mrc's Cup of Joe Blog

Join us in exploring the world of modern development, evolving technologies, and the art of future-proof software

Month: August 2013

Modernization with limited resources

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ProductivityModernization. It sounds like such a daunting task. Just the thought of converting old systems into new, modern systems is enough to make IT executives cringe in fear.

Bimba Manufacturing knew that modernization was a big job, and that their IT staff didnâ??t have the time or the capabilities to take on a big modernization project. In fact, they even looked into ways to put a “bandaid” on their old solution until more time and resources became available. Then, they discovered m-Power. …

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7 things experienced web developers wish they knew earlier

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EducationWe just passed our 30th anniversary of software development earlier this year. As I reflect back over that time, it’s largely positive…but there are things I know now that I wish I knew starting out. After all, the more time you spend in any profession, the more you learn (hopefully).

That got me thinking: I’m sure everyone is like that. I’m sure everyone could name one or two specific pieces of advice that they wish they knew earlier. Wouldn’t that advice be useful to those just starting out? I think so.

Problem
photo credit: andy.brandon50 via photopin cc

Today, I’d like to explore that topic from a web application development angle. What do experienced web app developers know now that they wish they knew starting out? If developers could go back in time, what advice would they give to younger versions of themselves?

We posed those questions to some experienced web app developers, and they provided some excellent advice–which can help web application developers of any skill level. I’ve outlined their advice below, along with a few of my thoughts under each point. Here are 7 things that experienced developers wish they knew earlier:
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15 must-have features of a good reporting solution

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EducationA few weeks back, we examined the question, “How can you buy business software that you won’t regret later?” While that article is loaded with great advice for software purchasing, the points are all very general.

What if you need a specific type of software, like reporting, Business Intelligence, or a development platform? While the points in that article still apply, how do you know what essential features to look for in each type of software?

Today, let’s answer that question from the reporting side of things. What features must you look for in an enterprise reporting solution? While your needs will (of course) vary depending on your company, all enterprise-class reporting solutions must include certain essential features. Buy software missing any of these features, and you’ll soon regret that purchase.

What are these features?

We’ve put together a handy little reporting checklist that lists and explains which features you must look for in any reporting solution. You can find it here: mrc’s 15-point reporting checklist.

7 things every IT leader should know about mobile

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EducationCan you believe that smartphones (as we know them today) have only been in existence for slightly over 6 years? Yet, despite their relatively short existence, user adoption in the U.S. has already surpassed 50%. That sort of growth is absolutely incredible.

The mobile trend isn’t confined to the consumer world either. Over the past couple of years, we’ve really seen mobile usage and mobile apps gain traction in the enterprise. This will only increase in the coming years.

The explosive growth of mobile puts CIOs and IT leaders in a tricky spot, as they’re forced to adapt to this major trend on the fly. They’re stuck figuring out how their companies can best capitalize on the advantages of mobile while avoiding the drawbacks.

So, what must IT leaders understand about mobile? Today, I’d like to help answer that question. I’ve compiled a list of things every IT leader should understand about mobile, which you can find below:
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m-Power: The modern CIO’s trump card

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ProductivityThe modern Chief Information Officer (CIO) faces a daunting task. Gone are the days of simply supporting the business. Gone are the days of hard-to-use technology that’s controlled solely by the IT department.

These days, the expectations placed on the IT department are at an all time-high. CEOs and business executives now demand more business value from the IT department. Tech-savvy end users now bring personal devices and consumer applications into the workplace. All the while, technology continually evolves at a quickening pace.

These days, the modern CIO faces a growing list of challenges. For instance–while their challenges vary by company–most modern-day CIOs must: …

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4 common myths of web application development platforms

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EducationToday, let’s address a current trend that’s been building steam over the past few years: The increased use of web application development platforms.

Why are web applications development platforms becoming more popular? Because they address many of the growing issues surrounding CIOs and IT leaders these days. For instance, development platforms help CIOs and IT leaders…

  • Automate the development of mobile web applications that work across all devices and platforms.
  • Give end users the self-service options they require while giving IT full control over the data and user access.
  • Bring the most up-to-date and cutting edge development skills to their current staff.

However, while all of those advantages sound great, there’s a problem that make some businesses shy away: Many developers and IT leaders hold a misguided view of web application development platforms. Some confuse them with code generators. Others think of them as IDEs. Worse yet, others make assumptions about development platforms based on their own bad experiences with past code generators or IDEs. For example, many (falsely) believe one or all of these development platform myths:
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