Consumers Reports, Now Virus Reports? -- Redmondmag.com

Consumers Reports, Now Virus Reports?

By Doug Barney
08/23/2006

I only buy used cars, only from a private party, and only after checking the reliability ratings from Consumers Reports (not sure how that Yugo and Suzuki Samurai made it through my filter!). When I'm an expert in a field, such as bicycles (and beer), I often find CR's advice lame, but otherwise they are a thoroughly trusted source.

What I didn't know is the magazine is filled with virus authors. No, they aren't exactly out to infect your PC. Quite the opposite -- they wrote a boatload of viruses to test the latest anti-virus packages. The security community had a conniption, fearing that these viruses would end up in the wild and new techniques discovered. Consumers Reports argues the only way to truly test anti-virus software is to throw new viruses at them. Both sides have a point. What's your stance? Tell us at [email protected].

Can .NET Act Agile?
Agile software development, as I recently learned, means that developers can react quickly to the need for change, work closely with the users of the software and business-line folks, and build apps quickly.

This concept has been kicking around for a while in the large-scale corporate development market. But for some reason, Microsoft has, until recently, been left out of the party, says noted Agile book author Robert C. Martin. But .NET programmers can get Agile religion, Martin says. In fact, Redmond even hired Ward Cunningham, the father of Agile (who left Redmond and is now driving the Eclipse Foundation).

If you're doing .NET and aren't Agile, it may be time to limber up. We can show you how here.

Left-Wingers Will Laugh, the Right Will Steam
Readers of the The Onion will have already seen this. About half of you will get a chuckle, the other half will want to wring my neck for even bringing it up. I'll simply run the headline and you can decide if you want to click the link: "U.S. Dedicates $64 Billion To Undermining Gates Foundation Efforts."

Members of both parties (extremists welcome) can react to the news by writing to [email protected].

About the Author

Doug Barney is editor in chief of Redmond magazine and the VP, editorial director of Redmond Media Group.

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