Hexarc.com is the site for Hexarc the product. This site is for people who want to run Hexarc on their own infrastructure and/or contribute to its code.

It satisfies the following requirements:

  • A landing page that describes Hexarc and its strengths.
  • A download section, plus a pointer to the GitHub repos.
  • A repository of modules and services (public and private) which can be added to arcology installations. This would probably be under catalog.hexarc.com.

Marketing

One purpose for this site is to entice people to use the software and contribute to its development. We need to clearly articulate the core value proposition. We'll end up testing and evolving the value proposition, but initially I think it will be something like this:

Hexarc is the easiest, fastest, and cheapest architecture for developing SaaS applications.

I call this the Turbo Pascal value proposition: In the 80s, Turbo Pascal became extremely popular by offering an integrated development environment that could produce professional-grade code with blindingly fast edit-compile-link cycles. Similarly, Hexarc allows people to develop professional-grade SaaS applications by offering the following key features:

  • Multiprocess, multimachine message passing architecture that encourages robustness (process isolation), performance (no blocked threads, C++ engines), and scalability (multimachine services).
  • Integrated three-tier architecture: web server (Hyperion), scripting language (Hexe), and database (Aeon). All three are optimized for each other, increasing performance and reducing complexity.
  • Driverized APIs to access a diverse set web services with a common API. For example, we provide APIs to access file/data stores (e.g., Dropbox), social media, notifications, authentication, etc. [Expected present tense]

Content

For now we implement Hexarc.com as a single page with links out to Ministry for details. Eventually we need to implement a CMS like Multiverse, but we can do that later (I won't have time to update a blog anyways).

The main page should start with the marketing proposition and a call to action. Below that we should describe various features/components in detail.

Header

The header should have:

  • Logo on upper-left (which goes back to homepage).
  • Get Involved: Ministry page enticing people to contribute to code.
  • Repos: Goes to a Ministry page that explains the two repos and how to get them.
  • Download: Goes to a Ministry page with links to binaries.
  • LATER: Sign in controls.

Body

The main page is mostly about marketing text and features:

Hexarc: The web application stack architected for the web age.
Hexarc is the only software you need to learn to deploy robust, scalable, and responsive web apps.

List of current features:

  • Integrated three-tier architecture: web server (Hyperion), scripting language (HexeLISP), and database (AeonDB). All three are optimized for each other, increasing performance and reducing complexity.
  • High-performance web server: The Hyperion web server uses non-blocking I/O both for network traffic and database access, ensuring high-capacity and high-throughput.
  • Powerful server-side scripting: HexeLISP can be used for all server-side scripting. Implement REST endpoints, generate pages, or define computed columns—all with a single language and datatype set.
  • Robust, fault-tolerant database: AeonDB creates a database mirror and fails over automatically in case of hard disk failure. AeonDB also uses immutable database files (LSM trees) to minimize the risk of corruption due to hardware failure.
  • Message passing architecture: Hexarc uses a multiprocess, multimachine message passing architecture that encourages robustness (process isolation), performance (no blocked threads, C++ engines), and scalability (multimachine services).
  • Expandable architecture: Create your own Hexarc modules in C++ to expand capabilities. Your new modules will integrate seamlessly and appear as part of the system.

Future features

  • Linux implementation.
  • Driverized APIs to access public web services (e.g., file storage, social media, payment, etc.).
  • Distributed processing.
  • Integrated, cloud-based development environment.
  • Support for easy deployment/management to AWS, Azure, etc.

Footer

The footer should have:

  • About
  • License
  • Copyright/trademark notice
  • Repos
  • Download
  • Report Bug
  • Email(?)