Our engineering department covers all the stages from the specification of a software application through to the implementation. This includes the techniques and technologies aimed at the development and building of the software as well as its maintenance and management. Software engineering is of strategic importance to Square IS and all our customers. In the last 25 years we have made some major decisions with regard to these techniques and technologies that have strongly benefited the development of our BIBIS products. To this date the solid structure that has been put in place in version 2.0 of the old BIBIS product, which was introduced in 1998, still has its advantages.

When the new products BIBIS LMS and BIBIS OPAC were first developed in 1997 in web technology, good use was made of the solid structure of the old product with all its functionality. Even though the software is entirely new, the base level processing towards the database has been largely maintained because it is so solid and reliable. In the end, the quality of the software is determined by the knowledge of the software engineers, their mentality and their motivation to be of service to the users, both on short and long term.

A small example: by starting the preparations for making our products millennium proof in 1995, we had already finished this process in July 1997. By that time, we could start with the development of new products in web technology. Our first product was named, as was custom in those days: BIBIS™98. Because of this early start and the large number of users over the years, in 2003, we now have an exceptionally beautiful, stable, functional and reliable product. A pleasure to both work with and on.

Our extensive experience, working under different web servers and web browsers, is of eminent importance to our customers’ users and engineers. It pleases us that our comprehensive installation manuals are therefore in great demand by our relations.

Research

Square Information Systems’ vision with regard to research includes learning to apply technologies and products that can be used to create end-user products that enhance the work of our customers. The research activities have been assigned to the Engineering department.

Although the scientists working at our Engineering department have backgrounds that vary from Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering to Business Administration, most of them are specialists in the fields of Computer Science, Information Management and Software Technology. By co-operating closely, they influence each other and broaden each other’s vision, leading to advantages in the form of synergy and the cross-pollination of ideas.

The products that are researched and applied by the Engineering department include web servers, web browsers, databases, high-level programming languages, search engines and operating systems.