Frequently Asked Questions

Visitors to the BlackWasp web site often have questions that they submit using the contact form. Although I attempt to answer all questions quickly, there can sometimes be delays. Common questions and their answers will be added to this page occasionally to try to avoid any such delays.

Author

Who writes the articles for the BlackWasp web site?

All of the articles, tutorials and source code examples have been written by me, Richard Carr, a software developer from the United Kingdom who creates primarily web, WPF, Silverlight and mobile applications using mainly Microsoft technologies.

I used to be a consultant for delivering Novell Netware and then moved into software training and production of learning materials before becoming a full-time developer in 1997. You can see my ugly mug in the photograph to the right (sorry about that).

BlackWasp Materials

Can I use the source code from an article in my software project?

Yes. The source code on the BlackWasp web site is provided on a free-of-charge basis for use in development projects. You may use the source code from an article, or that which you download using a link from an article, in your own personal or commercial projects. However, you must not publish the source code as part of your own article or other document in any format.

Can I Create a Copy of an Article on my Web Site or Blog?

No. The copyright for all articles remains the property of BlackWasp. You may, of course, add links from your own pages to the article on the BlackWasp web site.

Is the information on the web site available in an eBook format?

No. The web site is funded through advertising revenue, which could be adversely affected by publishing the articles in other formats. Without this funding the web site may need to be closed. This position may change in the future if a suitable funding model can be designed that readers find acceptable.

How can I stay up to date with new BlackWasp articles?

Links to new articles are published via Twitter, Facebook and the RSS feed shortly after the article becomes available.

Technology

What technologies is the BlackWasp web site built upon?

As you might expect from a web site that is focussed upon Microsoft technologies, the site is built using ASP.NET. The site uses custom code for most elements, all developed using C#. Some elements of the site use freely available web-based services. These include:

• FreeFind. This on-line service provides the search facility for the BlackWasp web site. Free and chargeable versions are available. The free version has a limitation on the size of the index that may be created.
• Site Uptime. This on-line service is used to monitor the BlackWasp web site and alert should the site become unavailable. Free and chargeable versions are available. The free version has a limitation on the number of web sites that may be monitored.
• Google Adsense. Google Adsense is used to display advertisements on the BlackWasp web site pages. These adverts generate a small amount of income that helps pay for the site's hosting costs.