Percussion Software and Information Architects (iA) announced a partnership that will allow their customers to manage content in real time on the Internet. The combination of iA’s SmartCode and Percussions’ Rhythmyx Content Manager enable companies to integrate content from disparate data sources and effectively manage and publish the content for various audiences in real time. In addition, Percussion will license iA’s PDF-to-HTML converter in order to offer customers the ability to dynamically convert Adobe PDF files into HTML. Rhythmyx utilizes XML and XSL as enabling technologies, complementing iA’s SmartCode. The integrated solution leverages next-generation XML, XSL and Java technologies to provide companies with the means to more effectively develop, manage and deploy Web sites that enable information flow from any content source to any audience. Together they offer the combination of real time syndication and aggregation of content from any data source to any Web site or connected device — browser, mobile phone or PDA — with “on-the-fly” transformation to meet the formatting requirements of each site or device without having to repeat the business logic. www.percussion.com, www.ia.com
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More than 60 companies with headquarters in Asia, Europe and the Americas are gathering to announce success in implementing global e-business process standards within the IT and electronic components (EC) industries. Organized around “10.10.2000,” a milestone marking production-system implementation of RosettaNet standards, this gathering of supply chain partners and solution partners represents substantial industry-wide participation and velocity. Approximately 80 percent of IT and EC Board Member companies have connected with trading partners to implement RosettaNet Partner Interface Processes (PIPs). RosettaNet PIPs are system-to-system XML-based dialogs critical to aligning business processes in the supply chain. Working in concert with trading partners are solution providers who deliver system integration, software development and consulting services; RosettaNet membership contains nearly 150 Solution Partner companies that are committed to speeding adoption of RosettaNet standards. The creation this month of a Semiconductor Manufacturing (SM) Board extends the reach of RosettaNet through the design and manufacture of semiconductors used in a wide range of computer and electronic systems. RosettaNet will also roll out a new PIP assembly line methodology designed to accelerate development and input processes. www.rosettanet.org
Microsoft Corp. announced that the Exchange 2000 product line is now generally available to customers, developers, partners and ASPs worldwide. The following are among the new features and enhancements for Exchange 2000: Instant messaging with presence information. Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server enables workers to schedule, manage and participate in multiparty voice, video and data conferences. The Outlook Web Access client gives users convenient access to e-mail, appointments and contacts from any Internet-connected PC. Enhancements include additional Outlook behaviors such as drag-and-drop capability and improvements by tenfold in scalability and performance. An extended platform for unified messaging makes possible a single inbox for the management of all important business communications including e-mail, voice mail and fax. Exchange 2000 also supports voice profile for Internet messaging (VPIM), enabling interoperability between separate voice mail systems. The announcement includes related products: Local Web Storage System, Mobile Information 2001 Server, a new server application code-named “Tahoe,” and a new visual development tool code-named “Office Designer” — which all take advantage of the new Web Storage System, a native XML information repository. “Tahoe,” delivers a flexible portal solution, enables users to easily find, share and publish information. Key design functionality of “Tahoe” includes: Search and organization; “Tahoe” includes an out-of-the-box Digital Dashboard-based portal providing one-step access to business-critical information. Using Web Parts, the portal can be customized with information and resources most valuable to users’ jobs. The search technology simplifies finding and aggregating information from across the company’s other “Tahoe” servers, Exchange public folders, file servers, intranet servers and Internet servers, as well as Lotus Domino databases. Documents can be checked-in and checked-out, sent through an approval process and published to the “Tahoe” portal from within Office 2000, “Office 10,” a Web browser or the Microsoft Windows Explorer. Built on the Web Storage System, “Tahoe” provides developers with a set of services for building Web-based collaborative applications using common tools and interfaces. Exchange 2000 Server, Exchange 2000 Enterprise Server and Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server are available in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. Evaluation versions are at www.microsoft.com/exchange/productinfo/eval.htm. The “Tahoe” beta is available at www.microsoft.com/servers/tahoe. General “Tahoe” availability is scheduled for the first half of 2001.
FileNET Corp. and Vignette Corp. announced they have formed a partnership to integrate FileNET Panagon eProcess technology with the Vignette VSeries for e-business applications. Together, FileNET and Vignette plan to deliver complete e-business solutions to companies with complex customer interaction processes. The companies have multiple common customers in the financial and insurance industries. The two software companies will roll out a family of integration modules beginning in early 2001 that will combine FileNET’s eProcess and eContent infrastructure with the Vignette V/5 Content Management Server, Vignette V/5 Lifecycle Personalization Server and Vignette V/5 Relationship Marketing Server to create interaction-intensive applications such as Web-based loan processing and risk management. FileNET will integrate through the Vignette Application Foundation layer to create its own suite of applications targeting the financial services and insurance industry. The applications will add intelligent response and eMarketing features to FileNET’s process management platform, providing customers with up-sell and cross-sell opportunities. www.FileNET.com, www.vignette.com
The Content Management Suite (CMS) product line of POET Holdings, Inc. was sold to Sorman Information AB, Vaxjo, a Swedish company. The agreement provides that Sorman will assume the intellectual property rights for CMS worldwide except for the United States, Canada and South Korea and the obligations associated with the European CMS customer base. Sorman has a six month exclusive option to assume the intellectual property rights for the United States and Canada. The agreement includes a license fee arrangement which would provide license revenues to POET based upon future CMS sales by Sorman within the next three years. In addition, Sorman has entered into a license agreement for the POET Object Server Suite (OSS). www.poet.com
Excosoft AB announced the availability of Excosoft Content Manager, a fast, flexible and scalable document management system. Excosoft Content Manager is the first of three of the company’s planned packaged offerings, which also includes Excosoft Web Publisher and Excosoft Documentation System. A common feature of each offering is that they all leverage the latest Web technology to enable organizations to create, update, reuse, repurpose, and publish business critical information. Available immediately, Excosoft Content Manager enables businesses to cost-effectively communicate and coordinate information across globally distributed business units, as well as with their customers, partners, and suppliers. Excosoft Content Manager manages vast amounts of unstructured information with support for creation, administration, storage, publishing, and workflow. Excosoft Content Manager is a standards based content management system, which being designed to integrate with existing systems can be deployed quickly and easily. Moreover, the modular architecture of Excosoft Content Manager can be easily tailored to meet the specific requirements of an organization for performance and functionality. www.excosoft.com
Madge.web, a subsidiary of Madge Networks N.V. has entered into a strategic alliance with Magnifi. The alliance will provide businesses with premium service, rich content management solutions and project management tools to support the end-to-end marketing process — from strategic planning and creative development to program execution and assessment. Madge.web has also agreed to make an investment in Magnifi by the end of the fourth quarter. Magnifi’s workflow, brand and asset management extranet solutions are tailored to the marketing environment, enabling global marketing teams to collaborate online with each other, their agencies and partners around the world. In addition, companies can digitally store massive volumes of marketing material online, such as TV commercial footage or print advertising designs, for worldwide, client-secure retrieval. These services help companies to streamline brand management and marketing campaigns and reduce time to market. As part of the strategic alliance, Madge.web will integrate Magnifi’s solutions into its global, managed infrastructure, the “Overnet.” These content management solutions are designed to complement Madge.web’s other services for all stages of the rich content value chain (encompassing content creation, management and marketing). These other services, which are also integrated in Madge.web’s Overnet, include virtual private networking, managed hosting, encoding services, content distribution including streaming media, and Internet advertising solutions. Under the alliance, Madge.web is also Magnifi’s exclusive partner in Europe for sales and support, enabling Magnifi to expand their services to the region. First services resulting from the alliance are planned for availability by the first quarter of 2001. www.magnifi.com, www.madgeweb.com
O2 Essential Marketing Technologies announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of a proprietary electronic Content Management System (eCMS) from affinity-based content provider ChannelSpace Entertainment. The electronic Content Management System (eCMS) works with virtually any knowledge source to automate manual processes such as Web production (with audio, video, image and text content from thousands of contributors), auditing, access control, site review, and accounting. O2 will hold eCMS as a subsidiary. This forthcoming acquisition occurs as part of a larger effort to position O2 as a top provider of technologies that enable content rich, interactive Web experiences. Building upon its core 3D shopping technology, which uses proprietary digital photography and programming to produce a fluid full-range rotational view of selected products, the addition of eCMS offers O2 the unique ability to offer complete end-to-end solutions spanning traditional content, broadcast, and commerce. This combination of strong technology and innovative marketing tools provides O2 with a strong base from which to grow their business. Internet users require more personalized content, yet the people associated with maintaining and adding that content can be prohibitive. The essential nature of the eCMS technology is as a cost-effective content management application that is targeted to small- to mid-sized companies that either do not have large IT staffs or cannot afford the large upfront license and monthly maintenance fees associated with competing products. Also announced today was the appointment of Jeff Laskowski to General Manager of the forthcoming eCMS division of O2. www.o2emt.com
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