Developers who write programs for the IBM System i and iSeries can now quickly construct PHP programs and applications with WebSmart PHP. These programs are 100 percent native PHP, allowing a single development effort to create System i and multi-platform applications that also run on Linux, UNIX, and Windows servers. Developers can also access multiple disparate databases as well as call existing RPG programs.
Since the beta release of WebSmart PHP was first announced at COMMON last May, it has captured the interest of high-level executives at IBM and Zend, as well as several respected System i industry analysts. BCD is the first software vendor to offer a complete and easy-to-use PHP application development environment that exploits the PHP capabilities brought to the System i platform by Zend. Many experts believe that pent-up demand for a workable Web development strategy, coupled with the popularity of PHP, will result in quick uptake for BCD's new PHP application development tool.
Bob Anderson, IT director at Kent Sporting Goods in New London, Ohio, was one of the 100-plus System i developers who participated in BCD's four month WebSmart PHP beta test. Anderson had this to say about his experience: "Testing and evaluating WebSmart PHP was an unusually positive experience for me. I found BCD's tool to be very stable, very easy to use, and both very developer- and user-friendly. Anything I needed to do I was able to successfully accomplish with WebSmart PHP." He adds that he also had development experience with Zend and WebSmart ILE.
"WebSmart PHP is great for quickly developing PHP applications. The templates, the 5,000-plus organized PHP scripts and other features that BCD has included are perfectly designed for rapid application development. And, it generates great code. I am very pleased with WebSmart PHP and BCD's excellent support," adds Anderson.
Free Download of WebSmart PHP and New White Paper
Want to see the full power of WebSmart PHP? A full production version of WebSmart PHP can be evaluated for free for 30 days. It includes BCD's award-winning technical support. To obtain a copy, visit http://www.bcdsoftware.com/wsphp.
An informative 28 page white paper, authored by development tool authority Duncan Kenzie, can also be downloaded from the same Web page. This white paper, entitled "Rapidly Deliver Web Applications on System i with WebSmart PHP," analyzes the forces behind PHP's momentum and explores the viability of WebSmart PHP as a Web development methodology on the System i and other platforms. It also offers information on how to create new applications and transform legacy ones.
Pricing, Integrated Suite, and Unlimited Technical Support
The license fee for the complete WebSmart PHP application development tool is $4,250 for up to two developer seats with additional seats priced at $1,950. Alternatively, a site license on a single System i for unlimited developers will cost $13,500. Licensing for multiple systems is also available. BCD also includes a license-free copy of SmartCharts, which offers over 150 animated flash driven charts, graphs, and key performance indicators (KPI) that can be called from PHP applications created with WebSmart PHP. Also available with WebSmart PHP is the integrated license-free copy of BCD's Nexus Portal that offers tighter security, application frameworks, executive dashboards, Web menus, enterprise content management (ECM), spool file access and numerous other tools. The SmartCharts and Nexus Portal free solutions add considerable value to those wanting to build mission-critical PHP applications.
BCD will offer a WebSmart PHP discount to existing WebSmart ILE clients enabling them to develop in both versions.
Competitive Upgrades
Competitive upgrades are available to organizations that have licensed third-party System i Web application development tools and want to switch to System i and multi-platform PHP Web application development. Please contact BCD for complete details.
For organizations interested in obtaining a complete integrated modernization solution, BCD will include two WebSmart PHP developer seats with BCD's complete System i modernization suite. The suite includes BCD's integrated WebSmart solution (ILE and PHP), Nexus Portal, Clover Query, SmartCharts, and Catapult. The single partition promotion price ranges from $14,500 to $26,500 depending on System i family tier.
If you have questions on WebSmart PHP or BCD's complete integrated System i modernization suite please call BCD at (630) 986-0800, or forward your request to
About WebSmart PHP
WebSmart PHP helps System i programmers create PHP-based Web applications that run on the System i and other platforms including Linux, UNIX, and Windows servers. WebSmart PHP guides you through every step of development so you can create complete Web applications. WebSmart PHP is more than just an editor: Programmers with no PHP development experience can use WebSmart's PHP 50-plus templates and other composition tools to construct complete programs in literally just minutes. Central database repositories in either DB2 UDB or MySQL allow you to define business and presentation rules at the database level for leveraging development efforts.
WebSmart PHP also offers System i RLA and MySQL interoperability, built-in change management, a visual HTML editor, and other powerful features. WebSmart PHP runs over Zend Core and supports all of its functionality. WebSmart PHP also comes with PHP snippets to make it easy to call RPG programs and modules from PHP. The 5,000-plus PHP industry functions have been properly organized in WebSmart's IDE making it even easier to build robust applications. To view the WebSmart PHP full-page ad, please click on http://www.bcdsoftware.com/wsphpad
About BCD
Since BCD introduced WebSmart, it has become a key development tool for more than 1,750 organizations that rely on the System i including Universal Music Int'l, Starbucks, Formica, Mitsubishi Fuso, Konica Minolta, Canadian Kawasaki, and CompUSA, including city and county governments, school districts and universities, manufacturing, distribution, transportation, medical, insurance and other industry sectors.
BCD has received some 35 industry awards for software excellence, including 13 for WebSmart, and has 30 years of experience in the IBM midrange marketplace. Over 30,000 copies of its software products have been licensed worldwide by more than 10,000 organizations. BCD is a member of IBM's System i ISV Advisory Council and is an IBM Advanced Business Partner. All of BCD's key solutions are listed on IBM's System i Developer Roadmap and are IBM ServerProven.
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