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FAQ
- What is APLAWS+?
- How can I update from an existing APLAWS+ version 1 site to the new version 2 line?
- What support contracts are required for APLAWS+?
- What hardware do I need to deploy APLAWS+?
- Is APLAWS suitable for an Intranet site?
- Can I run PostgreSQL on a Windows architecture?
- Why has PostgreSQL and not MySQL, which seems quite popular?
What is APLAWS+?
APLAWS+ is the name of the "bundle" of software that forms the APLAWS+ WEB Content Management System. The "+" simply indicates that there has been an extensive reworking compared to the initial version. The main difference are the changes that have been made as part of the LAWs National Project back in the middle of the 2000s. It includes an improved back-end authoring process, and more powerful automation functions in the back-end.
These improvements allow authors to concentrate fully on content tasks without being distracted by technical (HTML) problems or requiring technical knowledge for editing at all. Automation functions save authors a lot of work during ongoing maintenance and save administration considerable costs.
How can I update from an existing APLAWS+ version 1 site to the new version 2 line?
As part of migrating from APLAWS+ version 1 to version 2 in 2015 (e.g. London Borough of Camden) there was intensive work to ensure a smooth update of large databases. The major issue is the "state" of the data within the complexities of the Content Management System's various options, e.g. if you have content that is considerably devolved, has security restrictions and is assigned to a complex workflow then it will be more difficult to migrate that content assigned to a single user with a one-step workflow. In any case, all problems were solved completely without data loss.
Version 2 comes with a new Theme Engine that greatly simplifies the development of extensive and responsive graphical designs. In order to use this functionality, either the design must be newly developed or the existing design must be extensively adapted. An existing design can still be used without modifications, however.
What support contracts are required for APLAWS+?
A support contract is not required for APLAWS+. A support contract is a matter of choice on whether a technology partner is required to provide services on demand around the product. Many suppliers provide and offer services around APLAWS+, but, as an open source product, the choice of how to mix an match is an individual one.
What hardware do I need to deploy APLAWS+?
Any hardware that can run the recommended environments:
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 or 7
- Postgres 8.4 or later
- Oracle or OpenJDK Java Runtime 1.8 or later
- any standard compliant servlet container (e.g. Apache Tomcat)
Is APLAWS suitable for an Intranet site?
Yes. There are several authorities using APLAWS as an intranet. The main issue revolves around having a clear policy on document management and making decisions around a well integrated solution, APLAWS, after all, is designed as a web content management system.
Can I run PostgreSQL on a Windows architecture?
The main PostgreSQL project provides native Windows binaries ready to install.
Why has PostgreSQL and not MySQL, which seems quite popular
The biggest issue around good open source databases should be how they stack up against proprietary databases, such as Oracle. That's the real debate. Nevertheless, specifically for APLAWS+, MySQL doesn't support various standard SQL features all of which are very heavily used.
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