John, Softshare is a great product but it only runs on Windows. It's not that cheap either, 6 to 10k is no small peanuts for SMEs that only receive a few transactions from a couple of TPs. That is why most SMEs still use Service Bureaus for translation. We did not develop our own "translator" either. We are a software company, so I'm talking about a competitor product to Softshare and to most other translators out there. Our product is now being tested with a few selected customers but will be introduced to the market shortly. Zipper is inexpensive and extremely flexible, and real easy to use, yet it's maps can be deployed to any platform including WIndows, Linux, Unix, and even Apple. In production, all you need is a runtime license of Zipper's super-fast translation engine or API no need for the mapper. That means that users can develop and test their own maps on a PC, or buy them from a developer, and then deploy them to production in Unix or AS/400 all they need is to pay for a runtime license of the translation engine. I've always wondered why do small users have to buy mapping software when most end up hiring consultants to do their maps anyway? Ricardo > > Is there a "non-expensive mapping tool" out there that can replace or most of the functionality of Mercator ? I asked myself that very same question 3 years ago. > > Since we found none, we set out to develop one, a cheaper and improved one that is.
Yes there is a non-expensive tool that can easily replace and surpass Mercator. Had you taken a look at Softshare's Delta translator/mapper before developing your own mapper? I worked with Mercator - albeit for a short while (4mths) and I found it extremely difficult to understand, use and much less master. Without any training and a reference guide to go with it took the better part of a month to get an 850 transaction out. (OK maybe not a month but it was hell). On the other-hand, it took me all of an hour to get my first 850 PO out using Delta. Intuitive is the word. Really easy to get the hang of. And it literally blew the doors off of Mercator and A.I. - the 'other' upper-market tools that were out there at the time. At a fraction of the cost. Just my 2 cents worth....:) John Fiorino CompuSys Solutions Softshare Application Systems Integrator (514)592-7144 / (450)669-5506 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] . Please use the following Message Identifiers as your subject prefix: <SALES>, <JOBS>, <LIST>, <TECH>, <MISC>, <EVENT>, <OFF-TOPIC> Access the list online at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EDI-L/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
