FoundationsTM Frequently Asked Questions
What is Foundations™?
Foundations™ is a software development framework and toolkit and design methodology developed by PDMS to facilitate the development of High performance applications in Microsoft .Net
Why did PDMS develop Foundations™?
Having built a large number of complex web applications we were able to identify the aspects that all projects had in common and those that caused the highest levels of technical risk. Foundations™ was developed to reduce the duplication of effort across different projects and to reduce the technical risks inherent in application development
What value will Foundations™ add to my project?
Foundations™ will significantly reduce the amount of effort involved in a wide variety of software projects. This applies to all aspects of the development lifecycle from initial design to post implementation support and ongoing development. We believe that foundations™ based solutions will compare very favourably with both off the shelf and fully bespoke alternatives. Better Faster Cheaper!
Does Foundations™ tie me to PDMS
No, but we hope that our service and productivity will! Foundations™ components are fully integrated into Microsoft Visual Studio and can be used by any suitably experienced developer subject to licensing. We operate a number of licensing and escro models and do not expect to tie customers in unfairly.
Does Foundations™ tie me in to an exclusively Microsoft environment?
Foundations™ is written in Microsoft C# which is the core language of the .Net framework, it requires a Microsoft Windows operating system on the application server. However foundations™ has been designed to work in a multi platform environment and can use a number of different databases including Oracle and MySQL as well as SQL Server. Foundations™ has also been specifically designed to be standards based to facilitate interoperability with other systems.
Why is systems architecture important?
Pardon the pun but a well designed systems architecture is the foundation for a successful software project. Getting the architecture right requires different skills and experience than simply programming specific functions. Poor architectural design is one of the main reasons many software projects fail to meet timescales and budgets because unforeseen difficulties arise late in the day which then require extensive reengineering.
How does a Foundations™ application differ from a bespoke .Net solution?
Put simply it requires less coding and fewer fundamental technical decisions. Consequently it will be quicker to implement, less risky and cheaper for the same level of functionality and performance. Importantly this does not constrain the business requirements.
How does a Foundations™ solution compare with COTS (commercial off the shelf) software?
In a limited number of situations there is a COTS solution which is close to being a perfect fit, or an organisation is prepared to change its business processes to fit in entirely with an existing package. Far more commonly a COTS solution will be sold as the basis for a solution involving some (often considerable once you get down to it) customisation. In this situation the Foundations™ approach has all of the same benefits in terms of reduced risk without any of the inflexibility
