ClearNova Puts On Its ThinkCAP

Not familiar with AJAX, or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML? It&s a programming method that aims to bring the responsiveness and usability of rich client-server applications to the Web world.

“AJAX is the new belle of the ball for building a rich and fast [user interface]. But tools to date have been lackluster and complex,” said Dana Gardner, principal analyst at InterArbor Solutions.

ClearNova&s ThinkCAP JX rapid-application development tool incorporates several open-source frameworks and engines as well as “a full-blown business charting engine,” said Steve Benfield, vice president of strategy at the Alpharetta, Ga.-based company.

Tibco Software and other companies have announced support for AJAX in their products, but “most focus on the browser side so you need to know JavaScript, which is complex,” Benfield said. “We&re saying use the server and the client, put some logic on the server and write Java to control things on the client. It makes it really easy to do interactive stuff.”

Some VARs are impressed.

“ThinkCAP lets you extend legacy applications to the Web 10 times faster than anything else,” said Tony Merendello, president of ServIT, an Atlanta-based solution provider. “It&s bulletproof. Java runs on any hardware and gets your information to the Web in a non-Band-Aid manner,” he said. “In the dot-com boom, scalability was an issue, so people slapped on a lot of Band-Aids. Now they&re removing their Band-Aids and doing real fixes.”

The company recently formalized a partner program with Consulting and Gold levels. Consulting partners get training for two employees, access to a partner support hotline and finder&s fees for their $5,000 fee. Gold resellers get up to a 30 percent discount on the software and training for five people for their $10,000 fee.