Conejo's general approach is to adapt an agency's CaseTrack installation so that the flow of data in CaseTrack matches the flow of data in the agency. We start by looking at:
And so on. We then design screen layouts — usually by reorganizing layouts we have previously developed — to fit the flow of work.
Can agencies do their own CaseTrack customization?Yes, but please remember that Conejo stands behind its software with a warranty against all software bugs. Since customization means modifying the source code, you'll need to work with us so that we can accommodate your changes without compromising our warranty.
Conejo Systems does the initial server-side configuration of the client database and Query Packager webservice. We make subsequent server-side changes incrementally through a secure network connection (for example, a VPN).
Client-side installation and upgrades are done by packaging the CaseTrack executable, its associated .NET assemblies, and registry settings. (With Windows Installer, the package is a single .MSI file.) The package is copied from a central network location to each user's computer. Thus, from an administrative perspective, an upgrade consists only of updating the installation package. The updated package is subsequently installed on each user's computer the next time they run CaseTrack.
Conejo used to give away a CaseTrack demo disk, but we quit doing that when we realized that it was not possible to create a demo that does justice to the real thing in terms of performance and functionality.
If you are serious about evaluating CaseTrack, please let us know. We will be happy to demonstrate the system "in person" or to help you organize a site visit to an agency that is currently using CaseTrack.
The two major reasons why we avoided using a web browser as a platform for CaseTrack are performance and security.
Performance.Because it is a general-purpose tool, a web browser is a suboptimal environment for running software that requires maximum performance and a specialized user interface. (Imagine Photoshop or Word running in a browser.) CaseTrack supports dozens of speed and layout optimizations, complex data validation, keyboard and mouse shortcuts, and other user-interface functionality that would be difficult, slow, or downright ugly to implement in a web browser.
Security.The other reason we do not run CaseTrack in a web browser is to ensure maximum data security. Even with the best of intentions, data confidentiality can be compromised by a web browser that is accidentally misconfigured or that is infiltrated by spyware or malware.
Isn't it easier to maintain a web application than a compiled application?As far as CaseTrack is concerned, the answer is no. The tradeoff is simple: Instead of installing the self-contained CaseTrack package on each user's machine, you would need to install and configure an appropriate web browser on each machine, and subsequently ensure that changes to the browser on each machine (such as version upgrades, plugins, privacy settings, and spyware/malware) do not compromise each user's access to the web application.
Yes. CaseTrack installations meet or exceed HIPAA requirements for user authentication, data encryption, and data-access auditing.
People always ask. The answer is: we like rabbits. Back in 1991, when we were looking for a good name for our new company, something "rabbit-related" seemed congenial.
There are rabbits in the hills of Southern California, where our first office was located. We've also found that rabbits can be excellent house pets. So we chose "Conejo" (pronounced co-nay-ho), the Spanish word for rabbit.