skyBuilders is now shipping beta 1.0 versions of timeLines and eight of its timeLines web-service modules,

• skyPages
• skyForms
• skyEvents
• skyTalks
• skyTasks
• skyReservations
• skyShop
• skyCalendars

skyBuilders webWare puts all of an organization's information into a single master database, securely accessible over the web with seven fine-grain permission levels for each user per module, or context within a module, down to specific items like timeLined skyPages.

skyBuilders timeLines allows an organization to provide many of the services normally associated with an ISP or a "free" (advertising-supported) web application service provider (ASP), but securely (and with no advertising) at their own facilities. The organization must run its own web server with 24x7 access through a reasonably high-speed Internet connection, or have a dedicated machine at a web hosting service. Besides eliminating ads, all organizational data, including user email addresses, is protected from e-commerce exploitation. Many of today's web services are free because startup companies are building huge marketing databases aggregating all the information that flows through them. With skyBuilders timeLines, all your organizational information stays on your site, on your own dedicated host machine, or minimally in your own private database.

The minimal version of timeLines is the Foundation with basic pages like Login/Apply to Join, the Welcome module, with administration functions and where individual user preferences can be set (e.g., language choice), the Users (Members) module, with interest group emailing capability, workPages, and homePages, and the Tools module, with online upgrades.

The timeLines Foundation is a frameset with four frames (Menus, Calendar, Contents, and BackChannel) which access about 20 other "serverPages". These serverPages access the relational database and deliver code and client-side datasets to the browser.

The Foundation includes dozens of service/utility functions that can be called from any skyBuilt page running in the browser. For example, all visible pages contain context-sensitive Help links. The link calls an openHelp() function in the Foundation with the URL of the Help page on skyBuilders.com servers.

The entire timeLines interface (especially all the text in drop-down menus, buttons, links, page colors, etc.) is kept in the master database, in six modern languages (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Portuguese). If your organization has a database and database administrator, you may also access the data via a local area network and create custom data views and reports. Note that the 150-odd database tables of the timeLines Open DataBase Model (ODBM) can simply be added to your existing relational database, if your database can be accessed from a web application server via ODBC and SQL calls. See www.opendatabasemodel.com for further details.

Expansion Modules (all of which run in the core builderPages architecture) include:

• skyPages, a Web Publishing and Content Management tool to schedule HTML pages for timeLined appearance on the web. All pages are permanently archived, and can be accessed from a link on the current page. An archived page can easily be made the current page (for version control). Web-based HTML editing interface plus File Download and Upload for editing in your favorite HTML editor. [Check-in and Check-out for workflow control.] Pages can be password-secured and made visible only to certain users or groups of users.
  Subscribe/unsubscribe to notification email functions. Emails can include the skyPage (sent at date and time of publication) or just a link to the new page. Unsubscribe links automatically appended to email.
  Every page has an optional Comments in the page footer (threaded discussions). Notification email option for new Comments (can include the comment).
• skyForms, a data-entry forms generation package that creates form pages with entry reports visible on the web. All forms and results are permanently databased and archived. Questionnaires/Surveys, Quizzes(with grading), Registrations/Applications, and Polls/Voting (open or secret ballots) are automatically generated, then timeLined. Reports pages are available online, and can be set to update as results come in. Linked Forms can support Web-based Training applications.
• skyFiles. A web interface to directories and files on the timeLines server that allows document sharing. Upload and download files (Word, Excel, MP3, etc.) to and from the shared storage space in the community computer. Make files public (to the organization) or keep in private directories.
• skyEvents, a scheduling and registration (sign-up) module. Events can be linked in Event Series, with auto-generation of events on prescribed patterns, every Monday, M-W-F, etc. Each event series can have a linked skyPage.
• skyReservations, a resources management tool for Places, Things, and People. Emails the user and the resources manager with dates and times of reservations. Conflict detection. Package (multiple item) reservations. Associate People (Users) with Reservations. Links Events and Reservations to detect conflicts on shared places.
• skyTasks, a Project management tool. Associate People into Teams, each with its own timeLine. Tasks may have prior task dependencies, and a Critical Path calculates estimated completion dates for Projects. Team-based email is archived into chronological Project reports. Link Events, Reservations, and Tasks.
• skyCalendars. National, Religious, Industry, Organizational and Personal Calendars, Public and Private. XML export and import. iCal-compliant exchange of Free-Busy times.
• skyTalks, a timeLined Presentations program. timeLine pages with embedded asynchronously timeLined frames. Multimedia support including audio, video streaming, Flash, etc. Automatic advance of pages, and play of accompanying multimedia for training applications. A skyTalk with a skyForm quiz is an e-Learning application we call skyLearning.
• skyShop. An online product catalog with an electronic shopping cart. hyperTree architecture allows a product to appear in more than one branch of the tree. Orders create invoices and receivables in the Accounts module. Credit card validation logic. State tax tables.

• skyAccounts. A web-based double-entry bookkeeping system. Infinite trees in the Chart of Accounts. Transactions with split-entries. Financial reports include Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Uses and Sources of Funds, etc. "As of.." and "As if.." reporting at any dates in the past or future (pro forma).
• skyMail. Web-based email. SMTP and POP3 and support for attachments. Each organization member gets an email account. Enforces unique username at the organization level.
• skyMailer. A mailing list manager (multiple list servs).
• Personal Information Manager (PIM). To Do list, Contacts list, Datebook (integrated with Calendars module), Memos, Bookmarks, and a workPage for each member of your organization. [Palm Pilot synchronization.]
• timeSheets. Visual display of employee schedules, with email links to allow employees to rearrange their own times to provide complete work coverage. See who's working when at a glance.
• Developer Tools.
  • skyConverter moves database information from one RDBMS to another (SQLServer to Oracle, etc.).
  • skyMonitor tracks performance and web site uptime, with email and pager notifications of service interruptions.
  • skyPorter translates timeLine serverPages between server-side languages (VBScript to Perl or PHP, etc.).
  • skyRemote allows a skyBuilder to maintain (edit, upgrade, and archive/backup) serverPages and databases on a remote server. XML-data is exchanged between remote servers and the skyBuilders master web site.

Product pricing depends on the type of organization, the server computer platform, and the relational database.

Release Notes