It’s that time again. After many late nights and much hair loss, Aborior’s latest product, Simplex Database, is ready for beta testing. We are searching for as many beta testers as possible - this is your opportunity to influence the final stages of development to suit your unmet needs!

Simplex Database is a tool for creating web applications of all types for your web site. Such applications include guest books, user polls, news scripts, counters, banner rotators, directories, mailing lists, form processors and a myriad of others. It features its own relational database (binary file structure) and is template driven for utmost customisation. Applications are built with tables, queries, forms and reports, and then features such as e-mail notification, file uploads, login protection, IP security, flood protection, smileys, URL parsing and crude language filtering can be added to fill them out. Several pre-made applications will also be distributed with the product, making it not only a development tool but also a one-stop product to be used in place of the many scripts that you may otherwise require for dynamic content on your site.

A range of testers from novices to experts are being sought, and few, if any, people will be declined a position in the test. Interest in using, discussing and making suggestions for the new product is the main criterion. All beta testers will be offered a free licence for the final version product, the purchase value of which is undecided at this stage.

The beta test will involve each tester receiving a free pre-release version of the software. Once receiving the software, testers will be able to install it on their own PC to explore its features, or, as we'd like to encourage, actively use the software on their site to power such systems as a user poll, guestbook, links page, counter and so forth. A market research and evaluation survey will probably be sent out to testers at some stage towards the end of the test.

The test will run for as long as necessary, most probably around a month. It will not be particularly intensive, and Aborior staff will work closely with testers to solve any problems that arise and offer assistance where necessary. It will be a user-centred design exercise as much as a technical test. Experience is not essential, although we certainly welcome experienced testers or programmers who wish to participate!

Several parties have already registered their interest, and I’m particularly interested in getting some more from WebHostingTalk! We are willing to discuss with hosts or other businesses who may like to offer the beta test to their clients and take advantage of the free software deal.

Further information on Simplex Database and the beta test can be found at the Simplex home page, at http://www.aborior.com/products/simplex. I’m more than happy to answer any questions that you may have. Although before anyone asks about the message title, no, you won’t be guinea pigs, you'll be beta testers! :D

An update: we have had many interested people and have begun the beta test, but are still looking for more testers. We'd like to get as many as possible.

For those interested, we have set up an auto-responder with more information and sign up details. Just send a blank e-mail to betatest@aborior.com to receive an automated reply with extensive information on the test. If you have any questions or comments, just pop them in the message body and we'll get back to you.

Also, the Simplex Community has opened at http://www.aborior.com/products/simplex/community, and, of course, information on the software is still available at http://www.aborior.com/products/simplex.

Thanks.






(PS: Yes, my 5 day wait between ads is over!)