Web Application Development with Microsoft Technologies

Last week we started a new ASP.NET MVC project here at UruIT.

This new framework for ASP.NET is quite cool. It eliminates the page life cycle, postbacks and viewstate. It divides the architecture in View, Model and Controller.

We have been using MbUnit to test the code. Having these well defined tiers really improves unit testing. We can have an object mock instead of rendering the actual page (View) for testing the Controller and be sure that all the methods are working properly, even before we finish the coding phase.

However the framework is still in Preview (2) and there are lot of changes with each release. The community around MVC is increasing every day but there is still poor documentation for some of the features. For instance, we found several issues when trying to add File Upload functionality to our MVC web site.

Last week Microsoft released the source code for the actual build of this new framework. This will definetely help to understand what is going on behind the scenes.

If you would like to learn more about ASP.NET MVC I can recommend Scott Hanselman videos available at http://www.asp.net/learn/3.5-extensions-videos/default.aspx. Scott Guthrie also published some tutorials (a bit out of date and some lines are not working with latest Preview 2 version but it worth a read) at his blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2008/02/12/asp-net-mvc-framework-road-map-update.aspx

In order to test this MVC Framework you need VS 2008 and the MVC Preview 2 installed in your computer.

Soon I will be posting more about our experiences with MVC.

Have fun

Microsoft is investing a lot of effort and money in their new service oriented model, named S+S (Software + Services). But, what is S+S ?

From MS site: “It is the next generation of SOA and Web-based applications spanning “on premise” software and “in the cloud” services”, an approach Microsoft calls Software + Services.

Some time ago, SaaS architecture discovered a new way of delivering the software: hosting it and providing it as a service, trying to catch the long tail of consumers, using the web as the distribution channel.

SaaS also introduced several questions and issues about data and application domain ownership, SLAs, and required particular characteristics for the product in order to be suitable for this deliver method. This led also into issues for the given ISV to find a reliable hosting provider for selling their product to the mass of consumers while reducing the costs.

S+S is no more than a hibryd architecture trying to have the best of various worlds.

Basically we are talking about connecting a on-premise or on-PC software package (running in the client computer, PDA or other devices) with an ISB (Internet Service Bus - which is no more than a integration hub containing a set of well defined URIs, connecting points, providing unified access to services within the “cloud” (Internet) ) + services connected to this ISBs.

This model will then allow third party providers to join the cloud of services and the clients to have a custom (composite) version of their software installed in their devices while consuming many of these services integrated within the ISB (which actually works as an ESB and as an ecosystem for various services providers). VMs are a perfect match for assembling this user needs in an isolated space and having the web (cloud) as the environment for running the applications.

 So how is Microsoft supporting all these new trends? The set of technologies with the code name “OSLO” is the answer:

 All new versions for these well known existing products will be shipped during the current year. The target is to simplify the design, development and deployment of solutions based in this new architecture named S+S.

For more information about OSLO and how it will enable you to support your S+S and SaaS architectures you can visit http://www.microsoft.com/soa/products/oslo.aspx

It’s been almost one month since my last post. That’s a lot ! I would like my blog to be updated frequently, but sometimes, the focus must be somewhere else. I hope to be able to post in a more regular manner and include not only news but also more tips and tutorials. But everything times time, and at this point, I don’t have a lot.

However, let me tell you the reasons why I have been so busy. Last month has been exciting for me. Our company is growing faster. So do I.  :D

We have some new projects, some new challenges. These includes ASP.NET developments, Sharepoint ones, RIAs , SEO and more. I am helping with some new proposals, so I hope 2008 is even better.  

What do we do ? We specialize in doing .NET Development from Uruguay. We have clients around the world, mainly Europe and U.S.

 Our prices are competitive, as well as the quality of our work and the professionals working with me. English skills and timezone is also a plus. That is probably the reason why I see a good future for UruIT.

So this has been an exciting year for me. Even when I am tired, I am happy. I hope you are happy too.

I’ll be posting some pics of summer time in Uruguay, weather is getting nice, so I am planning to take some rest during January.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a truly Happy New Year !

Great news for our developers community !

 Visual Studio 2008 has been shipped !

  You can choose to download the free Express versions or the complete versions with MSDN Subscription. But if you are not a MSDN subscriber, you can also get the Team Suite version and try it for 90 days !

Team Foundation Server 2008 trial version is also available for download!

 Standalone .NET 3.5 runtime is available here

So go ahead and download your desired version and checkout all the features we have been seeing around during the past year !