What's the big idea?
First and foremost, it's a complete, 100% ground up rewrite. Not a single line of old code is being used. The analogy of a house is a good one. You can upgrade, add on and remodel your house, but the underlying foundation doesn't change. And it's the foundation that makes everything else you do possible...or not possible. So in the case of Armstrong, we bought the lot next door and have laid a new foundation for a completely new house.
Programming in C#
Pronounced C Sharp, C# is the latest in cutting edge programming technology. And there are several very real reasons you'll be glad we're writing Armstrong in C#.
In plain English, there are two important things that make C# a fantastic choice. First, it handles memory better than Visual Basic (VB), which is what all the other versions of WinTOTAL have been written in. This amounts to a much faster, lighter and more stable final product. Other computer languages require programmers to manually allocate and deallocate memory. This is a manual process. C# makes much of it automatic, minimizing the chance for human error.
Another important thing to know about C# is that it has improved function libraries. This streamlines bug fixing and makes building the entire product more modular. For example, there are five ways to load an image into WinTOTAL. Currently, if there's a problem in one place, a programmer has to go fix it in all five places. With C#'s function libraries, the programmer doesn't write five ways to load photos. Instead he writes one "master" and plugs in references to that master in all five places. Then, if a bug needs to be fixed, it's fixed in just the master and distributed to all five references. There are hundreds of examples of this in any program, so streamlining this process is a huge step forward. And the net result is that you get a more stable program that's easier and faster to update and improve.
An all new forms engine
Previous versions of WinTOTAL, going all the way back to the DOS/Windows conversion have been built, layer upon layer, with the same forms engine. While Aurora was built using new pieces of .NET architecture and implemented SQL databases, it had that same basic underlying forms engine of previous versions. So the house, using that analogy, relied on the same foundation despite the numerous additions, remodeling and upgrades it's seen over the last 10+ years.
So why haven't we rebuilt it sooner? And what does the forms engine actually do? Rewriting a forms engine is expensive, laborious, and very complicated. The forms engine is what handles everything from the most basic (typing in a field) to the very complicated (transfers, calculations, physically painting the form on-screen). It's the brain behind everything, so tinkering with it isn't something you take lightly.
But, it's time. We can all agree on that. We're biting the bullet, and starting from scratch. We think you're going to be very pleased.
Secure Signing
In Armstrong, we're introducing a more secure signing method that incorporates not just the signature you're used to seeing, but an extra level of security in authentication. To make that work, we have to first get past the idea of "digital signatures" as we're familiar with them today. Traditional digital signatures are just pictures of the ink you put on paper.
Unlike digital signatures, e-signatures have nothing to do with that picture. They're an electronic method by which you can verify that the person doing the signing has proven who they are and that their signature is only valid in hand with the document it's attached to. They're easy to identify as fraudulent if they're attached to a document they shouldn't be, because the data associated with the report won't match what was recorded at the time of signature.
With SureDocs signing in Armstrong, you'll go through a one-time setup session that identifies you and proves that you're really you. Once you've done that, you'll use your password and digital key to sign your appraisal reports. Then, we'll store a snapshot of the key report data along with a link to your credentials on our secure servers. The report receipient can then authenticate the final report they receive against the escrowed data, thus proving the report is genuine! To learn more about SureDocs secure signing in Armstong, click here.
Simplified design and user experience
Armstrong will sport a new, more streamlined and enjoyable user interface that makes all the right tools available to you at your fingertips. No more hunting through dozens of menus looking for that one function you need.
Early in the design stage, we contemplated building this version without any PowerViews at all! But, after talking with many of you and thinking through it we've settled on a design that DOES include some PowerViews where they make the most sense, and removed PowerViews that we felt took the focus off the form. (After all, this IS a form filling application right?) So, you can expect to see "Forms" and "Sketch" in this version. Tools like mapping and photos will occur naturally in the form view as part of your regular data entry, instead of requiring that you jump to a seperate view.
Why the codename of Armstrong?
It reminds us (and hopefully you) of what we're doing. Louis Armstrong often played in C# (according to Wikipedia), he was groundbreaking, smart and very, very cool. We think the codename Armstrong is fitting. We have no idea what its final name will be. Maybe we get away from the Greek god/goddess thing? Who knows?
Windows Certification
Aside from being totally re-written from the ground up, Armstrong is the first version of WinTOTAL to seek the certified for Windows logo. Software that is certified for Windows:
- Is designed for ease of use and better performance
- Is tested for compatibility on Windows based PCs
- Adheres to and implements Microsoft security guidelines
- Protects your privacy
- Installs and un-installs reliably
- Ensures compatibility on 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows.
To learn more about Armstrong earning the Certified for Windows Vista logo, click here.
