We often talk in CFDJ about using ColdFusion and other technologies. While capable as a solution on its own for a lot of things, many large projects, and advanced developers, wind up combining ColdFusion/CFML with a number of other technologies. With articles covering lots of those options, we don't get much of a chance to see how all the pieces can fit together.

I recently helped create a document (see graphic to your right) for us to use internally here at SYS-CON. It roughly maps for our staff some of the relationships between the many i-technologies we cover. As you can see, it's not terribly detailed, and many of the circles could arguably be bigger or smaller, or moved around. While not perfect, it does help to show where we fit in the big picture.

To your right you can see Java, XML, Web services, .NET, WebSphere, WebLogic, PowerBuilder, Wireless, and my personal favorite (of course), ColdFusion. As we finished it up, something interesting began to emerge: ColdFusion's place in our overall landscape - almost directly in the middle! Running on top of WebSphere, and WebLogic (soon!), all on the Java platform, and with the new and updated XML/Web services/.NET integration, ColdFusion really now covers it all. It's a testament to the growing evolution of the application server, and to Macromedia's commitment to ColdFusion as a development platform.

Being in the middle isn't a bad place to be, and in these times of uncertain economic trends and a shaky IT market it becomes all the more attractive. It's good to be able to work with - and to list - a bit of everything on the ol' resume, along with the things you're an expert at. Now's the time to brush up on your ColdFusion skills...learn Java...keep up with the current trends in XML/Web services and Microsoft's .NET. The more marketable you and your skill set are, the safer your job will be. CFDJ and the new features of ColdFusion MX are here to help.

Speaking of ColdFusion MX, we took the plunge here at SYS-CON this week and upgraded our servers from CF5 to CFMX. The ride through migration wasn't without a few bumps (and a late night!), and we'll be covering those very soon in some articles written by the very helpful support folks over at Macromedia who helped us work out the kinks. We owe them both our lives and our Web site, so going behind the scenes there to walk through the most common migration troubles should be an interesting piece. Not to scare people off the upgrade process, we ended up with a notable increase in overall speed and query processing time once the upgrade was complete, as well as a host of new options.

One exciting CFDJ announcement I'd like to make is that Charlie Arehart and Ray Camden are now our official technical coeditors. They'll be checking and editing all articles for technical accuracy before they go to print so we can ensure that CFDJ meets the highest standards of both editorial and technical excellence. Welcome aboard, guys!