Talk about Technologies, Software Architecture and Management

Fun stuff with SQL Server

Over past several years Microsoft SQL Server became primary database platform for me when it comes to Windows Development. Why am I so specific? When it comes to Web development and it is not ASP.Net related, then MySQL is THE engine for me. Just to be fair, I should also mention Interbase, DB2, PostgressSQL and Oracle, but this is different story. So… What have I done with SQL Server? Well… Almost everything – installations, upgrades, migrations, localization support, automated synchronizations between local and remote servers in linked and disconnected mode, performance optimization, data tuning, …, you name it… What I found is that there is a lot of information and many topics are covered on MSDN, Support Forums and in On-line help, but not all Read more

By Serguei Dosyukov, ago

Wise versus InstallAware

Using Wise for over 10 years now and known as a host for Wise Script Library for last 5, I have wrote dozens installations, created many actions and scripts to accommodate various tasks required during deployment process. Many are still available at my Wise Script Library. I have been asked on several occasions about my take on future of Wise products and possible migration path. Below are some sample questions. Q: Can you tell me which product you like better now?  Wise or InstallAware? Q: I am a long time user of Wise Installation System but I am looking to migrate to another platform. Which product you can suggest? Q: I am using Wise InstallMaster, but I want to get access to latest technologies. What should Read more

By Serguei Dosyukov, ago

Create your first Widget for WordPress – Gallery 2 ImageBlock

Now I am going further with my experiment and modify PHP Text Widget to allow embedding Menalto Gallery 2 ImageBlock into your blog. As a result here is for you to try is an actual widget which you can see used to show some of my gallery photos. You can download widget here – Gallery 2 Widget. Bellow are steps to follow in order to start using it. Download a ZIP file from location above Unpack it and upload folder into your WordPress plugin folder Visit your WordPress Admin concole and enable Plugin under “Plugins” section Now go to Presentation/Widgets. You will see a new widget available – “Gallery.2”. If you need more then 1 widget to be used in your blog, change Read more

By Serguei Dosyukov, ago

Create your first Widget for WordPress – PHPText

There is my first WordPress Widget – PHP Text – Text Box which accepts arbitrary PHP code and can execute it inside sidebar block. Another requirement is that it is only be allowed to be entered by Admin User. I have started with the original code for Text Widget and adjusted it to include such restriction. It has superseded my IFrame solution discussed in prior post and works well except that CSS is not yet applied. What has been demonstrated by this little project: how to register your own sidebar widget how to support multiple instances of the same widget in the sidebar how to manage widget options from popup options window in Widget  Manager section of your Blog Admin Panel Read more

By Serguei Dosyukov, ago

Create your first Widget for WordPress – Intro

As you can see this blog is hosted using WordPress 2.3 engine. Aside from being free and all, it provides you with easy way to extend it using Widgets. There is a long list of widgets created by different people over the time and you can find almost anything. Well… almost… when it comes to personal preference especially a programmer, we might became very picky and I am not an exclusion from this. I was looking for the widget which will allow me to integrate an ImageBlock from my Photo Gallery into a side bar and I have not find something which will satisfy me all the way. If you are familiar with Menalto Gallery 2 Engine, then you might Read more

By Serguei Dosyukov, ago

MS Surface versus multi-touch screen by PerspectivePixel

This is follow up on Bill’s presentation at where he shown MS Surface (fast-forward to 27:00) which is now a commercial product. Buttons on the Surface are sluggish, but an idea is great!!!! Well, almost… Watch how it should be presented or how it could be advertised (Apple style). Or might be they just used different table? Oh, this is Linux, but how similar it is… Do you know how it works? Do you know how it should work? MS really should headhunt for Jeff Han’s version of it or just buy the company and integrate to make Surface a success. I guess coffee mug does affect the process… I would think that few years in development one would have a presentation more like that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yHB40jeTOw http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/65?gclid=CJ2P47S76ZACFQwsOAodOUvxYw http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/view/id/65 Read more

By Serguei Dosyukov, ago

HD DVD v Blu-Ray: Part 2 – Consumers or Executives

I’ll quote my friend’s opinion: It really has not near as much to do with end users’ choices as it has to do with the decisions of corporate executives. Is it? Lets do some research to find out and look at some history of format’s war. With original offering about the same number of DVD titles a year ago, it is consumer demand which is changing balance between formats. An estimated 1.97 million HD DVD discs have been sold between spring of 2006 and September 2007, compared to 3.01 million Blu-ray discs (source) Was it consumers choose PS3 with BR over XBox360 with HD? Toshiba originally won by introduction DVD format and succeed of marketing it, but Toshiba was not quick and aggressive to Read more

By Serguei Dosyukov, ago