Caspio Bridge Provides Point-and-Click Way to Create Custom Web Applications

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Thursday, October 12, 2006; 03:07 AM

Caspio announced that its web database and application creation platform is capable of replacing Microsoft Access and transforming the way organizations create business-critical web database applications.

A sample Caspio Bridge task management system.

The company stated that traditional desktop databases such as FileMaker and Microsoft Access, a key element in the Microsoft Office suite, have failed to evolve with the requirements of online applications and web-enabled businesses. At the same time, database servers such as MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle require programming skills.

Caspio's flagship product, Caspio Bridge, is the leading "Office 2.0" database and application creation platform designed for non-programmers, providing a fast point-and-click way to create custom business applications that are deployable to any web site, hosted anywhere.

Frank Zamani founded Caspio in 2000 for the sole purpose of creating an easy-to-use all-inclusive platform for creating and operating web applications fast, without programming and at low cost. "We first looked at what was great in Microsoft Access and created an AJAX-based Software-as-a-Service web database to match its strengths," said Frank Zamani Caspio founder and CEO. "Then, we created intuitive step-by-step wizards around our web database to empower non-programmers to create rich web-based applications. Third, we added Web Services to let developers extend their Caspio Bridge applications or integrate with other services."

Released in 2001 and upgraded continuously since then, Caspio Bridge is now used by organizations of all sizes, including Fortune-500 companies, universities, non-profits, and government agencies in North America, Europe and the Pacific Rim. Still, the great majority of Caspio Bridge users are small to medium businesses (SMBs) that lack sufficient IT resources.

A fast growing segment of Caspio's SMB customers have gone beyond web-enabling their business and have built their entire business around Caspio Bridge. This validates the depth and breath of Caspio Bridge as a business-grade platform.

With over 40,000 web applications built to date, Caspio Bridge addresses a wide array of business needs in one hassle-free and reliable on-demand service:

- Web database: All the advantages of a reliable centrally-managed database server, fully scalable in size, and with the same user-experience of familiar desktop software.

- Wizards: Point-and-click steps for creating web forms, database searches, reports, data editing interfaces, data import and export, end user authentication rules, application styling, and application localization.

- Universally compatible: Custom web applications that can be deployed to any web site, hosted anywhere, running on any web server.

- Fine-grain security: Multi-level security provisions to protect data and applications.

- Web Services: SOAP compatible interface to Caspio Bridge resources and data.

- Software-as-a-Service: Managed, hosted service eliminates all upfront investments in hardware, software and development and replaces them with a low month-to-month subscription service.

Applications built with Caspio Bridge are as diverse as its customer base and often are very specific to that organization. Popular applications include lead management, membership systems, online ordering, document libraries, surveys, sweepstakes, classified ad systems, real estate listings, event signup and management, online directories, newsletter subscriptions, HR automation, bug database, feedback forms, and product catalogs.