Microsoft cracks Egg

Online bank Egg plans to use Microsoft's .Net software to support several strategic business initiatives following the success of its first project using the technology.

Egg intends to switch more of its software development work away from its traditional Unix environment, after creating parts of its Egg Card website using Visual Studio.Net tools and Microsoft's Content Management Server application.

The initial project, which went live last September, was deliberately small-scale to test the technology's capability, according to Ken Woghiren, head of architecture at Egg.

"We wanted to get early experience of building customer-facing applications with .Net," he said.

"We needed to dip our toe in the water, and we wanted to find a project we could ring-fence to prove the technology.

"We chose something we could deliver comfortably, which wasn't on the critical path of our delivery schedule. We're now looking at more strategic projects over the next few months."

Woghiren explained that the first of these initiatives is expected to go live soon, but would not reveal any details as it is still commercially sensitive.

But he confirmed that Egg is considering whether to gradually switch all of its online presence to .Net technology.

"It would have to be a commercial decision if we were to move the whole Egg website to .Net. But, if the figures we've seen so far prove to be correct, then I could see it. But not yet," said Woghiren.

Egg's early experience showed that development productivity increased using the new tools, according to Carol Moseley, technical change manager at the bank.

The software for the Egg Card site was built by three developers in just three months.

"It's noticeable that we're able to develop things more quickly," she said.

"Being an online bank, the web is the only way our customers interact with us, so we're always looking for ways to improve that experience, whether it means pages that build quicker or respond faster."