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KSS employs a variety of tools and approaches to ensure that the appropriate technology is applied to each client's specific needs. After an initial meeting to discuss the needs and desires of the client, an approach is devised to create the corresponding software. For data driven software, a database will be created as necessary. If the client has an existing database, the data for the software will either be drawn directly from that existing database, or else the updates of the existing database will be propogated to a new database. Additionally, screens may be devised to assist the client in keeping the database current. In addition to the utilization of database technology, the approach taken will depend upon several factors. The resulting technical choices include server-side scripting which consists primarily of CGI (Common Gateway Interface) scripting, PHP scripting, and JSP (Java Server Pages). These technologies are primarily useful for dynamic or data-driven software (where the site contents are stored in a database). This approach ensures rapid delivery of information to the viewers' browsers. For user input purposes, client-side scripting reduces the browser wait for interaction between client and server (such as verifying correct input). KSS primarily uses Javascript for client-side scripts. |
For those cases where the dynamic software has very large numbers of visitors, Java Servlets are used rather than server-scripting. This is due to the fact that CGI and PHP tend not to scale well when compared to Java.
Java is used in two contexts: Applets and J2EE technologies for web services. The technologies which KSS has applied include: JSP (Java Server Pages), Java Beans, EJB (Enterprise Java Beans), SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol), XML(EXtensible Markup Language), and Servlets. Applets are useful for providing specified functions that are run on the viewers' browser, as opposed to services that are run at the server (typically involving database access).
KSS can provide specific services such as catalogs, agents, reasoning systems, learning systems, and more. These might be generic services or they may be customized to fulfill a client's specific needs. KSS can create animations in the form of either animated GIFs or movies, delivered in either Flash or Quicktime.
In short, KSS will provide the technical expertise to ensure that a client's software is effectively deployed.
