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What is IBEC?
IBEC stands for Internet Business Environment for Collaboration. It is a set of software
modules to be used collaboratively. It provides an organization a sufficient package
of Functional Modules to construct useful features of an Intranet and to have a self-contained
tool set to manage its Website and thus establishes an Internet application environment for
the organization.
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How do we apply the Web-browser and server-based application software?
You use a Web browser on a device to interface with a server on Internet for the functional
features. As a user, your application equipment can be very flexible and simple such as
a PC, or a Palm Top or a telephone. As functional features, they are centrally provided
and managed by the server for data integrity, system reliability, scalability and security.
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What are the advantages of Web-browser based application software?
It provides you with easy accessibility. Not only you can access the applications anywhere
and anytime, as long as you can be on Internet with a simple browser, but you can also
access with much simpler devices such as a phone or a Palm Top.
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What do you mean by server-based application software?
It means the sophisticated application modules, the system support for your application,
the security and reliability of the operation of the system are centrally managed and
maintained at one place – the server of the system.
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What are the advantages of server-based application software?
Compared to distributive computing, where your data is scattered in many places,
server-based application is better in its system architecture. Data management,
especially integrity of data, would be much more complicated and inherently complicated.
Application software version control would also be much simpler in this case against
distributive application software setting.
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If IBEC is a system solution, does it matter what hardware or OS we choose?
It is ported to most hardware platforms. It can work on both Intel PC platform with Window
OS and Sun Microsystems SPARC platform with Solaris Operating Environment. It also works
on Linux OS with either hardware platforms.
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What is the preferred system platform for IBEC?
It is the Linux OS on Intel PC platform.
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Why is Linux chosen as IBEC’s preferred hardware platform?
It was chosen for its performance, security and economy.
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Does Aries Solutions offer hardware solutions for IBEC?
Certainly. As a custom hardware solution provider since 1989, Aries Solutions naturally offers
the total system solution for IBEC.
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Can e-Office and Site Manager be applied independently and hence purchased separately?
Each of them can be applied individually on hardware platforms that meet Aries Solutions’s system specifications for IBEC.
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Does Aries Solutions provide training classes for Site Manager?
Yes, we do. We offer both on line training program and on site training program to suit customers’ needs.
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IBEC e-Office |
What are the basic functional features in e-Office?
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E-mail & Fax:
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You will view your e-mails and fax using a Web browser on IBEC server.
All your emails and fax are centrally stored and managed at IBEC server.
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E-Tasks:
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This allows you to participate in a workflow procedure.
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Schedule:
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This gives you business schedules of people and other entities such as
meeting rooms. You get schedules for yourself, members of a group that
you are entitled to know and other entities such as meeting rooms and
recreation rooms, etc.
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To-Do:
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This gives you to-do lists for yourself and other people that you are
entitled to know.
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Forum:
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This is the official discussion platform for the organization. The set up of a discussion
forum needs to get approved.
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Message Boards:
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Any IBEC member can set up a Message Board and becomes the owner of the message board.
The owner can decide who and how the message board is to be shared. Message Board is for
personal special topic discussions.
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Address Book:
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Address Book is compatible with Palm Top address book.
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My Web Documents:
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These are personal and shared files accessible from the Web. For shared files,
owner of the files determines who and how the files are to be shared.
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Useful Websites:
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This is IBEC’s version of a collection of useful Websites for each member. No matter
which browser the member uses and no matter which device the member accesses the Useful
Websites, it will be the same set of Websites that are chosen by the member.
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Back to Questions
Most of our employees have PalmTop, which they use for their schedule
and address book. Are there advantages to use similar features in IBEC e-Office?
Both the Palm Top and IBEC e-Office are easy to access. However, e-Office centralizes the
administration of operations and management of data. Address Book and Schedule modules
are also compatible with respective Palm Top application modules.
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We have an email system already, can we bundle our email with IBEC e-Office?
Yes, if you wish to do so. We feel that it is unnecessary and that there are advantages to using
IBEC Web-browser and Linux server based email.
Email is a simple application. All emails, including IBEC email, are supposed to be simple and
reliable to use. IBEC email is a user interface built on top Unix Sendmail, which is as simple,
solid and reliable as one can get. There is no replication and other unnecessary complexities
added to the email operations as in the often-buggy Exchange Server from Microsoft, which tries
to maintain client Outlook email applications simultaneously with server Web-browser email application.
If your current email is processed, managed and stored by and at your local client PC, we highly
recommend you to consider using IBEC Web-browser and Linux server based email. It is not only
easy to access but also easy to access through many convenient devices, including your PC,
such as Palm Top and telephone.
Furthermore, being a server based email, you would not have the problems associated with
scattering all emails you received and you replied in you home PC, office PC, hotel PC when you
travel, etc.
For an organization, such as university or community, where access devices need to be shared,
server based email certainly provides obvious privacy advantage. IBEC server is a Linux server.
It is less likely to get heckled. Security could also be one of your considerations to favor IBEC
email.
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What are e-tasks?
These are the IBEC members’ participations in business workflow procedures.
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What are e-services?
These are Intranet service requests from members. Members can request to initiate workflow procedures,
Forum discussions, appointments, and other Intranet services through this user interface.
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What is in Web Storage?
Web Storage is the public storage in provided by IBEC for members of IBEC Intranet.
The IT department of an organization manages the Web Storage. Uploading to the Web Storage needs
to go through approval procedure.
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What are in IBEC Settings?
Member’s password, front page settings, and certain parameters used in e-Office that can
be set by members themselves.
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What is the difference between IBEC e-Office Forum and Message Boards?
The former is an official discussion board with optionally hierarchical structure in its subjects.
The latter is a free style information exchange boards set up and managed by individual members.
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What is the difference between My Web Documents and Microsoft My Documents?
The former is accessible from the Web and centrally managed on the server. The latter can be accessed
if you are close to the desktop system.
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Is there any difference between IBEC e-Office Useful Websites and IE Favorites or Netscape
Bookmarks?
Functionalities are about the same except that IBEC e-Office Useful Websites is a server application
module, not a client side application unit. The consequence is that no matter which browser the
member uses and no matter which device the member uses to access the Useful Websites, it will be
the same set of Websites that are chosen by the member.
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Does e-Office Schedule give personal and group schedule information?
Yes, it does. It is not only a scheduler for individuals but also a business event calendar with
event types built into the system.
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How can I find meeting schedules in e-Office?
One finds meeting schedules in two places, one in personal schedule and one in meeting room schedules.
Meeting rooms act like “members” in e-Office group Schedule.
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Can I make an appointment with members on IBEC?
Yes, you do that in the e-Office e-services module.
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How can I initiate a Forum?
Again, you do that in e-Office e-services module.
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How can I initiate a Message Board?
You click the Message Boards button and follow the Create New Message Board link.
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How can I synchronize my Address Book with my Palm Top?
You synchronize your Address Book on IBEC server with your Palm Top in the same way
that you would synchronize your Address Book on your client PC with your Palm Top.
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How can I share some of my documents on IBEC with some other members?
In My Web Document module, you will be able to select the other members you would like to
share certain files and how they are allowed to do with the files.
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Can I limit the usage of my shared documents with other members individually?
Yes, individually.
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IBEC Site Manager |
What is Site Manager?
Site Manager manages organizations Website. Site Manager is designed
for Website contents implementation, publishing, maintenance and administration.
It offers enterprise Website management features such as distributive authority
for Web page management and Web page publishing approval for non-technical personnel
to use it.
It is Aries Solutions’s belief that to keep up an organization Website, the following five tasks are important.
1. Plan on the contents organization via a Site Map and the presentation
methodology via a Navigation Scheme;
2. Design the look & feel of the web pages-banners, template designs etc.;
3. Implement the website based on the above design and plan;
4. Administrate the website for page updates, authorize publication and handle
interactive activities on the site;
5. Maintain and support the computer system and its operation on Internet for the website.
Site Manager is a collaborative non-programmer software package for the tasks 3 and 4. Aries Solutions offers
the design assistance for tasks 1 and 2 and provides Web hosting and maintenance services for task 5.
As such, Aries Solutions offers total solution regarding your Website.
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What are the basic functional features of Site Manager?
Site Manager offers four fundamental tools, A, B, C and D: A stands for Administration, B stands for
Build New Pages and C stands for Change Contents, D for Delete Pages. Site Manager Administration
handles distributive authority in using the B, C and D to Web pages, approval procedure in publishing
Web pages and interactive activities on Web pages. There are no programming requirements for using
A, B, C or D.
Site Manager also offers many pre-made Functional Modules to provide practical information exhibition
and to support interactive activities on organization Web site. Examples of Functional Modules include:
- Site Search
- Event Calendar with Event Types
- Slide Show
- Poll & Survey
- Electronic Document Distribution
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What are the overall advantages of Site Manager over other content management
software packages?
Most of the contents management application software offers the offline assistance to do graphic design of
Web pages by persons with artistic talents. Site Manager, on the other hand, provides streamline
process for Web page creation, updates and publishing on line and in real time for business people.
Aries Solutions design Site Manager to offer our customer a total solution package, with optional useful Functional
Modules, hosting services and system platforms.
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Does Site Manager offer fresh, effective graphic design?
Site Manager is a package of software tools for business people. As such, it does not offer artistic
graphic design. However, it isolates the role of art design relevant to Website construction.
For an organization Website, the key items are Web page banner designs and template designs.
Site Manager does offer set of templates for users to choose.
As a company, Aries Solutions employs an array of graphic artists and design engineers. We have found that
certain themes and artistic ideas differ greatly from city to city. It has further been our
experience that particular graphic artist and design professionals can sometimes better relate
to the expressions and intentions that city officials seek. At Aries, we match the artist to
the job. The result is a web design and set of templates that match the overall theme and marketing
ideas that the city wishes.
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Will Aries Solutions help us come up with effective navigation that is intuitive, user-friendly,
and capable of growing as we add new features?
Aries Solutions Site Manager solution includes consulting services. Utilizing our experience with other organizations,
Aries will work with your officials to determine an effective site map that provides an intuitive,
user-friendly navigation to users. Additionally, Site Manage provides Functional Modules to easily
build on-line forms, documents, templates, surveys and other dynamic features.
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Does Site Manager offer an effective Search Engine?
Yes, in fact, we propose a search engine that appears in the same position of every page and searches
all pages of the site.
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Will we be able to easily create and update Web page contents by non-technical
employees from various departments and locations in the City?
Yes, that’s precisely one of main features that Site Manager is designed for. Non-technical employees
with no programming knowledge will be able to use this enterprise level of application features in
Site Manager to do Website contents management. Easy to use templates and our Rich Text Editor make
it simple for individuals with experience in using Windows and a Word Processor to manage their portion
of the Web site. It does not require the use and knowledge of specialized graphic tools.
Aries Solutions includes on-site and on-line training for administrators to further facilitate the use of these
management tools. Additionally, “Site Manager” makes it easy to assign administration rights to
Button Administrators who have administration rights for completes sections of the Web site or Page
Administrators who have management responsibility for a single page.
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Is Site Manager easily accessible for users with slow access over modem offering
28.8 Kb connections, in either Mac or PC systems and via any of the AOL web
browsers, Netscape, or Internet Explorer?
Aries software engineers have designed Site Manager utilizing industry standard architecture to provide
across the board conformity with multiple browser versions.
Additionally, in our site design and front-page layout, we typically advise the customers to avoid
the kinds of graphic intensive options that create load delays for slower access users. This also
extends to include avoiding high-resolution photographs and graphic characters that create delays.
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Is the Event Calendar in Site Manager easy to make additions to and does it
have the capability to separate events by type?
Site Manager’s Event Calendar module is designed with search by event capability. In this capability,
the Main Administrator will have the ability to create event types for the Event Calendar. As new
events are added, an event type is chosen. As citizens view the Event Calendar on the Website they
can choose to see “all” events or choose a special event type. When an event type is chosen, only
the events relating to that event type will appear in the calendar.
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Can we have a news page with the ability to add quick updates and links to
other sites?
This can be handled in many ways all of which are features included in Site Manager. For many of our
customers we have provided a “Slow Scrolling Window” on the Web page. This window shows a dynamically
moving text to exhibit the news, which can be updated via the tools provided with the module in Site
Manager. Another option would be to have a page dedicated to news and news links for which we would
create a special news page template.
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Can Site Manager help to create a document center where the public can search and
find documents, permits, minutes and other official documents?
One of the Functional Modules from Site Manager is the Downloadable Documents module. With this tool,
member of IBEC Site Manager can easily accomplish the desirable goal.
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We need an email notification system to allow site visitors to automatically
receive emails on specific topics such as news releases or job postings.
Users must be able to customize their settings easily or opt out of receiving
email notification. Does Site Manager offer such a tool module?
Yes, Site Manager provides the Electronic Document Distribution module to satisfy this request. This tool
allows users to register for newsletter type information and to make changes to the categories of
information they seek. Site Manager Administrators have the ability to create the category types
of information they choose.
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Will we have the ability to implement quick surveys and display results?
Site Manager’s Vote /Survey module is a standard feature. Administrators can easily create quick surveys
that appear in a box on the Website. The public will see a question with a multiple set of answer
choices underneath. Once the citizen clicks an answer choice and clicks vote, their choice is
tabulated and they automatically link to a page giving the aggregate choices made to that point.
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I would like to have the ability to easily create online interactive forms.
Can we accomplish this with Site Manger?
Another standard feature of Site Manager Functional Module is the Interactive Form creator.
This tool gives administrators the ability to create the following types of questions: texts such
as name address or short paragraphs; numbers such as age or date; Multiple Choices; Single Choice
including Yes or No choice. The public on line can fill these forms interactively over Internet.
Site Manager Administration provide features to authorize personnel to handle this matter with
Site Manager tools.
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Will Site Manager provide tools to create features so that the public is able
to report a problem or express a concern via the Website?
Standard in Site Manager is the Contact Us module that allows the public to send a message to specific
departments within the organization through a standard on-line form. Administrators can decide
and change who within the organization receives these messages at each department. Additionally,
as part of the Site Manager Administration, messages from Contact Us module will be managed.
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Could Site Manager help build Web pages that offer GIS mapping system, weather
report or on line credit card payments?
Site Manager offers tools to provide features on the Website. GIS mapping system and weather report, etc.
are considered to features offered by other agencies. Site Manger offers tools to create links on
website. These links can certainly be linked to the outside services. On line credit card payment
is considered to be more complicated issue. It is lesser a Web page design issues then an engineering
task that coordinates on-line paying services to the internal database, which handles finance, accounting
and administration.
Aries Solutions, as a technology service company offers assistance in establishing the on-line payment solution
for each individual requirement instead of designing Site Manager to offer a universal on line credit
card payment solution.
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What about an approval process for publishing new content and edited pages?
As a standard feature, Site Manager provides a page publishing and editing approval process. Site Manager
includes an Approval Process Module. The standard module allows clients to delegate personnel to
approve new page publication or update of existing pages.
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Can we give citizens the ability to obtain live information if needed, such as
during an emergency or an important event?
Site Manager is a real time application system. It can create and/or update information to be published
on the Website in real time, by staff members of the organization. This is a great feature that
distinguishes Site Manger from many desktop publishing tools. It provides a streamlined process
of Web site contents management in real time.
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We often encounter a situation where we know exactly what we need, but are
not able to create the features that we want. Can Site Manger help?
Accompanying Site Manager, there are many Functional Modules, which are designed to help clients to create
many useful features on Website. There are Functional Modules within Site Manager that create slide
show or slow moving windows, give out a poll or survey, provide an event calendar driven by event
types and many more. All Site Manger Functional Modules are designed as easy-to-use tools to be used
by non-programmers. As an example, for a slide show, one uses the tool to upload pictures and chooses
the time lag between two consecutive slides. Site Manage will streamline the process – after one
finishes the design via the tool, it will get approved and published in real time on the Web site.
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