Zetasoftware is a Uruguayan company, a Latin America pioneer in the concept of Software as a Service (SaaS), characterized by developing and marketing both management and accounting applications in a Web and online environment, targeted at SMEs. In an interview with GXnews, among other interesting issues, Zetasoftware CEO Mario Celano speaks about his company’s origins and how it has followed a parallel path to that of GeneXus.
You chose GeneXus right in the early stages of ZetaSoftware. Why?In 1998, we decided to take on this challenging project, and we started with GeneXus' “technology partner” option. At that time, we started with GeneXus 7.5 (Visual FoxPro and DBFs), then we moved on to version 9.0 (java and DB2), after which we upgraded to GeneXus X, and right now we are developing a new product with Evolution 1 (also Java and DB2).
These upgrades from one version to another brought the typical –and necessary- inconveniences. But let me tell you, when we went from GeneXus 9 to GeneXus X, I remember saying to myself "And I thought I knew GeneXus”. There were so many improvements, that my first impression was that I was working with an entirely different product. It was like changing your car, going straight from a 1998 model to a 2008 model without seeing the models in-between. But the effort proved well worthwhile. The final product you can develop is really impressive!
You ask me why we chose GeneXus. Well, Zetasoftware is a company somewhat different than most companies that use GeneXus. However, our sales are defined face-to-face with the owner of the SME through demos of no more than 2 hours. In that short period of time, we must give the clients an excellent perception of the system being shown to them, which is why simplicity and aesthetics are key. Today, with GeneXus X we can create products that in my opinion are not possible with traditional programming (and if they are, I wonder at what cost).
I believe that using GeneXus is crucial nowadays to compete in the market in which we operate. And it is becoming increasingly crucial.
What are the characteristics of your market? And how does GeneXus meet the needs of this market? The SMEs market is very special. These companies experience problems similar to those of large companies, but they have fewer resources and smaller infrastructure. They require systems that are easy to operate and take little time to implement, but which have the same scope as the most powerful systems. In this market, the key is to offer products that are good, nice and inexpensive. GeneXus allows us to create quality code applications (“good”), with a professional look (“nice”) and low maintenance and update costs (“inexpensive”).
What can you tell us about ZetaLIBRA, your main online solution?ZetaLIBRA is an application that is marketed both On-site (licensed) and Online (as a Web service from MontevideoComm’s Datacenter).
In both cases, the application is the same; the only difference is in how it is accessed. The best advantage is that the online product can be afforded by anyone, any company, as it is available for as little as 60 dollars a month. This means that systems that cost thousands of dollars can be purchased by any company, however small.
What products are involved in ZetaLIBRA?Only GeneXus. At some point we decided that we would start using GXquery, but then we were amazed to find that it is incorporated as one of the controls in GeneXus X. I think that Query is what many of us were asking for, and now it is just where it is supposed to be, as one of the application’s controls. It’s fantastic.
We also use a User Control designed by Marcos Canán, which is essential to our products. This gives us a great opportunity, because if I need a User Control which doesn’t exist, I can ask to have it made and it’ll be delivered in no time.
What makes this solution a success?The simplicity of the Web, added to the possibility of working from wherever you are, transform a typical management and accounting system into a new and different experience.
ZetaLIBRA is the only SaaS solution with these characteristics.
Architecture of the solutionJava + Apache + DB2/MySQL