This page has my comments on various technologies I use, and links to resources for software development and technical news on mostly client-server and Enterprise-scale (mainframe and large-scale UNIX) systems. For web development information, please visit Mercer Web Systems Development, my small-business and personal site web development business. In my primary work as a corporate software developer, I use XML, SQL (DB2, Oracle, and Sybase/SQL Server flavors), IBM Mainframe COBOL/CICS, the occasional PowerBuilder project, plus a mix of Web-based technologies and the occasional sprinkling of the "language du jour." And once in a while I sneak a Linux server into the shop!

I hope you find these links useful. Feel free to send me comments and ideas. Be sure to check out my other commentary and many more links on my Software Engineering and Web Development pages too.

Technology & Software Development Links:

• PowerBuilder Development Resource. A site full of links, PowerBuilder tips, and downloadable scripts and objects (some free, some shareware, some commercial.) Quite a few good ideas and techniques for PowerBuilder developers.
• PFC Guide. PowerBuilder Foundation Class Guide. This site has lots of info about PB's powerful but somewhat arcane PFC service-based architecture. It also has a link to a web-based newsreader that lets you read Sybase's PowerBuilder and Sybase support newsgroups even if you can't access Sybase's forums.sybase.com server through your company's firewall.
• Sybase Shareware, a non-commercial repository of useful Sybase tools, links, and documentation.
• Boston.Com's DigtalMass, New England's Tech Community. Tech news focusing from my hometown, commentary on the industry, plus a the occassional programming column and other goodies.
• The SEI Home Page from the Software Engineering Institute. The folks who brought us the Capability Maturity Model (SEI-CMM). I have worked at a CMM Level 2-compliant process professionally, with some Level 3 Key Process Areas incorporated. To be fair, having worked some with the SEI-CMM (until my organization chucked it out), there's a lot to be said for making software development a repeatable, disciplined process. However, software is also an art form created by people who actually can visualize abstracts, and CMM totally misses this creative aspect IMHO. Plus by the time we get the CMM-compliant project plan paperwork done, our competitors would deliver their solution. Sarcasm aside, I'm a strong proponent of the Software Peer Review concept included in the CMM, regardless of other methodology an organization might use.
• SCRUM The "Scrum" methodology, which essentially bills itself as the "Anti-SEI". They believe in an empirical model of software development, with controls, rather than the SEI's structure. I absolutely love their terminology of "Scrum Masters" and "Pigs and Chickens". Believe it or not, I know of a development organization that swung directly from SEI-CMM to Scrum. Talk about bipolar personalities! Truth be told, though, I used it myself successfully on a recent high-priority, "Internet Time" project where my team had to quickly interface e-commerce and legacy infrastructures. On the right project, with the right people, it works!