What is the Parabase Web-Order-System?
Can I see a real world application?
Is all information on the web-site?
What does it cost?
Where is it made?
Do you sell to our competition?
What about the design and layout?
How does the design work?
Search Engines?
How flexible is the system?
Can I import my existing data into the system?
Do I need to re-key orders into my accounting system?
How much time is involved in setting up this system?
I want to host this system at an ISP. Is this possible?
Is there any limit to the amount of data or number of items?
Is there a limit to the number of requests the system can handle?
What if I need more speed?
Can I host multiple companies on one server?
I need online credit card payments. Is this possible?
What database / system is used by the system?
What if I need access to the database?
What is take on Microsoft?
I want more functions than you offer. Can I get modifications?
I need more advice, and would like to talk to a specialist. Can you help?
 

The system is a web-based application platform that includes an industrial strength database, a programming language, a complete order entry and workflow application.

Can I see a real world application?

Sure. But remember: If you order from this site - it is a real world appliation - it will be processed.

ResearchPaperLibrary.Com is one application of our system. It enables visitors to search and order from a catalog of approx. 20,000 documents, which are nested in a quite sophisticated manner. The system also incorporates backend order processing functionality.

Is all information on the web-site?

We understand that customers need some consulting (in or outhouse) in order to use and benefit from complex software.

A web site can do much, and we hope to provide enough information for you to judge if it makes sense to talk to us.

However, a web site can never solve your problem. (Hint from our marketing: Stop looking around - Start solving your problem - The phone or an e-mail with a little info about you is the good starting point!)

What does it cost?

The Web-Order-System priced like other commerical accounting or workflow software. Our software is not GPL, nor do we expect to sell this software as-is without modifications.

It is difficult to provide our level of service to you without a budget of at least US $10,000.

Where is it made?

Our software is developed in Vancouver (Canada) and Munich (Germany). We have a policy not to develop offshore.

Do you sell to our competition?

Since our software provides you with a competitive advantage in your marketplace, we understand that you want to be protected.

Depending on the size of your market, we generally follow the policy not to sell your solution to your competition.

However, you need to be able to define "your" competition and "your" market, because we are not able to exclude all people who sell online, for example.

What about the design and layout?

Web-Designs that are full flexible, highly functional, easiest to modify and fit every customer are also something WE DREAM about.

However, reality is, it does not exist.

Easy changes are easy - Difficult changes are difficult.

How does the design work?

The design works in 3 steps:

1. The system offers a maximum choice of all screens and functions.
2. The user takes this maximum and selects and reorders the fields and functions he likes. He can blend program parts into the generated output.
3. The whole program output is parsed for program parts, and modified accordingly. Parts that came from user interaction are NOT parsed.

Note: It is also possible to write your own pages with database interaction from scratch.

Search Engines?

Yes. But we don't want to talk about this here.

How flexible is the system?

Since the program can include custom programs, there is hardly anything the system can not do. The program flow can also be controlled by database fields.

Can I import my existing data into the system?

Sure. The system has a very powerful Import/Export module, that easily imports all information required. The best method is with Microsoft Excel, which allows you to manipulate thousands of items at one time [we tried 11,000 and it was no problem]. Almost all commercial accounting packages can export in Excel format.

Do I need to re-key orders into my accounting system?

No. The system can export received orders in the format of your accounting package. Presently, QuickBooks and ASCII-tab delimited format is possible. Other formats can be added upon request.

How much time is involved in setting up this system?

The basic system is very easy to setup. However, any modifications, design and integration issues do take time.

I want to host this system at an ISP. Is this possible?

Hosting policies are different from ISP to ISP.

Most ISPs will require you to use a dedicated server. ADSL works fine if you have only a limited traffic and a "reliable" neighborhood.

We are also able to offer our project clients web hosting, which allows using the system on a shared server. However, this is not our primary field of business.

Is there any limit to the amount of data or number of items?

Yes, but if you are like most companies, this limit will not affect to you.

In case it should affect you, we are sure that we'll find a way a around it.

Is there a limit to the number of requests the system can handle?

The system has a VERY FAST application server at its core.

Our unique server design can serve dynamic pages faster than Apache can serve "SSI" parsed static pages.

A fast server should be able to process 50 pages per second (=180,000 pages per hour, or 4.3 million pages per day, pages without additional graphics). This would translate to around 250 concurrent users [one request every 5 seconds].

This makes the system an optimal choice for "pizza-box" (1U) computer systems.

The system also profits from each additional processor, since most of the user interaction is handled by independent processes or multi-threaded.

What if I need more speed?

We have the experience to add a cluster solution (load balancing) on top of the current system (at the presentation level). We could also introduce a second layer of caching Application Servers. This gives the system practically unlimited growth potential.

Can I host multiple companies on one server?

Yes. Basically you have 2 choices, either run all companies under one Application Server process [and one database], or run one Application Server process for each company. You can also mix these options.

I need online credit card payments. Is this possible?

Sure, whatever you like.

Our server can do "SSL POST" and can be very easily adapted to whatever payment service provider there is. We currently support CyperCash CashRegister and Nova's ViaKlix. Our system is also able to charge credit cards for your "phone orders". AVS systems (address verification) is supported (needs support from your merchant service provider).

What database / system is used by the system?

The application is mostly programmed in portable C++, the user interface is a mix of server based C++ and Web-Box (which is programmed in C++). The user interface is in "pure" HTML (server side implementation), the control screens for the workflow functionality use extensive "JavaScript".

The digital library uses OpenSSL, the mail interface either "sendmail" or "postfix".

The database is the Web-Box engine (programmed in C++), which is a real time database implementation, developed and already used in highly available industrial process control systems. It offers a technical breaktrough.

We own the full rights (and have the source code) to the everything we use. We plan to do so in the future. You (with us as a partner) will have full control over pricing, licensing, quality and response time.

Our system will provide you with the most efficient technology that is available today.

What if I need access to the database?

First, you have always the possibility to import/export the database from the server at any time. Real time access is also possible with Web-Box based web applications. C++ access is possible on a per project basis.

What is your take on Microsoft?

If you like it, we fully support their technology. However, our policy is not to push MS-only technology, because we understand ourselves as YOUR partner - not Microsoft's partner.

If you choose us, you'll retain your freedom of choice when it comes to the operating system. (Isn't that something?)

I want more functions than you offer. Can I get modifications?

Sure. Just tell us what you need, and we'll come up with a price.

I need more advice, and would like to talk to a specialist. Can you help?

Sure - Click here for our Contact Form

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