Upgrading - the Challenge of Changing Technology

You know what the biggest pain about technology is... Upgrading.

The technology scene is evolving so fast and new features, devices and facilities being launched in a continuous stream. Each bit of the new developments has something new to offer to its consumers.So, naturally, the consumers also have to keep upgrading - and...

Amongst all this - we the developers who write applications to harness the new developments must also keep learning and upgrading. Adapting for new technology involves both cost and time.

The toughest part while working with new technology is deciding...

• Which new development will be successful?
• What will be acceptable?
• What new technology we should go adopt?
• What will be useful for my clients?

A lot of new technology is coming in everyday but not every new development succeeds. History has several precedents to prove that it is not necessary that only the best technology will succeed.

I too have faced these issues. Some of my guesses about technology have been right and some wrong.
 
I have started writing this blog so that I may share my experiences with you and if the readers are willing we will be able to help each other in the decision making process.

Hi I am back with my stories

I am back with my stories about my experiences with the fast changing technology scene.It took me 3 years to get back to writing on this blog, and I hope to contribute significantly  here onwards.

Even with my professional experience with the technological I find it tough to keep up with the fast changing scenario. I can imagine how it must be for an average user who does not want any to do with how and why it works or breaks. He just wants to use it to his advantage.

As I add my experiences, I shall also try to help all my friends keep up with the latest.

Let me start with a brief background

Hi!

I have been working as a freelance software solutions developer since 1990. I started my career with developing software in Clipper under the DOS environment. I shifted to Visual Basic under Windows sometime around 1998.

By 2004, I laid Clipper/DOS development to rest and stopped even support and maintenance under this environment.

By end of 2007 I had started using ASP.NET to support the web-enabled reporting requirement of my applications and by the end of 2009 I had adopted VB.Net as my preferred platform for development. All new assignments are being developed in VB.

Presently, I am using the Express Editions of VB 2008 / SQL Server 2008 to meet my development requirements.

Over time, I have fine-tuned my own set of utilities, tools and resuable code. Microsoft's exhaustive documentation along with Internet and its vast pool of information have been instrumental in helping me overcome any hurdles that I have faced over the years. I do not remember any instance where I have had to turn down any of my customers' request due to lack of technical skills.

I would like add to this vast collection of information on the Internet and share some information that I feel will be helpful to others like me.

Please feel free to comment and discuss.