Application developers are today being driven to change for many of the same reasons they are always driven to change - users want new features, business models and methodologies are changing, there are new languages and frameworks, and new architectures. So, the race is on to improve development; to make it easier, faster and to bring users closer to it. Keith Fenner, Strategic Sales Director, Softline Accpac, says the time for traditional software companies to adopt Web application technologies and business practices is now.
The advent of Web 2.0 has put developers at a critical juncture with Web site performance. The majority of all new application projects use Rich Internet Application (RIA) technologies such as Ajax, which is also getting a lot of attention from the developer community as a new technology to deliver SOA-enabled composite applications. This confirms that the need to test RIA technologies is more important than ever.
"The Web is already the platform for doing business efficiently and quickly," Fenner says. "As the penetration of high-speed and broadband Internet access increases, Web technologies continue to evolve to deliver new user experiences and increased application utility. The Rich Internet Application is another step in that evolutionary process. Nowadays these richer user-experiences are being implemented with technologies such as Flash, Ajax, and Java, using standard Internet and Web protocols."
He says the Google Web Toolkit (GWT) has attracted a lot of attention lately as a way to make it easier for developers to add Ajax Web 2.0 features to their applications. The recently launched GWT 1.5 produces code faster than ever and delivers performance gains big enough for end-users to notice. Google says the trick is in the deep in-lining, better dead code elimination and other forms of enhanced static analysis.
Softline Accpac will in the near future be using Java and the GWT to develop its user interface programmes as native zero footprint browser independent Web screens. "For this environment we will be using the Eclipse IDE. Other Java development environments can be used, but all the samples will be for Eclipse. We will then be using related open source tools like Nant and JUnit," Fenner says.
Like other approaches, the designers of GWT have tried to insulate developers from having to deal with the underlying JavaScript, which implements these features. GWT achieves this goal of simplifying the creation of advanced client-side JavaScript widgets by generating them from Java code.
Eclipse software provides an avenue for combining several tools in a single application. A programmer could, for example, use a code editor in conjunction with a testing tool from the same front-end interface. Fenner says the availability of many Eclipse plug-ins, and the fact that developers can download Eclipse free, has helped fuel the adoption of Eclipse with Java developers and Java software companies.
"To stay ahead of their game, developers need to create applications virtually on demand for immediate use," Fenner concludes. "To achieve this, they need to completely revamp and revitalise their approach to applications development. Another challenge facing developers is the advances in mobile computing. Innovation is, therefore, a key component of application development, in addition to helping to drive the customer`s competitive edge."
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Softline Accpac
Softline Accpac is a global provider of business management solutions including financial, distribution, service management, retail, warehouse management, manufacturing and CRM to the mid-range market. Its solutions are delivered to 130 countries exclusively through its global network of solution providers including over 150 throughout Africa. Softline Accpac`s product line includes: Accpac ERP, Accpac CRM, Accpac RMS, Accpac Warehouse Management System and Accpac Insight.
Softline
Softline is a leading provider of accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions to small, medium-sized and large companies. Founded in 1988 by Ivan Epstein, Alan Osrin and Steven Cohen, Softline was established during the formative years of the software industry and listed on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa in February 1997. Softline expanded to establish a strong position within its area of focus in South Africa and Australia. Focused on the development of accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions, Softline has a 20-year track record as a market leader. The group has a broad range of products, offering users a variety of software solutions to run their businesses efficiently. Softline`s leading brands include Softline Accpac, Softline Enterprise, Softline Pastel (Accounting and Payroll) and Softline VIP. The combination of the group`s product offerings provide Softline customers with comprehensive, well-branded accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions. In November 2003, Softline was acquired by the Sage Group, a FTSE 100 company. The software group includes market-leading businesses throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, South Africa and Australia, supplying business software to the small, medium-sized and large business community. Softline has a solid track record of profitability and cash generation. The group delivers quality accounting, payroll, CRM and ERP software solutions that improve the efficiencies of businesses around the world.
Sage
The Sage Group plc is a leading global supplier of business management software solutions and related products and services, principally for small to medium-sized enterprises. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989. Sage has more than five million customers and approximately 14 500 employees worldwide. It operates in over 26 countries covering the UK, Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia, India and China. For further information please visit http://www.sage.com.
Sage ERP X3
Sage ERP X3 is a solution designed specifically for mid-size and large businesses. With over 2 300 customers world-wide, Sage ERP X3 is a mature solution specifically targeted at companies with 50 to 2 000 employees working in the fields of manufacturing, services and distribution.
Sage ERP X3, which is based on the SAFE X3 (Sage Application Framework for the Enterprise) development and integration platform, common to the other Sage solutions (CRM, FRP, WMS, HR), enables automation of business processes and skills specificities, in compliance with legal and normative aspects. This modular and preconfigured powerful solution allows for advanced customisations and embeds several interactive Sage visual processes. Sage ERP X3 is a solution which is easy to use, fast to implement and cost effective.
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