Database Engines and Data Tools
Microsoft SQL Server 2005
Microsoft (msdn.microsoft.com/sql)
Microsoft's Rick LaPlante
With the release of SQL Server 2005, Microsoft offers many new features and enhancements, starting with SQL Server Management Studio, the console for monitoring and managing the database, along with all services.
In the area of database development, the common language runtime (CLR) integration provides additional language options for creation of stored procedures, functions, and triggers in addition to Transact-SQL, which has also been enhanced. Other features include native XML data type, XQuery, Business Intelligence enhancements, database snapshots, partitioning tables and indexes, Service Broker architecture, SQL Management Objects (SMO), Security Model Enhancements, and 64-bit support, just to name a few.
—Kathy Small
Productivity Award Winners
Berkeley DB 4.4
Sleepycat Software (www.sleepycat.com)
Berkeley DB from Sleepycat Software (recently acquired by Oracle) is a C library, which implements a database engine that delivers a full range of database features, including ACID transactions, caching, and replication. Berkeley DB works with C, C++, Java, Perl, Python, PHP, Tcl, Ruby, and the like. Berkeley DB stores data in application native format, eliminating the need for mapping at the expense of sharing between applications.
—Scott W. Ambler
Google Maps API 2005
Google (www.google.com)
The Google Maps API makes a vast amount of mapping data available, enabling a new application platform for location-based services, and instead of providing simple data services as remote procedural calls or messaging services, Google Maps API integrates data services with compelling and reusable UI widgets. Finally, Google Maps API pioneers the use of AJAX in delivering data services.
—Michael Yuan
MySQL 5.0
MySQL (www.mysql.com)
MySQL 5 introduces features that deliver what you would expect in high-end products. Key to Version 5 is support for triggers, views, and stored procedures with their increased security and potential for improving database performance, which have garnered the most attention. MySQL 5 introduces server-side cursors, better mathematical precision, and two new storage engines.
—Robert A. DelRossi
