Andrew Montgomery

I was recently called in as a consultant on a project requiring .NET connectivity to a Sybase 12.0 database. I had no idea where to find a driver for this database, but was quickly referred to DataDirect Technologies as a potential source for "this kind of thing." Much to my delight, I was soon able to download an evaluation copy of DataDirect Connect for .NET. Put simply, I was blown away. The first thing that I love about this product is that it uses no native code whatsoever. Within the driver itself, everything is 100% managed code. This has the obvious benefit that, since everything is running through the CLR, code that leverages these drivers will be able to leverage the significant security advantages of the CLR as well. No more buffer overruns or other manner of pointer-based attacks against your database code! Better yet, the DataDirect Connect for .NET pro... (more)

Introduction to the WinFX SDK Beta 1

My adventure with Windows Vista began with multiple attempts to install the operating system itself on various computers in my possession. First, I had hoped to install it as an upgrade for Windows XP that is running on my actual work computer. I wouldn't ordinarily recommend this, but I've been given a real desktop computer to use at my current client, so my laptop has only been getting used for e-mail for a while now, anyhow. As it turned out, Beta 1 of Vista does not support Upgrade installations, so I soon realized I would have to find a place where I could do a fresh instal... (more)

Book Reviews

Making the Technical Sale I came upon this book under very odd circumstances, to say the least. I am a developer first and foremost, so the suggestion by my employer that I sit through a half-day seminar on the art of making technical sales was greeted with less than enthusiasm. Thankfully, the speaker turned out to be a fellow techie - none other than Rick Greenwald, author of several highly technical O'Reilly books about Oracle database technologies. Once I knew this, I was prepared to at least listen. Rick shared with us numerous tips and tricks about making technical sales, ... (more)

First Time with AJAX.NET

In a former life, I was a web developer. Back in the late '90s, I vividly remember being told by more than one of my computer science professors that in 10 years, everything would run in a web browser. Even the operating system (it was claimed at the time) would be browser based. On startup, the machine would load the thinnest of all possible operating systems, and everything else - applications, data, you name it - would be stored on the network and accessed via a hyper-dynamic web browser. At the risk of stating the obvious...this hasn't happened. Part of the reason for this, ... (more)