Hacker ...
A person who enjoys exploring the details of programmable systems and how to stretch their capabilities, as opposed to most users, who prefer to learn only the minimum necessary. - Jargon File
“The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.” - Arnold Toynbee
I have been designing and developing computer software solutions for over 20 years. I am a Chartered IT Professional awarded by the British Computer Society and a Fellow of the Institution of Analysts and Programmers.
Currently I run my own Software Development and Computer Consultancy company. In addition I also run Arten Books which provides new and used discount books through the Amazon Marketplace.
I am a Motorcycle fan, an avid reader of sci-fi, fantasy, history, thrillers and technical books, a guitar player, a traveller and a father.
In addition I have a special interest in ancient cultures, their technologies and beliefs, such as the Egyptians, the Aztecs, the Greeks and the Romans.
In September 2009 one of my products R10Cipher: Email, Text and File Security, was shortlisted as a Finalist for the 2009 Information Security Product of the Year award.
Contact Details:
stevecholerton@mac.com
May 2010
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- 2010
- About
- Acceptance
- Access Control
- Accident
- Adventure
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- Air Ambulance
- Amplification
- Andrew Deacon
- Andy Farrell
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- Arten Science
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- Avatar
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- Birthday
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- Blu-Ray
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- Books
- Buggy
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- Children
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- Cold Steel
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- Common Sense Party
- Computer Consultancy
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- Consumer Rights
- ContaX
- ContaXCRM
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- CrM
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- Motorbikes
- Motorcross
- Movie
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- Mystical
- Native
- New Bike
- New Car
- Nottingham
- Off-Road
- Online
- OoSooM
- Operation
- Orac
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- Outlander ATV
- Passwords
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- Steve Cholerton
- Tailored Marine Supplies
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- Tutorial
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- Unforgiveable Stupidity
- V-Pick
- VCS
- Version Control
- VTX
- Walkabout
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- Washburn
- Windows
- World Cup 2010
- Yacht Bedding
- Yacht Supplies
- Yamaha
- Youlgreave
- ZT Club
Native Apps vs Web Apps, No Contest !
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 
Next Generation CRM for Mac and Windows
New
ContaxCRM Release Here
1.9.9
- Further User Interface Tweaks. Attempting to balance Ease of User, Simplicity and High Functionality, without Clutter
- The Default Charts have changed
- Mac Only: iCal Calendar Entries are now visible in the Tasks List in ContaxCRM for the appropriate Contact.
- When adding a new Contact the Detail / Primary tabs are now selected and the cursor is put into the title field
- Expanded View window is now sensitive to the size of the calling window and displays appropriately
- Tab Name Change: Primary is now Main
- Tab Name Change: Address is now Addr
- Tab Name Change: Secondary is now More, also this tab is now positioned next to Main
- History record count now shown
- Assorted Tweaks and Fixes
CRM for Mac and Windows: Updated 1.9.8
New
ContaxCRM Release Here
Version 1.9.8 Includes Audio Output of Contact Information, Notes, Documents and History on Mac OSX.
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New ContaxCRM Release
What is Social CRM and Social Media ?
Today I found
this blog post by someone well respected in the industry. His new product, once it’s released, is a possible competitor for my own ContaxCRM solution. This doesn’t stop me respecting, or sharing, what he has to say. Have a read.RSS Feed: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/Lonelyhacker
Arten Science ContaxCRM Press Release
Press Release
Arten Science Releases Cross Platform Single and Multi User CRM Solution
Ripley, GB May 18, 2010
UK based Arten Science today announces ContaxCRM, their Multi-User MySQL based version of their popular Cross Platform CRM Solution. ContaxCRM will let you Store, View, Interact and Communicate with your Contacts, Customers, Prospects, Network and Suppliers more easily and efficiently than ever before. It features an elegant, intuitive user Interface and seamless integration with other Arten Science products. This latest version gives you a true shared Multi-User CRM solution.
[prMac.com] Derbyshire, UK - Arten Science today is pleased to announce their Multi-User MySQL based version of their popular Cross Platform CRM Solution, ContaxCRM. ContaxCRM focuses on ease of use and accessibility - Mixed Windows and Macintosh Network? No Problem - rather than an overkill of 'never-used' features cluttering the interface. This latest version of ContaxCRM goes beyond Single-User desktop CRM solutions and gives you a true shared Multi-User CRM solution.
ContaxCRM will let you Store, View, Interact and Communicate with your Contacts, Customers, Prospects, Network and Suppliers more easily and efficiently than ever before. It features an elegant, intuitive user Interface and seamless integration with other Arten Science products.
Who's it For?
For Individuals, Clubs and Businesses who wish to use their Contact or Membership database proactively. Ideal for Graphic Designers, Web Developers, Software Developers, Self Employed, Electricians, Plumbers, Consultants and any other Business or Individual.
Why Do I Need It?
Every individual, club or business needs a central repository for their contact data. ContaxCRM is the hub of the ContaxCRM Suite which means seamless integration with - R10Cipher for Encrypted Text and Email, R10BatchMail for Batch Email Sending and ooSooM for Task and Document Management.
** Future developments will include additional modules such as Order Processing and Inventory Management. In addition a ContaxCRM iPhone application is currently under development.
System Features:
* Supplied as a Universal Binary for Mac OSX including Snow Leopard
* Windows Version for XP, Vista, 2003 and 7
* Easy to use, Clean, Fast, Modern Interface
* Requires No Installation
* No Modifications made to your computer outside of the ContaxCRM folder
* To 'uninstall' - Just delete the ContaxCRM folder
* Requires no additional Runtime installation
* Can be run from a USB drive
* Online Help System
* One Click Support
* Approximately 32Mb
* Single-User: Sync the Database with iDisk, DropBox or Similar
* Multi-User: MySQL
Functionality:
* Store detailed information about your Contacts
* Fast Searching, Sorting and Filtering of Contact information
* Unique 'Connections' Feature - Show how your Contacts are linked
* TLRS - Traffic Light Rating System
* Mark your Contacts as Customers, Suppliers, Personal, Prospect, or Network
* Appropriate Icon for Contact Types shown on inbuilt Google Maps
* Icon on Google Map coloured appropriately according to your TLRS
* User defined Contact Categories and Classifications
* Specify the allowed method of communication - R10BatchMail will not send to contacts if 'Mail' is not selected
* Real-time Charting
* Geographical Mapping Information showing Physical Proximity between businesses
* History or Inserts, Imports and Edits
* Email a Contact by Clicking the Icon next to their Email Address
* Visit a Contacts Website by Clicking the Icon next to their Web Address
* Visit a Contacts Blog by Clicking the Icon next to their Blog
* Enter your own History against a Contact
* Store Facebook and LinkedIn Information
* Store up to five 'Tagged' Phone Numbers and Email Addresses
* Contact Template Facility
* Import Data from a Tab Delimited File
* Show several contacts on the enlarged Map, see Geographical relationships
* R10BatchMail can use your ContaxCRM data for bulk Email Marketing and Communication
* Shows Linked Tasks from ooSooM Todo Manager
* Shows Linked Documents from the Digital Vault
Minimum Requirements:
* Mac OS X Version 10.4 or higher
* Windows XP / Vista / Window 7
* Universal Binary for PowerPC and Intel
* G4 Processor, 1GHz or faster
* 100 MB Hard Drive space
Support:
* Online Manual
* Tutorial Movies
* Forum
* Email the Developer
* Telephone Support quoted for Separately
Pricing and Availability:
ContaxCRM is available now at 69 GBP ($99USD) per User. The Multi-User license and MySQL Setup Tools are £100. A Trial Version of ContaxCRM can be downloaded and used 20 times, it also features a nag screen. The Trial Version restrictions can be removed by purchasing a license from our website. Data entered into the Trial Version is kept when purchasing a Full Version. Data entered into the Single-User version can be transferred to the Multi-User version at the click of a single button.
Arten Science
ContaxCRM
Download ContaxCRM
Screenshot 1
Screenshot 2
App Icon
Arten Science was setup in 2007 to design, develop and market quality commercial software for the Apple Mac OSX and Microsoft Windows. Arten Science software is designed to be useable by all. Simple By Design. We also provide Bespoke Software Development and Technology/Database/Security Consultancy services. In addition to creating new solutions for our customers, all of our commercial products can also be tailored, modified and enhanced to suit your specific requirements. We can help you to use software to solve business problems and create business opportunities.
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Steve Cholerton
Founder and Lead Developer
07525754153
United Kingdom
Designing a New Security / Access System
The scenario I have looks like this: Each database user has available a list of actions that they can either be approved for, or not. See the screenshot below:
The question is where should I store this list of True / False fields ? For ContaxCRM what I have done is stored this data within a single VARCHAR field against the User record, in the Users table. I decided upon a format for the information as shown below:
A formal structure makes it easier for me to retrieve the data. The number following the ’s’ is the ID of the Security Question, the 0 or 1 represent False and True. You can see how this structure makes it easy for me to fill in the security list against each user with the correct True or False selection. The use of opening and closing tags just makes the list easy for me to Parse with existing ContaxCRM code, making development quicker and more reliable.
The final challenge is how to secure this data so that it cannot be seen and edited by anybody looking at the database with a query tool ... the answer of course is encryption. The above information when saved into the User record will look something like this:
Any questions or comments welcome. Cheers - Steve
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