There has been some confusion over our plans for the new Open Source version of SAFE. So hopefully here are some simple answers!

There are two big questions everyone has:

• Is this a replacement for WebSAFE? The answer is a definite no. You should think of this as an alternative to (and perhaps the best choice for) those not yet using WebSAFE. If you are already using WebSAFE, you would probably only be interested in OS/SAFE if your business needs had changed significantly.
• Is this a replacement for Ollie? The answer is an unequivocal ‘maybe’. If you aren’t yet using Ollie, then you should definitely be looking at OS/SAFE! If you are using Ollie (but not WebSAFE) you may still want to look at OS/SAFE since you’ll be getting Ollie and a great on-line platform for running your operations.

An Overview Of Key Differences

• SAFE Open Source (OS/SAFE) is a self-contained product. Because it runs on MySQL instead of SQLServer, it is currently not compatible with nor communicates with SAFE for Windows (WinSAFE.) Although we are working on making this happen, it will not be ready for the initial launch.
• OS/SAFE will run on most any environment that runs WordPress, however one key limiting factor will be your server’s performance. Although we have tested OS/SAFE on some shared host environments, we will not be supporting this due to the performance issue. If you are currently on a shared hosting platform, you will need to upgrade to a dedicated server. Further, if you have more than a few concurrent users, you will probably require more memory and space than the ‘bare bones’ server packages most hosting companies provide. As always, contact your tech representative for the best recommendation for your situation.
• OS/SAFE will run properly on any modern browser or 10″ tablet device. And by ‘modern’ we mean specifically Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari or Internet Explorer 10. Earlier versions of IE will not be supported. Smaller tablets are not currently supported, although we have plans to make a ‘phone-size’ extension.
• OS/SAFE will be just as ‘modifiable’ as is WinSAFE, however since they are different products, modifications for one will not automatically apply to the other. In short, any mods that you’ve done to WinSAFE will not automatically migrate over to OS/SAFE. If these are extensive, you will want to get with us on an estimate for re-creating these.
• If you are moving from WinSAFE, OS/SAFE will require data conversion. If you have our Premium RSS subscription, there is no charge for this conversion.
• OS/SAFE will include a version of Ollie. However, this version of Ollie is not compatible with the current version of Ollie that runs on IIS alongside SAFE.
• Since there is no data flow between OS/SAFE and ‘regular’ SAFE or WebSAFE, for the moment, it may be best to see OS/SAFE as being on its own track. However one strategy might be to start with OS/Ollie against the day (admittedly at least a year off)

Why Choose OS/SAFE?

OS/SAFE is an excellent choice for:

• New customers
• Established customers with (relatively) few modifications to the core system.
• Established customers who need to minimize their ‘footprint’, ie. have as few computing resources as possible.

Why Choose WebSAFE?

WebSAFE is the right choice for:

• Established WinSAFE customers who are sticking with Windows for the foreseeable future, but would also like to be able to add remote salespeople and customers via the web without the hassles of Remote Desktop or Citrix.
• Distributors who will need extensive custom modifications to the core system.
• Distributors who want the absolute fastest possible performance. By hosting your own server and SQLServer database you have total control over execution speed.