Falcon
Overview
Document
version 1.1
May 2010
WHAT FALCON IS
Falcon is a group of software applications currently in development by Great Spirit Systems Corporation. Falcon's purpose is to facilitate and enhance both the internal operations and the ministries of United Methodist Annual Conferences. The name "Falcon" is a code name during the development process. This name will be replaced by a product name to be selected from suggestions by our customers.
Falcon will be a replacement for our current product, MissionBase. MissionBase is installed in 22 United Methodist Annual Conference offices; and nearly a hundred district and camping offices. MissionBase has been in use since 1996.
Falcon will be released in phases. The first module, called "Center," will be released in late summer or early fall 2010. Other modules, which will depend upon the data maintained in Center, are planned to be released throughout a period of 12-15 months following the release of Center.
This document is intended to give a very brief overview of the Falcon software product and programs.
SOME KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FALCON
AND MISSIONBASE
User initiated database
synchronization will no longer be necessary.
A simple and short user initiated
software installation will occur over the Internet. Great Spirit Systems
assistance will be available, as needed, of course.
A group
of smaller programs, instead of a
very large single program, will comprise
Falcon. All programs will access common data.
Web applications will be available for embedding on your
website, instead of requiring the use of our UMCData site.
Mobile access to data (smartphones, tablet
computers) will be offered after
MissionBase components are converted.
Falcon will
run on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers,
whereas MissionBase only runs on Windows. Certain Falcon programs will also run
on smartphones and tablet computing devices.
SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE
Some modules will be designed for the core staff responsible for maintaining data on a daily basis. Other modules will be designed for executive staff members who need quick and easy access to the data, without the overhead of a full-blown maintenance product they don't use or need. We plan to develop apps aimed specifically toward the data needs of Superintendents, Bishops, Ministry Directors and other executive staff. Each app will easily download and install on laptops as well as mobile devices directly from the internet.
A third group of modules, called "Public" apps, will be designed for plug-in use on conference web pages. These will replace the current UMCData.com website, and make it possible for you to embed these functions within your own websites.
TARGET RELEASE SCHEDULE
The entire Falcon product with all modules necessary to replace MissionBase will be released in four phases. While these phases are still somewhat in flux, here is the tentative schedule.
| Group I | ||
| Event Definition | Already released to event registrars | |
| Center | Release early Fall 2010 | |
| Group II | ||
| Event Registration | Late 2010 | |
| Cabinet/Candidacy | Early 2011 | |
| Group III | ||
| Web Church Leaders | Summer 2011 | |
| Safe Sanctuaries | Summer 2011 | |
| Group IV | Late 2011 | |
| Benefits | ||
| PAL (property ins) | ||
| Remittance | ||
| Statistics | ||
TECHNOLOGY
Programming Platform:
Adobe AIR (Adobe Integrated Runtime)
Adobe Flex programming language
Adobe Flash Player with web browser
Database Platform:
Data is stored in MS SQL Server 2008.
Database will reside on servers at an Internet hosting company (in the "cloud").
Data access will be available via mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers), as well as any computer with a web browser (including public computers).
Falcon programs will connect to the database over the internet. The database will not reside on the local computer, except in specialized cases where offline access is required.
Database synchronization will be reserved for specialized offline applications which are necessary for just a few folks. This synchronization will be handled automatically.
QUESTIONS?
Questions about Falcon and Great Spirit Systems may be addressed to:
Al Fifhause
President, Great Spirit Systems Corporation
al@greatspirit.com
847-477-7337