• Wednesday, June 4th @ 19h45 to 20h45
• Wednesday, June 11th @18h30 to 19h30

Send email here or comment below if you're planning on attending, or have topics you'd like to cover...

http://linqinaction.net/blogs/main/archive/2006/07/28/why-linq-will-succeed.aspx

1. LINQ syntax beats SQL syntax. SQL is flawed in that queries become exponentially difficult to write as their complexity grows. LINQ scales much better in this regard. Once you get used to it, it's hard to go back.
2. Database queries are easily composable. You can conditionally add an ORDER BY or WHERE predicate without discovering at run-time that a certain string combination generates a syntax error.
3. More bugs are picked up at compile-time.
4. Parameterization is automatic and type-safe.
5. LINQ queries can directly populate an object hierarchy.
6. LINQ to SQL provides a model for provider independence that might really work.
7. LINQ significantly cuts plumbing code and clutter. Without sweeping stuff under the carpet, like Workflow or Datasets. This is a credit to the design team.
8. C# hasn't suffered in the process (in fact, it's gained).

Out of 8 projections, I would give this forecast a 5/8. Not bad considering how inaccurate these predictions tend to be. Before I publish what value-adds I think won out, lets hear your thoughts. Comment below!

Vote here for Tech Ed Developers and here for Tech Ed IT Professionals ...

Check out our BoF submission below...

Making Sense of All: Heterogeneous Data Access on the .NET Framework 3.5

In this BoF, we’ll peal back the layers on data access from the .NET platform. We’ll look at the common problems facing today’s applications with a particular emphasis on applications who in a multi-faceted, heterogeneous application environment. With all the options now available, available including the Data Access Application Blocks, LINQ, Entity Framework and vanilla ADO.NET which is the one for you? Come armed with your questions, ideas and burning issues and we can promise a lively discussion!

• http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080318005082&newsLang=fr

• http://www.datadirect.com/xcalia/index.ssp

• http://www.xcalia.com/news/PR_2008-03-18_Xcalia-DataDirect-Acquisition.jsp

http://blogs.msdn.com/scottdensmore/archive/2008/03/13/how-to-get-enterprise-library-3-1-working-in-vs-2008.aspx

Check back here for more references and a collection of key comments in this posting...

For this year, I am instead going to first highlight his top 3 favorite predictions from around the web.

1. David Linthicum, Real World SOA: SOA Predictions for 2008 , in particular I like "Resources on the new Web will drive many enterprises towards SOA."

2. Craig Newmark, Founder of Craigslist: 2008 Predictions, Some insightful thoughts on how people are going to leverage the internet, participation to effect positive change. I admit this is not exclusively a technical prediction, but without technology back these movements, it would be next to impossible to marshal these growing communities

3. Redmond Developer News, peddler of .NET news: Peering into the Future. Highlights include, Multi-Core Revolution, Parallel Programming Gets a Rough Start, and Virtual Machines everywhere.

As for my predictions, they shake out as follows:

1. Data Services changes becomes universal programming model.

2. IBM files a draws together a set of established JDBC experts to establish LINQ for Java, Java Specification Request (JSR)

3. Dynamic LINQ bridges gap between compile-time type checking available in more static LINQ constructs.

4. LINQ to SQL will be forced to open up their lighter weight model to third-party provider-writers.

Perhaps this will even help us get to the point where by developers, architects alike to compare managed run times across what should be regarded as key assets: cross-platform availability, runtime performance and ease of development.

First the highlights (in no particular order) ...

• LINQ
• Entity Framework
• JPA 2.0
• Astoria (Now LINQ to Data Services)
• OpenJDK
• XQuery reaches recommendation at the W3C !
• Google Guice
• JSR-310 Date and Time API

The DAAB code blocks do an excellent job at abstracting away ADO.NET coding specifics, if you the architect is looking to shield your developers away from data source variances, particularly in a heterogeneous database environment Add the Connect for ADO.NET providers into the mix you can architect true code data blocks that offer SQL Leveling, best-in class performance and host of other features that bullet proof your blocks for many years to come.

Curious as to how to do this ? Use these instructions sourced from here, this is a quick guide to get your started. Great job from Betsy to get this together in such short space of time:

Configuring the Data Access Application Block consists of two parts:

• Adding a New DAAB Entry
• Adding the Data Access Application Block to Your Application

Adding a New DAAB Entry

Now, use the Enterprise Library Configuration Tool to add a new DAAB entry:

1. Right-click Enterprise Library Configuration, and select New Application.
2. Right-click Application Configuration, then select New / Data Access Application Block. The Enterprise Library Configuration window appears.

   

3. In the Name field, enter a name for the DAAB, for example, MyOracle.
4. In the ConnectionString field, enter a connection string.
5. In the ProviderName field, identify the DataDirect data provider:
   1. For DB2, enter DDTek.DB2
   2. For Oracle, enter DDTek.Oracle
   3. For SQL Server, enter DDTek.SQLServer
   4. For Sybase, enter DDTek.Sybase
6. Right-click Customer Provider Mappings and select New / Provider Mappings.

   

7. In the Name field, type the DAAB name entered in Step 3 (MyOracle).
8. In the TypeName field, choose the browse (...) button and navigate to the Debug output directory of the DataDirect DAAB that you want to build.
9. Select the file name, for example, DDTek.EnterpriseLibrary.Data.Oracle.dll, and then click Open.
10. Leave the Enterprise Library Configuration window open for now. Do not save this configuration until you complete the following section.

Adding the Data Access Application Block to Your Application

To add the DAAB to a new or existing application, perform these steps:

1. Right-click the project and select Add Reference.
2. In the Add Reference dialog, select Enterprise Library Shared Library, and click OK.
3. Right-click the project and select Add Reference.
4. In the Add Reference dialog, select Enterprise Library Data Access Application Block, and click OK.
5. Add the following directive to your C# source code:

   using Microsoft.Practices.EnterpriseLibrary.Data;
   
   using System.Data;

6. Rebuild the solution to ensure that the new dependencies are functional.
7. Determine the output Debug or Release path location of your current solution, and switch back to the Enterprise Library Configuration window (see "Adding a New DAAB Entry" on page 3).
8. Right-click the connection string under the Application Configuration node and select Save Application.

   

9. Navigate to the Debug or Release output directory of your current solution, and locate the .exe file of the current solution, for example, MyApp.exe.
10. Click the file name once, and add .config to the name, for example, MyApp.exe.config.
11. Ensure Save as type 'All Files' is selected and select Save.
12. Using File Explorer, copy the DDTek.EnterpriseLibrary.Data.XXX.dll from the DataDirect DAAB directories (where XXX indicates the data source).
13. Place a copy of this DLL into either the Debug or Release output directory of your current solution.

Scot Guthrie, provides some of the fine print:

“We’ll begin by offering the source code (with source file comments included) for the .NET Base Class Libraries (System, System.IO, System.Collections, System.Configuration, System.Threading, System.Net, System.Security, System.Runtime, System.Text, etc), ASP.NET (System.Web), Windows Forms (System.Windows.Forms), ADO.NET (System.Data), XML (System.Xml), and WPF (System.Windows). We’ll then be adding more libraries in the months ahead (including WCF, Workflow, and LINQ). The source code will be released under the Microsoft Reference License (MS-RL).”

As yet, not one opinion appears to be dominating as to what this might mean. Some of my favorite examples include Fake Steve is already scoffing at the move, while assuring us all that Apple will never stoop to this. Robert Scoble is characteristically derisive in his analysis. Others believe this move is a tacit acknowledgment of Microsoft’s failure to capture the imagination of a broader developer community. Others don’t see it affecting them much, while at the extreme, the howls of delight from competing development platforms and paradigms is almost deafening…

What this means for the likes of Novell’s effort towards delivering Mono, nor has anyone commented on how this might affect newly invigorated Novell/Microsoft marriage of convenience.

Before I offer an interpretation of what this means first let me re-iterate my context:

This blog serves a number of perspectives, base on my experiences from the open source, Java community and now the .NET work development platforms – great care is taken to avoid spouting or worse still regurgitating cool aid and of bile from other sources.

Exposing the internals of the .NET Framework is I believe the tip of the ice berg. Think back to early attempts by the Java platform to adopt a more open stance and move away from the ivory tower and provide more inclusive processes for the Java community at large. I think it is safe to say that we can and should expect to see additional baby steps from Microsoft on this score. Moves such as this often have halo-affect, which spurs innovation, discussion and ingenuity that is difficult to predict but is over-all beneficial to the adoption of any platform.

An important distinction here is that Microsoft is make strides toward an more open and inclusive process. I think it’s unlikely we will ever see the equivalent of the JCP for .NET, but my hope it we will see the emergence of a community framework that will facilitate contributions and motivate people to bleed back their ideas into the platform. It is actually an implicit good develop for Java too: a move such as this may be dismissed, but I am sure there are those in the Java community who will give in to their curiosity and peal back the covers on the .NET internals …

Learn more about DataDirect's current product offerings and upcoming product enhancements at Design Previews. Designed to educate you about the future direction for DataDirect products, Design Previews are delivered via an open forum format so that your feedback can be factored into DataDirect's product plan. DATES AND LOCATIONS Tuesday, October 9th | Boston, MA - Westin Waltham Wednesday, October 17th | Palo Alto, CA - Four Seasons - Silicon Valley	brought to you by

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

• John Goodson — VP, Product Operations, DataDirect
• Jonathan Bruce — Program Manager, DataDirect
• Carlo Innocenti — Architect, XML Technologies, DataDirect
• Gregg Willhoit — Chief Software Architect, DataDirect
• Mike Johnson — Software Development Manager, DataDirect
• Jesse Davis — Program Manager, DataDirect

Don't miss out - register today for this free educational seminar!

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Here is the letter for the Architect Tutorials:

New development platforms and emerging architectural standards are changing the way we view data - causing us to challenge long held views on data access technologies and demanding the use of new XML and service-oriented capabilities. Things are not as they used to be, and the landscape continues to evolve. Making informed choices facilitates rapid development and deployment and enhances application capability, scalability, and performance. In this half day seminar, software architects will learn the state of the art in data access, mainframe integration, and XML query technology. We will provide the insight to navigate the complexities of data access technologies and the practical know-how to enhance application performance, flexibility and capability right away. DATES AND LOCATIONS Thursday, October 4th | St. Louis, MO - Hilton Frontenac Thursday, October 11th | Toronto, ON - Westin Harbour Castle Tuesday, October 16th | Irvine, CA - Hyatt Regency	brought to you by
	co-sponsored by
	Learn more about LZA Boot Camp

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

• Robert Evelyn — VP, Strategy and General Manager, DataDirect
• Rob Steward — VP, Research and Development, DataDirect
• Jonathan Bruce — Program Manager, DataDirect
• David Linthicum — Managing Partner, ZapThink

Register today for this free educational seminar!

Lets review some of the feature highlights...

• Ability to perform queries against arrays or data structure implementing the Iterable interface.
  
• An internal DSL (based on static imports and fluent interfaces) that lets you integrate the query language with
• regular Java code. No preprocessing or code generation steps are required to use the DSL, simply add a reference to the quaere.jar file (and its dependencies).
  
• A large number of querying operators including restriction, selection, projection, set, partitioning, grouping, ordering, quantification, aggregation and conversion operators.
  
• Support for lambda expression
  
• The ability to dynamically define and instantiate anonymous classes.
  
• Many new “keywords” for Java 1.5 and later.

Compared to JLINQ discussed here, this seems like we have alot more meat similar to what is currently being offered in LINQ on the .NET Framework. Certainly the readers of dzone.com seem to feel it has merit, but no one seems to have asked the question: is LINQ on the Java platform actually a necessary innovation? Are there legions of Java programmers who are struggling with data access patterns that don't serve their needs ?

I've talked about LINQ on number of posts; for the .NET community LINQ represents a quantum leap that changing the way developers search, sort and generally perform data access. Sure LINQ is not perfect, but it brings to bear many of the things Java developers have enjoyed for many years. One has only to examine the plethora of JDBC driver implementations and gauge the respect the JDBC specifications as the solid foundation for the success of Hibernate, the Spring Framework and many more. With the advent of JPA, I see the problem LINQ seeks to solve is even less acute in Java.

Don't get me wrong, while the effort underway with Quaere is admirable it could just all be an academic exercise. I am of course open to debate on that score...