09 Information Technology

TOPS Embraces Web 2.0 Technology

TOPS Software works hard to provide you with tools that help you to sustain a competitive advantage in your business. As more of your customers turn to the Internet to conduct their day to day business, they expect a greater return on the services that you provide.

One way to accommodate this expectation is to stay abreast of the latest technologies. One important new technology which you may have heard or read about recently is Web 2.0.

What is Web 2.0?

According to Wikipedia (a free online encyclopedia), the term Web 2.0 refers to:

"A second generation of services available on the World Wide Web that lets people collaborate and share information online. In contrast to the first generation, Web 2.0 gives users an experience closer to desktop applications than the traditional static Web pages."

In other words, a Web 2.0 application is a program, such as TOPS, that is run over an Internet connection. In 2008, TOPS will be releasing the first stage of our own Web 2.0 application, code named TOPS Viper.

This next-generation software package will combine all of the familiar elements of your existing TOPS software with the power and flexibility of an online application.

Benefits of Web 2.0

With Web 2.0 technologies incorporated into TOPS Viper, you will be able to:

• Access your TOPS application at any time of the day or night, from any location.
• Run your TOPS application on any operating system, even if it is not Windows.
• Use any hardware configuration, even different configurations on the same network.
• Receive instant updates to program files, as they are released, without the need to run any update programs or scheduling utilities.
• Activate add-ons or additional licenses on the fly, and receive immediate access to the new programs. • Define a set of data and export it in multiple formats, which can then be easily imported into other programs.
• Provide logins and passwords to board members or even owners, allowing them to view specific TOPS data that you define.

These benefits, along with the many updates and enhancements being built-in to the TOPS Viper project, will enable you to keep a leg up on your competition, while providing your customers with a superb service experience.

Release Schedule

In early 2008, TOPS Software will be releasing the first phase of the Web 2.0 project, code named TOPS Viper. This initial release will be a replacement for our TOPS OnSite™ product – which offers the Owners, CCR Enforcement, Work Order, Facility Membership and Guard Gate Security modules to those organizations who do not have a need for accounting functionality.

The accounting modules for TOPS Viper will be added during 2008 to complete the rewrite and redesign of our flagship software. We expect to have a full release available in late 2008/early 2009.

by Andrea Drennen and Lillian Golgano

What's On TOPS?
For regular TOPS News and Info, Subscribe to the OnTOPS Ezine!

Click Here to Manage Your TOPS Subscriptions.

NOW OPEN: Online Support Center!
The TOPS Online Support Center lets you track support tickets, billing minutes and more for your Client ID. Create your account today!

Link to TOPS
Do you have a web site? Link to TOPS Software!