Web Applications

Cloud-Based Productivity Solutions

The internet browser has revolutionized the methods of delivering software applications, disrupting the long-standing “desktop software” paradigm. The Internet is evolving, becoming more robust and versatile – it has extended business communications far beyond the realm of the nerd into everyday living to the point where almost anything can be organized in the cloud.

Today, we can use web application suites for handling word processing, spreadsheets, communication, graphics and much more. These applications are piggy backing on the availability of broadband networking, providing designs and functionality not possible half a decade ago.

Web applications are starting to match desktop software in functionality, speed and appearance, and in some cases have managed to overshadow their counterparts. The technologies supporting these advances are injecting opportunities of new and modified ideas into businesses all over the world, creating virtual market places. Rich Internet Applications, such as Facebook and YouTube, are used for creating content, sharing information, and entertainment, while allowing businesses to reach millions of customers.

Web applications in business are becoming increasingly popular due to their accessibility and flexibility. Organizations are utilizing the power of the Internet to provide information to their suppliers, partners, and clients, and to equip their staff with collaborative productivity tools.

Internet Applications and You

To see the benefits of Web applications, ask yourself a simple question: How many desktop applications are you using for business? The answer to this question can vary from a single word processor to any number of separate pieces of software. Chances are that for every application that you are using, you had to purchase a license and install that software on your computer.

What happens if you have 20 employees that require the same software? Software licensing costs ramp up and so do maintenance overheads – every application has to be installed on each computer, maintained and upgraded when new software releases become available. What if you have multiple offices, perhaps in different parts of the country or dispersed globally? It is easy to see how maintaining desktop software can become a logistical nightmare and an expensive exercise.

The main problem with desktop applications is that it relies on a client model – we use software that is locally installed on our computer, or a client, making it hard to share information across departments, collaborate, have a single version of the “truth” and be able to access information from remote locations.

The desktop problem can be resolved with Internet applications: load the software that your staff need to share onto a single computer, or a central server, and let them access that software using a web browser. But, what are the benefits of Internet Applications?

One of the key advantages of Internet applications is cross-platform compatibility: web-based software runs comfortably on Windows, Mac, and Linux giving your business a flexible productivity tool with minimised administrative and maintenance overheads. This means reduced IT investment, faster, centralised software updates and fewer up-keep requirements.

The Benefits

Lower IT costs: Cloud-based applications are installed centrally in a hosting environment, but are consumed by many. This means lower hardware, maintenance and administrative costs. While web applications still require user licenses, the investment is generally lower than for desktop software.
Long-term scalability: Web applications scale extremely well with your organisation. Virtually, they can support any number of users and, instead of managing multiple software installations for each employee - a single version of the system is maintained on a central computer.
Backward-compatibility: Desktop software upgrades might create a problem where the new system cannot read or manipulate files created by a previous version of the software. Desktop software might also be affected by changes in the Operating System and, in turn, might affect other desktop software. Internet applications minimise the backward-compatibility problem: any changes to the application itself are made on a central server, meaning that all users are automatically using the latest version of the application.
Platform-independence: While Windows remains the dominant operating system, Macintosh and Linux are growing in popularity. Internet applications are agnostic to platforms, meaning that you can provide everyone with access to the same software.
Mobility: You can use your application from any location in the world with an active Internet connection. Combined with platform-independence, this gives you an opportunity to use portable mobile devices, such as iPhone and others. Web applications allow you to transform your existing systems into a widely accessible resource: for example, you may wish to access your company invoices from multiple devices in New Zealand, Japan or Europe. Web applications provide a powerful tool to achieve this objective.

You should consider investing in Internet applications if:

You want a single, centralised system that will be accessible from multiple platforms and devices
You want to integrate with other web assets such as collaboration tools, widgets, and APIs (Wikipedia: API)
You want to target and provide a rich user experience to a wider, international audience
You want to increase the level of engagement your customers have with your business
You want to limit your licensing, software maintenance and hardware costs
You want to have a low-cost distribution channel for your products

Canary Web Applications

Internet applications are available anywhere, anytime meaning that you can always stay connected with your business. Canary’s browser-based solutions allow extensive access, rapid deployment and advantages for total cost of ownership. Plug your business into the web for back end or front end systems support.

We pride on our ability to create robust internet applications for varying requirements. For your business, an Internet application can improve turnover, expose your products to a greater audience, increase operating efficiency, improve mobility and connect globally-dispersed business units.

Our solutions are recognized by our partners, clients and industry professionals – we create intelligent web applications that compete with desktop alternatives. Key types of web applications we have delivered:

Business management solutions for small-and-medium-enterprises
E-commerce systems for improved sales management
Performance management and evaluation platforms
Social platforms for values assessment and analysis
Healthcare and patient management solutions
Automotive part finder solutions

How can we help?

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