Author: info@eacomm.com

GTFS Protocol: Simplified Mobility with IT

Google and Portland TriMet developed the General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) as a standardized format for sharing public transit data. They launched it on December 7, 2005, for the public transportation system of Portland, USA. The public transit industry, government agencies, and app developers use GTFS to present transit routes to the general public as well as for planning and modeling. GTFS allows transit agencies to share their schedules, routes, stops, and other information in a standard format. This allows developers to use this data to create transit apps and services, such as trip planners, real-time arrival displays, and more. A key benefit of GTFS is that it allows interoperability between different transit systems. This means a single app can tap transit information for subways, buses, trains, and even ferries and present an optimized trip using these different transit modes and how and where to transfer from one mode to another. Mobile apps such as Google and Apple Maps use GTFS to greatly simplify commuting, providing the commuter comprehensive information on the public transit routes they need to ride to get to their destination. It is particularly useful for tourists who are often unfamiliar with the language and modes of transportation available in the cities and countries they are visiting. For cities like Tokyo, Paris, or London, where public transportation is significantly cheaper than taxis, GTFS-powered apps allow tourists to independently navigate the city with confidence. Static GTFS The static GTFS protocol consists of several comma separated values (csv) files that model the transit routes in a city or country. Typical information required includes the geographic locations of stops, the paths/routes of the buses/trains/ferries/etc., travel times, trip schedules, frequency of the trips (also called the headway), and fare data. These files are then uploaded to map applications such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, or the open source Open Trip Planner to generate multi-modal trip plans. For technical information on how to create GTFS files visit: https://developers.google.com/transit/gtfs/reference or download this powerpoint. Realtime GTFS GTFS Realtime (GTFS-RT) is an extension of GTFS that gives transit agencies the capability to provide real time updates about their fleet. Information such as expected time of arrival, trip delays/cancellations, service alerts/notifications, and vehicle location can be provided using GTFS-RT. GTFS-RT makes use of Protocol Buffers, a language-neutral, platform-neutral, mechanism to serialize structured data in a much smaller file size, making its transmission faster and more efficient. GTFS-RT as a standard is not yet as widely adopted as static GTFS, with a number of transit agencies offering their own format for sharing real time data as well as ‘rival’ formats such as Service Interface for Real Time Information (SIRI).  GTFS RT also presents more complex challenges than providing static GTFS as the element of ‘speed’ comes into play and management of server resources, latency, and software efficiency is critical. For technical information on how to create GTFS-RT Feeds visit https://developers.google.com/transit/gtfs-realtime or download this powerpoint. GTFS in the Philippines With a project funded by the World Bank, the The Philippine Transportation Industry adopted GTFS over 10 years ago. This created a comprehensive model of jeepneys, buses, and trains in Metro Manila (feed is available for download here). Almost in parallel, EACOMM was commissioned by Google to develop a GTFS feed for Metro Manila, which was launched by Google Maps in 2012 starting with LRT, MRT and PNR data. Over the years, EACOMM further expanded the GTFS feed to include: During this time as well, EACOMM was tapped to develop GTFS static and real-time feeds for Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, and Queensland in Australia. In 2013, the Department of Transportation launched the Transit App Challenge to encourage Filipino app developers to develop solutions that utilize the World Bank GTFS data. The contest spawned the creation of a number of trip planning apps, the most popular of which was Sakay.ph. Having had experience in GTFS already, EACOMM entered the competition and won the “Best Transit App” award for its entry, TripBarker. To date, EACOMM has continuously worked with Google Maps and other app providers to provide up-to-date GTFS data for Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, and other cities in the country. Bus Management Information System From 2014 to 2017, EACOMM worked with the Department of Transportation to develop a prototype Bus Management Information System (BMIS). The system required public utility vehicles to be equipped with a GPS device that periodically transmitted their location via a cellular modem to a central server. The system was designed to allow the Department of Transportation and its attached agency, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, to remotely monitor buses and detect violations such as overspeeding and out-of-line (the bus is not plying its assigned route). A few years later, this evolved into the Central Public Utility Vehicle Monitoring System, which was launched in 2021. The CPUVMS is envisioned to actively monitor real-time data from not only buses but all types of public transportation (jeeps, taxis, UV Express, etc.). Both the BMIS and CPUVMS utilized GTFS heavily in defining routes and paths for the various transit modes. As part of the CPUVMS, the LTFRB is also actively plotting all transit routes in the Philippines in GTFS to provide the government with a better tool for route planning. The Future of GTFS in the Philippines The COVID quarantine radically changed the landscape of public transportation in Metro Manila. Major route changes in Metro Manila buses were done, the most visible of which is the consolidation of EDSA buses into the EDSA Bus Carousel. Throughout the pandemic, EACOMM worked to quickly modify the GTFS feed for the Philippines to reflect the new bus routes as well as disable any non-operating routes. The next stage of our effort would be to expand the information in the Philippine GTFS feed, such as by providing information on the larger terminals and stops. For example, very soon your favorite transit app will be able to tell you the location of the stairs you need to go up on to head to your designated

No-Code Development: Free tools for the Citizen Developer

No-code Development means creating interactive software for web, desktop or mobile without having to use a programming language. It is an ideal introduction for people interested in creating apps without the background or time needed to learn programming. The rising popularity of no-code development has resulted in the rise of “Citizen Developers”, individuals capable of creating apps without a software development background.

Selecting the Best Solution Stack for your Breakthrough Startup

Creating a new technology startup is a daunting process. Not only do you need to think of a new and innovative idea, but you also have to create a team, market your idea, and create your application or website. EACOMM, as a custom software developer, is often approached by would-be startups to help them realize their dream. Over the years we have helped create successful startups in the fields of telecommunications, logistics, e-commerce, and marketing. Selecting a Solution Stack is one of the more important decisions we need to make when starting a new software project. What is a Solution Stack? A solution stack or software stack is the set of software applications needed to create a platform where a website or application will reside. Over the two decades that EACOMM has been developing software, we have used several solution stacks such as: LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP): Arguably the most popular solution stack for web application development, LAMP has been around since the turn of the century. Linux is the gold standard operating system for web servers. It is secure, robust, and very stable. Apache is one of the first web servers and despite nearing three decades in existence, is still one of the top web servers being used in the world. MySQL (or sometimes MariaDB) is an open-source relational database that is also nearing three decades of existence. MySQL is proven to be highly stable and reliable as well as fairly easy to learn how to use. Finally, PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor is a server-side scripting language. Through PHP, a webpage can access databases, run server applications, and access server resources. The key advantage of using LAMP is that it is 100% open source and as such completely free to use. It is also quite easy to find developers who know this stack, given its popularity. However, its popularity is also its main weakness, in that it is a common target for hackers and PHP is known to have several security flaws. LAMP deployments can also be difficult to scale once your startup has gained popularity. WAMP (Windows, Apache, MySQL, PHP): A variant of the previous stack that replaces the Linux Operating System with Windows. This is often used as an initial development environment for projects that will eventually migrate to the LAMP stack once it goes live. The reason for this is most desktops are running Windows. With the familiarity and popularity of the Windows User Interface, it is easy to see that a lot of people find it simpler to deploy and maintain a WAMP than a LAMP stack. However, deploying WAMP in a live environment further opens up your system to security issues as most viruses target Windows-based machines. WINS (Windows Server, IIS, .NET, SQL Server): For large corporations and government agencies, there can be resistance to using open-source applications. WINS is a Microsoft-developed solution stack that, while much more expensive to deploy than Linux-based stacks, comes with support and warranties from its developer. For risk-averse organizations, WINS is a viable platform to utilize, especially if money is not an issue. MEAN/MERN/MEVN (MongoDB, ExpressJS, Angular/ReactJS/VueJS, NodeJS): These three solutions stacks are all built around: MongoDB, a NoSQL database that uses JSON-like document schema; ExpressJS, a backend web application framework; NodeJS, a cross-platform opensource web server; and a choice of either Angular, ReactJS, or VueJS which are all front-end JavaScript development frameworks. These solution stacks have strong advantages in terms of scalability and security. They also allow developers to focus their skills on a single programming language: JavaScript. As a modern solution stack, they can easily take advantage of the scalability that cloud infrastructure offers through virtualization and containerization. Choosing a Solution Stack Choosing the correct solution stack can spell the difference between the long-term success or failure of a technology startup. Hence, one should consider several factors to ensure the solution stack to be deployed is apt for the project: Last Words… Remember that the solution stack to be used in developing the technology infrastructure of your startup is a critical decision that can affect the long-term viability of your new business. While deploying using cheaper or more popular options would help you get to market quicker, it might affect the scalability and performance of your system once your startup gains popularity. Hence, when planning out your initial 1-3 years as a business, take into account how your target growth might affect the solution stack you are looking to use. If you see rapid growth, better to invest in scalable, secure, high-performance stacks from the start. If growth is slower or if the system is not too performance-dependent, then starting on simpler solution stacks would not only save you money but also get you to market much quicker. Start your conversation today with one of EACOMM Corporation’s system architects to find out how best to approach the custom software development of your highly innovative and breakthrough startup!

Client Success Specialist

EACOMM is looking for Client Success Specialists to join its award-winning team. The position is tasked to assist and train clients during the deployment of their system.

1955: The Year that Shaped Information Technology

An interesting factoid is the number of immensely influential personalities in the Information Technology Industry who were born in the year 1955. Coming of age in the 1970s these icons of IT were heavily influenced by the birth of microcomputers and how computers became something accessible to practically everyone. EACOMM pays tribute to these titans of Information Technology, without which the world would be a vastly different place than it is today. Steve Jobs Co-Founder/Chairman and CEO Apple Inc. Steve Jobs, born on February 24, 1955, was an entrepreneur and visionary who co-founded Apple Inc., one of the most innovative technology companies in the world. He is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures of the technology industry. Jobs was born in San Francisco, California, and was adopted by Paul and Clara Jobs. He grew up in Mountain View, California, where his father worked as a machinist. Jobs showed an early interest in electronics, and he began tinkering with electronics as a teenager. In 1972, Jobs enrolled at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, but dropped out after just one semester. He returned to California and took a job as a technician at Atari, a video game company. Jobs left Atari in 1974 to travel to India, where he explored Eastern spirituality and meditation. Upon his return to the United States, Jobs co-founded Apple Inc. with Steve Wozniak in 1976. The company initially focused on building personal computers for hobbyists, but quickly expanded to offer more powerful machines for business users. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Jobs oversaw the development of several key products, including the Macintosh computer, which was widely regarded as the first successful personal computer with a graphical user interface. Apple went through several ups and downs over the years, but Jobs remained at the helm and continued to push the company forward. In 1985, Jobs was fired from Apple after a power struggle with the company’s board of directors. He went on to found NeXT Computer, which developed high-end computers for the education and business markets. NeXT struggled financially, but the company’s software and operating system became the basis for Apple’s Mac OS X. In 1997, Apple acquired NeXT, and Jobs returned to the company as CEO. Under his leadership, Apple developed several groundbreaking products, including the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Jobs was known for his design sensibilities and his ability to anticipate what consumers wanted before they even knew it themselves. In addition to his work at Apple, Jobs was active in philanthropy. He donated millions of dollars to various causes, including cancer research and education. Jobs himself was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2003, and he passed away on October 5, 2011, at the age of 56. Eric Schmidt Chairman/CEO Google Eric Schmidt was born in Washington, D.C. in April 27,1955. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University in 1976, followed by a master’s degree and Ph.D. in computer science from the University of California, Berkeley. Schmidt began his career in the technology industry in 1983, when he joined the research staff at Xerox’s Palo Alto Research Center (PARC). In 1986, he joined Sun Microsystems, where he served as a technical leader and eventually became the company’s Chief Technology Officer. In 1997, Schmidt joined Novell, a software company, as CEO. He led the company through a difficult period and oversaw a successful restructuring, which helped to restore the company’s profitability. However, he left Novell in 2001 to join Google as CEO. Under Schmidt’s leadership, Google grew from a small startup into one of the world’s most successful technology companies. He oversaw the development of several key products, including Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Earth. He also helped to negotiate key partnerships, such as the company’s agreement to provide search technology for AOL. In addition to his work at Google, Schmidt has been active in philanthropy and public service. He served as a member of President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology from 2009 to 2017. He has also been a vocal advocate for renewable energy and sustainable development. In 2011, Schmidt stepped down as CEO of Google, but he remained with the company as Executive Chairman. In this role, he focused on building relationships with governments and regulators around the world. He also oversaw the development of Google’s self-driving car project, which later became Waymo. In 2015, Schmidt announced that he would be stepping down as Executive Chairman of Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc. He transitioned to a role as Technical Advisor, where he continued to work closely with Google’s leadership team. Schmidt has received numerous awards and accolades for his work in the technology industry. In 2006, he was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering, and in 2016, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama. James Gosling “Father” of the Java Programming Language James Gosling is a computer scientist and software developer known for creating the Java programming language. He was born on May 19, 1955, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Gosling attended the University of Calgary, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science in 1977. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University in 1983. After completing his doctoral studies, Gosling joined Sun Microsystems, where he worked as a software developer. At Sun, he helped to develop several key products, including the NeWS windowing system and the Gosling Emacs text editor. However, it was his work on the Java programming language that would make him a household name in the technology industry. Gosling began working on Java in the early 1990s, with the goal of creating a programming language that could be used to develop software that would run on any device, regardless of its hardware or operating system. He envisioned a world in which developers could write a program once and then run it on any device, without having to worry about compatibility issues. Java was released in 1995,

Lua Programming for Roblox: Introducing children to programming

What is Lua? Lua is a lightweight, efficient, and powerful scripting language that is often used in video game development, embedded systems, and other applications. It was developed in 1993 and has gained recent popularity as the main scripting language of the popular game platform and game creation system Roblox. Lua programming is a good entry point for beginners to appreciate basic software development concepts and get immediate satisfaction in developing simple computer games through the Roblox platform. In the Philippines, where Roblox is very popular amongst the youth, Lua can be a good path to encouraging children to learn how to program their own mini-games and eventually explore a career in custom software development. Below is a quick introduction to Lua and how it can be used to make simple games in Roblox Studio. Hello World in Lua Programming Let’s start with the traditional “Hello World” program: This program uses the print() function to output a message to the console. Lua Variables In Lua, you can declare variables using the local keyword. Here is an example: This program declares three variables: name, age, and isMarried. The print() function is used to output the values of these variables to the console. Control Structures Lua supports several control structures, such as if, for, and while. Here are some examples: if statement This program checks whether the age variable is greater than or equal to 18. If it is, the program prints “You are an adult.” Otherwise, it prints “You are not an adult.” for loop This program uses a for loop to print the numbers from 1 to 10. The loop runs for 10 iterations, with the i variable taking on the values 1, 2, 3, and so on. while loop This program uses a while loop to achieve the same result as the for loop above. The loop runs until the i variable reaches 10, with the i variable incremented by 1 on each iteration. Functions Lua allows you to define functions using the function keyword. Here is an example: This program defines a function named add that takes two arguments and returns their sum. The sum variable is assigned the result of calling the add function with arguments 3 and 5. The program then prints the value of sum. Lua Programming in Roblox To start, install Roblox Studio on your computer. Roblox Studio is a free game development software that allows you to create games and other experiences for the Roblox platform. To start programming in Lua, you first need to create a new Roblox game project in Roblox Studio. Once you have created a new game project, you can open the Lua editor by clicking on the “Script” button in the “Home” tab of the “Roblox Studio” window. This will open a new Lua script file in the script editor. Basic Syntax of Lua Lua is a high-level scripting language that is easy to learn and understand. Here is a brief overview of some of the basic syntax used in Lua: Example: Creating a Simple Game Now that we have a basic understanding of the syntax used in Lua, let’s create a simple game. In this example, we will create a game where the player has to click on moving objects to score points. In this example, we created a new variable to store the player’s score and a new function that is called when the player clicks on the part object. We then connected the function to the part object’s “Clicked” event so that it is called whenever the player clicks on the object. Did you like this Article? If you liked this article and found it useful, let us know and we will create more articles like this and publish it here in the EACOMM blog.

AI Development in the Philippines: Enhancing Public Services

The Philippine government has recently focused its efforts on the utilization of Information Technology to help improve the lives of its citizens. In the past decade, a dedicated Department of ICT was created to focus efforts on digitalization through a National ICT Development Agenda. Currently in the works is an E-Governance Law that has been tagged as urgent by the current regime. With AI development and machine learning becoming more accessible, it is time to seriously consider these technologies and the advantages they may provide for e-governance systems be they at the local or national level. Advantages of AI and ML for e-government systems AI and ML applications in e-governance systems There are several AI and ML applications that can be incorporated into e-government systems that can be advantageous to Philippine LGUs and National Agencies. Some examples include: AI Development challenges and considerations There are a variety of challenges and factors to consider when choosing to implement AI and ML in e-governance systems in the Philippines. Perhaps the main point to consider is the effect of AI and ML on personal privacy. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in e-government systems necessitates the collection and analysis of citizen data. Selecting which data is deemed ‘acceptable’ to process and analyze should be done with transparency and with the citizen’s explicit consent. The security of the storage of sensitive personal data should also be taken into account and as much care as possible must be taken to avoid such data going into the wrong hands. Secondly, in the Philippines, not all citizens have access to technology, which can hinder the efficacy of e-governance systems that rely on AI and ML. It is imperative that any system to be developed should take into account how citizens can access it and ensure that citizens will not be left behind simply because they cannot afford a smartphone or Internet access. Implementing AI and ML in e-governance systems can be expensive, necessitating substantial investments in technology and training. This is particularly true if AI/ML would be dependent on third-party technologies from other countries. It is essential to justify the implementation of these systems by demonstrating that their advantages outweigh their expenses and that internal/local expertise in AI/ML technologies be encouraged and nurtured to allow the country to compete globally without dependence on other countries. Private companies in the Philippines, are working diligently to develop AI and ML-powered products and services that can be integrated with e-governance systems securely and transparently to allow the Philippines to benefit from this groundbreaking technology. Conclusion The implementation of AI and ML in e-governance systems in the Philippines can provide citizens and the government with significant benefits. These technologies can improve service delivery and citizen engagement by automating processes, enhancing accuracy and transparency, and providing data insights. However, when implementing these technologies, obstacles such as data privacy, access to technology, skills, and expertise, and cost must be considered. Contact us today and find out how EACOMM Corporation can help you leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for your LGU or Government Agency or checkout the AI-powered products below:

Customized Asset and Inventory Management System for your Business

The EACOMM Asset and Inventory Management System is a fully customizable software application to manage your organization’s assets and inventory in real-time. The system comes with an easy-to-use mobile app for Android or iOS to manage your inventory and assets remotely as well as a central web-based system dashboard for managing reports, users, and more. The system is ideal for Construction Companies, Wholesalers and Distributors, or any other organization that requires a sophisticated means of managing the movement and location of assets and inventory. The EACOMM Asset and Inventory Management Solution is accessible through a secure mobile app and a cloud-based web application. The system offers customizable user levels and roles with detailed activity logs to ensure system security. It has an intuitive system setup and allows the importation and exportation of data from csv/excel formats. A key feature as well is its ability to automatically order/requisition items that reach pre-determined quantities while having detailed monitoring of each step of the fulfillment cycle which is tied into a customizable, multi-level approval process. Finally, the system offers custom reports and dashboards, unique to each client’s specific business requirements. The system’s intuitive Inventory Management module allows the easy management of Inventory types, suppliers, customers, and the like. Inventory can be tracked and assigned to multiple geolocated warehouses, offices, and project locations. The system’s mobile application has a built-in barcode/QR code reader allowing for on-the-ground management and monitoring of inventory. The Asset Management Module can assign assets to personnel or departments and track assignments and accountabilities. QR/Barcode reading and creation is also available. The system can adapt user-defined depreciation methods that can be assigned per asset type. Finally, the system can also monitor the maintenance and management of assets (such as vehicles and property) as well as manage and monitor the location of each asset. The EACOMM Asset and Inventory Management System’s key advantage is that it is fully customizable to our client’s specific business requirements. The system has been successfully deployed and is in use by several government agencies as well as large Philippine corporations. As with all its products and services, EACOMM offers flexible ongoing technical support and warranty along with an SLA with a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Learn more about how this system may be entirely tailored to the needs of your organization. Send an email to info@eacomm.com or phone +632 7217 0372 for further information.

Headless CMS: A New Way to Deliver Content

A Headless CMS (Content Management System) is a back-end-only CMS that decouples the content management from the front-end delivery. Instead of delivering content through a traditional template-based website, a headless CMS delivers content through APIs to any front-end application or device. One of the main advantages of a headless CMS is its flexibility. It allows the use of any front-end technology to display the content, such as a website, mobile app, or even a smartwatch. This gives developers the ability to create unique and personalized experiences for their users, regardless of the device or platform they are using. Additionally, a headless CMS allows for easy integration with other systems, such as CRM or e-commerce platforms, which can provide more functionality and better data insights. Another advantage is the scalability of a headless CMS. Because the content is delivered through APIs, it can easily be used to support multiple channels and devices. This means that as the needs of the business change, the headless CMS can adapt without the need for major redevelopment. Perhaps the main drawback of utilizing a headless CMS is the need for technical expertise in developing the front-end interfaces. Unlike traditional CMS wherein there are prebuilt templates to build upon, using a headless CMS requires the development of the user interfaces from scratch.   EACOMM Corporation’s award-winning Content Management System, DO-CMS has adopted a headless CMS approach for its current iteration: DO-CMS 5.0. While maintaining some backward compatibility with previous versions, the headless approach now allows DO-CMS to not only serve data to one or multiple website domains but also to mobile applications or even social media accounts from a single content management backend. EACOMM has designed and developed over a hundred websites over the past 20 years, most of which utilize DO-CMS as the content management system. Our clients include major Philippine corporations, government agencies, schools and universities, organizations and charities, and dozens of small and medium businesses across the globe. For more information on DO-CMS 5.0, contact us at info@eacomm.com.

Quick and Easy OpenAI GPT Chatbots on any Website

OpenAI GPT engines have revolutionized chatbots. The free-to-access ChatGPT is one of the fastest-growing websites in the history of the Internet. Integrating with OpenAI’s GPT engines via API, however, costs money and requires a bit of programming know-how. Integrating with GPT would require knowledge of PHP, Javascript, Python, or other web development languages. If you’re wondering how to have an AI Chatbot in your website or web application without programming, this tutorial will teach you how to use Chaital to embed ChatGPT functionality in your website by simply copy-pasting two lines of code! For a live example of this click on the chat button on the lower right of this web page that looks like this: Signing up to Chaital: OpenAI GPT Chatbot Engine Chaital is EACOMM’s implementation of an AI Chatbot using OpenAI GPT. To signup for Chaital, request for one-month free use by emailing: sales@eacomm.com. After your free first month, you can opt to use Chaital on an affordable monthly subscription. Creating your First Chatbot Once you’ve your account credentials, log in via https://eacomm.com/chaital/login. I built my first chatbot, what now? Build more chatbots! Chaital lets you build an unlimited number of chatbots from your one account. Build chatbots for multiple websites, mobile apps, back-office systems, etc. Need more complex AI-based systems? EACOMM can help you design and develop unique and innovative AI-powered systems for your business. Contact EACOMM Corporation at info@eacomm.com for more information.

New EACOMM website with AI-powered chatbot

EACOMM Corporation launches its new website for 2023. The website is the 9th iteration of eacomm.com since 2001 and features our new Chatbot: Chaital (Chat AI Technology with Advanced Language). Chaital is powered by OpenAI and is trained to address initial queries about EACOMM corporation and direct these queries to the appropriate people. The website has much more animation, graphics and videos than the past decade’s iterations of EACOMM and brings back and showcases our two decades of leadership in Interactive Multimedia. For past versions of our website, check out Archive.org Version 1 of EACOMM was a 10 page plain HTML website deployed in 2001. Version 2 “Classic Black” (2002-2003) Featured a number of online forms developed in PHP and written to MySQL database. However, the main site content remained mostly HTML-based with some small flash animation elements. Version two also included our first efforts in Search Engine Version 3 “United Colors of EACOMM” (2003-2005) Featured a lively intro page and heavily SEO’d content. Some content was already content managed during the latter part of this version’s existence. Version 3 was also the first site hosted outside of EACOMM’s in-house web server for increased accessibility from the US/Europe. Version 4 “The Tree House” (2005-2008) This website was the first EACOMM website to fully utilize DO-CMS for content management and was heavy on Flash Animation. It features original artwork from Visual Artist Robert Deniega. Further additions to the site include this Blog website, a Japanese Version of the Website, and other division sub-sites. Version 5 “Film Noir” (2008-2012) This website features detailed interactive scenery with a retro, film-noir look developed in Flash. The website is managed through the latest version of EACOMM’s Dynamic Online Content Management System which features new features such as allowing for editing of Flash content as well as integration with Google’s Application suite. The site’s use of CSS 2.0 would also allow us to change the layout much more often and offer different layouts simultaneously in the future. The site is also designed to showcase the entire skill set of EACOMM Corporation from Interactive Multimedia and Animation as seen with the various Flash scenes, to High-end Web Programming as showcased in the various dynamic content and interactive forms. Version 6 “Pop-Art” (2012-2014) This version of the website pays homage to 50’s-60’s pop-art. The current site is running the beta version of DO-CMS version 4, the first complete rewrite of the DO-CMS engine. In this website, we have decided to forgo flash animation in favor of javascript/jquery/html5 to coincide with the trend in mobile and tablet web browsing. The site is also tightly integrated with Facebook (particularly the photo albums) and other social networking websites. Version 7 “Pixel Art” (2014-2017) While we have been deploying responsive websites for our clients for the past 2 years, it is only in 2014 that we finally had the time to convert our own site to a fully responsive design. This is in reaction to the ever-increasing number of website visitors that are smartphone and tablet users. As with our past websites, the site has a central “theme” that plays tribute to 1980s PC pixel isometric art. The site also shows a transition to a more mature “corporate look”, embracing the fact that EACOMM is no longer a new start-up set up by fresh grads in their twenties, but an established corporation led by a highly experienced group of entrepreneurs and professional managers. Version 8 “Video Time-lapse” (2017-2020) A minor redesign of version 7, this site’s banner is a timelapse video of Eastwood Cyberpark, EACOMM’s home since its inception in 2001. Version 9 “Vector Animations” (2020-2022) After using WordPress to power EACOMM.com for 6 years, this website marks the release and use of DO-CMS Version 5. DO-CMS Version 5 is a headless CMS and the site’s front-end is completely independent of its backend, giving more freedom to our graphic artists to design the frontend site. Meant to usher in EACOMM’s 20th anniversary, it also coincides with the CoVid Pandemic and EACOMM’s transition to the “new normal.” Version 10 “AI Tagcloud” (2023-) Version 10’s intro banner is a tag cloud of EACOMM’s products and services. This site, still powered by the same DO-CMS backend of Version 9, showcases more animation, interactivity, and EACOMM’s AI Chatbot: Aica.

Affordable Connection for Microsoft Teams and a VoIP PBX

Integrating Microsoft Teams with a Cloud IPPBX such as Elisha Telecom’s Fully Managed ETPBX or an existing SIP-compliant VoIP PBX allows users to make and receive calls in Microsoft Teams via an Organization’s official communication channels. About Elisha Telecom Since its founding in 2006 through a joint venture between EACOMM Corporation of the Philippines and Indigo 21 Ltd. of the United Kingdom, Elisha Telecom has been at the forefront of fully managed PBX solutions worldwide by integrating communication systems to suit clients’ needs. As a leading authority in open-source telephony and unified communications, it continues to grow from strength to strength by providing clients with the latest technology currently available. Elisha Telecom’s client-centric philosophy delivers to clients all over the world its belief that business communication in today’s world should be smart, current, secure, and customizable at a low cost. Incorporated in the United Kingdom and the Philippines, Elisha Telecom provides global coverage and support to its dozens of clients across the globe with several thousand phone extensions deployed. Elisha Telecom counts as clients global corporations and organizations such as Johnson and Johnson, McDonald’s, Froneri (owners of world-famous ice cream brands like Häagen-Dazs, Oreos, and Nestle), and the International Rice Research Institute. Supporting our systems and deployments are corporate partners that are globally recognized leaders such as Sangoma Corporation, IBM, Google, and Amazon Web Services. As a member of the Comms Council in the United Kingdom, Elisha Telecom ensures and respects the privacy and data of its clients as well as compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements of a VoIP Telephony provider in the United Kingdom.  The ETPBX Fully Managed UC Platform Initially developed and deployed in 2006, the ETPBX Manage PBX Platform is a pioneer in fully customizable and fully managed hosted PBX systems. As a fully managed PBX platform, Elisha Telecom provides full customization of the system to the client’s requirements as well as integration with any third-party systems that the client utilizes such as CRM and ERP systems while guaranteeing uptime and reliability through its proven open-source-based backend hosted in the cloud. With a fully-managed PBX, all technical concerns are handled by Elisha Telecom and no in-house technical expertise is needed to operate the system. Aside from traditional telephony, ETPBX can provide full unified communications functionality through integration with other communication channels such as email, video calling, instant messaging, and more. Taking advantage of recent advancements, ETPBX can also integrate with Artificial Intelligence engines that provide Speech-to-Text, Text-to-Speech, Sentiment Analysis, and AI-based chat/conversation functionalities to ETPBX.  ETPBX – Microsoft Teams Integration Microsoft Teams is a collaboration platform that allows organizations to communicate and work together using a variety of tools, including instant messaging, video conferencing, and file sharing. It is part of the Microsoft Office 365 suite of tools, which is commonly used by businesses and organizations to help teams work together more effectively. Microsoft Teams is designed to help teams stay organized and keep track of their work, and it offers a range of features that make it easy to collaborate with others in real-time. A key and often overlooked feature of MS Teams is its capability to integrate with traditional telephony through VoIP Integration. A key stumbling block of this feature is the high technical barrier and large financial, time, and resource investment needed to facilitate this integration. By using the ETPBX fully-managed UC Platform, integration of MS Teams with traditional telephony is seamless and instant. Your organization’s employees will be able to utilize MS Teams endpoints in their desktops, laptops, tablets, or smartphones to receive and make calls from anywhere in the world through the Company’s official telephony channels. ETPBX fully integrates with MS Teams to provide a truly unified communications channel tightly integrated with Microsoft Office, the world’s de facto office suite. VOIP PBX – Microsoft teams integration        For organizations seeking to utilize their existing VoIP PBX System, Elisha Telecom provides the technical expertise and enterprise-grade cloud infrastructure to integrate your existing VoIP PBX System with Microsoft Teams. Elisha Telecom’s Teams Integration Module (TIM) provides the middleware to easily connect any SIP-compliant VoIP PBX with Microsoft Teams allowing your MS Teams users from anywhere in the world to make and receive calls from your VoIP PBX System.  In a matter of days and not weeks, our VoIP Engineers can configure the Teams Integration Module to fully integrate your VoIP PBX system with MS Teams. Why use the Elisha Telecom Teams Integration Module? System Requirements: With Elisha Telecom’s Teams Integration Module, any SIP-compliant IP-PBX can become a Unified Communications System through integration with MS Teams. FOR MORE INFORMATION For further information, we would be thrilled to schedule a presentation and demonstration of the ETPBX platform and how it integrates with MS Teams and show you how your organization can benefit from this technology.  Please contact us at: info@elishatelecom.com Elisha Telecom – EuropeElisha Telecom Ltd. Level 1840 Bank Street, Canary WharfLondon E14 5NRUnited KingdomTel: +44 (0) 20 7100 1114 Elisha Telecom – Asia PacificElisha Telecom Group Inc. Towers Business Center11th Floor, Cyber One BuildingEastwood City CyberparkBagumbayan, Quezon City 1110PhilippinesTel: +63 2 7505 8739 Or visit our website: https://www.elishatelecom.com

Happy Holidays!

EACOMM Corporation would like to greet our families, clients, partners and the whole world a very Happy Holidays 2022!

Microservice Architecture for Powerful and Scalable Applications

What is Microservice Architecture? Microservices, also known as microservice architecture, is a software design approach in which a large application is divided into small, independent, and modular services. Each microservice focuses on a specific business function or capability and can be developed, tested, and deployed independently of the other services. The main advantage of microservices is that they enable organizations to deliver new features and capabilities quickly and efficiently, as they can be developed and tested independently of the other services. Additionally, microservices can be deployed on different platforms and technologies, allowing organizations to choose the best tools and technologies for each service. Microservices are often built using APIs, which enable the services to communicate with each other and provide a seamless user experience. This approach allows organizations to build complex and scalable applications that are easy to maintain and modify. Microservices are typically deployed in a distributed architecture, with each service running on its own server or cluster of servers. This approach allows for scalability and improved fault tolerance, as the services can be scaled independently of each other and can continue to function even if one service fails. Another advantage of microservices is that they are easier to manage and maintain than traditional monolithic applications. Because each service is independent, any changes or updates to a service can be made without affecting the other services. Additionally, microservices can be developed and tested by small teams, allowing for faster development and deployment. However, microservices also have some challenges, such as increased complexity and the need for a robust governance structure to manage the various services. Additionally, the use of APIs and distributed architecture can result in increased network traffic and latency, which can impact the performance of the application. Overall, microservices provide organizations with a flexible and scalable approach to software development, allowing them to deliver new features and capabilities quickly and efficiently. By dividing an application into small, independent services, organizations can improve their ability to manage and maintain complex applications. Examples of Organizations using Microservices One of the most well-known examples of an organization using microservices is Netflix. The company uses microservices to power its streaming service, with each service focusing on a specific capability, such as user authentication, video playback, and recommendation algorithms. Using microservices allows Netflix to develop and deploy new features quickly and efficiently, as each service can be developed and tested independently. Additionally, the use of microservices allows Netflix to scale each service independently, enabling the company to handle the massive amounts of data and traffic generated by its millions of users. eBay uses microservices to power its online marketplace, with each service focusing on a specific business function, such as listing items, managing bids, and handling payments. Another example of an organization using microservices is Twitter. The company uses microservices to power its social media platform, with each service focusing on a specific capability, such as user authentication, posting and displaying tweets, and managing user interactions. These examples demonstrate how organizations can use microservices to power complex and scalable applications, allowing them to develop and deploy new features quickly and efficiently. By dividing an application into small, independent services, organizations can improve their ability to manage and maintain complex applications. Deploying Microservices Deploying microservices is complicated and requires careful preparation and execution. This custom software development method breaks a large application into smaller, independent components with their own functionality and capabilities. This simplifies upgrades and lets you build and distribute each component separately. API development helps microservices communicate and integrate. The steps in deploying microservices include: Microservices in the Philippines In the context of custom software development in the Philippines, microservices can be a useful approach for building large and complex applications. Online banking companies may employ microservices to develop their applications, with microservices for account administration, transactions, and payment processing. This simplifies application upgrades and lets each development team focus on its specialty. E-commerce is another example of microservices in Philippine custom software development. Microservices can be used to develop an online retail platform’s application, with independent microservices for product catalog, shopping cart, payment processing, and delivery. This lets development teams work on different portions of the app at once and grow and adapt to changing business needs. Businesses and organizations in the Philippines are using microservices to strengthen their digital capabilities and adapt to the fast-changing digital world. Many financial organizations are embracing microservices to improve their web platforms and offer more tailored and efficient services to customers. EACOMM Corporation has been utilizing Microservice Architecture when developing custom software applications for clients in the Philippines and countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Singapore. Contact us today to find out how EACOMM can develop custom-built software systems for your organization using microservice architecture.

FIXED: (13)Permission denied: Init: Can’t open server certificate file

If you’re renewing SSL certificates using a new certificate and intermediate files like yournewcert.crt and newintermediatecert.crt and your Apache isn’t restarting, then this might be the fix for you! First, check your error logs: If it’s showing an error similar to: The solution that worked for us is typing these commands to change the how SELinux sees your new certificate and intermediate certificate: The culprit of this issue is the Security Enhanced Linux (SELinux) which is a Kernel Security Module of various Linux distros. The chcon command assists in changing the SELinux context or TYPE of what is typically just one or occasionally a few files that may be quickly addressed with a wildcard. An erroneous SELinux context can be fixed using chcon, semanage, and restorecon.

Upgrading Legacy IT Systems: Best Practices for Success

Moving an organization’s IT systems from outdated or obsolete software and systems can be one of the scariest, most complex processes an organization can undertake. Often the sheer immensity of the task prevents managers and business owners from pulling the trigger on such projects and they would rather “make do” with the existing systems despite its limitations.

Artes de las Filipinas Presents The Philippine Art Book (First of Two Volumes)

 Artes de las Filipinas welcomed the year 2022 with its latest publication, The Philippine Art Book, a two-volume sourcebook of Filipino artists. The data gathering for this book began in the year 2012 and was completed in 2020 to give time for artists’ interviews. Scattered interviews and correspondence to artists’ kins and exhaustive library research and available records were utilized in writing the entries of each artist. The book has become an A-Z guide to more than a thousand artists and is a good resource for readers interested in the works and biographies of Filipino artists. Its distinguishing feature is that it covers the lives, works and artistic activities of acclaimed, lesser-known, obscure and contemporary Filipino artists who have contributed to the flowering of Philippine art history for the past nearly five centuries. It is also designed to add interest and understanding to the reader’s visits to exhibitions and museums as well as aid the study of past and contemporary art. More importantly, the writing provides updates to reflect new scholarship, revised articles, bibliographies and corrections of past research to all classes of students and users for self-education or as a starting point for further investigation. Visit the Artes de las Filipinas Online Store to Purchase the book today. Artea de las Filipinas is the publishing arm of EACOMM Corporation. Its first book Private Collections was released last 2009.