Scottish Developers

UML, DSL, TDD and Project Management in Methods & Tools Summer 2008 issue

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:00:00 -0500

Methods & Tools is a free e-newsletter for software developers, testers and project managers. Summer 2008 issue's content:
* UML versus Domain-Specific Languages
* We Increment to Adapt, We Iterate to Improve
* Building Products with Acceptance TDD
* Getting and Keeping Control over your Project

60 pages of software development knowledge.

To download or read this issue go to http://www.methodsandtools.com/

May 2008 Newsletter

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 03:40:37 -0500

There are some fantastic events coming up in Scotland over the next couple of months. Between Scottish Developers and VBUG we will be taking a functional view of the world starting in Dundee when Barry Carr asks "What is Functional Programming?", to get us one step closer to understanding Oliver Sturm is in Glasgow to show us "Functional Programming in C# 3.0" and one week later moves to Livingston to show us "F#" which is a functional programming language that targets the .NET framework.As always, we are on the look out for new speakers. If you would like the opportunity to do a presentation on a software development topic from 10 minutes to 90 minutes then get in touch with me at colin@scottishdevelopers.com.

New Software Development Links Directory

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 03:36:11 -0500

SoftDevLinks.com is a new general directory for software developers, testers and managers.

If you have a blog, a web site, distribute a tool or work a consulting company related to software development, do not hesitate to add a (free) link in this directory.

http://www.softdevlinks.com/

Process Management in Methods & Tools Spring 2008 issue

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 03:35:00 -0500

Methods & Tools is a free e-newsletter for software developers, testers and project managers. Spring 2008 issue's content:
* OpenUP
* How Quality is Assured by Evolutionary Method
* Creating an Agile environment
* Real Reuse for Requirements

60 pages of software development knowledge.

To download or read this issue go to http://www.methodsandtools.com/" target="_blank">http://www.methodsandtools.com/

Software Quality in Methods & Tools Winter 2007 issue

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:43:30 -0600

Methods & Tools is a free e-newsletter for software developers, testers and project managers. Winter 2007 issue's content:
* Requirements for Outsourcing
* Four Ways to a Practical Code Reviews
* Exploratory Testing

30 pages of free software development knowledge.

To download or read this issue go to http://www.methodsandtools.com/

Happy New Year

Tue, 1 Jan 2008 04:19:15 -0600

Happy New Year to one and all.Best wishes and prosperity for the coming year from Scottish Developers.

Developer Day Scotland

Wed, 5 Dec 2007 11:49:58 -0600

Calling all developers and software professionals: please pencil in Saturday, 10th May, 2008 in your diary as the date when developer events change forever in Scotland!Developer Day Scotland is a community event, run by community for community, which is based upon the highly successful Developer! Developer! Developer! community conference events.For more information visit the Developer Day Scotland website.

Fall 2007 Issue of Methods & Tools

Wed, 5 Dec 2007 11:46:40 -0600

Methods & Tools is a free e-newsletter for software developers, testers and project managers. Fall 2007 issue's content:
* Measuring Integrated Progress on Agile Software Development Projects
* Lean Configuration Management
* Refactoring Your Development Process with Retrospectives
* Mass Customizing Solutions

40 pages of software development knowledge.

To download or read this issue go to http://www.methodsandtools.com/

Peachpit Newsletter August 2007

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 02:09:52 -0500

Latest Peachpit newsletters is HERE.

Terms and Conditions of Use

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 04:01:29 -0500

Due to recent events it has been necessary to revise our terms and conditions of use. Users continued usage of the website is acceptance of these new terms and conditions. They are not designed to affect normal legitimate users but to keep out the people who only wish to take from this community for their own motive and profit.

Re: An area for new Scottish developers

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:52:58 -0500

Well, welcome to the "tribe"! (For everyone else, if you don't understand the reference then read the link Niel gave)Quote:I was wondering if an area dedicated to new developers would be beyond the scope of the website / forum?Interesting idea. I don't think it is beyond the scope of the website. What would you like from it? What would you find useful?The link you gave seems to offer some good advice (I've only just skimmed it) and the books given in Chapter 1 are excellent. You should definitely read them. Some of them, like Code Complete and Rapid Development, are big weighty tomes. Don't let that put you off. I also recommend re-reading them a couple of years down the line because you may not instantly understand some of the advice until you have been developing software for a while.I remember the first time I read Rapid Development, I couldn't put it down.I look forward to meeting you at an upcoming event.

An area for new Scottish developers

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:36:09 -0500

Hi,I'm new to developing and found your website through INETA which I found on the Microsoft Communities website.I live in Edinburgh and am looking forward to attending one of the events in July.I was wondering if an area dedicated to new developers would be beyond the scope of the website / forum?forgive me if you already have an area, but I've had a good look around and can't find it.I recently found the following website which is helping me grasp the basics and thought you may appreciate the link.http://samizdat.mines.edu/howto/HowToBeAProgrammer.htmlNeil

Web Application UX Designer @ NetIDme Ltd.

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:48:15 -0500

Web Application UX DesignerItching for an opportunity to work in an environment where design and usability really matters? Here’s your chance.NetIDme are now looking for a designer to help us conceptualise and sweat the details of our web applications’ user experience.As a User Experience Designer, you will: Imagine new opportunities to hit the “sweet spot,” that place where our products delight customers while fulfilling our business goals. Develop a deep understanding of our customers’ motivations and behaviors through user research methods such as field studies. Lay the groundwork for new products by modeling workflows, crafting personas, writing scenarios, and sketching storyboards. Design the form and behavior of our products by creating prototypes of increasing fidelity and detail, from concept sketches to wireframes to interactive simulations. Improve your craft by subjecting your work to rigorous assessment, including usability studies, A/B testing, and web log analysis. Before applying, please make sure you meet these requirements: A passion for design. “Design thinking” isn’t something you turn on and off — it’s how you think all the time. An entrepreneurial and energetic spirit. This is a environment in which things move quickly; you’ll have the opportunity to wear many hats. Demonstrated experience in designing elegant and highly usable websites and web applications. A proven understanding of why, when, and how to create artifacts such as workflow and mental model diagrams, personas, scenarios, sitemaps, and wireframes. Graphic and information design skills. You have a demonstrated ability to make visual design choices that guide users in their interactions with a product. Experience in communicating design requirements and shepherding products through the development process. Expertise with Adobe applications such as Fireworks or Illustrator. Bonus points for any of the following: Experience in designing for large-scale consumer web applications. Experience in conducting usability studies and A/B testing. Ability to code in CSS+XHTML, Javascript, or Flash. Strong written communication skills, especially for web copy Ability to understand application development lifecycles Exposure to ASP.NET applications and Microsoft hosting environments. About NetIDme Personal age and identity verification has become critical for our online safety. NetIDme was established in 2004 with the aim of providing a solution for young Internet users. NetIDme is the only authentication service that offers a solution for both adults and minors. We also provide secure solutions in digital communications and instant messaging.All prospective employees must undergo disclosure checking with www.disclosurescotland.co.uk

We are hiring! :: .Senior Net developer @ NetIDme Ltd.

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:42:23 -0500

.Net DeveloperSalary: Competitive Salary + Benefits East Kilbride, Glasgow, Scotland, UKWe are looking for a .Net developer to join our existing development team and play a pivotal role in further developing our suite of pioneering software products in the secure digital identity and communications arena. The environment is fresh, quick and rapidly changing and as such we require you to have solid technical experience with the ability to quickly adapt to change. You will be working with cutting edge and emerging Microsoft and other leading technologies.ExperienceIn order to be suitable for this post, you must offer: At least 3 years of commercial .NET developer experience using C# or VB.NET, ASP.NET 2.0, and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Multi-Tier Application Architecture HTML, CSS, XML, XSL, and JavaScript Windows Server 2003 (IIS 6.0) deployment and I.T. experience Very Strong Communication Skills to audiences of all technical abilities Impeccable Attention to Detail Strong sense of reasoning Strong UX design abilities Demonstrated ability to produce high quality work Demonstrable experience in the following would be an advantage: Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) Windows Workflow (WF) Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) Silverlight 2.0 IIS 7.0 Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) 2007 Windows Cardspace OpenID Under the guidance of a team leader you will:Develop and assist in the development of well tested, robust solutions that fulfil agreed requirements within agreed timescale Contribute to functional specifications and component designs Experience proper software development lifecycle and contribute to ongoing improvements to the software products and processes We’re looking for more than just good software developers - We’re looking for someone with a positive work ethic to join an existing team of tightly knit individuals who believe in the products and are dedicated to a long term vision. All prospective employees must undergo disclosure checking with www.disclosurescotland.co.uk.Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.About NetIDMe and our productsWe are a fast growing company with highly motivated employees. Our core product allows individuals to prove their identity to others online. We promote secure user orientated, consented identity exchange between parties. To find out more about our product offerings see http://www.netidme.net/solutions.htm.Interested?Send your resume to recruitment@netidme.com (Word or PDF only), including an indication of your salary expectation.NO 3RD PARTY REFERRALS PLEASE

Recommended Training Courses

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:39:04 -0500

Hi All,Can anyone recommend good ASP.NET training providers? There are a few provisos:Preferably in or near Edinburgh.Preferably not too expensive.Discount for a group of 4 or 5, or possibility of joining a larger group.As guide to the level: all the developers are experienced with SQL server and ASP VBScript, and some have experience of ASP.NET 1.1, but no-one is really confident that they're doing things the 'right way' when it comes to .NET.We've just started looking at visual studio 2008.Cheers,Gecko.

Postgraduate .NET Application Development

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 03:47:33 -0500

Glasgow Caledonian University is currently developing a new Postgraduate course on .NET Application Development. This course will combine the expertise of their lecturers with the industry-standard Microsoft Official Curriculum. This course will offer a series of academic qualifications, starting with a Postgraduate Certificate and potentially leading on to a Postgraduate Diploma and an MSc, and will also provide preparation for Microsoft Certification in .NET specialist areas. A Postgraduate Certificate is likely to take 3 months of full-time study or 6 months part-time. A full MSc takes 1 calendar year of full-time study and 2 to 3 years part-time.The university has a short survey that is designed to find out how they can best deliver this course to meet the needs of potential students. They are interested in the views of potential students, employers who wish to develop staff and employers who recruit developers. If you think the course might be of interest to you, please take a moment to answer these questions.The survey can be found here

Competition for Girl Geeks at DDD7

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:14:30 -0500

There is a competition being run on Sarah Blow's Girl Geek Dinners blog site aimed at getting more girl geeks speaking at community events and sharing their passion for technology.The prize is a one year MSDN Premium Subscription (worth �8500). The prize has been generously donated by Barry Dorrans who has been an honourary girl geek for some time now.If you are interested you can read more here: http://girlygeekdom.blogspot.com/2008/06/submit-ddd-session-win-msdn-premium.html

ASP.NET / C# Required - AGENTS DO NOT CONTACT ME

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:51:32 -0500

.NET C# / ASP.NET developerLocation : GlasgowDeveloper required to work as part of a small team developing and maintaining a web based product range written on the.NET 3.5 platform.Duties:Full involvement in all aspects of the software life cycle, from coding to architecture.The candidate must have:At least 2 years of ASP.NET with C#.Sql Server 2000/2005A genuine interest in developmentSolid JavaScript with preferably AJAX experienceAny knowledge of the following would be advantageous:ASP.NET 3.5ASP.NET MVCC# 3.5Test driven developmentSubversion and Continuous IntegrationNHibernate or any Object Relational MapperCastle IOC, JQuery or AJAXlog4netNAntSend your CVs to:paul.cowan@continuity2.com

What is functional programming - TONIGHT

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:18:08 -0500

Just a quick reminder that the What is Functional Programming talk is on tonight in Dundee: http://www.scottishdevelopers.com/modules/extcal/event.php?event=67

Re: LINQ to XML - Tonight

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 18:59:23 -0500

The LINQ to XML talk was earlier today. We had a slightly smaller turn out than expected and I'm wondering if it was the weather (it was warm), people went on holiday (it is June - but then why sign up?) or if it was the string quartet in the lobby that people shied away from.Yes, you read that right! Tonight our event was accompnaied by a string quartet playing Pachelbel, Bach and pieces from many other composers. But it wasn't for our event, one of the neighbouring events in the university had the entertainment laid on. And if you've never heard a string quartet playing live before then boy are these guys LOUD!Anyway, for those that turned up we had a fun night and we issued prizes of a copy of JetBrains Resharper and a copy of Daniel Moth's famous book!

Software Development Bazar

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:18:02 -0600

The Software Development Bazar Web site is a repository for resources concerning software development and software engineering: programming, software testing, requirements management, configuration management, project management. The content consists of articles, news, press releases, quotations, books reviews and links to articles, Web sites, tools, blogs, conferences and other elements concerning software development.

RIA Resource Portal

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:17:50 -0600

The Ajax Alliance site is a repository for resources concerning Rich Interface Applications: Ajax, Flex, Flash, Air, Java Server Faces, Silverlight and other related technologies. The content consists of articles, news, press releases, quotations, books reviews and links to articles, Web sites, tools, blogs, conferences and other elements concerning RIA.

Software Quality Assurance Zone

Fri, 5 Oct 2007 06:48:27 -0500

The Software Quality Assurance Zone is a repository for resources concerning software testing (unit testing, functional testing, regression testing, load testing), code review and inspection, bug and defect tracking, continuous integration. The content consists of articles, news, press releases, quotations, books reviews and links to articles, Web sites, tools, blogs, conferences and other elements concerning software quality assurance.

The Waterfall Manifesto for Realistic Software Development

Sat, 11 Aug 2007 07:39:39 -0500

A humourous mirror site to the Manifesto for Agile Software Development

Perpetuum Software

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:08:16 -0500

Pure .NET 2.0 data visualization component for professional developers.Just imagine that you speed along the autobahn and realize that there is no a control panel – you don’t know a fuel level, speed – anything… “It is impossible”, you may say. And now imagine, your business is a car and you drive that car without a control panel, and you don’t see the key performance indicators which are vital to “drive” your business. It’s just a nightmare! Similarly to the control panel in a car which helps you to get to destination, an effective digital dashboard helps you make mission critical decisions on the basis of well-structured visually presented information. With the release of the Instrumentation ModelKit 3.0 the creation of digital dashboards, KPI, scorecards, and other data visualization applications becomes much easier.Developed for Other DevelopersThe Instrumentation ModelKit is designed not only to serve as a rich library of ready-made controls: the delivery package includes 80+ instruments. It allows developers to build custom gauges even without the need to code. An intuitive designer makes the process of gauges creation and adjustment a brief! It is very important for a developer to have control over the created instrument. Assign custom style, behavior and appearance to the instrument with a few mouse clicks! Changes for Improvement Contemporary technology is aimed at the application development streamlining. Trying to follow the newest technology trends we created version 3.0 of the Instrumentation ModelKit that is specially redesigned for .NET 2.0 and supports the whole .NET 2.0 functionality. We modified the designer. Now the properties are available not only in the property grid but also from the designer toolbar. Fill editor can also be invoked by clicking an appropriate button. Improved visual interface of the designer ensures an automatic layout of the localized interface elements. These new features considerably speed up the process of gauges design.We Do It for YouWe want to help developers be as productive as possible. To make the process of application development convenient we made it possible to change instruments appearance and behavior with a few mouse clicks. Modify, customize and adjust controls according to your demands!To make the process of the product exploration fast we designed the unified sample browser which provides a set of comprehensive examples demonstrating the required functionality of controls.To make the process of complex gauges development simple we included such high-level elements as RangedLevel, LinearLevel, Tank, etc.To help you create visually stunning applications we developed a great number of features to make controls realistic: support for 3D skins, double buffering, ability to set interactive behavior to the controls, and GDI+ capabilities for elements drawing.To make you save your money we pursue flexible licensing policy and allow you to distribute your applications with the use of the Instrumentation ModelKit components without any additional charges.To give you full control over your applications we offer Professional edition of the product which contains full source code.The Instrumentation ModelKit 3.0 will help you realize your potential and create professional data visualization applications.You can evaluate the Instrumentation ModelKit features here:http://www.perpetuumsoft.com/Downloads.aspx?lang=en&pid=22&pr=3.0About company: Perpetuum Software specializes in development of high-quality .NET and ASP.NET software components compatible with MS Visual Studio .NET, C# Builder, Delphi .NET and other IDEs supporting .NET Framework. Such use-proven components as Report Sharp-Shooter, Instrumentation ModelKit, OLAP ModelKit, Chart ModelKit and other .NET components by Perpetuum Software are already well known on the software development market and are used by developers in more than 50 countries.

Development of BI reporting systems became easier with Report Sharp-Shooter 3.0.

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 10:08:07 -0500

Business value of reporting systems is hard to overestimate: these systems help you get a deep insight into the company performance. These systems provide quick decision making and as a result effective performance management. At the same time corporate reporting should cover users of all levels: from IT-specialists to business users; it should let them work with the information in the way they want. Last but not least feature of such system is its ability to extend functionality and to evolve with your business to address tomorrow challenges.Development of such ideal reporting system can take much time and effort. Perpetuum Software LLC offers a feature-rich solution to help you make this process less time and effort consuming and more cost-effective. Report Sharp-Shooter 3.0 is a flexible report engine for .Net 2.0 capable of creating any reports from any data sources for any users and deliver reports in desirable output format: PDF, HTML, XML, CSV, MS Word, TXT, Excel, Gif, Tiff, etc.New product version (3.0) provides enhanced features for reports creation and improved design-time experience. New designer interface makes it possible to set and/or edit report elements’ properties not only in the property grid but from the tool bar. All text properties (style, size, font color, format, alignment) can be easily changed from the associated toolbar buttons. Expressions toolbar provides a more convenient way of assigning expressions for a selected element property; no need to invoke the expression editor. New syntax editor is similar to those in Visual Studio.Net. It provides the code completion and syntax highlighting features. Now it is so easy to write scripts in Report Sharp-Shooter. This new functionality considerably speeds up reports design. New version delivers redesigned mechanism of data handling. The working with groups in Report Sharp-Shooter became easier. Now it is possible to sort groups and their elements. More over, Master-Detail reports are designed in the same way Group reports are created; this facilitates evaluation and exploration of the report generator. The DataBand component is able to perform filtering and sorting of the displayed data.Report Sharp-Shooter can create reports including not only BI components – charts, gauges, cross tabs, but also non-BI elements such as images, logo, shapes, etc. This allows companies to extend boundaries of traditional reporting giving them non-standard ways to view how they perform.For software, ROI is defined by its ease of use and breadth of functionality capable of solving important business tasks. Using Report Sharp-Shooter in your application will increase its efficiency. More over, a one year subscription for product updates, upgrades and fixes will help you integrate latest technologies in your project; and your reporting system will always address your users’ requirements.For more information please visit product page: http://www.perpetuumsoft.com/Product.aspx?lang=en&pid=21&pr=rss3.About Perpetuum Software LLC:Perpetuum Software specializes in development of high-quality .NET and ASP.NET software components compatible with MS Visual Studio .NET, C# Builder, Delphi .NET and other IDEs supporting .NET Framework. Such use-proven components as Report Sharp-Shooter, Instrumentation ModelKit, OLAP ModelKit, Chart ModelKit, .NET Dashboard Suite and other .NET components by Perpetuum Software are already well known on the software development market and are used by developers in more than 50 countries.

The Agile Software Development Toolbox

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 09:41:52 -0500

When agile software development meets pataphysics, you got an elegant new set of tools for software development.

SQL Server 2005 Paging Results

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 03:52:23 -0500

From the Introduction of the article:"With SQL Server 2005 it is now a lot easier to use paged queries than in previous versions. I will be using NorthWind db (mostly) so you can also use the examples I have provided. I will keep the examples simple; anything complex will only cause confusion. I will start with "traditional" methods such as SELECT, TOP, and then move onto the specific SQL Server 2005 paging examples."

Windows Installer XML (WiX) toolset

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 08:48:11 -0600

The Windows Installer XML (WiX) is a toolset that builds Windows installation packages from XML source code. The toolset supports a command line environment that developers may integrate into their build processes to build MSI and MSM setup packages.

Perpetuum Software

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 04:15:42 -0600

Create digital dashboards with the .NET Dashboard Suite!Comprehensive data visualization contributes to catching the most significant data from the huge bodies of information. Digital dashboard is an ideal solution for real-time monitoring of critical data. Only fully compatible components are able to visualize the great amount of heterogeneous data. Perpetuum Software LLC announces the release of a pack of fully compatible .NET components designed for the creation of digital dashboards and other data monitoring applications: .NET Dashboard Suite.The .NET Dashboard Suite package includes two powerful components: Instrumentation ModelKit and Chart ModelKit. The main advantage of this package is ample capabilities for general and specific data visualization. The Instrumentation ModelKit library contains 80+ ready made gauges for displaying and monitoring industrial, financial, and other real-time processes. The Chart ModelKit allows presentation of numeric and text information in the form of 2D graphs and diagrams. A rich library of standard elements and series types facilitates the development process. If necessary, you can create graphs or gauges from scratch. Identical designers allow the creation of visual elements with a unique appearance and functionality or to get access to the element properties and interactively change them with only a few mouse clicks. The .NET Dashboard Suite architecture makes it possible to assign complex interactive behavior to elements without coding. Intuitive interface make components user-friendly.The .NET Dashboard Suite is developed for .NET, written in C# and contains only managed code. All components are fully compatible with each other. Similar customization facilities, common data management and appearance customization methods allow easy and quick creation of realistic digital dashboards and other real-time monitoring applications..NET Dashboard Suite gives you the opportunity to represent general and specific information in the form of simple and easy-to-understand graphical elements. Now with the release of .NET Dashboard Suite it is possible to design complicated and intelligent digital dashboards and KPI’s.For more information please visit:http://www.perpetuumsoft.com/Product.aspx?lang=en&pid=44&pr=b2.3About company:Perpetuum Software specializes in development of high-quality .NET and ASP.NET software components compatible with MS Visual Studio .NET, C# Builder, Delphi .NET and other IDEs supporting .NET Framework. Such use-proven components as Report Sharp-Shooter, Instrumentation ModelKit, OLAP ModelKit, Chart ModelKit, .NET Dashboard Suite and other .NET components by Perpetuum Software are already well known on the software development market and are used by developers in more than 50 countries.