Artifact Brings "Free" to Software as a Service: New Software Development Management System Includes Free, Unlimited Use Offer

Baltimore, MD (PRWeb) November 21, 2006 -- Artifact Software, Inc., makers of the market leading on demand Software Development Management (SDM) system, Lighthouse, announced today that any single Lighthouse module is now available for free, with no usage restrictions. Users can choose from free defect tracking, requirements management, test management, issue tracking, time management, task management, or change management. Each free Lighthouse module also includes supporting free features for managing resources, security, documents, workflow, dashboards and reports.

This marks a new first in the emerging software as a service industry; free on demand business applications. In recent years, most free software offerings have been technically complex open source products. More recently, market leaders like Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) introduced free on demand applications in more consumer-oriented markets such as spreadsheets, e-mail and word processing. These offerings are part of the Web 2.0 trend, where the Internet is emerging as a platform for serving web applications to users.

Now, a new generation of web-based business applications are emerging that are replacing many of the tools organizations have come to rely on to manage various business processes. "Lighthouse is a fusion application," remarked Artifact CEO Mark Wesker. "Fusion apps target specific business processes, such as managing software development, and mash together the disconnected tools historically being used, into a single, fused application."

"The benefits of fusion apps are huge," Wesker added. "Our customers see instant results by replacing disconnected silos of information with a single fused software development management system. Now, critical issues like schedules, budgets, quality, scope, productivity, and resource utilization can be managed, monitored and measured in real time."

As for ROI, with business processes such as software development, each day of delay, each bug, each feature mistake have huge financial and credibility implications. Wesker said, "so many problems in software development are avoidable, but those charged with managing the process have been stuck using disconnected and outdated tools. So, compiling data to identify cost, schedule, quality, scope, productivity and utilization risks is virtually impossible." Fusion apps like Lighthouse simply eliminate that bottleneck. By taking these disconnected tools, and fusing them into a single application, with a single database, executives and managers can easily identify troublesome trends, and make the course corrections necessary to achieve their project goals."

Artifact Chief Technology Officer, Paul Martin said, "we decided to offer Lighthouse modules for free for two reasons. Everyone involved in software development knows that whether you're using tools to track time, manage project tasks, test results, or requirements, from a technology standpoint, these tools are now commodities, and organizations shouldn't have to pay for them anymore. There's just not enough value being delivered to those of us managing software projects by yet another requirements, test or time management system. Value comes from the data and collaborative effect of fusing all of these capabilities into a single application."

Martin added, "we also wanted to help folks make the transition from disconnected tools to a software development management system. So, by giving away any of our modules for free, it enables our customers to derive real value at no cost from one of our modules, while at the same time easing into a better way of managing, monitoring and measuring software development projects."

Free Lighthouse modules or system trials are available at the company's web site, www.artifactsoftware.com/free.

About Artifact Software
Artifact provides the market leading software development management system Lighthouse, enabling companies to effectively manage, monitor and measure software development. Whether outsourcing, offshoring or managing distributed teams, Lighthouse enables organizations to achieve total visibility and control over the software development process. Artifact is a private company based in Baltimore, Maryland. Investors and Board members include Intersouth Partners, New Markets Growth Fund, Draper Atlantic, Ray Oglethorpe, former President of America Online and John Burris, Senior VP of Sales & Services, Citrix. For more information, please visit www.artifactsoftware.com.

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