IT, an alternative to conventional programming

IT, an alternative to conventional programming

Vishnu K. Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta

There once was a time when Information Technology (IT) belonged
to the elite.

Needed to computerize your catalog system? You had to call in
a programmer. Did the company require a new database system? Get
a database specialist. Did you want to integrate all the
departmental functions into a single computer system that could
cater to their individual needs? Buy Enterprise Resource Planning
(ERP) software.

Back then, creating custom-made computer applications required
a computer science degree, hard-core coding skills and knowledge
of some of the world's most complicated computer programming
languages. Industrial programs were expensive, frequently hard to
maintain, used difficult command line interfaces and required
state of the art hardware that would become obsolete within a few
years.

That was before the Internet age.

Nowadays, applications can utilize popular yet easy to use
graphical user interfaces (GUI) with a mouse. Accessing data is
now as simple as logging onto a website, pointing and clicking.
The price of computer hardware has dropped, and software is now
easier to install and maintain. But there is still the perception
that custom-made software is extremely expensive to create.

With advances in technology come new computer programming
languages and techniques that make it easier, faster and less
expensive to make software. Instead of making an application
using conventional programming, companies can instead use
Internet Technology.

"Conventional" applications are usually created by programmers
using high-level languages such as C++. The application then has
to be installed on each computer in a network for it to talk to
the main server (if applicable) to share files and data. Staff
members would need to be trained in the sometimes archaic
commands of the program to complete their tasks.

Internet Technology uses the various client-server
associations that are already used online. Proven and tested by
millions, Web technology has evolved from creating a simple
homepage showcasing your hobbies to running multinational
businesses, both on the front side (for their clients) and back
end (for their internal business processes).

Instead of installing and executing a program on every
computer, users simply fire up their favorite Web browser and
access the application via the network. Users' logins can be
customized and retain all their data because all information is
stored on the central server, not individual machines. Thus,
people can be more mobile in accessing and manipulating their
data.

There are multiple benefits to using Web technology. No longer
do you require new (read expensive) hardware for your users, as
any legacy computer (of any type, brand and operating system)
with a network card and an Internet browser will do. The
application is easy to use as most people are familiar with the
graphical Web interface of menus, fill-in forms and hyperlinks.

The Web-based application is hosted on a central server that
can be backed up and stored in a different location for Disaster
Recovery. It is faster to correct any program errors and add new
features since the application is on the server. Change the code
on the server and users will immediately see the changes without
having to reinstall any programs.

In short, nearly everything conventional software can do,
Internet-based technology can also do.

For example, take an educational institution. It compiles
information from a variety of sources, mostly paper forms and
files from the filing cabinet. Instead of having students fill in
the blanks, they could simply walk up to a public terminal on
campus (or via the Internet) to enter their information online,
and obtain a printout for their school to approve.

Academic administrators could keep track of their students and
finances while lecturers could print out their schedules, grades
and assignments, all using an Internet-like e-campus application.

Treating the application as a website, the application program
can also be expanded (add new features and modules) "on the fly",
so no downtime is required.

There are of course limitations to Web-based technology, such
as the restrictions of an application due to the complexity of
the business process it hopes to emulate. But Internet Technology
should be considered the next time a company is in the market for
a new system.

There are many talented IT companies in Indonesia that can
design and create an application faster and considerably cheaper
with Web-based technologies then with conventional software.

And if you have time, you could probably do it yourself! Grab
a book, learn a bit of HTML, Javascript, Active Server Pages
(ASP) or Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) so you too can create your
own software. It doesn't have to be complicated. Even the
simplest of Web programs can get the job done.