Magic Offers Free Version of uniPaaS

March 22, 2011 Alex Woodie

Magic Software took the plunge into free software last week when it announced uniPaaS Jet, a single-user version of its tool for developing Web applications. While Magic still supports deployment on the IBM i platform, the company is clearly looking to build name recognition among the new generation of mobile and cloud app developers with the launch of uniPaaS Jet.

uniPaaS is Magic’s flagship application development tool for creating so-called rich Internet applications (RIAs), which deliver the richness of regular Windows applications but within the construct of a Web browser. The product, which debuted as G5 in 2008, uses a high-level, metadata-driven development methodology that borrows heavily from the rapid application development (RAD) expertise of Magic’s old eDeveloper product, which you will remember targeted Windows and System i platforms. uniPaaS offers a customizable .NET-based rich client, as well as options for mobile clients and support for cloud deployments, via the software as a service (SaaS) delivery method.

With the launch of uniPaaS Jet, Magic is giving away a single-user edition of the software that can be freely used for development and deployment purposes. The idea behind the new offering is to give developers “the chance to explore their business ideas immediately, and to take advantage of new opportunities as their business grows,” states Magic CTO Eyal Pfeifel.

While uniPaaS Jet will allow a developer to quickly scope out a possible new application, there are restrictions on its use. Magic is hoping some of the free versions of uniPaaS Jet turn into paid licenses for the full version of the product.

Although the general availability of uniPaaS Jet was announced only last week, the company has been talking about uniPaaS Jet for several months, and apparently it is already being used by “thousands of developers,” according to Magic. Magic also plans to include a copy of uniPaaS Jet with all paid licenses of the software.

To download uniPaaS Jet, go to Magic’s website at www.magicsoftware.com.