Business-Inspired Technology Solutions - The Aptera Blog

The Technology Digest is our weekly list of articles in the technology world that your should be reading.

Microsoft has taken a big risk with Windows 8. The reason for the drastic changes in the operating system from previous versions may be based on some sound, even prescient, thinking. But when people sign on to their computers and can’t see their old icons and toolbars right away, you can be sure it’s going to cause a bit of a ruckus. So why the big changes? Microsoft foresees a time in the near future (if not already) when users will be demanding seamless integration between their desktops and all of their other devices. What you see when you log on to Windows 8 is an interface that’s specially designed to be compatible across several different types of devices. If you come to your desktop after using a mobile device, then the touch-centric operating system on your desktop will be much less of a shock.

One of the most common mistakes leading to a project’s failure is pulling the trigger on the supposed solution before you’ve worked out the details of what needs to be done to fully address the problem. To avoid having to explain why a project you pushed for has failed to produce any noticeable return on the investment, you’ll need to refine your plans for solving the problem into a list of requirements that must be met in order for the solution to be successful.

The Technology Digest is our weekly list of articles in the technology world that you should be reading.

The first thing David Jones, Aptera’s Software Development Practice Leader, had to explain to me when we sat down to discuss ASP.NET was that this type of framework is not the same thing as a coding language. A framework is more like a developer’s toolbox. The idea is that, rather than having to reinvent the wheel by going all the way down to the most basic level of code every time you build a new application, you want to have some standard parts readily accessible.

In previous editions, we’ve discussed the importance of, first, establishing that your business’s problem is costing enough to justify a project to solve it and, second, getting preliminary support for the project from decision-makers and end-users. Once you’ve addressed these issues, you should consider performing an audit of your business’s personnel and resources. Doing so will help you figure out whether the project can be completed by your existing staff or if you’ll need to hire any outside help, and it will in turn help you further refine your cost projections to get the final go-ahead.

The Technology Digest is our weekly list of articles in the technology world that you should be reading.

I get asked all the time what makes Sitefinity different from other Content Management Systems (CMSs) like Joomla. In the past, I’ve always answered this question by relaying how satisfied virtually all of our clients are with Sitefinity. When we ask companies what parts of the projects we’ve done for them are the most impressive, they routinely point to the ease with which they can edit and update their new websites. But I realized this wasn’t really answering the question, so I searched for comparisons of various CMSs written by other developers. What I found, for the most part, were columns listing one platform’s features alongside another’s. I didn’t think these checklist comparisons gave me a very good feel for the differences. Since I tend to be a hands-on type of guy, I figured the only thing to do was try Joomla out for myself and see how it compares to Sitefinity.

The Technology Digest is our weekly list of articles in the technology world that you should be reading.

One of Aptera’s busiest practices is Software Development using Microsoft .NET. I was fortunate enough to catch David Jones, Aptera’s Software Development Practice Leader, for a few minutes to discuss Microsoft .NET. David has been with Aptera for 3 years and has 10 years of experience working with .NET.