Customer Profile

This guide is an attempt to assist our customers in finding the proper match between their needs and our products. It provides a short overview of our different products and then a quick profile of the types of customer needs that might be satisfied by the products described. It is not meant to be an all inclusive list of the needs satisfied by any one product. If you feel that our products may assist your needs but your needs are not specifically addressed below, please continue to browse the more specific documentation on our product or call us directly. We will be happy to discuss the applicability of our products to your mission.

Applications

The Objective Technologies suite of applications is focused on solving the problem of integrating data stored in server class relational databases into an end user environment so that end users can use the data effectively. To that end, Objective Technologies offers Impress(TM). and SqlBuddy(TM).

SqlBuddy

SqlBuddy provides easy point-and-click query access to the database returning data back to the end user to be used in an variety of ways. It allows the user to quickly browse through the database, combining, sorting, ordering, and restricting data into the set of data that is most useful. The data is returned in a general table format that can be viewed, printed, copied-and-pasted, and/or messaged to other applications.

SqlBuddy Customer Profile:

Client should be using a relational database. At this time the database tools support only the Sybase(R) dataserver. We hope to have an Oracle(R) supported version in the future.

SqlBuddy offers easy direct access to their database. The graphical model provides a quick learning curve for new users and amateurs. Experts find it easier to get around, while the SqlBuddy inspector provides a standard text interface to make the expert feel at home.

Impress

Impress is the missing piece to many end-user environments and misson critical system development. It provides generalized report generation from multiple independent data sources. Impress can generate almost any report from simple columnar styles to complex multi-section hierarchical reports. These reports can be designed by the end user and run directly by Impress at their station.

Impress has also been designed with multiple interfaces to allow it to be integrated into larger systems. Many NEXTSTEP customers are middle to large companies attempting to design and implement custom solutions to their technology problems. Most of these projects have a reporting requirement. Impress provides an off-the-shelf solution to these requirements. Impress has three interfaces to supply developers with sufficient access to easily integrate it into their systems. The primary interface is the Impress Client Object Interface. This is a distributed object interface that allows the developer to call Impress directly from their applications, passing information to and from Impress.

Impress Customer Profile:

Client should have a reporting requirement. Simple requirements include mailing labels, colmunar reports, and form letters. Examples of complex requirements may be invoicing, internal auditing information, finance reports, etc. If the client is implementing custom business solutions, at some point they probably want to gather information from their environment into a report. Programming custom reports is costly and time consuming. Impress offers an off-the-shelf solution. In this way the clients project can be accomplished faster and the programming budget can be applied to other necessaties.

OTI Objectware

OTI Palettes

Objective Technologies Inc. became the first commercial vendor of integrated object solutions for the NeXT platform when we started shipping the palette products during the first quarter of 1991. Those products continue to deliver the most powerful general leverage available to NEXTSTEP application developers from third party providers. For more information about the history and success of our products, read "No More `Line By Bloody Line' with NeXT" in the Summer 1992 OBJECTWARE catalog. In addition, OTI's SmartFieldPalette won the NeXTWORLD Best of Breed Award for objectware in 1993.

Each palette is a complete, integrated addition to NeXT's InterfaceBuilder development environment. A palette includes a library of objects that the client can use to extend the base of their usable objects past those provided from within NeXTSTEP. Each palette contains an InterfaceBuilder palette, designed by Objective Technologies, to allow the client to directly manipulate our objects from within InterfaceBuilder. We also include:

Header files, to be installed and used just like header files provided by NeXT.
Extensive documentation in the same format as NeXT's documentation.
Class specifications describing the use and particulars of each of our objects.
General usage guides, describing the entire paradigm under which the palette has been designed and how the objects are meant to interact with each other.

Finally, like NeXT, we include extensive example programs which use our objects in different ways.

Palette Customer Profile:

The customer for OTI Palettes should be doing custom application development. Since these products are an enhancement to the development environment, they are only appropriate for clients doing development.

The palette products can be broken down into two categories, what we call higher order objects and lower order objects.

The GraphPalette(TM) and the MathPalette(TM) are higher order palettes, in that they leverage the client in very extensive but specific ways. Any client who requires graphs or analytics in their applications would need these palettes, otherwise, they may not be useful.

The SmartFieldPalette(TM) and the ChooserPalette(TM) are lower order palettes in that, they are extensive and very general. Almost every program developed requires validation and formatting of input data as well as on screen list management. These palettes provide solutions to both of these problems and can therefore enhance the productivity, reliability and maintenance of almost any custom development project.

OTStringKit

OTStringKit is designed to assist software developers in manipulating strings. The OTStringKit is a set of Objective-C classes, protocols and categories, C macros and constants which encapsulate a wide variety of character string related functions. This software allows programmers to manipulate strings, paths, regular expressions and data as objects, while significantly reducing memory allocation errors. The kit's categories for NeXT's AppKit objects allow interaction based on string objects instead of character buffers and eliminate the possibility of memory overruns.

OTStringKit Customer Profile:

As with the Palettes, the OTStringKit customer should be doing custom application development. Since this product is an enhancement to the development environment, it is only appropriate for clients doing development.

Like the "lower order" palettes, the fundamental nature of the OTStringKit classes make them applicable to almost anywhere you would use a traditional 'C' strings. Thus they apply to most any development project under NEXTSTEP/OPENSTEP.

Consulting

Objective Technologies Inc. has been consulting to the object oriented market since March 1990. We have used our consulting to finance our Product Division. For that reason we have picked our clients strategically, finding clients who understand our goals in the area of shrink wrap product. We have enjoyed a tremendous success in doing business this way. Our history and reputation ensures that each of our clients is confident that our advice and services is backed by expert necessary to solve their problems.

Work Profile:

Although we have not typically performed on-site consulting outside of the New York City area, we will entertain any proposals. We have happily accepted work, to be performed by us off-site, and the result has been excellent. We have implemented applications, entire systems, object kits, and specific objects on request from many of our clients. We have also contracted to provide GUI advice, performed remote technical support, and created and/or evaluated designs (object, application, or system).

We have also travelled to clients, conventions and seminars to lecture on a number of subjects, including but not limited to: mission critical application development, financial application development, and foundation class object oriented design. All of these talks specifically focus on the issues as they apply to object oriented development.

Since mid-1994, we have re-focused our direction, reducing our consulting efforts and concentrating on our products. We currently do very little consulting, but do take specific jobs that meet both the client and our needs. Please contact us if you feel we may be of assistance.

Objective Technologies Inc.
90-07 68th Ave., Forest Hills, NY 11375
email: cs@object.com voice: 718.997.9741