nuBuilder Released as Open Source

ADELAIDE, South Australia (September 23, 2009) - An alternative to Microsoft Access® which can be run entirely within the confines of an Internet browser window has just been unveiled by Australian software development firm, nuSoftware. The system, which the company calls “nuBuilder,” is free for use under the GNU General Public License version 3. At its core, nuBuilder is a database development tool not dissimilar to Microsoft Access®. But what makes nuBuilder unique is its web-based format, allowing both end-users and developers to access nuBuilder applications from any Internet ready computer, on any platform, from anywhere in the world.

Unlike most other database development applications on the market, nuBuilder does not require end-users or even developers to download a client application. Its ability to run within a browser window eliminates the need for licensing fees, creating extensive savings for companies that regularly employ large scale database software for use on multiple machines.

This web-based structure also eliminates the problems usually associated with working on multiple platforms. Users can access the same nuBuilder application from any Internet capable device, whether this be their Linux machines at the office, their PCs at home, or even their internet capable cell phones. In each case, data is stored exclusively on a secure server, not on the end-user's system, drastically reducing the chance of data loss or theft.

This versatility has led nuSoftware to characterize their brainchild as a system that “gives people more access than Access®.”

The variety of applications which can be developed using nuBuilder is as diverse and wide-reaching as that which could be developed using Microsoft Access® itself. A nuBuilder developer might create a fully functioning accounting system that tracks expenses, processes invoices, and keeps track of customer information. Another might use it to develop an application for tracking student identification and enrollment information for a university. While similar applications could be developed using Access®, nuBuilder makes this process faster and more cost effective through GNU public licensing and through its intuitive web-based interface.

Using MySQL as its underlying base, nuBuilder allows for the rapid construction of new applications, taking far less time than if they were written from scratch. Many developers will require little to no coding to achieve the results they desire. The most commonly needed features are built right into the core of the program, including multi-level user authentication, rapid data cloning, and automatic report writing—which outputs reports directly to a browser window complete with charts, graphs, and statistics. On the other hand, enterprises with extensive database demands can easily customize and add to these features by integrating nuBuilder with custom MySQL code, PHP, and JavaScript.

Since their inception in 1992, nuSoftware has developed various custom database solutions as a simple matter of day to day necessity, finding off-the-shelf solutions inadequate to meet the needs of their ever growing client list. It was only after a version of nuBuilder had already been in private use by the company for years that nuSoftware realized the more universal service to which it could be put through GNU licensing.

For more information about both nuSoftware and nuBuilder please visit http://www.nuBuilder.com.

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