with the possible eventual goal of getting into bioinformatics as a career in the future. I'm a stay-at-home dad now, so I have some time on my hands. I've done a lot of research on languages, and have settled on Python as my major focus for now. I'm set up on GitHub, but haven't forked anything yet. I've looked around OpenHatch some, but nothing really grabbed me. I've heard the advice to work on what you use/love, but that category is so broad that I'm having trouble finding any one thing to get started on. What are your suggestions for getting started? How do you pick a project that will welcome your (possibly amateurish) help? With a fairly limited skill set, how do you find a request that you can handle? What are common newbie mistakes to avoid? Any other advice?

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  • Composing programs from small simple pieces: OOP vs Functional Programming

    - by Jay Godse
    I started programming when imperative programming languages such as C were virtually the only game in town for paid gigs. I'm not a computer scientist by training so I was only exposed to Assembler and Pascal in school, and not Lisp or Prolog. Over the 1990s, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) became more popular because one of the marketing memes for OOP was that complex programs could be composed of loosely coupled but well-defined, well-tested, cohesive, and reusable classes and objects. And in many cases that is quite true. Once I learned object-oriented programming my C programs became better because I structured them more like classes and objects. In the last few years (2008-2014) I have programmed in Ruby, an OOP language. However, Ruby has many functional programming (FP) features such as lambdas and procs, which enable a different style of programming using recursion, currying, lazy evaluation and the like. (Through ignorance I am at a loss to explain why these techniques are so great). Very recently, I have written code to use methods from the Ruby Enumerable library, such as map(), reduce(), and select(). Apparently this is a functional style of programming. I have found that using these methods significantly reduce code volume, and make my code easier to debug. Upon reading more about FP, one of the marketing claims made by advocates is that FP enables developers to compose programs out of small well-defined, well-tested, and reusable functions, which leads to less buggy code, and low code volume. QUESTIONS: Is the composition of complex program by using FP techniques contradictory to or complementary to composition of a complex program by using OOP techniques? In which situations is OOP more effective, and when is FP more effective? Is it possible to use both techniques in the same complex program? Do the techniques overlap or contradict each other?

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  • Maintaining a main project line with satellite projects

    - by NickLarsen
    Some projects I work on have a main line of features, but are customizable per customer. Up until now those customizations have been implemented as preferences, but now there are 2 problems with the system... The settings page is getting out of control with features. There are probably some improvements that could be made to the settings UI, but regardless, it is quite cumbersome setting up new instances for new customers. Customers have started asking for customizations which would be more easily maintained as separate threads instead of having tons of customizations code. Optimally I am envisioning some kind of source control in which features are either in the main project line and customizations per customer are maintained in a repo per customer set up. The customizations per project would need to remain separate but if a bug is found and fixed in a particular project, I would need to percolate the fix back to the main line and into all of the other customer repos. The problem is I have never seen this done before, and before spending time trying to find source control that can accommodate this scenario and implement it, I figure it best to ask if anyone has something less complicated or knows of a source control product which can handle this with very little hair pulling.

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  • Testing of visualization projects

    - by paxRoman
    We develop small to large visualization projects for different tasks and industries and sometimes while rewriting them a couple of times in the process we hit walls because we discover that we need to add a lot of code to support new requirements. Now we have established a design process that seems to work well (at least we reduced the development time for each new project quite a bit), but we're still left scratching our heads around this question: what exactly should we test when testing visualizations? If everything that we want to explore is on the screen (bounded visualizations)? If the data is ok - if data is valid (that's one of the nice things about visualizations you can spot errors in your datasets)? Usability? User interaction? Code quality? I can tell you for sure that a simple check of the code quality is certainly not enough! Is there a classic paper / book about how to test visualizations? Also do you happen to know about classic design patterns for visualizations (except the obvious ones like Pub-Sub)?

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  • Why should I use MSBuild instead of Visual Studio Solution files?

    - by Sid
    We're using TeamCity for continuous integration and it's building our releases via the solution file (.sln). I've used Makefiles in the past for various systems but never msbuild (which I've heard is sorta like Makefiles + XML mashup). I've seen many posts on how to use msbuild directly instead of the solution files but I don't see a very clear answer on why to do it. So, why should we bother migrating from solution files to an MSBuild 'makefile'? We do have a a couple of releases that differ by a #define (featurized builds) but for the most part everything works. The bigger concern is that now we'd have to maintain two systems when adding projects/source code. UPDATE: Can folks shed light on the lifecycle and interplay of the following three components? The Visual Studio .sln file The many project level .csproj files (which I understand an "sub" msbuild scripts) The custom msbuild script Is it safe to say that the .sln and .csproj are consumed/maintained as usual from within the Visual Studio IDE GUI while the custom msbuild script is hand-written and usually consumes the already existing individual .csproj "as-is"? That's one way I can see reduce overlap/duplicate in maintenance... Would appreciate some light on this from other folks' operational experience

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