On October 15, 2007, the Eclipse Foundation announced the availability of their Rich Ajax Platform (RAP) for download. RAP is an Ajax platform for creating and deploying Rich Internet Applications (RIA.)

RAP 1.0 includes features well-suited for enterprises that are building a large number of new applications based on Ajax and RIA technologies. These features include:

• The ability to create and deploy RIA or RCP applications from the same Java code base, allowing organizations the flexibility to create browser-based RIA application or desktop-based rich client applications.
• Support for creating Ajax applications based on the OSGi component model.
• Java development tools that tightly integrate with the Eclipse platform and allow developers to quickly develop, test, debug and deploy RIA applications.
• A complete set of frameworks for creating Ajax applications that support scalable user interfaces, complex widgets, databinding and loose coupling for UI elements.

The platform is based on the OSGi (Open Services Gateway Initiative) standard which is a service-oriented, component-based system. The beauty of this in the capability to integrate Ajax and RIA applications to integrate within existing systems.

The OSGi specification could become crucial in the development of large systems as it provides for the collaboration of many small components. As of this post, there were about 15 diggs on OSGi about 368 Technorati tags.

You’re reading this post because, like me, you are interested in growing your small business. That first step has been taken and now it’s time to plan. This is the most challenging aspect and according to the Small Business Administration one of the reasons why 67% of new businesses only survive two years.

You started your venture with the concept of providing a top quality servicer or product. Your concept is unique and you’re the expert to deliver. But, you’re ready to throw in the towel.

Is it the business? No. It’s the human factor. People can be irrational and let emotion impede their ability to make rational business judgments. There is a fear of losing control. There is the sense of being overwhelmed at the task at hand. Perhaps there is something to be learned from the Japanese business methodology kaizen.

Kaizen “change for the better,” introduced to the Western world in 1986 by Masaaki Imai, advocates cycles of continual improvement.

• consider the process and the results
• think about the big picture
• learn from mistakes

How do you take your business and change for the better? By making small incremental changes in your strategy, you can steer your company to success. Start acting like a growing company instead of thinking about how to grow. I came across a quote by the writer Charles Caleb Colton, “It is good to act as if. It is even better to grow to the point where it is no longer an act.”

An example would be in how you market to your current and potential clients. Email marketing is one method that can benefit your business. However, you don’t want to be associated with spammers! We offer “Express Email Marketing” that complies with anti-spam laws. It’s easy to create customized messages and to track results. Give it a test drive for two months and see for yourself.

Evaluate this incremental change in your marketing plan and determine the effectiveness amongst your customer population. Remember - it’s a cycle of continuous improvement.