Investigating SQL Server 2008 Wait Events with XEVENTS
by Mario Broodbakker | 24 July 2008
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Some reasons for the slow-running of database applications aren't obvious. Occasionally, even the profiler won't tell you enough to remedy a problem, especially when a SQL Statement is being forced to wait.
Now, in SQL Server 2008, come XEvents, which allow you to look at those wait events that are slowing your SQL Statements.
Mario Broodbakker continues his series about SQL Server Wait Events
SQL Server 2008 wait event based performance analysis using XEvents
Controlling Email Messages using Exchange's Transport Rules
by William Lefkovics | 22 July 2008
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Some tasks that should have been easy in previous versions of Exchange just weren't. Now, with Transport Rules in Exchange 2007, administrators have a much improved set of tools to manage message flow.
The myth of over-normalization
by Tony Davis | 21 July 2008
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9 comments 
Too often, denormalization is suggested as the first thing to consider when tackling query performance problems. It is said to be a necessary compromise to be made when a rigorous logical design hits an inadequate database system. As the saying goes, “Normalize ‘til it hurts, then denormalize ‘til it works”. In reality, Denormalization always leads eventually to tears.
Software Tool design: The Three Rs
by Stephen Chambers | 21 July 2008
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To understand the full extent of the requirements of your users when you are redesigning a software tool, you have to talk to them, and observe how they are currently using the package. For this sort of research, there is no established rule-book, but there certainly are pitfalls and rewards. Stephen Chambers offers his advice and tells of some experiences.
The First Business Application Programmer
by Anna Larjomaa | 02 July 2008
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David Caminer, who died on June 19th must surely be the First Business Application Programmer. He invented the software concepts and systems that we still use today to develop business software. He wrote the worlds first working computerized payroll system, introduced in 1954, followed by the first stock control system and a host of other business software. He went on to create the VME operating system for ICL and supervise the construction of the European Commission's computer network
Linus Torvalds, Geek of the Week
by Richard Morris | 17 July 2008
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Linus Torvalds is remarkable, not only for being the technical genius who wrote Linux, but for then being able to inspire and lead an enormous team of people to devote their free time to work on the operating system and bring it to maturity. We sent Richard Morris off to interview Linus, and find out more.
The last ANTS Profiler 4 early access build is out
by Bart Read | 15 July 2008
last night I posted the final ANTS Profiler early access build. The build will expire on or about Sunday 3rd August, which coincidentally is the day before we plan to release the beta. There is still a lot of work to do before we get there.
JSON and other data serialization languages
by William Brewer | 18 July 2008
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The easiest way to speed up an Ajax application is to take out the 'X' and use JSON rather than XML. Of course, it isn't that simple, as William Brewer explains, but JSON, and YAML, are fascinating solutions to the old problem of transferring complex data between modules, services and applications, nonetheless.
Embedding Help so it will be used
by Heather Fielding | 17 July 2008
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It is not good enough to make assumptions about the way that users go about getting help when they use your application. Heather Fielding describes how she was able to test the effectiveness of various different ways of providing embedded help in an application. By changing the design, she discovered, you can greatly increase the users willingness to use such help to make the task easier.
Dynamically generating typed objects in .NET
by Vladimir Bodurov | 14 July 2008
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When you are binding Data to DataGrid in .NET, this has to be done at design-time.
That's fine if you know what the form of the data is at design time: but what if you don't? Vlad Bodurov looks at some of the options and demonstrates an unusual dynamic technique that transforms IDictionary into a typed object