Articles

Choosing an Application Framework for Windows Phone 7 Application Development

There are two application frameworks for Windows Phone 7 application development: Microsoft Silverlight and Microsoft XNA Framework. Each offer different strengths and weaknesses. By the end of this hour, you will be introduced to both the Silverlight and XNA frameworks.

By Scott Dorman, Joe Healy, Nikita Polyakov, Kevin Wolf - May 29, 2012

Innovation and Social Networking: How Customer Complaints Can Lead to Market-Disrupting Innovations

David Croslin, author of Innovate the Future: A Radical New Approach to IT Innovation, examines how consumer interaction in social networks can point the way to the innovation of disruptive technologies that improve products.

By David Croslin - May 28, 2012

Getting Started with ATDD: Overcoming the Biggest Mistakes Right from the Start

If you want to introduce ATDD to a project or client, common sense says to begin by choosing the tool you want to use. So why does Markus Gärtner, author of ATDD by Example: A Practical Guide to Acceptance Test-Driven Development, quash that common-sense notion? Because it doesn't work.

By Markus Gärtner - May 25, 2012

Choosing Between References and Pointers in C++

Pointers have always been among the favorite subjects of C and C++ programmers. The introduction of reference types to the C++ language raises a series of questions: How are references similar or different from pointers? How are they implemented? And how do they replace pointers altogether in the modern crop of languages: Java, C#, and VB.NET? Also, can you reduce pointer usage in C++? Brian Overland, author of C++ Without Fear: A Beginner's Guide That Makes You Feel Smart, 2nd Edition, explores all these points.

By Brian Overland - May 24, 2012

Testing the Big Picture on Agile Teams

One of the biggest problems on many agile teams is forgetting the real business value of the feature they are developing. Even with all the testing done for each story, the team may deliver a feature that has outstanding issues, or does not meet the customer’s expectations. This article covers how to balance the fast feedback of working in small increments and iterations with ensuring that the overall feature delivers adequate business value.

By Janet Gregory, Lisa Crispin - May 23, 2012