Whats the news from ARTech for this new year?
(NJ) ARTech starts the year off with a new version, GeneXus 7.5, and a new product, GeneXus Query. It brings many new features to the GeneXus community, because with this version you can do many things differently than you did before.
What can be done differently with GeneXus 7.5?
(NJ) We are dealing with a version that will allow a new type of application. With the 7.0 version, GeneXus was already very good for the Internet, but with version 7.5 it increases its orientation towards Internet and Web Services. Applications can be developed in Internet for those areas where normally Internet wasnt used, for example, for back office applications.
(BG) With GeneXus 7.5 you can develop an application 100% in Internet.
Internet and Intranet. That is the direction.
(NJ) With this new version there will be a suit of very innovative applications for our GeneXus users. What I would hope is that each of our clients takes advantage of this opportunity to make the best use of these innovations.
The year is starting with a new version and a new product, what can we expect for the rest of the year?
(NJ) From ARTechs point of view one of the most important tasks for 2002 is to spread the word about the new type of applications that can be developed with GeneXus 7.5. Up until now, it was always implicitly understood by GeneXus users what type of applications they could develop. But this is a moment of change where we have a new family of applications and it is very important to spread the word about what are the Web Services, what are the back office applications totally based on Internet, and what is an ASP type business model.
Much of the news from ARTech (for GeneXus users) during the first half of 2002, will be focused on the tasks of publicizing this technology and making its potential known. In any case, we are working on new versions. Obviously we are already immersed in the development of the next version (called Rocha) which probably will not be released this year. What we will be releasing during 2002 are new versions of generators.
(BG) I made a prophesy that new applications, and a good part of the old ones, will be migrated in the coming years to two platforms of execution, namely Microsoft.NET and Java. On these platforms it is not necessary to install or maintain systems on the "clients" workstations and
their use will dramatically reduce operating costs. We firmly believe in this trend and have done a lot of work on technology which converges with it.
Is GeneXus directed more towards Microsoft.NET than towards Java?
(BG) We have been working with Java for five years and in 2001 we have been working a lot with both. The market will decide how it distributes itself between them, we dont have the capacity to choose. We interpret the market and produce the best generators for both platforms.
What are ARTechs priorities for this year?
(NJ) The number one priority is the launch and marketing of GeneXus 7.5 version. For us it is very important to convince new clients and current clients that they use version 7.5, which implies new types of applications, as quickly as possible.
And what is the strategy to achieve this?
(NJ) The strategy is to be even more connected with our clients in the way in which we have always worked. In fact, there is no change in strategy with respect to this in 2002, but a renewal of the strategy that was already launched and is working: GXOpen, the technical page, the forums that have been growing and diversifying, the news, and to connect each client with the other clients. The best way ARTech has of spreading the word is in the contact among the whole GeneXus community. The way we found that works is: we take care of the technology part and the whole GeneXus community uses it and talks about it.
(BG) The clients use our technology faster each time.
Doesnt the incorporation of two sales managers imply a change in strategy?
(NJ) This forms part of the maturing of ARTech as a company. We, as businessmen in a growing company, have to see that each of the sectors continues to develop. We had not given the marketing area the focus required for a company of this size, and this it is exactly what we are doing. Its a change of focus that we are going to make in the marketing area.
And why this decision, what do you hope for?
(NJ) The fundamental decision arises because we wish to continue to grow strongly, to have double the countries that we have today and double the clients we have today. We, as businessmen, have to know how to read the company as it grows, which parts are weak and which parts are fine, and to give support to the weak.
(BG) We would like to grow 30% en 2002.
How does ARTech deal with this situation of recession, and regional and world wide crises?
(NJ) I will tell you that we are practically ignoring the situation. We believe that we have to do business and move forward. The regional situation is not good, but the global situation is getting better, the worst is over. Luckily, we are in many markets.
(BG) We are able to diversify...
(NJ) For me, technology helps a great deal to overcome these crisis situations and we are bringing to the market a very advanced product.
Are you planning to open new markets this year?
(BG) Yes. We are undergoing an interesting experience in the Chinese market.
(NJ) We would like to see something in Eastern Europe as well, there is nothing confirmed, but we are working on it.
With respect to ARTechs news in the Mexican market, with all this movement, is it a gamble to enter more in that market?
(BG) In the Mexican market, we are doing our best to sell through our channels and we are assuming a good part of the support.
(NJ) Mexico is a very good market for us, and during 2001 we defined a series of changes in strategy to bring us closer to the market. We set ourselves up in Mexico to offer direct support.
And are you thinking of taking the same plan to other countries?
(NJ) Of course, its one of the first results of all this marketing change. We want to try this in one of the strongest countries and then we are going to expand. We are working to have a very good 2002.