Geometry quiz: Can we draw a straight that joins together Vista, virtual disks, a new version of Ajax development tools and MySQL? Well, geometry has nothing to do with that but I would bet dollars against pennies that a similar line can be easily drawn in your data center.
Virtual to the core
Depending on who you are talking to, and sometimes you may get different answers at different times, Windows Vista is described as either an embarrassing fiasco or the best OS you can ever load on a desktop or laptop. My personal opinion? Glad you asked. I am somewhere in between those two extremes, but I haven't found yet a compelling reason to migrate my personal machines from XP. Was Microsoft too concerned with compatibility while developing Vista? Were those concerns the reason why Vista looks so much like XP? What should be the target of the next desktop OS from Microsoft? Randall Kennedy is mulling those questions and offers an interesting answer, but you'll have to read it all here.
Open up your vdisks
Virtual disk are the pillars of virtualization and probably the main reason for the success of that technology, but do you really know what's their structure? Probably not. Moreover, from outside of virtual machine you loose access to files and other data stored on its vdisks. If you ever spent a though on that, a new SDK and API combo from VMware should fill that gap, David Marshall reports. Why is this new free tool, dubbed somewhat predictably VMware Virtual Disk Development Kit, important? Please read David's post to find out.
New ways to Ajax
Speaking of development tools, Backbase just released a new version of their Enterprise Ajax platform. What caught my eye is that development and deployment on low end servers is free, but Martin Heller gives a quick and comprehensive round up of what the new version brings to the table in today's Strategic Developer.
The MySQL show goes on
Last but not least, I am glad to carry on the flag for the MySQL show in Santa Clara, still ongoing today and tomorrow. Perhaps if you are in the area it's still possible to find time for a visit? For an overview of what to expect at the show and more teasers here is what Zack Urlocker has to say.
Posted by Mario Apicella on April 16, 2008 08:29 AM
