Frequently Asked Questions

Why is K5 a Windows application and not web-based?

K5 is FAST!All previous versions of Kwik-Az Updating were web-based. This meant that the speed of the Internet determined usability. The Internet (sometimes nick-named the big WORLD-WIDE-WAIT) is today just as slow as it ever was, not only because of slow broadband in New Zealand, but because we continue to use it for more and more bandwidth intensive tasks - watching online video is an example. We predict that frustration with this bottleneck will continue into the forseeable future, as increased usage will continue to cause delays in the performance of rich web-based applications.

In a practical sense, uploading and downloading complex management tools where operators have to click and wait, then click and wait, simply does not make sense any longer. Hence K5.

What is different from K3 (or K1, K2 or K4)?

K1 - K5 First, the program is located on your computer, rather than having to constantly download and wait for web pages before you can start editing your website. Kwik-Az starts instantly, takes a second or two to connect to your website and you are ready to work immediately. K5 has a similar layout to K3, with the Site Tree on the left, Edit box on the right and tabs and tools top right. Under-the-hood however, EVERYTHING is different. New technology. New systems. Effectively a total rebuild with the latest technology.

Will my website be any different?

No. There will be no change to the content nor the look and feel of your website. (other than the small Kwik-Az Updating link at the footer of your website will disappear)

What if I do not want to upgrade to K5?

No problem, for the meantime. K3 will be eventually retired on 30 June 2009. Existing K3 websites that have not been upgraded to K5 will remain unchanged until then.

What does K5 cost?

New installations (i.e. all new websites) have K5 installed automatically at no charge. K3 ==> K5 conversions are charged on a time-basis, usually 1-2 hours (at $90.00 per hour including GST). Maximum charge is $180.00, unless otherwise agreed. Any conversion that is likely to be more than two hours work will custom quoted BEFORE any charge is incurred. Many of our customers who have already upgraded have asked for some extra design work to give the website a fresh new look.

Can I use K5 while I am not connected to the Internet?

No. While the K5 program is located on your computer, the data is still located on the Internet, effectively "inside" your website. If you wish to work remote (on a notebook while travelling, or if your Internet connection is down), save your work in your word processor, then copy it into Kwik-Az Updating when you are back online. Remember though that your formatting must be done in K5, not your word processor.

I want it! How do I get K5 installed?

Contact Go Kiwi Internet to upgrade your existing website or have your existing website rebuilt using K5. Download the K5 program using the login and password supplied to you. Start typing and click Save. It's that easy - true!

What does Beta mean

A computer application is in "alpha" when it is being developed in-house. The first release of the software outside of the development house is called a Beta release. Beta software is software that has been tested to a reasonable and easily usable standard, but is only available for limited commercial release. It may have some minor features disabled, and perhaps some minor bugs awaiting fixing - or perhaps those little bugs yet to be found that only arise from extended distribution and use. It is however fully working in all its core functions. It is supplied on an AS-IS basis, and feedback and suggestions for future releases are solicited and always welcome.

What's up with Jojo or Silverstripe? (I'm in-the-know!)

CMS Options We have a lot of time for both these Open Source applications and also the people behind them. However having previously implemented Jojo in a commercial setting and having worked with Silverstripe in a test environment, our technical team are convinced that the future of website management is NOT fully web-based technology, rather it is Application Software utilising web services.

Go Kiwi Internet is naturally and has always been Open Source developers but there are several problems with Open Source CMS systems; particularly in regards to speed and complexity, but also other support issues. The trend over the last few years has been to push more features and functions into online CMS systems (not only Open Source CMS systems) therefore increasing complexity and causing performance issues.

Geeks love technical things, however Kwik-Az users are busy people who just want to get the job done. Waiting for a browser to download enormous complex javascript libraries (mostly designed to just replicate a rich Windows-like GUI), even when they are compressed and optimised is simply NOT what they want. They want it to be simple, work on all browsers all the time and NOW! K5 provides this kind of service better due to the nature of its construction. It's simply not browser-based.

Almost all users have their own notebook or desktop, so the market is NOT needing fully web-based solutions. A small but powerful application that only connects via the web to upload to a web server is a far easier, more reliable and faster solution that is more easily scalable and able to handle mass-market entry-level solutions.

What's under the hood? (BTW, I'm technically competent!)

LAMP - Borland DelphiOK. The servers are standard LAMP boxes located in Houston, Texas. The server applications are custom-developed PHP scripts using a simple, but robust in-house developed framework. Pages are served from a single set of global scripts accessing a standard TPL file that handles many customised layouts. Variables, set by K5, control the page layout as well as standard company contact data, inheriting site-wide and global defaults. Server caching is also used. All this makes for flexible and extremely light server loading - therefore fast webpage serving.

Lost you? Then its time for a cup of coffee or maybe you should do some real work!

For the geeks IT gurus, then let's continue . . . The K5 program is a Delphi application utilising simple and therefore efficient custom in-house web services. Separate executables manage Editing, Image Management, File Management and Page Previewing. All data is held in the web server-based MySQL tables (only cached user information is held locally). Saved, but unpublished data is held in a dupicate table, and moved to the live page data table when published. Page updating by Save of Publish (updating the MySQL tables) is effectively the only noticeable wait-time for a user.

I'm in the trade, and I'm impressed. Can I work with you?

Yes. There are several ways to work with Go Kiwi Internet . . .

Wholesaling, a Go Kiwi Internet Agency, as a Reseller or simply as a Referral Agent



Download Kwik-Az Updating