Having helped you to define the objectives of your project, we can then consider how we might best realise them. What technologies are appropriate? What limitations are there? Would some minor changes in specification improve the final result?

The Generating Future development team have between them a wealth of experience in many different software development environments, balanced with continual development and evaluation of new technologies. Detailed below are some of the tools we use to deliver your projects.

The most recent development platform from Microsoft offers an unrivalled blend of feature support, rapid development and robustness. The latest face-lift to Microsoft's Visual Studio development suite brings a whole new meaning to "Visual Basic", a new language, "C#" and a "common run-time library". So how does that help you, the end user?

				Visual Studio.net
				Developing your new software applications using the latest, most up-to-date technologies is often the best way to ensure the longevity of your project - and the best way to maximise the return on your investment. Combine this with the many powerful new features offered by the .net environment, and the argument for its use is compelling. Despite its many benefits, however, the up-take of .net within the IT industry has been relatively slow, with many developers reluctant to take on the investment of learning yet another new product. This can be especially true for small in-house development teams, for whom the pressure to deliver a finished product within a given timescale can be all-consuming. Commissioning the services of a professional software house, such as Generating Future, allows you to concentrate on the key issues in your project, whilst we take care of the technical details.

Compact and powerful - Visual C++, Rapid development - Visual Basic.

Microsoft's Visual Studio development suite set the pace for Windows programming for many years. Although the .net languages are now mature, Visual Studio 5 & 6 still have their place in new applications

				Visual Studio 5 & 6
				Visual C++ Microsoft's Visual C++ provides excellent performance, making it ideal for processor-intensive and resource-hungry applications! Visual C++ development tends to be more time-consuming than other development environments, but when fast execution and a compact application footprint is required, it can be worth the extra effort. Visual Basic The rapid application development offered by Visual Basic means that it is still a favourite with many developers worldwide. Although VB applications tend to run somewhat slower than VC++, inexpensive, high performance PCs can more than compensate for this, making it a great choice for many projects.   To discuss your project and find out what technologies would best fulfil your objectives.

Microsoft® Windows is the most popular operating system in the world, and a vast resource to be exploited in your applications.

The Microsoft Windows operating system can be found on more computers world-wide than any other. Writing your applications to run under Windows allows one to maintain a familiar "feel" to the software with which users will be comfortable

				Microsoft® Windows  NT4, 2000, XP, 2003...
				Intuitive Interface design No matter how intuitive the user interface of your custom software application, the end users will still have to learn how to use it. Working with the Windows Operating system means one can make the most of the standardised user interface design, smoothing the implementation of your new applications. Exploiting Windows Technology There are many powerful features inherent in the Windows operating system, most of which can be built into your own applications. From sharing documents and acessing remote resources, to embedding media or controling industrial machinery, the rich toolset offered by Windows is there to be exploited in your own systems.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) is the fundamental building block from which all web pages are crafted. Many "Web Design" packages isolate the designer from the underlying code that, ultimately, makes up the web pages they design. It requires a programmer to understand the mechanisms that make your web site really perform.

				HTML, JavaScript, VB Script
				HTML HyperText Markup Language, the programming language behind all web pages, has evolved over the years as new browser features and new ideas have come to fruition. The various suppliers of Internet browsers (such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, and Opera) have offered extensions to the international standard for HTML, as maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Because of these language extensions, and subtle differences in the way some browsers interpret HTML, issues can arise where a web page will look fantastic on one platform, but will render poorly on another. Through a thorough knowledge of HTML, the Generating Futuredevelopers are able to ensure that the pages we develop are compatible with a wide variety of browsers. JavaScript & VB Script Collectively known as DHTML, or Dynamic HTML, JavaScript and VB Script can be used to really bring your web pages to life. DHTML allows computer code to be executed on the client machine (the PC being used by the visitor to your web site), a technique frequently used to provide dynamic pop-up menus, roll-over images and other such features. The use of such technologies needs to be carefully controlled, as it is with scripting support that the differences between browsers are most apparent - how many times have you witnessed a little pop-up box warning you of a JavaScript Error? But with a knowledge of how browsers perform and some diligent coding, the Generating Futureteam can provide web pages that are interactive and engaging, yet search-engine friendly - all of which serves to increase the time visitors spend on your site, and the conversion of visitors into customers.

High-impact vectored animation, Flash can be used to develop web sites and presentations that cannot fail to impress your audience. Used correctly, Flash animation can be used to deliver your message in a visually powerful fashion. The drawback is that such tools can hamper search engine listings, and so due consideration should be given to their use, and the way in which your web site will be promoted

				Flash animation
				If the image is not animated it is likely that you are running privacy software that is incorrectly interpreting this animation as an advertisement. Flash animation, however, is "vectored". In short this means that for the above animation the flash movie would contain a single representation of the ball, and a set of instructions telling the Flash player where, and how, to display the ball. The net effect is that one can create striking graphics with a very small file size.

Delivering complex web applications running server-side code. Executing computer code on the web server allows communication with databases and other tools, essential for providing more complex web applications.

				IIS, ASP & ASP.net
				Active Server Pages (ASP) provide a mechanism whereby computer code is run on the web server. The most common reason for running server-side code is to talk to a database, as used to power on-line shops and e-commerce systems, property web sites and member-only schemes. Server side code is also used to process imformation such as on-line contacts forms, and to send out automated e-mail notifications. Despite the similar sounding name, ASP.net represents a radical change in software architecture from ASP - bringing with it many benefits. Perhaps most noticeable is the ability of ASP.Net to "maintain state", that is, to remember the contents of fields in a form etc. as one moves from page to page - something that previously required some laborious coding by the developer. Whether your web site would be best served by ASP, ASP.net or even regular HTML, will depend on the complexity of the site, the requirements for indexability by search engines, and any budgetary or time constraints. Talk to Generating Futureand you know that you will receive unbiased, informed advice.