The last decade saw many people in my profession predicting the end of the desktop application. The web was the way forward they cried. Forget C and BASIC and embrace JavaScript ! It didn’t happen in the last decade and it won’t happen in this one either, the same as it didn’t happen in the 90’s with the ‘Network Computer’.

Some of us have instinctively known this and carried on developing native desktop applications regardless.

For me what finally proved the point beyond all doubt was the success of the Apple App Store. Here we have a store full of thousands of native applications, written in a proprietary object oriented version of the C language using proprietary libraries, for the iPhone and the iPad. iOS has come from nowhere to become a major new platform.

The app store gives extremely easy access to the purchase and installation of applications. This is one of the reasons for it’s success. I believe that ease of access and minimum installation hassles were the reason that web applications were, and in some cases are, so popular.

I believe people do not actually want to use a web application with all it’s inherent limitations; security, performance, interface, compatibility etc., but they are prepared to accept that rather than go through the tedious install and setup routines associated with so many native desktop applications.

My take on this simple. People like their computer with it’s speed and graphics, they would rather not run applications in a browser if it can be avoided. Give them powerful, Cross Platform, native desktop applications. Put the application locally and the data in ‘the cloud’.

Data belongs in the cloud, applications do not. The browser is not an attractive or appropriate environment in which to run software.

When I started Arten Science I decided that none of my software would need an installer. None of my software would modify the registry or otherwise mess with the configuration or internals of the operating system. You would be able to ‘install’ my software using drag and drop and you would be able to ‘uninstall’ it just as easily, by dragging it to the Trash.

There are many companies working on their own version of the app store, for example Bodega, which is great, but ease of purchase is just one reason for the success of the Apple app store. Ease of installation is the other. How many companies are working on that ?

My opinions are possibly controversial. However only through controversy and argument and discussion are barriers broken, standards changed and the future forged.

I welcome all feedback whether you support my argument or whether you think I’m nuts

RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker

Tags: Native, Cross Platform, ContaXCRM , Arten Science, Software Development

Here’s a new article I have written on the Arten Science Blog:

The Story of R10Cipher



RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker

Tags: Arten Science, Article, R10Cipher, Encryption

This is the latest advert for my Computer Consultancy Services with Arten Science. It focuses on the professionalism that’s a given when dealing with a Chartered IT Professional.

Click the Image to View Full Size



RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker

Tags: Arten Science, Computer Consultancy, IT Consultancy

To celebrate our move to FastSpring as our e-Commerce provider (and lets be honest - to increase revenue) you can now use the following Coupon Code during January only to gain an extra 25% discount off Arten Science Products:


ARTJAN25

The products that you can use this Coupon with are summarised below:

ContaX CRM
R10Office
R10Cipher
R10BatchMail
R10Clean
macVCR
MonitorMac

This code can be entered at the final stages of the Checkout process.

Happy Shopping



RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker

Tags: Arten Science, Coupon, Discount, Marketing, Promotion

R10Cipher, my Cross Platform File and Text Encryption Solution, recently received some great testimonials:

R10Cipher is simple, easy to use and powerful. It is the best encryption program for the Mac we have found. - Paul, OnTravel.Com


R10Cipher has been an excellent product for ensuring the safe and secure transmission of files in a cross platform environment. As an independent Strategy Consultant using Apple Mac, but with a client base using mostly PC platforms, I need to find a way to easily send sensitive market and financial data to clients with no hassle for my clients. R10Cipher does the job simply, easily, and with no problems at all, and causes no difficulties with clients firewalls. Enough said!... great product. - Peter M. Scott


For NetFoos I am lucky enough to travel around the USA and parts of Europe to bring live streaming foosball tournaments to the foosball community. For the live streaming there is a lot of information needed to keep the server running and secure. Now, while on the road with R10Cipher, receiving this information from the home office is much easier as we can simply encrypt and email it while feeling confident that our data remains private. Although we are constantly finding new uses for the software, this one capability has made R10Cipher a great investment for us. - Mark Winker, NetFoos.com


If you need to make company or private info available on a need to know basis, them R10Cipher is the tool for you. There are other encryption packages but I haven't found an easier to use cross platform software than this one.  - Paulo Pires


My Sony USB Microvault is so much easier than lugging my laptop through airport security, yet again. The nightmare of the lost or stolen USB stick is only too real, with the Staff Salary Reviews and the Acquisition Financials modeled in embarrassing detail.  I use R10Cipher for Mac as a simple and reliable way of exchanging financial models and private placement memorandums across platforms as well as for secure storage on my USB sticks and portable hard drives. Simple, reliable and easy to use. - Karl Mattingly, Partner, slowCapital


R10Cipher is a fantastic cross platform tool which has given us the peace of mind that our patient sensitive research data can be transmitted electronically in a secure manner on site or with collaborators around the world.  The ability to encrypt and attach files to emails or simply encrypt the email text between Apple Macs and Windows PCs without the need for complicated software installations means that our users are happy to use this great bit of software.  The developer’s proactive approach to their software development requesting and rapidly incorporating users feedback has turned a good encryption tool into and excellent one. - Paul McGrath, Computer Manager, Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre

RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker

Tags: R10Cipher, Encryption, Security, Testimonials, Mac, Windows, Linux, Arten Science

My company has today released R10Cipher Version 3. The latest version of our Cross Platform, End to End, File and Text Encryption Solution.

Here’s the Website: http://www.r10cipher.com

Here’s the Press Release: http://prmac.com/release-id-6823.htm



RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker

Tags: R10Cipher, Encryption, Security, Software Release, Arten Science, Mac, Windows, Linux, Arten Science

My company has today released R10Cipher Version 3. The latest version of our Cross Platform, End to End, File and Text Encryption Solution.

Here’s the Website: http://www.r10cipher.com

Here’s the Press Release: http://prmac.com/release-id-6823.htm



RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker

Tags: R10Cipher, Encryption, Security, Software Release, Arten Science, Mac, Windows, Linux, Arten Science

My new truck has been feelin the love just lately, I’ve installed a reversing camera, wired in my Sat-nav and installed a CB Radio. Just waiting for a couple of aerial bits to arrive tomorrow from Jim at 4x4cb.com.

On the list for future installation are some bigger alloy wheels, side steps rather than the side bars and a bull-bar for the front. They’ll have to wait a while though as time and funds are both finite

RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker

Tags: General, Arten Science

‘It’s a funny old game’. Someone famous once said that. I think they were talking about running a software company. My company has two facets, on the one hand I sell commercial applications that I have developed and they are priced between £10 and £100. This price is nothing to do with the effort that went into creating them, they are this inexpensive because I expect to sell dozens or hundreds of them. On the other hand I do custom software development for a specific customer which generally costs them thousands of pounds.

For example let’s say it takes a month to develop a small application, that’s 180 working hours. Assume someone like myself can earn £100K+ per year, including benefits, working in a corporate. That equates to £47 per hour. Let’s assume for the sake of argument that I wish to maintain and exceed that level of income, not an entirely unlikely suggestion. To develop that application has cost me a month in which I could have earned £8500. If I sell that application at £50 I need to sell 170 copies just to break even. Hopefully I’ll exceed that and make a profit, sometimes I won’t. It’s a good job I am not in it for the money

On a slightly different track, I may spend 1 month developing a custom application specifically for a customer, therefore their price is going to similar to the £8500 mentioned earlier. Most customers understand and accept this. Where it gets interesting is what happens if I then use technology / skills / source code developed during that custom development and create a commercial product. For £50. Assume of course that the code / technology is not in any way tied to trade secrets or proprietary information from the original customer. So now potentially my customer has paid for a good chunk of my development fees and other companies (who buy it at £50) receive the benefit of this.

Is this a problem for my customer ? Maybe, maybe not. After all, they had the advantage of having something they wanted created for them to do exactly what they required. They have the onsite support and the ability to have the software further customised as time goes on and their business changes. They become a partner.

Of course, every customer believes that what they are asking for will be easily turned into a commercial product and sold. The reality however is different. There is a lot more to creating and selling a commercial product than thinking of a price and putting up a webpage ! Where a customer has this assumption I have in the past, and will continue in the future to offer them a return on their investment, if and when it becomes a commercial product. For the customer this gives them the best of both worlds - their software is developed and they pay accordingly and if that product is then sold commercially they are entitled to a royalty.

So what is the point of this article ? Well, nothing really. I just wanted to shed some light on how it works behind the scenes within a small custom software development company. I may do further posts discussing other aspects of running an ISV (Independent Software Company), if anyone is interested ?

My Company Website: Arten Science



RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker

Tags: Software Economics, Arten Science