Author: OpenETrends

Open-source software now plays a crucial role in the majority of large information technology (IT) organizations. It’s not the role you’d think, though, from popular descriptions of Open Source. .

When leaders such as Hostway Corp. and Journyx, Inc. talk about their use of Python, they’re not talking about the virtues of low licensing cost, or waging an ideological battle against Microsoft. Python actually provides them a strategic advantage by providing them a low-cost, easy-to-deploy tool for helping enterprise software systems to talk with one another. In fact, rather than thumbing their nose at Microsoft, these companies use Python to maximize the value of their Windows applications.

Continue reading “Python Power: Growing Respect for an Open Source Integration Tool”

You may know Tcl, and think of it as one of those “toy languages” that teenagers can pick up in less than an hour and make little GUI programs, chat scripts, and primitive Web pages. But Tcl is also finding broadening appeal among enterprise developers facing complex and costly integration projects, as an “industrial strength application glue”.

In the article below, we’ll explain more about Tcl’s use as “industrial-strength application glue,” and show you just how Tcl is becoming a not-so-secret-weapon for developers working on integration projects at such high-profile sites as Oracle, IBM, Cisco, NASA, TiVo, America OnLine, and even the CIA.

We’ll also show you how Tcl can be used by a broad spectrum of developers. Whether you’re working with Java, C#, C++, XML, Fortran or even SQL, Tcl may be able to offer some options because it has been written — and expanded upon — to talk to all these environments already.

Continue reading “Hands-On: Using Tcl as Application Glue for the Enterprise”

The emerging use of Web services could drive some significant changes in the way Java Virtual Machines (JVMs) work, says Robert Berry, a distinguished engineer from IBM’s Hursley Park Java Technology Center.

Berry delivered the keynote address at this month’s Usenix Java Virtual Machine Symposium in San Francisco. He promptly set a futuristic tone by predicting the end of the age where JVMs can focus strictly on performance enhancements. The growing importance of Web services, Berry said, will call for JVMs to get smarter and more manageable.

Continue reading “Usenix Report: Web Services Pushing JVMs into a New Age”

With Apache 2.0 four months past its stable release, developers are beginning to brainstorm the next steps for Apache — including drafting up a “wish list” for Apache 3.0 features, and mapping out a timeline for the release of upgraded features.

As Apache Software Foundation Chairman Roy Fielding told Open Enterprise Trends, “I’m sure there are lots of things that individuals are working on. [But] none of us will come out and say, ‘Well, this is going to be in Apache 3.0.'”

Fielding, even as he insists it’s a bit too early for a full Apache 3.0 feature list, is beginning to agree with other ASF contributors on the merits of adding at least one new feature to Apache — support for asynchronous I/O.

Continue reading “Will Apache 3.0 Sport Asynchronous I/O?”

Open Source isn’t all about plotting the demise of Microsoft. In fact, it’s just the opposite. OETfound Successful projects work with the giants rather than cutting them off at the knees.

That’s only one of a number of surprising tips OET found when we conducted a series of interviews with the admins for the top Open Source projects on SourceForge to see what lessons these experts can offer to budding Open Source projects. Take a look at some other suggestions to help your project become the next hit.

Persistency Over Proprietary Solutions
Persistency challenged the Java Business Process Management (jBpm) project. J2EE’s built-in object relational mapper wasn’t powerful enough.

Continue reading “Success Tips from SourceForge’s Top Open Source Admins”

A growing number of IT managers are being pressured to transition from using the open standard ColdFusion Markup Language (CFML) to Java Server Pages (JSP) and servlets. In this article, we’ll look at why (and for what purposes) CFML, originally created by Macromedia, still excels over JSP.

One reason to leverage your CFML programmers? CFML may offer more features and performance than you might think. To put CFML into context for your enterprise development, first, let’s get our definitions straight.

CFML: Open Standard Language and Framework

Continue reading “Why Java Should Not Temper ColdFusionML Talents”

A strong coalition of Open Source community leaders, under the umbrella of the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), has released a valuable, thought-provoking report for all web application projects (including web integration and web services).

The OWASP’s “Ten Most Critical Web Application Security Vulnerabilities” is a detailed look at some of the most likely areas where web applications (XML, web services, Java-based application server) might suffer from security problems.

OSCON Alert: OET wants to know if you or others in your firm are attending (Open Source Convention) in Portland, Ore. July 7-11. If you’ll be there, drop our editors a note to tell us what topic(s) you’re interested in, and if we can contact you about future stories looking at how devs are integrating Open Source into their web, Java, .NET and legacy systems. Email us at editor@oetrends.com. Thanks.

Continue reading “Top 10 Ways to Secure Open Source, Web Apps”