ColdFusion 8.0 added the ability to specify a “validation query” that will be run every time a connection is reused in a connection pool. This is useful in cases where database servers or firewalls sometimes drop connections without warning, as it causes a new connection to be made to the database server for the [...]

If you’re using ColdFusion to access BLOBs stored in a Sybase server, you may have a problem.  Apparently, Sybase severely limits the timeframe wherein you’re allowed to retrieve the actual binary data, which is supposed to be available until the end of the current transaction.  ColdFusion doesn’t pull the backing binary data immediately, and when [...]

I just downloaded the latest extJS 2.0.1 zip file and unzipped it into a web folder. When I went to go look at the examples I got a “403 Forbidden” error from Apache. I figured it must have been some odd security setting on the files. So I compared the security settings on the files that [...]

I just bought a new laptop after working on an Dell m700 for 2 1/2 years. No real reason, I just figured it was time to upgrade. I bought another Dell, an XPS 1330. So far it’s slick. The downside? It ONLY comes with Vista. Just like you, I’ve heard nothing but bad things about [...]

Concepts People often think of SSL as a form of encryption. Strictly speaking, it’s not; SSL is a protocol or “cryptosystem” that uses existing encryption algorithms in a way that ensures privacy. To that end, SSL is not just about encryption; it’s also about authentication, ensuring that you’re connecting to the party you think [...]