Increasingly, business is becoming 'web-centric'. That is to say, the Internet in all its forms (email, Intranet, Extranet) is moving to the core of business operations.

It is inevitable that those who embrace this revolution the most, will benefit from it the most.

It'll soon be very difficult to carry out any sort of commerce WITHOUT the need to make use of a web application or web service.

The benefits of web applications are clear to see. It only requires a browser connected to a web server to access one. The client (browser) machine doesn't even need to be a powerful one. After all, it is the server which is doing all the hard work. A workstation essentially becomes a 'dumb' portal to the web.

With web applications becoming available for PDA's and mobile phones, even the shackles of the desktop are being removed. The promise of 'remote' working from home, or whilst on the move, is finally a real possibility.

Whether your application is a simple E-commerce shopping basket, or a way of booking employee leave, deploying your application over the web delivers many more benefits than a traditional desktop programme.

As more and more web applications are developed, so your business becomes more 'web-centric'. By this we mean that more and more of your day-to-day business operations are carried out over the net.

Just as email has become an indespencible business tool, so will web applications

Key to this 'web-centric' revolution is the ability to pass information freely around the web.

It is essential that 'Smethick-spares' is able to push their list of car spares into the database of 'Mega-motors'. Or 'Sparks-electric' is able to push their electricity bill into the accounts package of 'Mega-Corp'.

XML (Extensible Mark-up Language) is the format for passing this sort of information freely across the web.

A 'web-service' is an application that can port information (data) over the web in such a format.

It gives business the potential to seamlessly integrate with other businesses over the web in a manner only dreamed of in the past.

Ripping World can offer development and consultancy for all web technologies. We have vast experience in all development technologies, from XML, Java and JSP to C# and .Net.

Our web designers work closely with our web developers and programmers to provide full-cycle development. Since 1996 we have been designing web sites and developing web applications.

Our approach to web design and development is pragmatic. Programming discipline and creative design go hand in hand with our projects.