Just Don't Fly Originally, the core XPM application was a strategic tool for the development team, but there were significant limitations to its effectiveness that had to be remedied. One of the problems with the original version of XPM was that it was limited to a single platform. These users had no way to access XPM, so a solution was needed to bring them into the fold. Furthermore, while the PowerBuilder version of XPM was fully available to PC users throughout Xerox's facilities in Webster, New York, it used ODBC and SQL Net drivers installed on the PC to connect to an Oracle database. Every client system has to be individually configured, turning application version management and distribution into a sinkhole for time and money.
Fat clients require fat budgets.
Worse, whenever an XPM user outside the main facility wanted to access the application, it took a lot of tinkering and patient effort. All of this was clearly unacceptable for a company that prides itself on world-class quality throughout the organization. A major fix was needed. For help in arriving at a solution, Xerox called in NesTek Development Corporation, a software development and system integration firm in Rochester, New York with the right experience in multiplatform application development, intranetwork development, and networking. Targeting a Cost-Effective Solution With NesTek's help, Terry Light and the development team considered their options.