Power View is a web based report authoring tool built entirely in Silverlight.  It is aimed at business end users, and as it is entirely web based, you only require a browser to run it.  Power View builds on Excel’s PowerPivot, with a similar interface that offers:

• powerful drag-and-drop functionality.
• highly interactive data display.
• use of storyboarding to tell and share a story with the data.

The storyboarding functionality includes the ability to export an ad hoc report to PowerPoint, allowing users to update and interact with the data in the generated presentation.

Being web based, Power View will (eventually) be accessible from mobile devices such as iPads, Android tablets and Windows 7 Phones. Planned touch-centric features of Power View will be released a few months after the release of SQL Server 2012.  This forms part of Microsoft’s Mobile BI roadmap, which was announced in the recent SQL PASS 2011 conference.

Power View requires SharePoint 2010 and SQL Server Reporting Services.  This may put it beyond the reach of smaller companies who do not want to manage a SharePoint installation.   It is also worth noting that Power View is not meant to replace SQL Server Reporting Services or Report Builder.  These tools are for creating more complex static reports, while Power View is designed for ad hoc reporting. 

It is worth noting that while using Power View, I found that some of the data transformations and visualization options were not as intuitive as might be expected.  This will hopefully be resolved by the RTM release.  Even so,  despite the similarity to PowerPivot, even the power users that this tool is aimed at will require additional training and support in using the product.   Also, the server setup for Power View required a server with a minimum of 8GB RAM just for a responsive demo.  Obviously, significantly more RAM would be required for the servers in a production environment.  Again, this hardware constraint pushes Power View out of the reach of smaller organisations and companies

Power View is the latest in Microsoft’s Service Service BI Tools range, which are designed to allow business users to create and share powerful business intelligence solutions through familiar applications in Microsoft Office and SharePoint 2010.

Additional links:

• Microsoft’s plan for bringing its BI tools to iOS, Android, and Windows 8 devices
• SQL PASS Recap

The process below details the steps to be taken to create a virtual machine containing the following products

• Microsoft Windows 2008 R2 (including active domain)
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2
• Microsoft CRM 2011

This information came from various sources but the bulk came from a video I found on YouTube  by ‘neilmed82′ entitled ‘Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 beta installation (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDeebvZ8xNo)

The virtual machine should be a minimum of 30Gb in size

Windows 2008 R2 installation

1. Install Windows 2008 R2
   1. Include active domain
   2. Set computer name to ‘devcrm’
2. Install Active Directory
   1. Start -> Administrative tools -> Server manager
   2. Roles -> Add roles
   3. Ensure the following are ticked
      1. Active directory domain services
      2. DNS Server
      3. File Services
      4. Web Server (IIS)  ????(see point 6 below)
   4. This may request the .Net Framework to be installed
   5. On completion reboot the virtual machine
3.  Run ‘dcpromo’ and create a new forest
   1. FQDN = ‘dev.dom’
   2. Functional Level = Win 2008
   3. Password  = ‘Password1’ (suggested)
   4. On completion reboot the virtual machine
4. Create the domain in the forest
   1. Start -> Administrative tools -> Server manager
   2. Roles -> Active directory domain services
   3. Run ‘Active directory domain services installation wizard’ (dcpromo.exe)
      1. Select ‘Create a new domain in a new forest’
      2. FQDN = ‘dev.dom’
      3. Forest functional = Win 2008 R2
      4. Dynamic IP Address = (select)
      5. Password = ‘Password1’ (suggested)
   4. On completion reboot the virtual machine
5. Create OUs and Service User Accounts
   1. Start -> Administrative tools -> Active directory users and groups
   2. Select ‘dev.dom’ domain
   3. Right-click (on ‘dev.dom’) -> New -> Organisational unit
      1. Name = ‘CRM’
   4. Right-click (on ‘dev.dom’) -> New -> Organisational unit
      1. Name = ‘service accounts’
   5. Right-click (on ‘service accounts’ OU) -> New -> User
      1. First name = ‘SQL’
      2. Surname = ‘SVC’
      3. Login =‘sqlsvc’
      4. Password = ‘never expires’
   6. Right-click (on ‘service accounts’ OU) -> New -> User
      1. First name = ‘dynamics’
      2. Surname = ‘admin’
      3. Login =‘dynamicsadmin’
      4. Password = ‘never expires’
6. Add IIS Role
   1. Start -> right-click (on ‘Computer’) -> Manage
   2. Roles -> Add roles
   3. Select ‘Web Server (IIS)’
      1. HTTP redirection
      2. ASP.Net (plus offered children)
      3. Windows authentication
      4. IIS6 management compatibility (plus children
7. Add service users to local admin group
   1. Start -> Control Panel -> Users -> Manage user accounts -> Add
      1. User = ‘sqlsvc’; domain = ‘dev.dom’; Administrator
      2. User = ‘dynamics.admin’; domain = ‘dev.dom’; Administrator
   2. On completion reboot the virtual machine

SQL Server 2008 R2 Installation

1. Include
   1. Database Engine (inc. full text)
   2. Reporting Services
   3. Management Tools (complete)
   4. BIDS
   5. Client Tools           (MSSQLSERVER)
2. Service accounts                  dev\sqlsvc
3. On account provisioning
   1. Mixed mode                         ‘Password1’ (suggested)
   2. Administrators                      (dev\dynamicsadmin,
      dev\sqlsrc, administrator)
4. On completion reboot the virtual machine

It is suggested that at this point a backup is taken of the virtual machine.

CRM 2011 Installation

1. Install CRM>
   1. Select ‘Create a new deployment’ (devcrm)
   2. OU -> browse to CRM
   3. Security account = domain user dev\dynamicsadmin
   4. Email router = devcrm
   5. Display name = <sitename>
   6. Report server = http://devcrm/reportserver
2. System check screen will show some warnings
3. Run ‘set SPN’ for service user account
   1. Go to a command prompt and enter the following commands
   2. Setspn –a http/devcrm dynamicsadmin
   3. Setspn –a http/devcrm.dev.dom dynamicsadmin
   4. Close command window
4. Continue with CRM set up
   1. Select ‘install reporting services connector
   2. On completion reboot the virtual machine
5. Start up and test
   1. http://devcrm/<sitename>
   2. Settings -> Currencies -> New
      1. Currency code     ‘US Dollar’
      2. GBP (1.00)             <suitable exchange rate>
      3. Save and close>
   3. Settings -> Customisations -> Publishers
      1. Select default publisher
      2. Set up prefix (up to 8 characters)
      3. Set ‘Option value prefix’ to suitable number (e.g. 10,000)
   4. Other configuration: File -> Options
      1. General: Currency               pound sterling
      2. General: Default Tab           <preferred tab>
      3. Formats: current format     English/united kingdom

Additional Installation

1. Install additional organisations
   1. Start -> All Programs -> Microsoft
      Dynamics CRM 2011 -> Deployment Manager
   2. Right click (on ‘Organisation’) -> New
      organisation
      1. Enter display name (but otherwise accept defaults)
   3. Recommended that ‘Contoso1’ is created (as a minimum)
   4. Check that organisation can be accessed using http://devcrm/Contoso1
2. Download and install Microsoft CRM 2011 SDK (place in directory c:\CRM2011 SDK)
3. In browser enter URL of appropriate organisation (e.g. http://devcrm/Contoso1)
   1. Files -> Tools -> Import Data
   2. Browse to c:\crm2011 sdk\sdk\handsonlabs\orgsetupfiles\
   3. Import the following files
      1. importaccountscontoso1.csv (map to ‘Account’)
      2. importcontactscontoso1.csv (map to ‘Contact’)

Alternatively if you know someone who may just have a virtual machine already built … ask them!

If you spot any errors in the above please let me know and I will update accordingly.

1. SharePoint 2010 Continuous Integration
2. Configuring a TFS Environment with Test Controller, Test Agent, and Build Server
3. Creating Your First TFS Build Process for SharePoint Projects
4. Configuring Versioning of Assemblies in SharePoint Automated Build
5. Using PowerShell to deploy the WSP
6. Running tests as part of a build
7. Integrating additional tools in the build (code profiling, code analysis, SPDisposeCheck, etc.)
8. Wrap-up

I really recommend that all SharePoint developers check out these informative articles.

I’m just going through an exercise of updating or own AD and we’ve come across a feature in Outlook 2010 (might occur in previous versions as well)¹ that I wasn’t previously aware of.

I’ve gone through and ensured that individuals manager are entered, primarily to get the organisation charts in SharePoint 2010 working and to drive some of the internal workflows.

What we’ve found is that once this is done in Outlook you automatically get additional calendars added.

In the Calendar view you will get a Calendar Group called Team: <Your manager’s Name> with all the people who have the same manager as yourself.

If you are the manager of people you also get a Calendar Group called Team: <Your name> with all your staff listed.

No more manually adding Calendar Groups .

1. Looks like it’s only Outlook 2010

Online IDEs Compared

We have looked at five of the major online IDEs as part of this blog series.  Here is a comparison of their various features:

Feature	CodeRun	Kodingen	Compilr	Cloud9	Orion
Languages Supported	C#, PHP, JavaScript, CSS	PHP, Ruby, Python, ColdFusion, Classic ASP	C#, VB.NET, Java, Ruby, C++	HTML5, JavaScript, CSS, Ruby, PHP, Python, OCaml, Clojure	HTML5, JavaScript, CSS
Syntax Highlighting
Code Completion
Debugger
Upload Existing Projects
Reference Third Party Libraries
Database Support
Version Control
Private Code
Cloud Hosting			N/A
Offline Capability
Customization or Plug-in Framework

In addition to the differences between the IDEs as shown above, it is also worth looking at some of the similarities between the IDEs:

• The majority of the IDEs are commercial offerings, with only one open source licensed IDE (Orion).
• All of the commercial tools offer free basic accounts. However, in the case of Compilr, we can already see the feature set for the free account being reduced.
• Most of the tools are aimed at web development only, and the main language support is for dynamic web languages (JavaScript, PHP, Ruby and Python).
• There is relatively little support for .NET and Java development.
• There is very little support for third party code libraries.
• Integration with other toolsets (hosted or private source control, databases) is limited.
• Only one of the tools (Cloud9) offers an offline capability. Orion can be hosted locally, and so does not strictly require an internet connection.
• Only one tool (Orion) can be used internally in an organisation without reference to a third party site.

Conclusions

After investigating various online IDEs, it has become clear to me that they won’t replace traditional desktop IDEs such as Eclipse and Visual Studio.  If they have a future at all, they will instead become supplementary tools in addition to a developer’s primary desktop IDE.

Currently, online IDEs simply don’t have the rich feature set required by developers.  Their lack of customization options and the absence of an extensible plug-in framework means that developers are unable to customize the vanilla offering from an online IDE for their specific roles.   In addition, the online IDEs have a number of inherent disadvantages:

• Code security – you are entrusting your application’s source code to a third party.  Every line of code created in an online IDE will be visible to those responsible for the IDE, which will not be suitable for certain projects.
• Data loss – by hosting your source code in an online repository, you must be prepared for data loss.  That means keeping local copies of all your code.
• Online IDEs require that you are online – how do you overcome periods without a suitable internet connection?

Where online IDEs will be used is to develop proof of concept applications in new languages and paradigms, without the need for an upfront investment in specific desktop tooling.  They will also be used for accessing and modifying code on the move, when the developer is unable to access their desktop IDE.  Several of the online IDEs we considered had iPhone and Android clients to allow developers to access and manage live web applications outside of the office.  Online IDEs could also be used to modify code in the corporate environment, when a developer needs to make a code change on a PC that does not have their primary desktop IDE installed i.e. a corporate server.

In addition, an online IDE could be used in specific team working scenarios, i.e. where a contract developer is brought on to a team for a short period. Instead of having the developer waste time configuring a desktop environment, an online IDE could be used to quickly allow the contractor to write productive code.  Online IDEs could also allow developers to collaboratively write code in different locations, i.e. pair programming at a distance.

Long Term Trends

In the long term (3+ years), I expect to see the concept of a standalone online IDE to disappear.  Instead, the traditional desktop IDEs will simply incorporate some of their features.  The Eclipse Foundation is already exploring this with the Orion project, which is seen as an addition to the desktop IDE, not a replacement to it.  I would expect desktop IDEs to offer the following in future:

• A cloud synchronized configuration option.  Once a developer has setup their IDE, they will simply synchronize their custom configuration settings, including their various extensions and plug-ins, to a cloud host.  Whenever they move to another PC that has the desktop IDE installed on it, they will simply login to the cloud hosted configuration, and the settings on the new machine will be automatically synchronized.  This is already possible on Visual Studio using an open source extension.
• Desktop IDEs will include the option to host online versions of the IDEs. Instead of the security threat of using a third party online IDE, the desktop IDEs will allow developers to use locally hosted online IDEs.  For an analogy, think of Microsoft Exchange – as well as powering the desktop Outlook client, there is also the option to use the Outlook Web App to access your emails. Similarly, the commercial desktop IDEs will have to provide online (and mobile) clients for their products.  These online and mobile versions will not offer the full capability of the desktop client, but they offer enough features to allow a developer to remain productive whilst on the move.
• Greater team working features to be built-in to the desktop IDEs.  Instead of using a separate application or an online IDE to work together with a developer in a different location, the desktop IDE will mature to allow developers to work collaboratively on the same code file and to show the changes made by the other developer in real time.
• Additionally, desktop IDEs will allow you to swap elements of their toolset for online hosted versions, i.e. having built-in integration for online code hosting providers like BitBucket and GitHub.

In summary, online IDEs won’t replace the existing desktop IDEs.  But they will force the desktop IDEs to mature and provide the additional features I’ve listed above.

Orion

Orion is one of the newest online IDEs to merge (it was only announced in January 2011), but it has quickly progressed.  The vision for Orion can be summarised as “a web platform for web developers”.  The Eclipse Foundation is not interested in trying to cram a desktop IDE into a single browser tab.  Instead, the aim is to create a completely new web tools platform that makes full use of the browser capabilities.

Like other Eclipse Foundation offerings, Orion is an open source project.  It is available as downloadable local server, or through a cloud hosted version, orionhub.org.

Once you create an account on Orion (either locally or in the hosted version), you can log and start coding.  The currently supported languages are HTML(5), JavaScript and CSS.  You organise your new web projects by creating folders  in the Navigator view.  You quickly realise that unlike the other cloud based IDEs we have looked at, Orion is not constrained to a single browser tab, but makes full use of browser features, including:

• Bookmarks to identify commonly used files.
• Preview and edit files in new browser tabs.
• Share code using URLs.

You can then create a web site configuration using the Sites functionality:

Other features include:

• Syntax highlighting.
• Support for many of the Eclipse desktop IDE key bindings (commenting and indenting code).
• Automatic versioning with the Git source control system.
• Local deployment option.
• Global search using Apache Lucene.
• Integration with Firebug.
• Extensible using plug-ins that utilise a RESTful API.
• Browser support for Chrome, Firefox 3.6 and 4.0, Internet Explorer 8 & 9, and Safari 5.

What is it like to use?

Orion’s code editor is described as fast and scalable, and it lives up to this, opening large (30K lines + ) files faster than the desktop Eclipse editor.  The editor offers real-time syntax checking for JavaScript using a JSLint plug-in. For debugging, Firebug is now integrated with the code editor.  Firebug is an indispensable web tool, allowing you to do more than debug code, including the ability to set breakpoints, single-step, and inspect variables visible from your stack. It can also be used to monitor HTTPS requests, and inspect the browser’s DOM and CSS styles.

Orion also has full integration with the Git version control system, in both the hosted and local versions.

This open source project has quickly progressed over the past 6 months, but there is still limited functionality.  However, the team does not intend to provide all the major IDE features.  Instead, the focus is on providing an extensible framework to add existing web-based development tools, such as JSLint, Firebug and JSBeautify. 

Also, the architecture of the Orion project, and its use of the full browser model, is extremely innovative.  Most of the features in the other code editors we have reviewed are direct ports of common desktop IDE features. Orion sets itself apart by trying to develop a innovative online development experience.  This focus on building a true web development platform is what sets Orion apart from the other online IDEs we have considered.

Cloud9

The Cloud9 team aims to allow developers to create, run, debug and deploy applications using just a web browser.  Indeed, Cloud9’s tag line is “Your code anywhere, anytime”. The Cloud IDE is being used by over 30,000 developers, and is seen as one of the leading companies in the emerging Development as a Service (DaaS) sector.  The company has recently raised $5.5 million in venture funding, and sees itself as challenging the existing desktop providers such as Microsoft Visual Studio and the open source Eclipse IDE and its derivatives.

The application’s focus is on web development, with the core languages support being JavaScript, HTML5 and CSS.  These are the same languages that Cloud9 itself is built on.  Other languages that developers can code in are Ruby, PHP, Python, OCaml and Clojure.

To get started on Cloud9, you need to create an account.  The basic free account allows you create an unlimited number of projects, but they are all publicly viewable. In fact, when you use the free account, all projects created are open source projects, and you are expected to meet open source licensing requirements.   To create a private project, you need to upgrade to the premium account. 

Once you create your free account, you can use nearly all of the features offered by Cloud9. And there are many:

• Node.js support, with an option to deploy to the Joyent No.de service, a hosted version of the Node.js platform.
• Integration with existing GitHub and BitBucket projects.
• Team collaboration, including:
  • Simultaneous read/write access to multiple team members on the same project.
  • Integrated chat client to communicate with other team members.
• Cloud9 developed ACE, an open source online code editor that is supported by Mozilla and has significant community support.  The community support has lead to additional languages being supported by the editor.
• Line error reporting – the editor will report on syntax errors as you type in the browser.
• JavaScript refactoring and debugging tools.
• Syntax highlighting for the languages supported.
• An offline mode to allow you to continue making changes to your code even without an internet connection.  Any changes made are merged back to the server repository once an internet connection is re-established.

Features that are planned in the Cloud9 roadmap:

• Database support – probably MySQL and Couch DB.
• FTP access.
• Additional deployment options.
• Cloud9 is currently developing a version of the IDE for Python that will integrate with Google’s App Engine.

What is it like to use?

Cloud9’s focus is on the core web development languages of JavaScript, (standards compliant) HTML(5) and CSS.  These are the same languages that Cloud9 itself is built on.  The web editor is fast, and the line error reporting is particularly useful.  You can quickly write and deploy locally web pages.  The JavaScript debugging tools are very slick and easy to use, with breakpoints, a call stack watch and variable watches available.  There are also a number of online video tutorials to help you get started.

Support for the other dynamic web languages (PHP, Python and Ruby) isn’t quite as good, but the Cloud9 team plan on adding support for debugging soon.  The team collaboration features are particularly impressive.  Even on the basic account, you are able to pair program on the same project with other developers in separate locations.

Additionally, the offline capability of Cloud9 sets it apart from the other online IDE we have considered so far.

The major disadvantages of Cloud9 are the lack of hosted database integration and deployment options.  The FTP and integration with hosting companies other than Jolent for Node.js mean that the deployment functionality is incomplete.  Also, there is no option to download your code files, unless you are using the source code integration with BitBucket or Github.

Overall, the Cloud9 comes across as being the cloud IDE closest to being production ready.  However, it’s focus on web development means it is unlikely to get much attention in an enterprise setting, with no support for .NET or Java. 

Compilr

Compilr differs from the previous web based tools we have looked at.  Unlike them, Compilr is an online compiler, so it will not actually run the source code, but will only build it and confirm that the code successfully compiles.  Compilr aims to become a fully fledged IDE to develop desktop applications, unlike the other IDEs we have considered that focus on developing web applications.

To start using Compilr, you need to create an account.  On accessing your account, you can then create a project.  To create a project, you assign it a name, a category, a programming language (Compilr supports C#, VB.Net, Java, PHP, Ruby and C++), a platform (for C#, this is 2.0. 3.5 and 4.0, and XNA 4.0 Windows), and a project template (for C#, this is Windows Forms, Console and 3D game application templates).

By default, the basic account allows you to create a maximum of 3 projects, all of which are public.  To create a private project, you need to upgrade your account to a paid monthly subscription.

The other main features of Compilr are:

• Develop desktop applications and games (using the Microsoft XNA framework).
• Code editor supports syntax highlighting for all of the above languages.
• Compiles C#, VB.net and Java projects.
• Allows custom libraries to be uploaded and referenced from your own projects.
• Generates and displays compilation errors on building a project.
• You can view other public projects (with read-only access)

Currently, Compilr boosts of 32,000 users. Like the other online development tools we have looked at, Compilr aims to become a social network for developers, in addition to being a development tool.  However, the features associated with the free account offered by Compilr are pretty miserable compared to some of the other tools on offer.    The paid accounts range from $9 to $49 per month, and offer more projects, as well as the option to keep projects private.  Also, there appears to be no integration with source control, though the Compilr team has said they plan to add this feature soon.

What is it like to use?

The Compilr code editor is again reminiscent of Visual Studio, with a similar layout.  The editor is fast to use, and the syntax highlighting is particularly clear and useful.  The main menu is along the top of the browser and is quite small, and is not prominent enough.  There is a small Google Ad displayed in the bottom right-hand corner that is annoying, but it is a minor inconvenience.

When I first attempted to use the application, I was unable to get it to build a basic Hello World project.  Thinking it was an issue with my code, I attempted to use one of Compilr’s default project types.  This still wouldn’t build, despite trying across three major browsers (IE9, Chrome and Firefox). When I tried to resolve the issue, I found that there was no FAQ or tutorials.  There is a forum, but this suffers the same issue that all forums – a complete lack of structure.

The error I experienced appears to have been an issue with the corporate proxy server blocking some content; however, a more useful error message would have been helpful.  Compilr may want to look again at its interface.  When I tried Compilr again the next day, I was able to successfully compile my applications, and they compiled quickly.  Other users have reported of delays when your project has to wait in a queue before being processed.   The error console at the bottom of the code editor gives useful feedback for a developer on the reasons for a failed compilation, allowing them to debug their code.

Overall, Compilr is the least impressive code editor I have looked at so far.  Its basic features are OK, but there are several other applications that offer similar functionality with much greater freedom for developers (i.e. database support).  The fact that it is concentrating on desktop applications seems very strange to me- why?  If I was developing a desktop application, I want to be able to test it directly from my IDE, which is just not possible with a browser based tool like Compilr.  Instead, you must download the built executable to your desktop before you can run it.  In many corporate environments, the firewall would prevent you directly downloading an executable file.

There is some support for web development in the support for Ruby and PHP, but these options do not even include compilation support.  The only features that stand out for me are the support for third party libraries, allowing you to re-use already developed components, and the fact that Compilr is the only editor so far to support Java.

For the enterprise, Compilr looks to be worthless.  There is no support for databases, source control, and there appears to be minimal support for team working.  You can export projects you create in Compilr, but you are not able to upload existing projects.  Compilr may be useful for organisations that occasionally need to create desktop tools, but I don’t see it being useful for anyone doing serious desktop development work.

Kodingen

Kodingen was created to give developers a free environment to create and host web applications during development, and to prevent time being wasted setting up development environments.  This ethos is reflected in the large developer community that the company is fostering, with over 25,000 people signed up for a Kodingen account.  The site is still in beta, but is approaching a full release.

Even before you create an account on Kodingen, you’re able to create files and test code in the site’s Community section.  You can code using PHP, Ruby, Python, ColdFusion, classic ASP and Miva Script on the site.  There is no support for .NET, and the Kodingen team have stated they don’t intend to implement this in the future.  There is no concept of projects or solutions. Instead, you organise your code and resources using folders under your Kodingen sub-domain, with a number of default folders being created for you (httpdocs, private, and sub-domains).

Once you create an account on Kodingen, you are able to make use of all the available features.  And it quickly becomes clear that Kodingen is more than just your typical online coding editor.  The main features currently available include:

• Your own sub-domain on the Kodingen site where all your files and websites are located.
• Add additional sub-domains as required.
• Make use of four different online code editors within the site (Ace, Bespin, CodeMirror and YMacs).
• 1-click installation – you can install and configure a number of open source applications and platforms, including WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.
• Able to use a personal FTP drive on your personal sub-domain to upload files.
• Manage external FTP drives from your Kodingen account.
• Create multiple MySQL database instances.
• Upload existing web sites and files, and backup and download your work on the site.

All of the above are freely available, and the Kodingen team has promised that these features will be permanently available.  As the site is currently in Beta, a number of additional features are still not available.  These include:

• Support of common web frameworks such as Ruby on Rails and Django.
• Add your own domains and manage them from Kodingen.
• Create and manage teams with other users to build web applications together.
• Support for SqLite and Postgres databases.
• Create and control SVN repositories (including Git and Mercurial).
• The ability to buy additional disk space, bandwidth, domains and sub-domains, databases and FTP drives as require, using various monthly plans.
• Add external code editors.

When the site does reach a full version 1.0 release, some of the above features will obviously be used to generate income to support the rest of the site.  The ethos of the site is to generate revenue from companies whilst keeping basic features free for developers.

What is it like to use?

The site is built on open source technologies, and has its own custom backend (KFM) that allows Kodingen to server over 10000 web sites from a single server.  Kodingen’s frontend is built on using the HTML5 canvas element, and is heavily optimized, resulting in an extremely fast, intuitive site to use.

To help you get started, there are a number of useful video tutorials.  When creating or modifying a code file, you have a choice of the four common open source web editors (Ace, Bespin, CodeMirror and YMacs).  The editors are fast and responsive, and you can view the resulting web page in either the Kodingen application, or in a separate browser window.  There is currently no integration with a version control system, but this has been promised for future releases.  There is also no code completion, so the code editors are more bare bones efforts compared to the usual desktop IDEs.  But as a developer, I’m very impressed.

There is a strong ‘social coding’ theme in Kodingen (use of personal profiles, ability to message one another, groups so that developers working on similar projects can interact with each other) which will only increase with the release of the team collaboration feature.

For the enterprise, there are a couple of major omissions.  It is not possible to use Kodingen with any version of Internet Explorer due to that browser’s lack of adherence to web standards, and lack of support for HTML5.  Also the current lack of support for Java and .NET, two major languages used in the Enterprise, will prevent many large companies from adopting Kodingen.  But this isn’t a major surprise – Kodingen has definitely been built by developers for other developers.

CodeRun

When you first open the CodeRun IDE in a browser, you’re struck by how similar it is to Microsoft’s Visual Studio.  The layout and menus of the CodeRun IDE will be familiar to any .NET developer.

This is not an accident.  The CodeRun IDE was designed to deliver a familiar development experience in the cloud, using the web browser.  This is to allow developers to focus on programming, rather than administrating complex configurations for development and deployment.

The CodeRun IDE supports ASP.NET web projects (Web Form,  MVC and Silverlight using C#), JavaScript development and PHP, but the majority of the features are designed to support .NET development (the CodeRun IDE is built using ASP.NET).

CodeRun allows you to upload existing projects, or create a new project using the predefined project templates.  The projects can be edited, and then compiled and ran in the browser.  Each project runs in a separate sandbox, but for a cost, you can deploy your project to a cloud hosting solution supplied by CodeRun.   The CodeRun IDE supports applications using both SQL Server 2005 and Amazon SimpleDB.

Other features include:

• Syntax colouring and code completion.
• Code compilation for .NET applications, with standard console output and error message support.
• Debugging that allows for the use of breakpoints, to watch items and inspect the call stack.
• Share code with others via a unique link.
• All code is private by default and can only be accessed by the logged in user, though you may publish the code if you wish to make it public, and you can also mark the project as open source.

Costs

The CodeRun IDE is a free service.  The optional cloud based hosting provided by CodeRun starts at $10 per month, rising to a maximum of $169 per month

What is like to use?

The CodeRun IDE is intuitive to use, and you soon learn to treat it as a cut-down version of Microsoft’s Visual Studio.  When coding, its performance is reasonable, though you occasionally notice a time lag in the AJAX enabled code completion feature.   Another nag is the lack of a toolbar for dragging and dropping web controls onto a web form.  Whilst it is derided by some developers, it is a major productivity feature in Visual Studio for the majority of its users.

A major disadvantage to the CodeRun IDE is that it does not support the use of third party code libraries.  This applies both to projects created in the IDE itself, and to projects initially created in Visual Studio and later uploaded to CodeRun.  The only way to include additional code libraries to the default selection provided by CodeRun is to add the source code to the CodeRun project.  This obviously prevents the use of closed source code libraries.

A further hindrance to adoption by an enterprise is the lack of integration with other cloud based services.  I would have expected to see some integration with online bug tracking and source control systems, such as Microsoft’s Team Foundation Server (TFS) or Github/BitBucket.

The main selling point of CodeRun IDE is the ability to run and deploy .Net code from your browser.  But several other cloud providers allow you to deploy to cloud based hosting from desktop IDEs like Visual Studio.  Indeed, CodeRun also provide a Visual Studio extension to allow developers to deploy their own cloud hosting.  It would also be nice to see additional support for databases.  CodeRun should provide the ability for developers to create and use new hosted SQL Server instances from within the IDE – this is currently not possible.

CodeRun’s lack of integration for third party services, and the fact that third party code libraries cannot be used, means that the IDE is not a realistic development platform for the Enterprise. It is a useful tool for developers trying out code snippets, or experimenting with new technologies.  I can certainly see myself using CodeRun again, but Microsoft’s Visual Studio has nothing to fear.