First Certified Stardraw Control Programmer AnnouncedIts safe to say that Stardraw Control has arrived in the world of systems contracting. The multi-award-winning control application now numbers some 5,000 users worldwide - pretty remarkable when you consider that only a year ago the product was still in beta form! - and is mentioned in the same breath as other, well established control products. While were delighted with the markets reaction to the Stardraw Control, we are continually looking for ways to make it even more accessible and easy to use.
One of the ways of doing this is to extend the support for Stardraw Control out into the field by implementing a network of Certified Stardraw Control Programmers. By contacting a Certified Programmer, customers are guaranteed a very high level of technical competence up to and including C# programming skills. One of the design principles behind Stardraw Control was that no programming skills should be necessary in order to implement a control solution. However, there are occasions where an integrator might require, say, a complex, bi-directional driver or sophisticated mathematical or logical functions that can only be achieved using script and unless hes a programmer himself, hell need someone to write it for him; thats where a Certified Programmer comes in.
Paul Clark, left, with Stardraw.com
CEO David Snipp
The very first Certified Stardraw Control Programmer to be appointed is Paul Clark, owner of HxDx, a Brighton, UK-based company that offers design, product development and consultancy services to the entertainment technology industry. In his own words, HxDx specializes in facilitating collaboration between manufacturers and installers, with specialization in control protocols for industrial and entertainment scenarios. Our mission is to ensure that the end-users experience of the control systems interface and functionality is as good as technology claims it can be. Clark is well placed to make such claims with a background in software development spanning over two decades including eight years designing control systems.
He first came across Stardraw Control at PLASA 2005. I was on a mission to see what technology was being used in the entertainment industry and was fascinated to come across a product like Stardraw Control, recalls Clark. I was immediately attracted to it because it uses current rather than legacy software technology, which means that it is quickly adaptable to new techniques. I also liked the no-stress support platform it offers to manufacturers; all they have to do is publish their protocol - they barely have to lift a finger. From a corporate point of view, its a product that fits very well with HxDxs ethos regarding collaboration between partners at different ends of the supply chain. In some ways its like a smart drawing the conceptual design forms part of the final solution. The visual design environment is a key advantage and one that I find pleasing to work with.
However, Clark went on to say that the single greatest advantage of Stardraw Control was neither the simplicity nor even the aesthetically pleasing nature of the design environment but the fact that it is an open framework for the designer, and imposes very few restrictions on what the programmer can do. This open architecture approach that supports any protocol offers integrators unprecedented freedom when designing their systems, at the same time as delivering huge cost benefits, remarked Clark. There is currently no other control solution available that can deliver the same in terms of the simplicity, flexibility or cost-effectiveness of Stardraw Control.
Its a particularly ingenious solution in that it bridges the gap between many different facets of entertainment technologies, for example control surfaces, required control system functionality, and functions available through specific devices, he continued. Scripting allows development of smarts, gluing what the user sees to what actually happens.
On the question of the future of control systems in general and Stardraw Control in particular, Clark had this to say: I think its inevitable that there will be more and more devices with increasing levels of complexity that require integrated control. Smart networks will be increasingly prevalent, as will technology tensions where manufacturers want to do their own thing, which can make it difficult for integrators. The beauty of Stardraw Control is that, thanks to its open architecture, any protocol approach, it can keep up with this and furthermore, continue to add value. In order to remain viable, manufacturers must innovate and differentiate. This means that going forward there are likely to more protocols rather than fewer, despite the efforts of certain industry players to standardize. While I can wholeheartedly sympathize with this approach, I dont actually believe that there will ever be a silver bullet with regards to standards and protocols, hence the resounding advantage of a product like Stardraw Control that can quickly and easily integrate any new protocol as soon as it comes along. Its a truly future-proof product that will continue to evolve according to the requirements of the industry it serves.
Notes to Editor
Since 1995 Stardraw.com has been a leading provider of software solutions to the entertainment technology sector, offering a range of award-winning system design, documentation and control applications as well as providing OEM software solutions for corporate customers. With offices in London and New York, regional partners and an installed customer base of almost 40,000 users spanning 82 countries, Stardraw.com is focussed on serving the international marketplace, and delivers leading-edge solutions that exploit the very latest in software technologies.
