Richard K. Blum

In the past, using open source databases meant running UNIX (or Linux) servers and open source development environments. Today however, the two most popular open source database packages - MySQL and PostgreSQL - have full featured Windows installations, and can be run on most Windows platforms. This allows Windows developers to easily utilize open source databases in their applications. To make life even easier, both MySQL and PostgreSQL provide .NET Data Provider classes that can be used in your .NET programs to easily access the database servers, send queries, and retrieve query results. This article walks you through creating .NET applications using both the MySQL and PostgreSQL open source databases. MySQL The MySQL open source database software is quite possibly the most popular open source database system available. While relatively new to the Windows world,... (more)

Getting Started in Linux for the Experienced .NET Developer

As an experienced .Net developer, I'm sure you are comfortable creating programs in your home environment - using Visual Studio on a Windows PC. What about using other platforms? In the .NET world, not many developers think much about cross-platform development. However, with the growing popularity of Unix, and specifically Linux, as a server platform, it might be time to consider a cross-platform .NET development environment. You may not even be aware that there are options for .NET developers in the Linux world. Much of the .NET work in Linux is a result of Microsoft's attempt... (more)

Encrypting Data in Network Connections

In today's computing environment, creating applications that transfer data between devices on networks has become a necessity for programmers. Fortunately, Microsoft has included several classes in the .NET Framework that make network programming easy. The TcpClient, TcpListener, and NetworkStream classes are popular classes that provide all the functionality necessary to pass data across any network. However, sending data across networks can be a risky business. There are lots of prying eyes watching packets as they traverse the network. This can be a serious problem if your ap... (more)

.NET Programming with Open Source Databases

In the past, using open source databases meant running UNIX (or Linux) servers and open source development environments. Today however, the two most popular open source database packages - MySQL and PostgreSQL - have full featured Windows installations, and can be run on most Windows platforms. This allows Windows developers to easily utilize open source databases in their applications. To make life even easier, both MySQL and PostgreSQL provide .NET Data Provider classes that can be used in your .NET programs to easily access the database servers, send queries, and retrieve que... (more)