5 comments about Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Standard Edition (10-client).

1. Each time i did something on this new release of SQL Server within some first weeks i was saying two phrases: "Wow! How can i live without this cool thing?" and "It's should be done erlier! It's so simple!". Thousands of new features, improvements. Now i will go home, because i do my work faster than i could think.



2. Each time i did something on this new release of SQL Server within some first weeks i was saying two phrases: "Wow! How can i live without this cool thing?" and "It's should be done erlier! It's so simple!". Thousands of new features, improvements. Now i will go home, because i do my work faster than i could think.



3. There are some important additions, such as clustering and failover support, and a few niceties like user-defined functions and indexed views. Upgrading the data format from 7 to 8 was seamless, but replication was painful. Gone are the Enterprise Manager HTML-based pages at the machine level, replaced by a small maze of things to do to make replication happen. We finally had to reinstall the server to make replication happy. The help file on this topic is a joke. It reads something like "Step 1, configure replication. Step 2, start it up." with absolutely no detail.

   My bottom line: take your time in upgrading.




4. The Standard Edition is a good tool A better deal is buying the MSDN Universal Edition. Its price isn't much higher and it includes SQL Server 2000 plus the latest release of Windows XP, Windows 2000, all the .NET development tools, all of the servers, just about every Microsoft product that's not a game. And each month Microsoft will send update discs that include new versions, service packs and beta versions.

   A really good choice if you are a developer. As an MCSE and MCDBA this is my tool of choice.




5. The details describe this as new, full retail box. This is not the case. What we received was a cd with the license key sticker attacehed to the jewel case. The jewel case looked scratched and used.

1 comments about Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Office 2005.

1. I bought this product to do a quick and simple task: Query an Access database with a date range from the user, and put the filtered data onto a spreadsheet. Many, many hours later, I still don't have an acceptable result. I have broken down and ordered two books, something I don't think should be necessary for such a simple task for someone with a decent programming background.
   
   The biggest problem with this product is its documentation. There is a huge amount of information available, but it is very disjointed. Searches yeild all kinds of unrelated material. Examples seem to be marketing driven - show off the product's many glitzy features instead of providing simple, straightforward answers.
   
   I am sure that given adequate investment in learning, this is a very powerful tool. But unless you want to make a career out of it, stay away. I have programmed Excel in Visual Basic, built Windows applications using Borland c++ builder, and written many thousands of lines of c and c++ under Windows and Linux, and never had as much trouble as I have with this product.

No comments about Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2008 Test Edition.

No comments about BDG PUBLISHING Mastering JSP(Java Server Pages).

No comments about Microsoft Visual Basic .net Standard.

5 comments about Microsoft Visual Studio Enterprise 6.0.

1. As a programmer guy involved with software and programming, all I can say is this product is thorougly unsatisfying. thoroughly. Rapid development they say. I say "ha"! It took me over three weeks just to write a program and make it work. three Weeks dude! I don't know about you, but time is money. Know what I mean? Visual is fine, but isn't audio kind of implied? I mean, when I tried talking to the program, telling it to go and make this program and go and make this it just stood there silent. It didn't say, "sorry ravi I can't make that program today." It didn't say anything. Where I come from in India that is just plain rude. Say something for sakes. But I guess the packaging was very nice, with the sideways eight and all. (that's where the extra star came from in the rating) Yo Microsoft, when writing your programs make sure to allow for the case when people are talking to them. Visual Studios rudeness has almost turned me off of Microsoft altogether. Don't mean to be hard on you, but programming is tough work and it's nice to get a little help every now and then, especially with programming. And software programming, and internet bits as well as TCP/IP stuff.



2. This is really an excellent software bundle.

   I've been developing on VB6 and VC++ 6 for around 9 months now and Visual Studio 6 is by far the best tool for the job i.e. one of the many features you get with VC++ v6.

   You can actually create a working GUI application with an MDI setup already programmed, linked to a datasource of your choice and forms created by wizards, all in a matter of around 30 seconds without any coding at all. If this isn't fast, what is? ActiveX controls, DLL libraries and using Microsoft's ADO data control system is very easy to use.

   I thought Visual C++ 5 was good, but I do enjoy seeing a list of possible functions and attributes that you are associated with objects when you type the name of the object in your class related source files. The package is much better integrated for web development.

   Overall, excellent package




3. I have used many different compilers in the past, with little success, but with this bundle you have power at your fingertips. I really don't know what the reviewer above me was smoking, but with the MSDN library, and all the wonderful tools and utilities, this is a sure bet for any programmer.



4. Gone are the old days when a guy like me could write 10 print "hello" and 20 goto 10 and expect to have something magical happen. Nowadays, it's all about GUI interfaces and "OLE applets". It takes nearly twelve million lines of code just to print out the words "Bill Gates eats turnips" on my computer, and that's without any icons or mouse pointers. I think someone should do something.



5. Gone are the old days when a guy like me could write 10 print "hello" and 20 goto 10 and expect to have something magical happen. Nowadays, it's all about GUI interfaces and "OLE applets". It takes nearly twelve million lines of code just to print out the words "Bill Gates eats turnips" on my computer, and that's without any icons or mouse pointers. I think someone should do something.

No comments about Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2008 Development Edition.

No comments about FileMaker Pro 4.1 for Mac.

5 comments about The Oracle of Changes.

1. As a physician, columnist and lecturer (on natural health and spiritual systems), I am always searching for new presentations of ancient material. The Oracle of Changes CD is a refreshing take... and wondered why no one had done this sooner! I found the music soothing (perhaps a decent set of speakers is best for the full effect). I enjoyed the rendering of the 'cave of the oracle' I entered and the 'pool of reflection' I "sat" in front of to begin the reading. Realistic hands throw the coins for you 6 times and the lines appear on the screen. The artwork that accompanied each hexagram is full of imagery and purpose (longtime students of the I Ching may recognize the deeper meanings). The explanation of the hexagrams and line changes is given by a VERY soothing and clear female voice. Bonuses: The CD allows the user to save the answers in a journal for later reference. You can type in the number of any hexagram in stead of a question and get to that answer without a full reading. The CD also allows yarrow or coin toss odds; it's the user's choice. A great pick!



2. When I first encountered the Oracle of Changes in the free online version I was dubious that anyone could develop a useful computerized way to cast an I Ching reading. I was intrigued with how useful, practical, and on-target the readings were that I was receiving. Since there were certain advantages to purchasing the CD-ROM over using the free online version I decided to buy the CD-ROM. I love this product. It was very easy to install and works just like it was supposed to work. The one thing I love best is the new translation used for this I Ching oracle. It is one of the best and most insightful translations I have ever seen. The one advantage is that it's not just a literal translation from Chinese into English, but a very poetic one that helps you to interpret this classic of Chinese wisdom. For myself, since I can't carry my computer around with me everywhere, I would love to see the developers of this software publish this translation in a book that I would carry around with me anywhere that I could toss a few coins. If this book would contain a literal translation of the I Ching along with the interpretive translation included on the CD-ROM I think it could become one of the best I Ching books out there. I would certainly purchase this book if they ever developed it.



3. This is a fun interactive oracle that is also informative and can be helpful to some degree.. It has alot of great wisdom in it. However if you looking for serious answers to a specific issue in your life, I suggest you develop your own intuitive abilities and learn the tarot for more in depth results.



4. In fact, at one time, it WAS better. The same people that produced this version had a much better one back when they published their DOS version years ago. I had hoped for something approaching that excellent package--and in truth, this one approaches it, but doesn't quite reach it.

   In the minus column, you have to run it from the CD. I truly dislike software that makes me do that. They seem to have loaded it up with features I don't want or need, including music that is distracting and graphics that, while nice, don't really add to the I Ching readings.

   In the plus column, however, those graphics are really beautiful and they're very well done. The readings are fine, especially if you have a copy of one of the I Ching volumnes handy to shed a little more light on the subject. I am not convinced that these readings are as insightful as those on the original DOS package, but these generally outshine other computer generated I Ching readings.

   If not for the need for the CD every time I run it, I'd give this one four stars--but the CD requirement is an annoyance I'd rather do without. I'll use it, but not as often as I would otherwise.




5. Wishes:
   1. I wish I could enter the results I got using the yarrow stalk method into the program, and have it prepare the report.
   2. I wish the report could be "saved as" in a format that popular word processor programs could open and edit.
   3. As The Tarot program of his allows you to use different decks, and select different elements in the prepared report, I wish different translations of the I Ching were available in the program, and could be selected in the report.
   4. I view the I Ching as the "Urim and Thummim" and the "Ephod" used by Moses, Joshua, Kings David and Solomon, and the only way to make Jesus's Biblical statements about prayer work every time.
   5. I pray this way a lot; I've found using 12" bamboo skewers to be the best for me; I wish I had a program such as this.
   6. Where does he get the artists?

No comments about Practical Access 2007 on 7 CD-ROMs.