For others
This page is for those who need something that was created by the IAC community.
Why would you use IAC creations?
Expertise: The IAC member database is growing large and diverse. A team of engineers and technicians can be put together very dynamically, and they can be utilized with maximum efficiency.
No lock-in: The IAC uses an open platform.
Service: The IAC uses an open platform, which is understood by all members of the IAC. Anyone from the IAC community can, in principle, service a system. Therefore, continuity of service and development is ensured with no extra costs.
How does it work?
If you have an integration/automation project in mind, you need to chose the technology to realize it. In other words, you need to choose the hardware and the software, and to design a way to connect all the parts together. At this stage, you must realize that some solutions can cost you freedom and money down the road. If you decide to go with proprietary standards and products, in the future you will have to deal with the lock-in situation you set yourself in. You might want to consider going with open standards, open source and free tools, like the ones developed by the IAC community.
The second important question relevant to your project is about expertise. You need to chose the right people to do the job, and to make sure that they, or some other individuals with very similar skills, will be there in the future for further development and support. Most of the time we like to work with people from our environment, people we know. But if the project is implemented on open and free technology, which is understood by others, if your developer is not around when you need him/her, you can always get somebody else to help you.
When dealing with a for-profit company, service is formally guarantied by a contract, but in reality these guarantees are very limited and full of surprises. Sometimes products get discontinued. In other cases the supplier is forced out of existence. Moreover, an even more critical problem is the lock-in situation that comes with purchasing expensive capital, with high switching costs. At the beginning of the negotiation the vendor is offering a very attractive service and upgrade package, but a limited one. Once the deal is signed and the warranty expires the supplier is in the position to charge very high prices for maintenance. Unserviceable capital looses its production value, as well as its resale value!
Contact us with your needs