We exploit the modern ISO, ANSI, and corporative standards as well as proven software languages and tools. Though, some of them is not so widely used as could deserve.
Database language SQL is the most powerful and wide-spread basis of application development. Call-Level Interface (SQL/CLI) published by ISO/IEC (International Organization for Standardization and International Electrotechnical Commission) and its implementation Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) developed by Microsoft Corporation constitute flexible, reliable, and DBMS vendor-independent infrastructure for information systems.
Common Lisp with Common Lisp Object System was the first object-oriented programming language standardized by ANSI (American National Standard institute). We consider Common Lisp the most appropriate tool for developing complex and intelligent informational systems. Its power and maturity overweight "modernity" exhibited by many hyped-up developing environments.
As Common Lisp looks unaccustomed to today's public, we have compiled some especial information about it at lisp.ystok.ru
Admittedly, object-oriented methodology provides the following benefits:
On the contrary, relational methodology does not match real-world concepts closely and scatters information among multiple tables — the user or programmer is responsible for interpreting data and dealing with conversion complexity. But relational databases generally outperform object ones and are relied on technology proven over decades.
A hybrid methodology, called object-relational mapping, includes definitions of classes of persistent objects, primitives for queries and data manipulation in object-oriented idiom. The specification should follow the principles of the Object Data Management Group (ODMG) standard. But in implementation, the object layer only exists on a client or application server tier and relies on a relational database as a final storage. The back-end database can easily be exchanged, so the technology is DBMS vendor-independent.
Along with object language constructs, powerful "usual" SQL sentences are allowed for searching, reporting, and intercommunication. The overall architecture guarantees that one's investment in relational technology and knowledge is retained.
Sometimes, the system has to provide remote users with bulk of "identical" data but on-line connection is unreliable or not permanent. The solution is to create off-line copies (or replicas) of the database and synchronize them periodically. Ystok-Systema is offering an add-on relied on DBMS built-in replication mechanism (Replication Panel) as well as a heterogeneous configuration (Ystok-Syncer).