DB2 Express-C 10 is now out

IBM has just released version 10.1 of DB2 Express-C for Linux, Unix, and Windows. This is a major upgrade that boasts a number of additions and improvements. The already excellent performance has been improved further (including XML performance), and the free edition now takes advantage of up to 4 GB of RAM (but you can have as much RAM on the server as you wish). As usual, there are no limits on database size,...

Requiem for a Dreamer

Steve Jobs passed away a week ago. When I first learned about it, I cried. That was an odd reaction on my part. I never met or interacted with Steve Jobs and I’m not what most would define as an Apple fanboy. I reflected upon what led me to shed tears for someone who was, technically, a stranger to me and came to realize that Steve Jobs affected and inspired my life far more that I cared to admit. My deep...

The Hadoop Programming Challenge Has Been Extended

In the past I’ve mentioned the Hadoop Programming Challenge, which is organized by Big Data University. After quickly registering and taking a free online course on Hadoop, you have the option to use your newly acquired skills to participate in a programming challenge. The submission deadline has been extended to Monday, October 10th, 11:59pm PST, so there’s still time for you participate, if you...

My Technical Blogging Book Is Now Available in Beta

Technical Blogging: Turn Your Expertise into a Remarkable Online Presence is now available in beta. This first beta includes about 200 of the estimated total 250 pages. Most of the information you need to know is already included in the existing chapters. Early feedback has been great and helped shape the book. The reception by early readers and reviewers has been nothing short of incredible. Here is one: My career...

Learn Hadoop and Get a Chance to Go to Vegas

This is a heads up for my readers who are interested in Big Data. Follow these steps to learn Hadoop and get a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas: Register with Big Data University. Enroll and complete the free Hadoop Fundamentals I course. You’ll receive a certificate of completion and an invitation to partecipate in the first Hadoop Programming Challenge. On October 3rd, three participants to this...

Download DB2 Express-C 9.7.4

Last week IBM released DB2 Express-C 9.7.4. This new version of the free flagship database by IBM mostly focuses on enhancements rather than new features, as you can read in this developerWorks article by my colleague Raul, “What’s new with DB2 Express-C 9.7.4“. What’s more interesting to me is that IBM has implemented a completely new full text search engine known as DB2 Text Search, which...

Google I/O developer event in Waterloo, Canada

I just received an email from one of my contacts at Google in regards to an upcoming Google I/O conference in Waterloo, Ontario. I’m posting their announcement here in case you are in the area on May 10, 2011 and are interested in this free event: Google I/O 2011 is bringing together thousands of developers to share, learn and create; we want you to be part of of this free developer event! On Tuesday May 10th,...

Try the next version of DB2 today

IBM has been working hard to create a new, substantial upgrade of DB2. Thanks to the Early Experience program, you can now test drive the recently released Alpha 4 in the cloud for free. Despite its name, it’s a pretty solid release, so I wholeheartedly invite you to try it out. To apply for the early experience program, all you have to do is fill out this form. If you’d like to run DB2 on your own...

Why would you use a commercial database anyway?

Yesterday was the 25th birthday of the Free Software Foundation (FSF). Over the past 25 years they’ve managed to deeply influence the world of computing and technology. The ideas promoted by the FSF’s foundation and leader, Richard Stallman, have certainly veered on the radical side. However, even if you don’t agree with this group’s ideology, I’d argue that we are afforded a lot more...

Would you use a Mac mini as your development machine?

Apple just released a brand new, gorgeous looking Mac mini. This major upgrade brings us two different models: a desktop one and a server version (priced at $699 and $999, respectively). Equipped with a HDMI port, the desktop edition of the Mac mini makes for a perfect Home Theater PC. It’s small and stylish, and as such is a great fit in your living room. Most of the reviews I’ve read focus on its use...

Follow up to my Gmail third-party access post

My previous post about a possible intrusion by non-authorized parties on my Gmail account has received a lot of attention on Hacker News, and was even linked to from LifeHacker. There were a lot of questions, concerns, and critics that quickly surfaced, and in this post I’ll address most of them. Given the volume of heterogeneous points at hand, I will present this post in an informal FAQ manner. Image ©...

Adobe AIR as the cross-platform solution of choice

Adobe has just made an important announcement: We are pleased to announce the immediate availability of the Adobe AIR 2 runtime. Starting today, you can download and install the new version at get.adobe.com/air/. Adobe AIR is rapidly becoming a very viable solution to the desktop cross-platform conundrum. MicroISVs pay attention, this new release includes a native processes API, WebKit, multi-touch and gesture...

The world according to Android

Apple is receiving copious amounts of bad press due to their somewhat arbitrary and restrictive App Store policies. This isn’t going to change a thing at Apple, but the complaints are warranted. Android on the other hand is touted as being “the open platform”, and developers are invited to develop and sell their apps on the Android Market, rather than investing in a proprietary platform like the...

The most important programming language today

“What programming language should I study next? What framework?” I occasionally receive emails from younger — and not so young — readers alike asking me for guidance about such matters. “Use the right tool for the job” is the correct answer, but it’s cheap advice when there are a plethora of tools seemingly right for the job. For most people these days the job at hand is of course...

On the iPhone, iPad and Android Market Share

There has been quite a bit of discussion over the market share of mobile devices today (arguably, for the past few years). It all started with a link on TechCrunch, claiming that Android overtook the iPhone in terms of US traffic (according to AdMob). This being a clear case of selection bias, I set about to figure out the mobile devices used by the visitors of some of my sites during the past month. As these...

A tale of two search engines

Remember when Altavista seemed good enough? Then along came Google and seemingly overnight everything changed. We didn’t even know that it was possible to receive such good link suggestions from a search engine. Yet there, right before our very eyes, it happened. These days, highly popular search engines are worth billions of dollars, mainly thanks to the massive advertisement businesses that can be built on...

My kingdom for an iPad

Tomorrow the iPad goes on sale in the States. Announced in January, the iPad sits squarely between a laptop and an iPod Touch. Large lines are expected to form in front of Apple Stores across America; ants scurrying to grab their crumbs. What is uncertain is whether this release is going to be much ado about nothing or more an event that will revolutionize the computer market. Among the iPad shortcomings are the...

Cell Phone Cost Calculator Killed In Canada. Enough Is Enough!

Having been born and raised in Europe, I find the Canadian Telco sector appalling. In what is an otherwise outstanding country, the monopolistic tendencies and de facto cartels of the phone companies are screwing over Canadian residents, and there is very little being done to counteract this. Recently Bell got its way again, and UBB (Usage Based Billing) was introduced regardless of what thousands upon thousands of...