Developing Using the Microsoft .NET Framework Can Reduce Costs and Increase Profits

Phoenix, AZ -- November 5, 2003 -- The Microsoft .NET Framework is starting to prove that it can reduce the costs of software development, while providing superior stability and functionality to developers and administrators alike. Recent benchmarks have shown the .NET environment to be almost comparable in application speed to more traditional development environments such as C and C++, and many have demonstrated its speed advantages over Java. These days, with computer systems priced so low, companies are not focusing on development environment that will create the fastest application. Rather, they are focusing on how quickly applications are developed and released to the general public. With the recent introduction of the Windows 2003 operating system, Microsoft further increases the performance gains and benefits for the users of .NET and gives customers even greater reasons to move to the .NET environment.

Examples of the benefits of using .NET are being seen all across the internet today as more and more companies are moving towards, and more and more applications are being built on, the .NET framework. One such company that is focusing and relying on the .NET framework for all of its applications is SmarterTools Inc. SmarterTools develops and markets applications that are currently being used by some of the largest web hosting companies in the world, as well as various enterprises and small businesses. For example, one SmarterTools client, CrystalTech Web Hosting Inc, has converted to both SmarterMail and SmarterStats, in part to the fact that both applications were built on the .NET framework. When asked why they made the switch to SmarterTools products, Tim Uzzanti, CrystalTech CEO, stated “Being exerts in the Windows environment, not to mention the fact that we’re developers ourselves, we knew what to expect with the .NET framework from the beginning. Seeing the SmarterTools products basically from their infancy, we saw their promise: the speed and stability they offered, the ease of integration into our network infrastructure, and the power and edge they would give us. We also knew what to expect from the developers and how quickly they could build and release any additions we wanted to see in their products. By implementing SmarterStats and SmarterMail, we’ve actually been able to reduce our costs by nearly 70% in their respected areas.” When asked how this was possible, Mr. Uzzanti replied “Reliability and stability are one thing, but when products enable you to cut costs by being self-contained solutions, that alone makes the change worthwhile. With SmarterStats, we were able to get rid of a ton of hardware that our other stats solution required, not to mention the additional database licenses that were necessary. And as far as email goes, SmarterMail has reduced the labor costs we were incurring due to the need for a network admin having to baby-sit our previous mail server software.”

Grady Werner, Project Manager for SmarterTools, takes things even further, “The .NET Framework is a dream come true. Using it, our development time is cut in half versus using other languages, and we are able to tackle not only the small business market, but the most intense and demanding market of all, the web hosting market. Web hosts are very demanding as they push hardware and software to their limits. Thanks to .NET, our products are able to outperform all of our competition, and it gives us an edge in terms of being first-to-market with new products and services.”

Slowly, more and more companies are moving to the .NET framework. Many companies are moving based on benchmark scores and on the results of various studies pitting .NET up against more traditional development environments. Now, however, there are real world examples that demonstrate that a company’s investment in the .NET framework will not go in vain. In addition, the performance and stability companies gain by using .NET, coupled with the time saved on the development cycle of applications, prove that the .NET framework is a gold mine!

About SmarterTools
SmarterTools Inc. is a privately held company based in Phoenix, Arizona specializing in internet related products and services that fill voids in their respective categories. The SmarterTools Inc. management team has the expertise and experience in the industry and in leading some of the largest companies in their respected fields. It is their experience with both Domestic and International customers in over 60 countries that has made SmarterTools Inc. an immediate player in the industry.

About CrystalTech
Founded in 1992, CrystalTech Web Hosting, Inc. has grown to be one of the largest, debt-free, privately owned companies in the web hosting industry. CrystalTech hosts customers in over 74 countries, ranging from Fortune 100 customers to small businesses. CrystalTech is responsible for 100's of millions of visits each day on the Internet. We provide this service using a state of the art network operation center that includes: redundant power systems, redundant air conditioning, redundant network connectivity, redundant network transportation (land and satellite), secured environment to the network operations center and more.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft, .NET, Windows and Windows 2003 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

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