12.14.07
Posted in Caspio Bridge, Database, Web Applications at 9:55 am by Frank Zamani
ABC News “20/20″ today launched a Caspio-powered interactive database that allows you to see just how much stuff goes missing every year from luggage at your local airport. The special interactive, “Lost & Looted from Luggage,” chronicles the tens of thousands of passenger belongings that have been looted and lost from luggage using data obtained from the federal Transportation Security Administration. The database is available online and will be featured in the special ABC News “20/20″ segment, “Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity about Travel,” that airs tonight (December 14, 2007) at 10 p.m..
If you missed it on TV, check it out here.
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08.24.07
Posted in Caspio Bridge, Database, Microsoft Access, Web Applications, consultants at 1:35 am by Frank Zamani
Many companies have aging internal applications that are built on Microsoft Access. There is tremendous appeal in making these applications web-based so they can be accessed from outside the office.
Caspio provides the fastest and easiest way to transform Access applications into web-based applications:
- The Caspio Bridge user interface is designed to be familiar to Access users.
- Access data can be imported directly into Caspio Bridge.
- Caspio’s wizards for creating DataPages (i.e. web forms, searchable databases and other components for web sites) are designed to be easy to follow and intuitive.
- Caspio’s plugin for Microsoft Office can keep a local Access database in synch with your online Caspio account.
Most importantly, Caspio’s Solution Advisors are very familiar with Access-to-web migrations and are ready to provide assistance and consultation.
Consultants specialized in Microsoft Access solutions find Caspio a powerful complementary addition to their toolbox.
The 100% AJAX web-based user interface of Caspio Bridge is designed to be intuitive for Microsoft Access users.
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04.12.07
Posted in Caspio Bridge, Database, Web Applications at 12:05 am by Frank Zamani
The number one reason for creating web apps is to make money, directly or indirectly. For online publishers advertising revenues are a big part of the business and increasing visitors and page views is a sure way to improve the bottom line.
Provided that you have a semi-interesting set of data, the design of your DataPage directly affects its ability to generate page views. Consider the following techniques to maximize traffic:
1. Don’t make me think
Long and complex search forms are a kiss of death. They intimidate me. They may be great for research, to find a single record in a massive database, but a fun and interactive “consumer” database should have a simple search form. I don’t have a lot of time or energy to learn a new interface. Make it easy for me.
2. My hand stays on my mouse
Limit your search forms to clickable controls like dropdowns and checkboxes. If you want me to have fun with your database and try different searches again and again, don’t make me work hard. Don’t force me to take my hand off of my mouse and type in some words in a text field. Besides, I could be tired or spelling-challenged, which ruins the whole search.
3. I can’t drink from a fire hose
Don’t dump your entire database on me. That’s no fun for me. Give me my search results in small doses, like 20 or 25 records at a time. Let me discover more by paging through your database. Remember, every new page is an opportunity to show me more ads.
4. Engage me!
Show me just enough to make me want more. Then take me to the detail page of your record for the whole story. If you show me all you have in the search results page, I have no reason to dig deeper. Also, don’t expect me to know where to click. Make it clear.
5. Design sells
Just because it’s a database it doesn’t have to look like one. Give your data a nice layout and color scheme and add interactivity with integrated maps, reader feedback, and rating.
6. Make me look smart
Give me an easy way to send the address of this page to my friends and family. Show me how to bookmark this page and alert me when you update this database or bring another one online.
Benchmark your current performance so you can measure the results you get by applying these techniques. Everything mentioned here is easily possible with Caspio Bridge. If not sure how, ask our friendly solution advisors.
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02.05.07
Posted in Caspio Bridge, Small Business, Web Applications at 10:48 am by Frank Zamani
Choosing not to “program” your next software project might be a very smart decision. Here is why:
1. Time to market
Writing code one line at a time is not the fastest way of bringing a new idea to life. Companies using Caspio Bridge see at least 80% reduction in their app development timeline when using Caspio Bridge. For IT department it’s time that can be devoted to other tasks. For business manager it’s good business practice and faster deployment. And for independent consultants it’s pure profit.
2. Improved quality
Crafting code is half art and half science. It is error prone the same way it can be ingenious. On the other hand, auto-generated apps are consistent day after day. As the same system generates large number of apps everyday, it receives a level of scrutiny and utilization that custom apps rarely get. As a result potential problems are identified and addressed quickly ensuring high quality and reliability standards.
3. Ease of change
The most dreaded task in the software development profession is changing someone else’s old and usually undocumented code. In many cases it’s easier to rewrite the program again than to change it. In contrast, changing Caspio Bridge apps is through the same wizards used to create the app in the first place. All previous selections are preserved and can be easily tweaked and modified.
Not all app categories are a good match for Caspio Bridge capabilities, however many are. If in doubt, let our trained solution advisors help you decide whether your project can benefit from Caspio’s app creation platform.
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01.28.07
Posted in Caspio Bridge, Database, Web Applications at 11:12 pm by Frank Zamani
If you have created anything other than simple web forms, chances are that you have felt the need to send information from one DataPage to the next DataPage. In Caspio Bridge 5.0, due for release soon, we have introduced the concept of Relational DataPages through parameters.
In DataPage wizards you will have “on load” and “on exit” options for all fields. With “on load” you can assign a static value or a parameter to the field. With “on exit” you get to pass the field to the next DataPage.
Parameters along with other features built in Caspio Bridge version 5.0 make it possible to create one-to-many relationships in your apps, without programming.
For instance, you could create a customer details screen showing standard customer information from the “customers” table plus a history of each of their calls from the “call_log” table. Furthermore, you could add a “call log form” to this page in such a way that every new submission is automatically stamped with the customer id.
By default parameters are internal to Caspio Bridge DataPages, however, you will also have the option of passing or receiving parameters through query string values. This way you can integrate Caspio Bridge apps with external apps and web sites.
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01.17.07
Posted in Caspio Bridge, Database, Uncategorized, Web Applications at 8:40 pm by Frank Zamani
We are in the final stages of the release of Caspio Bridge 5.0. This release is packed with a long list of new features and user interface enhancements. I will begin discussing some of these features here in my upcoming posts.
Our development team will be opening this release for a brief beta period. If you are interested to check your DataPages and apps in version 5.0, sign up to participate in the beta program.
This is how the beta program is going to work. We will copy an image of your account to our beta servers. Your original account remains intact and will continue to serve your applications. The copied account will be upgraded to Caspio Bridge 5.0 and you will be able to sign in and verify your applications and try the new features. Your beta account is for testing and verification purposes only and at the end of the beta program it will be erased. We will have no provision to move anything from your beta accounts to your permanent account.
All standard Caspio Bridge DataPages will continue to work as before after this upgrade. With the beta program you will have the chance of ensuring your customizations are compatible with the new release.
The beta program is open to all regular accounts (no Trial and SOHO).
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10.20.06
Posted in Database, Entrepreneur, Small Business, Web Applications at 6:33 pm by Frank Zamani
At Caspio, we come across many small businesses that either don’t have a web presence at all or are not satisfied with what they have. I have a seven-step guide to help the small company move its business online. It shows how to business-enable a small company web site.
- Setup a web site. Go with a brand-name hosting company but initially select the most basic package. You can always upgrade.
- Use your web host’s site builder. If their’s is not that great, check out Site Kreator which works with all web hosting services. Unless you are a web designer, don’t even attempt at designing a web site. Go with a pre-designed template without being too picky. Instead put your effort on your site’s content. Make it action oriented so people want to buy from you or contact you. Remember your site is your least expensive salesperson but can do wonders.
- Start doing business on your site. If you’re selling hard products, setup a catalog and shopping cart. You may need to upgrade your hosting package to get a shopping cart. If you sell services or capture leads, use Caspio Bridge to collect inquiries in a web-based database. We have a few ready-made apps that may fit the bill just fine. Give our support people a call.
- Don’t stop there. Use Caspio Bridge to track and follow up with your leads. Our light CRM app supports unlimited users. Plus, it’s totally customizable. This CRM will be the basis of your own Intranet where you and your employees access company databases. A free Caspio Bridge SOHO package includes both items 3 and 4 at no cost.
- Use Caspio Bridge to setup additional services for your customers, such as order status/tracking, support and service inquiries. Understand that you can offer great customer service through your web site to save yourself time and money while keeping your customers informed and happy.
- Generate traffic. Use SEO and keyword advertising. But even more important, make sure your web site address is on all your material, including traditional ads, direct mail, business cards, letterheads, etc.
- Give it time. It will take a while for your web site to take off. Have patience. Use it as your business tool and look at it as the focal point of your customer activity. Keep it fresh and up to date. This will ensure you continue building and improving it, which ultimately serves your customers.
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