[News] Servoy announces Servoy 2.2

This hit my inbox today. Some of my favorite features:

• modules (multiple developers, encapsulate functionality)
• headless client (universal deployment of Servoy client to browsers, pda's, phones, etc.)
• trigger methods across solutions
• retrieve bean images
• dynamic tab panels (watch out for some crazy interfaces now!)
• pdf forms plugin (store as blobs, automatic write back to database from client)
• lot's of server functionality added
• all kinds of development functions added

I have been using Servoy since practically the alpha days. With this release, I feel that there is no limit to what I can do. If you want to be blown away by possibilities, do yourself a favor and check Servoy out. Then let me know if there is anything, anywhere -- that you think is better. I'd be interested in checking that tool out!

Official press release:

SERVOY LOWERS TOTAL COST OF DEVELOPMENT AND OWNERSHIP OF DATABASE APPLICATIONS WITH NEW RELEASE

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands. - June 21, 2005 - Servoy BV today announced the immediate availability of Servoy 2.2 (https://secure.servoy.com), their namesake database interface development and deployment environment. Servoy 2.2 delivers greatly enhanced performance; availability and scalability; and offers more than 200 new and improved features and functions.

Servoy 2.2 introduces module-based development, extensive PDF support and Servoy Headless Client which allows development and deployment of browser and PDA-based applications with very little effort.

With module-based development, Servoy allows developers to re-use their forms and business logic in multiple solutions with just a few clicks. Developers and customers can also enhance the functionality of off-the- shelf Servoy-based products developed by third parties with their own custom modules.

Michael Frishkorn of Efonds24: "With Servoy 2.2's module-based development, we were able to combine an off-the-shelf Servoy based CRM product from Dr. Maison & Partner and enhance its functionality with customized forms, reports and functions created by our internal IT department. Module-based development also keeps us compatible with future releases of the off-the-shelf product, while allowing us to keep our custom code. We also use Servoy 2.2's Headless Client to integrate our website with Servoy: if a new customer signs up through the website, his/her data is immediately visible to the people working with the back-office application."

Servoy's Headless Client allows developers to create browser and PDA-based applications. These applications can re-use existing business logic without re-writing any of the underlying code. The Headless Client is accessed via standard JSP pages and can be hosted by the included Apache Tomcat web server - or by any other web server that supports JSP.

Choices Software, Inc. (www.acords.com) specializes in solutions for the insurance industry, with over 15,000 property-casualty insurance agents and insurance companies using their software. Recently, Choices Software upgraded their existing solution to offer browser and PDA functionality. Dean Westover, President of Choices states: "We love Servoy! The combination of the easy-to-use programming environment and the effortless deployment model have allowed us to provide a better product for our 15,000+ users and an easier product for us to maintain and enhance. In less than one week we were able to create a version of our application that runs in web browsers and even on PDA's. Our customers can now use our application from anywhere, even if they do not have a PC with them. Not only were we impressed by the speed at which we could develop a browser based application, but also by the fact that we could re-use existing business logic without any rewriting of code. Servoy 2.2 saves a great deal of time in both development and maintenance of our application and allows us to grow our business even further with its enhanced capabilities."

Servoy 2.2 also introduces a new set of PDF plugins and beans that offer very tight integration of PDF forms with Servoy applications and SQL databases. Any Servoy form can now be printed to a PDF document; a PDF bean is available for rendering the contents of a PDF file inside a Servoy application; and a PDF forms plugin allows data to flow from the database into the form and back using a single web service URL. Developers and end users can save any PDF form in a database and then allow customers to fill in the data and click a "Submit" button. Servoy will place all the form's data into the backend database without any programming. There is no need to update programming every time a document version changes, or form fields are added or removed - the PDF form plugin handles all the data-mapping chores automatically. The PDF plugin package, shipping with Servoy 2.2 at no additional charge, enhances Servoy's advanced document management and workflow application capabilities.

Additional Servoy 2.2 enhancements include: greatly increased performance; support for Mac OS X Tiger; POP and aPOP email support; email attachment support for outgoing messages; and many other new programming features designed to increase productivity and lower the total cost of software development and deployment.

"I have found that Servoy has taken SQL database development to a whole new level: it is not just an improvement in degree, it is a revolutionary tool. says John Allen, Software Developer for the Division of Oncology in the Department of Medicine at Stanford University. "The ability to develop and deploy across all platforms, to connect simply and simultaneously to multiple SQL databases from different vendors and to offer the end user the kind of rich, controlled interface that simply can't be done using a web browser is a big breakthrough. Here at Stanford, we need to be able to interact with different databases (Oracle, Sybase and MS SQL Server) and integrate them in the same solution, the same form and/or the same report. One of the best things about Servoy in my mind is its scalability. This is true not only in terms of the size of your solution but in every way: if you want to develop and deploy something rapidly, Servoy will do this beautifully. If you want to develop a very sophisticated solution involving multiple data entry screens and custom reporting for different users and groups, Servoy will handle that seamlessly and with a fraction of the development time. Servoy will scale to the sophistication of your developers as well as to the size of your solution - without breaking your budget."

Pricing and Availability

Servoy 2.2 is a free upgrade for all users with a subscription license and for 2.1.x users that have purchased their license on or after January 1, 2005. For all other users, the upgrade price is $259 for Servoy Developer and $129 per Servoy Client (concurrent) license. Upgrades are available directly from Servoy at their online store (https://secure.servoy.com) or from Servoy Resellers.

A free trial of Servoy 2.2 for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Solaris can be downloaded from: http://developer.servoy.com.

About eFonds24

eFonds24 GmbH (www.eFonds24.de) is the leading financial service provider in the closed-end funds market, offering services to more than 3000 partners in Germany and Austria.