ARTech has worked closely together with Microsoft Corp, its technology partner, on the integration of the GeneXus tools into the .NET execution environment. However, this is not the only project on which they have embarked together.
.NET Framework is a new Microsoft's execution environment that unifies programming interfaces, and seeks to turn Windows into the ideal platform for developing Web applications, traditional Windows applications, and Web services.
GeneXus .NET is the new GeneXus generator, which allows easy application development for this new Microsoft's execution environment as well as conversion of current applications into the .NET framework at a low cost.
For instance, by using GeneXus .NET, Wise one of GeneXus distributors in Brazil migrated two Java and C/SQL applications into the new Microsoft platform in only two weeks. The systems were presented at the launching of the GeneXus 7.5 version in San Pablo. The Java application which was migrated into Microsoft .NET is a B2B system used by Spal, the distributor of Coca-Cola in San Pablo. The system is used for receiving and confirming orders from company clients throughout the country. The C/SQL system is a Nestlé application that uses Business Intelligence for checking the effectiveness of its promotions.
With Microsoft's support, ARTech has organized GeneXus .NET technology early adoption programs in Uruguay and Central America. This has made it possible to present several GeneXus .NET applications in production, two months prior to the release of Visual Studio.NET.
In spite of the success of the technology early adoption programs, the spontaneous interest of the GeneXus community in the new GeneXus .NET generator has led, from its commercial launching to date, to the implementation of 500 installations of the new generator. These installations are spread in more than 10 countries, but mainly in Mexico and Brazil.
Among the GeneXus .NET applications in production, there is a dynamic queries editor on-line, at the Metlife Genésis insurance company in Mexico (http://www.bsystems.tzo.com); a homebanking service from Banco Ficensa de Honduras (http://www.ficensa.com); a portal of Medea, a textile company in Uruguay (http://www.medea.com.uy), and e-commerXe, an electronic commerce application developed by Consultoría de Sistemas (http://www.office.com.uy).
The GeneXus .NET generator originated in the context of an important world development project led by Microsoft Corp., revolving around the .NET platform. ARTech participated in this project together with a small group of companies that were selected among companies all over the world. ARTech is the only Latin American business in this special group.
The first GeneXus .NET beta version was presented at Microsoft Tech Ed 2001, held in Atlanta (Georgia) in July, 2001. The launching of the commercial version took place in San Francisco, in February of this year, at the official launching of Visual Studio.NET by Microsoft at the VS Live conference.