Content Management, XML, and Information Technology News | Gilbane Report News archives 1999

Hewlett-Packard Company has made its e-speak source code freely available to software developers and the public via the Internet at www.e-speak.net. More than 1,000 software developers are working with HP to develop applications on the e-speak platform; HP also is working with more than 100 business partners to create e-speak services. Examples of such businesses include an engineer dispatch e-service by Ericsson and a multimedia broker for training services by Helsinki Telephone. E-speak, announced by HP in May, is an Internet software technology platform developed by HP Labs designed to revolutionize the way people and businesses use the Net. Much like how HTML made it easy for people to find and access information anywhere on the World Wide Web, e-speak will make it possible to request and locate services on the Net. The e-speak development project is leveraging existing technologies and standards. Therefore, even some of the innovations in e-speak, such as the specification of negotiation policies and contracts that programs can understand and execute, use existing standard protocols such as XML. E-speak complements device-to-device communication, such as HP's Chai, Sun's Jini and Microsoft's UpnP. E-speak leverages key collaborative technology-standardization efforts, such as RosettaNet, ontology.net and Microsoft's BizTalk. E-speak utilizes open technology standards on the Internet, including XML, LDAP, HTTP, WAP, SSL, SLP and SNMP. www.hp.com

Interworld & Interwoven Partner
12/13/1999

InterWorld Corporation announced a strategic partnership with Interwoven, Inc. InterWorld's Dev Station 3.0, an integrated development environment for developers and systems integrators, and InterWorld's Design Station 3.0, an integrated environment for Web designers and content authors, will include pre-built adapters for Interwoven's, TeamSite a product built specifically for enabling the creation, production and management of Web content. These adapters enable out-of-the-box integration with Interwoven TeamSite software. www.interwoven.com, www.interworld.com

An important question to ask your commerce server provider is just what they are doing for content management. Many vendors mention they support content management, but there are widely varying levels of functionality.

fourthchannel & Oberon Forge Partnership
12/13/1999

fourthchannel customers can now easily link the Internet company's e-commerce selling solutions to dozens of front- and back-office applications, thanks to a strategic partnership with Oberon Software Inc.. The new arrangement brings together fourthchannel, inc. with Oberon Software Inc. to provide a complete Internet Business Environment (IBE) for mid-market manufacturers and distributors. Oberon's e-Enterprise Integration Platform provides the means for fast and complete integration with numerous front- and back-office applications and information-sharing technologies. This includes enterprise applications such as J.D. Edwards, Ariba, Manugistics, SAP, Oracle, Siebel, Peoplesoft , and Baan , as well as technologies such as IBM's MQSeries and XML, without costly and time-intensive custom programming. Integration between fourthchannel Release 2.0 and Oberon's e-Enterprise integration platform will be available in the first quarter of 2000 through fourthchannel's existing sales channels. www.oberon.com, www.fourthchannel.com

New Management-Specific XML App from Manage.Com
12/13/1999

A "dialect" of XML specifically designed to let on-line businesses and service providers manage the delivery of services to their customers across extranets has been developed by Manage.Com. The new manageXML language enables users of Manage.Com's FrontLine e.M eBusiness management software to create a set of document-like descriptions of managed objects, including Internet infrastructure devices, transactions and business processes. The documents, which establish inter-object relationships and dependencies, supply FrontLine e.M with the basis for provisioning services and taking corrective action. manageXML can model not only physical objects but also logical entities. This is essential in representing logical objects such as managed services, for example, and modeling eCommerce sessions that simulate a user's progress through a series of transactions. manageXML has four major components: object data sources, object definitions, service management logic and service control panels. manageXML Included with manageXML is an Authoring Kit that provides software tools, templates, examples and documentation designed to facilitate the creation, validation and testing of manageXML documents. Key components of the kit include manageXML authoring tools, which help vendors and integrators wishing to build new manageXML documents using previously defined vendor-specific documents or transfer managed definitions originally created as SNMP MIBs; the manageXML static validator, which ensures correct syntax and format of documents created in manageXML; and a manageXML object validator, which enables correct formation of manageXML documents. manageXML and the manageXML Authoring Kit are available free of charge to users of Manage.Com's FrontLine e.M software. In addition, an initial set of manageXML documents, developed by Manage.Com, is available now for six managed objects: Windows NT, IIS, SQLServer, Microsoft Exchange, MIB II and the Cisco 2500/7000 routers. A second set of documents, to be available in January, will cover HTTP transactions, UNIX, Oracle, Apache, Netscape Enterprise Server, Check Point Firewall-1, POP3, Cisco Catalyst 5000 and Cisco PIX Firewall. www.manage.com

HR-XML Framework Consortium to Deliver Standards for Staffing & Recruiting
12/13/1999

The HR-XML Consortium announced that more than 25 organizations have endorsed an XML framework designed to enable web-based workforce management and recruiting services. Based on open, business-to-business e-commerce models, these next- generation workforce management and recruiting services promise to deliver employers greater ROI for their staffing expenditures, while giving HR and staffing vendors new opportunities for growth and profit. The HR-XML Consortium is a newly formed non-profit group dedicated to the development and promotion of standardized human-resources-related XML vocabularies for enabling business-to-business e-commerce and the automation of inter-company exchanges of human resources data. Staffing and Recruiting is the first of many HR areas that the HR-XML Consortium will standardize. www.icarian.com

Art Technology Group & net.Genesis Announce Alliance
12/13/1999

Art Technology Group, Inc. and net.Genesis Corp. announced a strategic technology and joint marketing alliance aimed at providing companies with the business-critical information necessary to increase the effectiveness of business-rule driven Web site interactions. As part of the alliance, the two companies will develop and market a custom release of net.Genesis' net.Analysis applications, including net.Instrument for Dynamo and CartSmarts for Dynamo, that will provide the business manager with the tools necessary to capture, measure and correlate online behavior on Web sites based on ATG's Dynamo product suite. The combined solution will allow visitor actions and events that occur within Dynamo to be captured and analyzed, enabling businesses to improve strategic and tactical decision making about marketing, selling and supporting products online. The solution will allow personalization-driven business rules generated from within Dynamo to be quickly and accurately adjusted based on net.Analysis' data collection and analysis capabilities to enhance the effectiveness of personalized Web-based interactions. A business manager can then use this analysis to develop refined content targeting rules, navigational flows, content groupings and categorization, targeted product offerings and other personalization business rules. By tailoring site content and features in such a manner, businesses can satisfy the preferences of their most valuable customers, improve the conversion of customers, and build loyalty based upon understanding the customer's key factors and influences on his or her purchase decision-making. www.netgen.com, www.atg.com

See our previous comment on the integration of content and real-time data.

Arcadia Technology Becomes arcadiaOne, Announces eSyndication Solution
12/10/1999

Arcadia Technology announced the change of their name from Arcadia Technology to arcadiaOne. At the same time, the company has introduced a solution to automate the process of content syndication and aggregation. arcadiaOne's "eSyndication" solution is an application that gives businesses the opportunity to exchange key content with their partners in an automated, efficient, and scaleable way, opening up new doors for eRevenue business opportunities. www.arcadiaone.com

Ontology.Org Joins United Nations & Oasis on ebXML
12/10/1999

Ontology.Org, an independent research organization founded by Computer Sciences Corporation announced its support for and participation in the Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML), an open, vendor-neutral initiative to establish a global technical and semantic framework that will enable XML to be utilized in a consistent manner for the exchange of e-business data. ebXML is a joint effort of the United Nations CEFACT, a U.N. body whose mandate covers worldwide policy and technical development in the area of trade facilitation and e-business, and OASIS, a non-profit, international consortium dedicated solely to product-independent data and content interchange. Ontology.Org, founded in May 1998, is committed to improving XML practices through the adoption of knowledge engineering techniques and shared ontologies, which has become an important topic in the development of business-to-business commerce on the Internet. Ontology.Org has joined with more than 120 representatives from such varied organizations as ACORD, Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) x12, Commerce One, CSC, DataChannel, DISA, UN/EDIFACT, IBM, OAG, Oracle, and Sun Microsystems to launch the ebXML initiative. www.ontology.org

Extensibility's XMLschema.com Goes Live
12/9/1999

Extensibility Inc. launched XMLschema.com � a Web site that provides ubiquitous access to automated processors for the management and exchange of e-business grammars. Initial services provided on the site include Extensibility XML schema validation and conversion services. Users can test XML schemas for syntactical validation and receive reports confirming validity or reporting errors. Users can automatically convert their XML schemas into other schema dialects, enabling exchange of XML grammars across heterogeneous environments. Initially, XMLschema.com will support Microsoft's XDR and BizTalk, Commerce One's Common Business Library and SOX schema dialect and DTDs. XMLschema.com services are available for users to access free of charge until February 2000. Automated processing facilities are commercially available. www.extensibility.com

The e-content Company & Salience Announce Strategic Partnership
12/9/1999

The e-content company, a division of Interleaf, Inc. announced a new addition to their roster of international e-Partners. Salience Netherlands, a consultancy that specializes in XML-based technology will collaborate with the e-content company to deliver e-business solutions with BladeRunner. Salience will work closely with the e-content company in the Netherlands to help companies realize the value of their content to drive e-business initiatives. www.xmlecontent.com

Macromedia Ships Dreamweaver 3
12/9/1999

Macromedia, Inc. shipped Macromedia Dreamweaver 3, its professional Web authoring environment. Dreamweaver, which can be easily extended and customized using HTML, JavaScript, XML, Java and C, enables third-party developers to easily modify Dreamweaver to create applications tailored for their needs. Dreamweaver extensions deliver interoperability with application servers, media extensions, databases and software solutions providers. www.macromedia.com

Pixo Joins WAP Forum
12/9/1999

Pixo, Inc. announced it has joined the WAP Forum as part of its drive to offer the broadest support for Internet standards in the wireless industry. Through its support of WAP, Pixo gives high-volume mobile phone manufacturers increased flexibility and a means to ensure easy integration of third-party WAP applications. Pixo's software platform can accommodate both a WAP browser for use in accessing specialized WAP-based content and services as well as Pixo's own HTML browser. While WAP networks are expected to proliferate in the near future, many wireless networks are expected to be upgraded in the next year to packet data standards compatible with an HTML approach, such as GPRS and CDMA-2000. As a result, Pixo is well positioned to provide wireless Internet support, regardless of the technologies involved. www.pixo.com

Informative Graphics Introduces Brava!
12/9/1999

Informative Graphics Corp. introduced Brava! 2.1 � a 100 percent Java-based drawing and document collaboration application designed for business-to-business commerce. This product optimizes Java for viewing performance with CAD and image file formats, and it now offers a Java Bean interface to enable embedding into an array of web-based collaboration solutions and Project Web Sites. Brava! allows users, collaborators and contractors to share information and exchange ideas without requiring the same hardware platform, native software application or browser. With Brava! users can now view and share ideas using drawings and image documents over intranets and the Internet. Brava! is the second generation of jMYRIAD technology. It includes significant new functionality directed at web-based collaboration, including: Enhancements for viewing and printing of native CAD and image formats; Performance improvements (data compression) for lower bandwidth connections; High resolution printing to A and B size devices; Metadata-based print and watermark banners; Ability to interactively browse and load drawings & document files from the shared server; Bean interface to build integrations to E/PDM or embed into other Java/web-based collaboration solutions; and support for an optional print/plot server for native Windows driver printing/plotting at scale or a percentage of scale www.infograph.com.

CIC Introduces Sign-It 2.0 for Acrobat
12/9/1999

Communication Intelligence Corporation ("CIC") announced that it released a new version of its e-signature solution with support for Palm handheld devices. Sign-it 2.0 provides enterprise customers with a solution for secure electronic document approval and on-line transactions within Adobe Acrobat 4.0 for applications such as document workflow, contract execution, and e-commerce. CIC has seen a trend toward electronic service providers subsidizing the device costs to purchasers of their services, similar to the current cellular phone industry. Some financial institutions and on-line providers may soon be providing handheld devices with Internet access, such as the Palm VII wireless organizer, to their customers to encourage an increase in transactions while offering them the convenience of mobile access. Sign-it 2.0 will offer a cost effective and reliable means to both secure and authorize transactions and documents electronically whether in the enterprise or a mobile environment. www.cic.com

GoToWorld.com Offers Free Universal Translator Dictionary
12/8/1999

GoToWorld.com announced the launch of their Universal Translator Dictionary, an online translation dictionary offering translation in 33 languages. While most translation dictionaries focus on translating from or into English, Universal Translator Dictionary can translate directly between any of 33 languages, allowing both English and non-English speakers access to a multitude of languages. The result is instant understanding and comprehension of information. GoToWorld.com's free Universal Translator Dictionary and Universal Translator Messenger are available at www.GoToWorld.com

WAP Forum & W3C to Work Together
12/8/1999

The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) Forum and the W3C announced a formal liaison relationship to define next-generation Web specifications that support the full participation of wireless devices on the World Wide Web. The WAP Forum and W3C are working together to develop a common process of producing next-generation, XML-based Web specifications, define testing and implementation processes, and promote these specifications to the industry at large. By working together, the WAP Forum and the W3C will enable wireless devices to participate as full peers in the universal information space of the Web, largely through the incorporation of WAP's Wireless Markup Language (WML) features into the W3C's XHTML, the next-generation markup language for the Web. Coordination between the two bodies began this week in Sydney, Australia, in conjunction with the WAP Forum's members meeting. The WAP/W3C coordination committee will meet on a regular basis to maintain consistency between the specifications of the WAP Forum and the W3C, promote common specifications wherever possible, and enable cooperation between the working groups in the WAP Forum and the W3C. Work items include the joint work on XHTML; compatibility with SMIL, the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language; ensuring user control over privacy information; and CC/PP, a universal device profiling system based on W3C's RDF Metadata technology. The two organizations are also producing a joint workshop in position-dependent information services, to be held in Sophia-Antipolis, France, in February 2000. The WAP Forum is dedicated to enabling advanced services and applications on wireless devices. The W3C is dedicated to leading and advancing the development of the World Wide Web. Together, the two organizations will face the technical challenge of mobile access to information on the Web. WAP Forum and W3C will coordinate on the future development of XML applications and in content adaptation through the use of vector graphics and style sheets. Instead of developing diverging sets of solutions, it is the intent of both groups to find common solutions that will address mobile requirements. www.w3.org, www.wapforum.org

Hopefully this collaboration won't get bogged down in the bureaucracy and politics that often afflicts these kinds of arrangements. One thing to watch out for is overloading a specification beyond usability. Keep WAP simple!

Wysdom Inc. Announces Membership in WAP Forum
12/8/1999

Wysdom Inc. announced it has joined the WAP Forum. WAP Forum members represent over 95% of the global handset market, carriers with more than 100 million subscribers, leading infrastructure providers, software developers and other organizations providing solutions to the wireless industry. The WAP Forum includes other wireless industry leaders such as Ericsson, Nokia, Motorola and Microsoft. By increasing the ease of communication with the mobile user, the standards developed by the WAP Forum are a catalyst for making the wireless Internet a reality. Wysdom's WAPvision product suite is a rapidly deployable turnkey solution that will allow any e-business to establish a wireless presence and extend its services to the mobile user. As a fully adaptable and customizable solution, the WAPvision suite provides the flexibility and scalability required to deliver value added Internet content from e-businesses to wireless end-users. www.wysdom.com

Microsoft, & Ericsson Announce Strategic Partnership
12/8/1999

Microsoft Corp. and Ericsson announced a strategic partnership to develop and market end-to-end solutions for the wireless Internet, based on a shared vision of convenient and fast access to information anytime, anywhere, from any device. Ericsson and Microsoft will form a joint company to market and deliver mobile e-mail solutions for network operators. Ericsson will own the majority share of the new company. As part of the partnership � the first between the two companies � Ericsson will provide its WAP stack to Microsoft and will adopt Microsoft Mobile Explorer for feature phones. The joint company will focus on building, marketing and deploying solutions that utilize Microsoft Windows NT Server and Exchange platforms, and Ericsson's infrastructure and mobile Internet technologies. Microsoft and Ericsson also agreed to collaborate in their support of developing open industry standards � including Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), WAP and Bluetooth. The new dual-mode microbrowser displays both HTML and WAP 1.1-compliant content, thus eliminating the need for operators and developers to choose between technologies. Microsoft Mobile Explorer is a modular mobile phone platform for enabling secure corporate data access, e-mail, Internet, location-based services and electronic commerce from feature phones and smart phones. www.ericsson.se/pressroom, www.microsoft.com/presspass/

Intuit & Microsoft Propose New Features for OFX 2.0
12/8/1999

Intuit Inc. and Microsoft Corporation announced proposed additions to the next version of the Open Financial Exchange (OFX) specification. The new features would include 401(k) extensions, 1099 capability and transfers between brokerage accounts. In addition, the companies are proposing XML compliance in version 2.0 and intend to make the new version backward compatible with OFX 1.0.2, OFX 1.5.1 and OFX 1.6, the versions widely used by financial services companies today. Finally, Intuit and Microsoft have indicated that they will propose adding insurance data and transactions in subsequent versions of OFX. Intuit and Microsoft are actively engaged with the Interactive Financial Exchange (IFX) Working Group to support the creation and rollout of the IFX standard. At whatever point IFX becomes established and a certification process exists for high-quality implementations, Intuit and Microsoft plan to work closely with the IFX Working Group to create a migration path for existing OFX Solution Providers and to preserve the existing investment in OFX by these companies. This will be important as the number of financial institutions and technology providers that use OFX continues to grow, because OFX is here now, it works, and these companies have relied on OFX to bring their online financial services offerings to market quickly. Intuit is drafting the proposed 2.0 specification and will submit it to Microsoft and CheckFree for their review and input. Together, the three companies develop and maintain the OFX specification. Intuit is targeting release of the specification in Q1 2000. www.intuit.com, www.microsoft.com

webMethods & KPMG Introduce Solution to Streamline RosettaNet Implementations
12/8/1999

webMethods, Inc. and KPMG LLP announced a joint software and services solution for implementing B2B e-commerce initiatives based on the RosettaNet standards. RosettaNet's primary goal is to streamline the information technology supply chain and to improve the flow of critical information allowing information technology supply chain partners to fully leverage e-commerce applications and the Internet as a B2B e-commerce tool. This joint offering is specifically designed to address the needs of RosettaNet's key constituents�resellers, distributors and manufacturers. Through this relationship, webMethods and KPMG have developed a solution to help companies meet RosettaNet's objectives for February 2, 2000 and lay a foundation that will carry these companies through to production. www.kpmgconsulting.com, www.webMethods.com

Versant Releases Upgrades & Announces VXML Toolkit
12/8/1999

Versant Corporation announced enhancements to its suite of software products for Enterprise Java Bean (EJB) compliant development environments, plus an early developer release of the Versant XML (VXML) Toolkit. VEC 2.1 now supports IBM's WebSphere 3.0, IBM's most current family of application servers. Versant's early developer release of the VXML toolkit allows Versant's ODBMS product to be used in applications based on emerging Internet corporate data interchange standard, XML. The VXML toolkit allows XML content to be cached in the middle-tier as objects, thereby leveraging Versant's ODBMS product as a platform for transactional, fault-tolerant eBusiness applications. WebSphere 3.0 Advanced Edition brings improved deployment of EJB technology, application-level security for EJBs, and the IBM SecureWay Directory, which provides LDAP availability to other LDAP-enabled directories. WebSphere 3.0 also includes advanced XML support, to enable easier, standardized exchange of data between multiple web sites. VXML toolkit includes the XML parser, XSLT for content translation, XML/object mapping tools and APIs. VXML is available from the Versant web site as an early developer release. Commercial availability is scheduled for Q1 2000. www.versant.com

tSA to Resell Intraspect
12/8/1999

Intraspect Software, Inc announced that tSA Consulting Group has agreed to a strategic alliance to resell Intraspect Knowledge Server 3.0. tSA's major objective is to provide their customers with intelligent E-Business solutions that enable information sharing and collaboration among knowledge workers. IKS integrates with tSA's existing infrastructure, and also enhances the Microsoft desktop, by providing collaborative knowledge management capabilities that integrate with and leverage Microsoft technology. www.intraspect.com

Reuters to Use XML for News
12/8/1999

Reuters is to introduce NewsML to present its news services. NewsML is an open standards-based format for the creation, transfer and delivery of news. It is based on the XML. Reuters has taken the initiative in the creation and adoption of NewsML through the International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC). The IPTC recently established a programme, IPTC 2000, which will deliver a single XML-based format for managing news production. An increasing number of Reuters subscribers are establishing themselves on the Internet and requesting delivery in XML. www.reuters.com

Hmmm� We might try this ourselves.

DSML for E-Commerce & Directories Published
12/7/1999

Bowstreet delivered a universal directory service language for the Internet to three key Internet standards bodies. This language, called Directory Services Markup Language (DSML), is supported by the collective efforts of IBM, Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, and the Sun-Netscape Alliance. By helping establish directories as the infrastructure for e-commerce applications, DSML enables easy sharing of valuable business data and processes within and across company boundaries. DSML will also accelerate the industry shift toward business-to-business applications built on Web services, modular units of software functionality located anywhere on the Internet. DSML and Web services will enable companies to develop dynamic e-commerce Web sites that can uniquely meet the needs of a company's customers and business partners. The DSML 1.0 specification submission enables different vendors' directory services to work together more easily by describing their contents - including data about people and computing resources - in XML. The announcement keeps the working group's July 12 promise to reach consensus on a draft standard this year. The six companies turned over the DSML 1.0 specification draft to OASIS. In an effort to gain rapid and widespread acceptance, DSML 1.0 information is also being provided to the W3C and BizTalk. The DSML effort builds upon Bowstreet's work over the past two years on the Bowstreet Web Automation Factory, a system for dynamically creating, managing, and linking mass-customized Web sites for B2B e-commerce. www.dsml.org, www.bowstreet.com

We've said this before, watch this.

SoftQuad Releases XMetaL 1.2
12/7/1999

SoftQuad Software Inc. announced the release of XMetaL 1.2, a free upgrade for its advanced, yet easy-to-use, XML authoring solution. The upgrade increases XMetaL's performance and productivity for users of all skill levels, and provides powerful new tools for publishing XMLdocuments to the Web. For content authors, XMetaL 1.2 includes a number of performance and productivity enhancements, including improved table handling, improved CSS rendering, improved spell checking and more intuitive editing functions. To help organizations produce Web-ready HTML from XML documents, XMetaL 1.2 includes a built-in XSL transformation engine. The engine is implemented as an XSLT COM object, which developers can access through scripts. Using XSL stylesheets, XML documents can easily be transformed to HTML for output to a browser or a file. In addition, developers can use the XSLT COM object for performing other complex document transformations on the fly, directly within XMetaL. Other improvements now found in XMetaL 1.2 give developers the ability to automate more processes to increase productivity when authoring XML documents. These include: Broader Event Trapping and Scriptable Entity Creation. XMetaL 1.2 is available December 10th as a downloadable upgrade for registered users of XMetaL 1.0. New users can purchase XMetaL 1.2 for $495.00 (U.S.) per single user license. www.softquad.com

SoftQuad Announces Integrator, VAR & OEM Agreements for XMetaL
12/7/1999

SoftQuad Software Inc. announced the signing of five new XMetaL channel agreements - AGRA Systems Limited, American Computer Innovators Inc., Datalogics Inc., Movement, Inc. and Software AG - that add to SoftQuad's network of over 70 VARs and OEMs in 13 countries. XMetaL has a familiar word processor-like environment, which makes it a broadly deployable solution that reduces training and implementation costs. XMetaL can increase performance, productivity and stability for users of all skill levels, while giving developers additional tools and functionality to create a more intuitive and integrated XML authoring environment. www.softquad.com

Sun Announces Availability of XML API for JAXP & Formation of Data Binding Expert Group
12/7/1999

Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced the availability of the Java API for XML Parsing Optional Package ("JAXP" ), and the formation of an expert group for the XML Data Binding project. The expert group for this project, which is going through the Java Community Process, consists of Allaire, Ariba, BEA/Web Logic, Bluestone Software, AOL/Netscape, Extensibility, Fujitsu, IBM, Object Design, Oracle, webMethods and Sun Microsystems. Sun's announcement of the Java technologies for XML provides universal application logic that complements XML. The Java 2 platform and XML are complementary technologies that each have common features critical for Web-based applications, including platform-independence, industry standards, extensible, reusable, and global language support. Together, the Java 2 platform and XML will allow enterprises to simplify and lower the cost of information sharing and exchange in Web applications. The JAXP Optional Package allows developers to easily build Java-based applications enabled by XML for e-commerce, enterprise application integration, and web publishing. An optional package is a standard Java API that is not part of the Java Runtime Environment but can be optionally added depending on specific application needs. JAXP is now in early access release and available free-of-charge at http://java.sun.com/xml. The final version of JAXP is scheduled to ship in the first quarter of 2000. The JAXP optional package provides basic functionality for reading, manipulating, and generating XML documents through pure Java APIs. Seamlessly integrated with the Java 2 platform, JAXP provides a standard way for a Java platform-based application to plug in any XML-conformant parser. While the reference implementation uses Sun's experimental high performing Java Project X as its default XML parser, the software's pluggable architecture allows any XML- conformant parser to be used, such as the xml.apache.org XML parser, code named Xerces. (For information on this community project to which Sun donated technology visit www.apache.org) Sun also announced the expert group of industry leaders within the JCP that is working to create XML Data Binding software for the Java 2 platform. This project, code-named Project Adelard, will enable developers to deliver and maintain high-performance XML-enabled applications with a minimum of development effort. Project Adelard provides a two-way mapping between XML documents and Java-based objects along with a schema compiler tool. The compiler will automatically generate Java classes from XML schemas without requiring developers to write any complex parsing code. In addition, the compiler will contain automatic error and validity of checking of XML messages, helping to ensure that only valid, error-free messages are accepted and processed by a system. As with JAXP, Project Adelard is being developed through the JCP. Sun is working with the W3C XML Schema Group and other standards consortia, such as OASIS and XML.org. The specification and reference implementation for Project Adelard are under development by the expert group. Project Adelard will be available during the second quarter of 2000. www.sun.com

Sun's Forte Fusion EAI Suite to Feature Enhanced Support for XSLT & Java
12/7/1999

Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced that its Forte Fusion enterprise application integration (EAI) suite will feature enhanced support for XML and Java-based technologies that have emerged as the foundation for standards-based e-commerce solutions. Fusion uses an XML-based integration backbone and XSL for data integration. In addition, Sun announced that Forte Fusion will be enhanced to support Java technology-based adapters and Sun's Java Message Queue 1.0 enterprise messaging software, giving customers increased access to open technologies to dot-com their businesses. The Fusion XSLT Data Transformation Engine employs XSLT to solve the core data transformation problem at the heart of any EAI solution. To support the development of XSLT rules, the Fusion Workshop for XSLT provides a graphical interactive workshop for authoring and testing. These XSLT capabilities will be available in the beta release of Forte Fusion 2.0 scheduled for the first quarter of 2000. During 2000, Forte Fusion will be enhanced to support Sun's Java Message Queue 1.0 enterprise messaging software as a transport for its XML-based data integration backbone. Within Forte Fusion, messaging services are used to link separate applications into the Fusion backbone, which in turn provides services for data transformation and connectivity into the Fusion Business Process Engine. Fusion's Java Message Queue support will complement existing support for HTTP and IBM's MQSeries. In the Forte Fusion architecture, adapters are application wrappers whose sole purpose is to XML-enable applications that are not equipped with native XML support. Adapters connect to the Fusion backbone through a message transport, while the backbone provides semantic integration through the transformation of XML with XSL rules. This approach ensures that adapters are lightweight, quick to develop and reusable as general-purpose XML adapters. www.forte.com/product/fusion

Microsoft Announces Finalized BizTalk Framework
12/7/1999

Microsoft Corp. announced availability of the BizTalk Framework Document Specification 1.0, an updated component of the framework based on XML schemas and industry standards for sharing information. Microsoft submitted the BizTalk Framework Document Specification 1.0 to the BizTalk Steering Committee � composed of vendors, standards bodies and corporate customers � for review in September. The committee finalized and published the document specifications on the BizTalk.Org Web site (www.biztalk.org). Any individual or organization can access the specifications and use them to implement e-commerce and application integration solutions using the BizTalk Framework. With the final version of the specification now available, corporate developers and independent software developers can immediately embark on the development of BizTalk-compatible applications. The BizTalk Steering Committee provides guidance on the future direction of the BizTalk Framework and includes American Petroleum Institute, Ariba Inc., The Baan Co., The Boeing Co., Clarus Corp., CommerceOne Inc., Concur Technologies Inc., Data Interchange Standards Association (DISA), J.D. Edwards & Co., Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., Microsoft, New Era of Networks (NEON), The Open Applications Group (OAG), PeopleSoft Inc., Pivotal Corp., RosettaNet and SAP AG. www.microsoft.com/industry/biztalk

XMetaL to be Integrated into Killdara's Secure XML Device
12/7/1999

SoftQuad Software Inc. and Killdara Corporation announced a strategic alliance to integrate SoftQuad's XMetaL XML content authoring environment and Killdara's Paraphrase Engine. The integrated products will provide customers with a complete solution for creating XML documents and delivering them securely to the databases of business partners via the Internet. The Paraphrase Engine is a secure and intelligent XML-based network appliance. It can be easily connected to existing enterprise data sources such as databases, and configured to automatically generate XML reports from the data. The reports can then be delivered to trusted business partners using high-security, tamperproof Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. Documents received from partners can likewise be authenticated, decrypted and delivered to users in the form of XML documents. www.softquad.com, www.killdara.com

Bluestone Announces Support for Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition
12/7/1999

Bluestone Software, Inc. announced complete support across its entire product line for the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE), Sun Microsystems Inc.'s unified platform for developing, deploying, and managing enterprise-class software in a diverse corporate environment. Bluestone believes compatibility testing will demonstrate compliance with the J2EE specification for Bluestone's Total-e-Business comprehensive e-business platform, its Sapphire/Web Application Server infrastructure, and the Bluestone XML Suite Integration Server - all based on the Java 2 platform and XML standards. Bluestone's support of the JavaServer Pages (JSP) technology, the Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) component architecture, and the Java Servlets API - core enterprise technologies which are unified in J2EE - simplifies enterprise application development by providing a comprehensive set of component services, and automatically handles many details of application behavior, without complex programming. Developers will also benefit from Bluestone's "in-process" methodology for hooking JSPs to JavaBeans and EJBs, via an XML interface within a single Java Virtual Machine. By employing one Java Virtual Machine to execute application tasks, Bluestone enables e-business applications to run faster and more efficiently. www.bluestone.com

Lexica Releases iLingo XML Schemas for Industry Review
12/7/1999

Lexica LLC announced that it has published a preview set of XML schemas on Microsoft's BizTalk.org and Lexica's iLingo.org Web sites. This is a comprehensive set of XML schemas that is specifically designed to empower the supply chain participants in the end-to-end automation of insurance selling and transaction processing. The new set of schemas, collectively called iLingo, provides the essential structural framework for deploying portable, robust transactional applications that enable business-to-business and business-to-consumer e-commerce. Once Version 1.0 is released in early 2000, iLingo will be freely available to any insurance or related financial services provider. Updates will be posted at www.ilingo.org and www.biztalk.org. www.lexica.net

Datalogics to Resell SoftQuad's XMetaL
12/7/1999

Datalogics announced a partnership with SoftQuad to resell XMetaL. With the addition of XMetaL to the product portfolio, Datalogics will round out its software solutions offering to include a comprehensive XML publishing solution encompassing everything from the authoring and editing of content to the output delivery and final publishing. Datalogics is known for its applications targeted at the high volume publishing market. Not only do these products offer high-speed composition and some of the most typographically sophisticated applications, but they also provide for flexible output delivery options. Customers are able to take one input source and generate multiple outputs including PDF, HTML, AFP, SEC Edgar, etc to support a variety of printer types as well as enable document delivery on the World Wide Web. With the addition of XMetaL, Datalogics will facilitate customer's ability to author and edit the content of their documents. Since Datalogics composition products such as DL Pager, accept XML and SGML tagged input, the use of XMetaL in the authoring process can provide an efficient way for users to author XML content that can be used in DL Pager for print or web delivery. www.datalogics.com

HP�s DeepCanyon Partners with Northern Light
12/7/1999

Northern Light Technology, Inc. and DeepCanyon announced a partnership agreement in which DeepCanyon will deploy Northern Light�s search capabilities to enhance its customized market research. The agreement provides access to the World Wide Web and selected sources from the Northern Light Special Collection, an online business library of trade publications, journal articles, and industry and market research reports. When users are searching for market research at DeepCanyon, a Northern Light link appears on the search results page to supplement DeepCanyon�s document database. Once at Northern Light, users can limit their searching to market-research Web sites and Special Collection documents or search the complete Northern Light database, currently the largest of the major search engines with more than 200 million Web pages and more than 14 million articles. Additional specialized search forms are provided to further refine searches by limiting specific subjects and document types or by searching a specialized content source, such as Investext research reports or MarkIntel market research reports. www.NorthernLight.com, www.deepcanyon.com

DeepCanyon has a lot of useful and free information.

DataChannel & Extensibility Partner
12/7/1999

In a joint announcement announced a partnership to deliver advanced XML industry solutions. Extensibility will create a validated schema for DataChannel's Portal Markup Language 1.0. (PML 1.0). PML 1.0 has been submitted to OASIS as an industry standard markup language for content display and management by an Enterprise Information Portal. XML Authority, Extensibility's schema processing and validation server will contain PML 1.0 support in its next release. DataChannel will accelerate its lead in providing XML training and solutions by becoming the lead training partner for Extensibility, creating new curriculum and certification for XML Authority as well as other company offerings. These courses, along with other advanced tutorials from DataChannel will be offered in both open enrollment and customized training sessions, available the first half of next year. Additionally, DataChannel will include an evaluation copy of XML Authority in the SDK of its XML-based Enterprise Information Portal, DataChannel Server 4.0 scheduled for first quarter of 2000. As part of the agreement, Extensibility joins DataChannel's XpertPartner Program. Other aspects of the agreement include joint development efforts on future offerings that were not disclosed by the companies. www.extensibility.com, www.datachannel.com

DataChannel Adds Wavo's Real-Time News to XML-Based Enterprise Portal
12/7/1999

DataChannel Inc. and Wavo Corp. announced that Wavo's NewsPak will be immediately incorporated into the next release of DataChannel's portal solution. NewsPak is a solution for delivering pre-licensed, real-time news content to Web servers worldwide. It aggregates content streams from a catalog of over 600 media sources, including CNBC, Ziff-Davis, Financial Times, USA Today, Comtex, Knight Ridder and UPI. Providing these streams in a richly meta-tagged XML format, NewsPak will give DataChannel customers unparalleled ability to search, manage and personalize news information. www.wavo.com, www.datachannel.com

FileNET Introduces Panagon Web Publisher 4.0 With New XML-Based Content Management Support
12/6/1999

FileNET Corporation announced its new Panagon Web Publisher 4.0 software, which provides new XML language and incremental publishing capabilities for enhanced content management support of Web-based information portals. This is one of the first components of an upcoming major set of announcements slated for early 2000 in the e-content management space from FileNET. Panagon Web Publisher 4.0 (PWP 4.0) is a template-driven software engine designed to automate the conversion of native application-authored documents into stylish, consistent Web publications. This conversion is guided by user-specified templates and results in fully linked XML and/or HTML Web sites. PWP 4.0 eliminates much of the tedious labor involved in creating and maintaining Web sites because translation to XML or HTML is automatic, leading to increased organizational productivity because content authors aren't required to learn XML and HTML programming and Web masters aren't required to edit content. A key feature of Panagon Web Publisher 4.0 is its "abstraction" capabilities, which provide the ability to create a Web site with a consistent look and feel, even though the source documents are formatted in an ad hoc manner. Panagon Web Publisher 4.0 is available now. The suggested retail price for the basic Web Publisher software is US$19,500, and a base Panagon content management solution, including client and server software serving a potential universe of thousands of users and managing thousands of Web pages, starts at approximately US$85,000. www.FileNET.com

Percussion Introduces Free Utility for Converting HTML Into XML
12/6/1999

Percussion Software introduced Percussion XSplit, a free utility for converting HTML into XML and XSL. XSplit meets the demands of organizations that need a simple and effective way of transforming thousands of Web-based HTML pages into XML for e-commerce and other applications. With XSplit, developers can easily create the XML and XSL equivalents of their HTML pages without investing a lot of time learning XML or writing the pages by hand. This is a critical need of most organizations, since the majority of Web content is currently HTML-based. This patent-pending technology is a key component of Percussion's recently announced XML Data Server product, Rhythmyx, which dynamically serves structured data from relational databases into Web pages. Rhythmyx is one of the first products that makes use of XSL in a production environment and helps organizations benefit from XML today. After using XSplit to convert HTML to XML, Rhythmyx is the logical next step to make static applications dynamic without having to code or script. Percussion XSplit V1.0 is free for personal use and will be available in December 1999. Companies wishing to license the product for bundled distribution with their offerings should contact Percussion Software for terms and conditions. The utility runs on Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT 4.0. A free 30-day evaluation of Percussion Rhythmyx is available by registering at www.percussion.com/feel_the_rhythm

Infoteria Announces Availability of English Version of iConnector & iMessenger
12/6/1999

Infoteria Inc. announced that the English version of their XML products iConnector and iMessenger will start shipping in the first quarter of 2000 and be available worldwide. iConnector and iMessenger are member of Infoteria's XML Solution Components which offers comprehensive B2B database and application integration. iConnector and iMessenger are exhibited at the exposition of XML '99 as the first public demonstration in the United States. The iConnector series, the leading XML software packages in Japan, is a gateway product between traditional databases and XML data. iRuleGenerator, included in the iConnector series, allows users to map XML data structure to the database schema, and visa versa. iConnector supports previous versions of databases, such as Oracle 7.x and Lotus Domino 4.5/4.6, as well as the latest versions. iConnector also offers cross database relational joins where incoming XML data can be stored using another database as reference. The iConnector series consists of 3 packages, iConnector for Oracle, iConnector for Lotus Domino and iConnector for Access. Additional database support is planned in the second quarter, 2000. iMessenger enables the sending and receiving of XML data via SMTP. It has GUI setting screen and can run as a server to pool the incoming XML messages using IMAP4 or POP3 protocol. Both iConnector and iMessenger are easily used in CGI and Active Server Pages to build XML based web services, in addition to integrating inter-enterprise information systems. iConnector and iMesenger are available for Microsoft Windows NT4.0 and 2000 in the first quarter of 2000. Sun Solaris and Linux versions will follow soon thereafter. iConnector for Oracle and iConnector for Lotus Domino are priced at $8,000 each, iConnector for Access and iMessenger 1.0 are priced at $4,000 each. In addition to standard package, C++ library versions will be available for OEMs. www.infoteria.com/

XML For All Announces Advanced XML Editor
12/6/1999

XML For All, Inc. announced the release of XFA Edit, an advanced text editor for XML and HTML documents that runs under Microsoft Windows operating systems. XFA Edit is implemented as an intelligent XML editing mode that runs on top of Lugaru's Epsilon, an EMACS-like editor. Epsilon supports full screen editing with an EMACS-style command set, non-intrusive mouse support, the ability to simultaneously edit an unlimited number of files, an extensive help system and on-line documentation, advanced search and search and replace commands, multilevel undo and redo, and advanced customization via the Epsilon EEL scripting language. XFA Edit adds color highlighting for XML tags, strings, attributes, and comments; checking for matching tags, quotes, and parenthesis; automatic indentation of nested XML elements; fast XML element navigation; and automatic insertion of XML end tags. All features can be individually customized via an extensive set of options. Support is provided for editing HTML, XML, and XML For All's XFA scripts. Complete EEL source code for XML Edit is included. www.xmlforall.com

Architag Announces New XML Editor
12/6/1999

Architag International Corporation announced the alpha release of their first software product, xRay, for Microsoft Windows operating systems. The product is a real-time, validating XML editor designed to provide fast creating, viewing and editing of XML documents. xRay is a real-time editor. On every keystroke, the editor validates the XML document and displays errors in a window on the screen. Multiple windows can be displayed, each containing its own XML document. xRay works with well-formed XML documents, but also validates according to different types of schemas. The xRay XML Editor is currently in a limited alpha testing release. Developers who are interested in participating in the test can contact Architag at xray-alpha@architag.com

XyEnterprise Previews Content@ Content Management Software for Microsoft Word
12/6/1999

Xyvision Enterprise Solutions Inc. previewed its new content management application, Content@ (pronounced Contenta) this week. Content@ provides content management for users of Microsoft Word by storing and managing Word document components in a dynamic database repository. Content@ offers integrated workflow, meta-data support, full-text search and facilitates the re-use of document components for web, print, and other media. Content@ enables groups of users to simultaneously collaborate on multiple parts of the same Word document, store components of the document in a variety of formats, and recombine these components into customized deliverables in web or print format. With Content@, users can store complete Word files or components of Word files in DOC, RTF, XML or HTML format. This content can include text, spreadsheets, graphics, presentations, sound, and video. Content@ preserves the normal editorial environment within Word and adds a Content@ menu that provides access to the content repository. Content@ is available now for early adopters, with release scheduled for February 2000. Basic systems, including 10 user seats, Content@ server, and COM API start around $50,000. Content@ server runs on Windows NT and Sun Solaris with clients on Windows 98 and NT. Content@ uses Oracle and other databases and supports Word 97 and Word 2000. www.xyenterprise.com

XyEnterprise Announces Parlance Content Manager V3.0
12/6/1999

Xyvision Enterprise Solutions Inc. announced the latest version of its content and document management software, Parlance Content Manager. This new version builds upon Parlance's proven component management functionality by extending its application development environment with COM and JAVA APIs and enhanced support for XML. Additionally, its redesigned user interface offers greater ease of use of the content repository and integrated tools. Parlance 3.0 includes support for dynamic XML import, use, and delivery. Users can automatically load XML encoded data from an editor, legacy data system, or other source and, based on content, document type definition or schema, derive a configuration from the data source. Parlance Content Manager comes with a new API)based on Microsoft COM for the Windows NT version of the product. A subsequent UNIX release will offer the same API functionality in JAVA. Parlance Content Manager 3.0 is scheduled to ship in March 2000. The Parlance server runs on Windows NT, Sun Solaris, and IBM AIX with clients on Windows 98, NT, and Unix. Parlance Content Manager uses Oracle and other databases and integrates with Arbortext Adept Editor, Adobe FrameMaker+SGML, and other application tools. A basic Parlance system, including server, API, dynamic XML import, and a 10 user license starts at about $50,000. www.xyenterprise.com

Personic Standardizes Recruiting & Hiring Software on XML
12/6/1999

Personic Inc. announced its participation in the HR-XML Consortium. The HR-XML Consortium is a newly formed, independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of standardized, human-resources-related XML vocabularies for enabling e-commerce and the automation of inter-company exchanges of human resources data.Using industry-standard XML vocabularies, one company is able to transact with countless other companies without needing to design, engineer, and install a multitude of separate interchange mechanisms. As a member of the HR-XML Consortium, Personic is developing technology to enable its core recruiting and hiring software to use XML. Personic is incorporating this communications technology into its core applications. Personic also partners with other organizations within the HR-XML Consortium to derive HR-XML (Human Resources Extensible Markup Language) standards. The HR-XML language provides standard definitions of data elements needed for an application to perform standardized Human Resources transactions and communicate with other applications using HR-XML. Through the HR-XML Consortium, more than 20 software and services suppliers have already endorsed three XML schemas designed to enable a new generation of Web-based workforce management and recruiting services that are based on open, e-commerce models and deliver employers greater ROI for their staffing expenditures. This will give HR and staffing vendors new opportunities for growth and profit. With a common medium of exchange, customers need not expend extra energy maintaining and updating proprietary interfaces. They save on costs and can dramatically reduce integration/maintenance efforts. HR-XML standardization shortens time for everyone involved in the recruiting and hiring process. www.personic.com

GCA Announces IDEAlliance
12/6/1999

The Graphic Communications Association announced the creation of the not-for-profit International Digital Enterprise Alliance (IDEAlliance). IDEAlliance will provide comprehensive support to working groups engaged in developing industry- specific applications of both vertical and cross-industry open information standards. Current member groups of the IDEAlliance include: the Information and Content Exchange (ICE), which establishes standards for the syndication and aggregation of information across industries; the Publishing Requirements for Industry Standard Metadata (PRISM), which is developing a standard XML metadata vocabulary for the publishing industry; the Customer Profile Exchange Network, a vendor-neutral open standard for the privacy-enabled exchange of customer profile information across disparate systems and applications; and the Independent Consultants Cooperative (ICC), an organization of XML/SGML consultants. Like its predecessor, the Graphic Communications Association Research Institute, IDEAlliance will serve as a host for meetings of the committees and other working groups of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), OASIS, ANSI, and W3C � groups responsible for the development and maintenance of structured information standards, XML, SGML, and their derivatives. www.IDEAlliance.org

Arbortext Adds Support for XSL, XSLT, DOM & COM
12/6/1999

Arbortext, Inc., announced that Epic 3.0 and Adept 9.0, now support key Web standards aimed at easing customer and third-party developer efforts and maintaining interoperability with other key software platforms. In addition to extended Java support, Epic and Adept now support XSL, XSLT, DOM and COM standards. Combined with support for Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and additional scripting languages, these new standards offer Epic and Adept users a wide new range of interoperability options for developing XML-based e-Content. In addition, Arbortext software can now run as COM servers to provide Windows applications access to the DOM. This allows Windows programmers to write document-processing applications in Visual Basic, C, C++ and Java. With these new releases, developers on Windows can now write programs in Java that call, or are called by, Arbortext Command Language (ACL) scripts. Arbortext supports XSLT for those customers who have complex electronic publishing requirements that require the transformation of multiple types of tag sets. For customers who want to continue to use their existing stylesheets for their electronic publishing needs, Arbortext will continue to support them in both Epic and Adept. Arbortext uses CSS in the published output for the Web. CSS allows users to customize the display of HTML in a Web browser without having to edit transformation stylesheets. Arbortext also announced that in upcoming releases, it plans to support additional scripting languages such as Perl, TCL, Python and Microsoft scripting languages. Support for these scripting languages will provide another option to programmers who write document-processing functions. Pricing for Epic 3.0 and Adept 9.0 varies, depending on number of seats purchased, type of licensing, and number of modules. Epic 3.0 and Adept 9.0 will be available Dec. 15. www.arbortext.com

XSLT seems to have caught a lot of developer's attention. We are pleasantly surprised. This is not a slam on the spec, but a comment on how difficult the problem is.

Interwoven Launches TeamSite 4.0
12/6/1999

Interwoven, Inc. launched TeamSite 4.0, the latest version of its product. With a range of new features, TeamSite 4.0 builds on Interwoven�s vision that a business-critical content management solution supports all types of content from all kinds of contributors, while keeping control with the business manager. The advanced workflow in TeamSite 4.0 allows business managers to assert control over multiple Web initiatives that often have very different business process requirements. For example, a customer relationship management initiative will likely require a very different process than an eCommerce initiative. TeamSite 4.0 provides a flexible, task-based environment that enables organizations to control these complex, multi-stage processes. www.interwoven.com

Scriptics Delivers XML-Based B2B Integration Platform & Support for Linux & Netscape
12/6/1999

Scriptics Corporation announced the release of a full-production version of Scriptics Connect, the company's business-to-business integration server. Scriptics also unveiled a beta release of Scriptics Connect v1.1, which provides support for the Red Hat Linux operating system and Netscape Enterprise Web servers. Scriptics Connect is an XML infrastructure for developing business-to-business applications. Scriptics Connectfeatures a number of innovative new technologies that significantly reduce the programming skill level required to capture business logic and create business integration applications. It provides a simple point-and-click mechanism for mapping between differing data structures. Scriptics Connect Author enables business and data analysts to create applications by dragging and dropping elements in a schematic view of an XML document. Much like pasting "Post-It" notes on a paper form to indicate how it should be processed, Scriptics Connect Author makes it easy for the analyst to attach actions to XML elements indicating how to process the corresponding elements. Many actions are pre-defined with action wizards, and because Scriptics Connect is built on the popular Tcl scripting language, developers can write simple scripts or develop custom wizards for custom actions. Unlike lower-level approaches that restrict programming to just one language, Scriptics Connect allows programming in a variety of languages, so users can use the language that is most appropriate to the task or that they're most familiar with. Scriptics Connect 1.0 includes the Apache Web server on UNIX and contains an interface to Microsoft IIS Web server on Windows NT. Scriptics Connect 1.1 also provides support for the Red Hat Linux operating system and Netscape Web servers. With XML translation functionality. Scriptics Connect 1.0 is immediately available. Prices start at $62,500 for a complete development and deployment environment. Scriptics Connect 1.1 is currently available as a beta release and will be available for general release before the end of 1999. www.scriptics.com

Informatica Unveils Powercenter.e
12/6/1999

Informatica Corporation announced PowerCenter.e, an expanded version of its PowerCenter data-integration software with new features added to enable e-business analysis. PowerCenter.e will help companies leverage their data across multiple sales, supplier and customer-interaction channels for business intelligence by integrating huge volumes of Web-transactionand clickstream data with information from more traditional enterprise sources such as ERP systems, relational databases, mainframe systems and external demographic databases. Informatica PowerCenter.e offers a set of unique capabilities that effectively extend PowerCenter's reach to address the e-business market. By adding support for IBM's MQSeries PowerCenter.e will provide near real-time support for extraction and loading of data from a company's message queue infrastructure. PowerCenter.e's support for message queuing will provide the vital framework for asynchronous, event-based, real-time e-business analytics. With PowerCenter.e, e-businesses will be able to import their XML data into a relational format while importing the metadata about that XML file into the data warehouse repository. As XML begins to gain widespread adoption, companies' ability to source XML data will be vital to enabling e-business analysis. PowerCenter.e will ease the process of retrieving data from Web logs by providing tools to import and consolidate Web logs, and transform proprietary Web-log formats into standard, readable structures. PowerCenter.e will support sourcing and parsing of data from today's three leading Web server products from Microsoft, Netscape and Apache. PowerCenter.e will be generally available in Q1 '00. Pricing will start at $100,000, with upgrades for current PowerCenter customers starting at $50,000. www.informatica.com

Saqqara Introduces Commerce Suite with XML Support
12/6/1999

SAQQARA Systems, Inc. announced the SAQQARA Commerce Suite that enables a "Content for Commerce" solution featuring product information management, publishing and XML exchange applications. Extending SAQQARA's catalog management software, the new SAQQARA Commerce Suite represents a offering that combines search and guided buying functionality for industrial manufacturers and suppliers to easily establish an e-business strategy and capitalize on the tremendous e-commerce sales opportunities. By deploying the new SAQQARA Commerce Suite, businesses have a front-end application to launch customized commerce strategies that include integration with existing enterprise systems and interoperability with supply chain partners. Specifically, the suite provides Global 2000 manufacturers with a set of complementary Web server applications that enable them to manage and publish detailed product information with advanced product selection capabilities, exchange product information with supply chain partners via emerging XML standards, analyze customers' online selection processes and fully participate in business-to-business electronic commerce opportunities. The SAQQARA Commerce Suite is an evolution of the company's Step Search catalog management software. The new SAQQARA Commerce Suite leverages that technology into a complete suite of applications that enables product information management for e-commerce. ProductServer and the ProductServer Author will be available January 2000 and together are priced starting at $60,000. For those companies seeking an outsourced services model, pricing for application hosting starts at $3,000 per month. SolutionServer and the SolutionServer Author will be available January 2000 as an outsourced services model. Pricing for application hosting starts at $5,000 per month. PIXServer is scheduled for release in April 2000. AnalysisServer will be available January 2000 and is priced starting at $7,500. www.saqqara.com

XMLSolutions' Provides EDI-to-XML Translation Demo Via the Internet
12/2/1999

XMLSolutions announced that users of EDI systems can submit any standard X12 or EDIFACT document for XML translation by visiting www.xmls.com. XMLSolutions, after receiving the EDI document, will apply the XEDI approach to EDI-XML translation (www.xedi.org) and return to the user by e-mail, the XML representation of the EDI file. www.xmls.com

We'll look more closely at the migration of EDI to XML in an upcoming article. We have not looked, but we expect this demo shows how easy it is.

Zope & Microsoft Integrate Using SOAP & WebDAV
12/2/1999

Digital Creations announced increased interoperability between its Open Source Zope application server and Microsoft platforms using open standards. An early 2000 Zope release will include support for two protocols heavily supported by Microsoft, the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) protocol. Digital Creations is the creator of Zope. Zope is an Open Source application server for building high-performance, dynamic web sites. Zope runs on nearly all UNIX platforms as well as Windows NT, and can be used with popular web servers or its own built-in web server. Zope is free at www.zope.org, www.digicool.com

Ariba & USI Partner to Provide B2B E-Commerce Services
12/2/1999

Ariba, Inc. jointly announced a strategic partnership to provide end-to-end business-to-business e-commerce application services. Under the agreement, USi will provide Ariba solutions to mid-sized and large-sized companies through the ASP model. The comprehensive partnership includes product development, application implementation and management services, and cooperative sales and marketing. Under terms of the agreement, USi is a preferred ASP for Ariba solutions, and will introduce a new service offering based on the hosted Ariba ORMX application. USi will integrate the Ariba ORMX solution with its Internet Managed Application Provider (iMAP) portfolio as part of a complete eCommerce offering to its existing and future customer base. USi will actively market, sell, deliver and support this new service. Clients will pay a flat monthly fee to receive the Ariba ORMX application as an iMAP service while gaining access to the comprehensive functionality of the Ariba Network eCommerce platform. Suppliers to Ariba ORMX-equipped buyers can use USi's sell-side e-commerce services to transact with buyers through the Ariba Network platform using the cXML (Commerce Extensible Markup Language) standard. www.ariba.com

Staffware Joins BEA to Deliver Workflow & Enterprise Application Integration
12/2/1999

Staffware Plc announced an agreement with BEA, designed to give companies tighter control over their business operations across the enterprise through an off-the-shelf solution, while minimizing the amount of customization required for multiple applications to work together. BEA eLink and its options and adapters bring a range of high-performance connectivity methodologies, helping ensure secure transactions and transparent access to mission-critical applications and information throughout the enterprise and across the Web. Staffware's portfolio of tools enables the rapid development of robust, highly scalable workflow applications for both client/server and thin client/Web-based architectures, providing a flexible, dependable infrastructure for distributing work among people and departments. The agreement provides for these technologies to be integrated to increase customer's application integration capabilities, while expanding the scope of the two companies EAI efforts to include additional workflow features. www.staffware.com. www.beasys.com

Hummingbird Unveils Metadata Strategy
12/2/1999

Hummingbird Communications Ltd. unveiled its metadata strategy and announced Genio MetaExplorer. A fully customizable, Web-based solution, MetaExplorer is designed to support the information search and analytical needs of information consumers by providing access to all decision support metadata repositories within an organization. At the heart of MetaExplorer is MetaData Server, an intelligent middle-tier solution with a driver-based, plug-and-play architecture. MetaData Server enables dynamic access to the rich variety of decision support metadata stored within the enterprise. Hummingbird will provide drivers to access the leading industry metadata repositories in addition to providing APIs to build drivers for accessing other metadata repositories. Complementing MetaExplorer and MetaData Server, is the new Hummingbird Enterprise Repository (HERO) that leverages XML-enabled metadata access and interchange. With HERO, organizations can now move to a common repository of metadata that provides the architectural glue that binds together the various components of the enterprise intelligence environment. HERO will simplify deployment, improve scalability to an enterprise scale, reduce integration challenges, and ease the maintenance burden to reduce the total cost of ownership. Genio MetaExplorer is expected to be available in Q1 2000. www.hummingbird.com

UN/CEFACT & OASIS Launch ebXML
12/1/1999

The Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML), a joint effort of the United Nation/CEFACT and OASIS, attracted the participation of major industry standards organizations and companies from around the world at its inaugural meeting in San Jose, CA, USA. ebXML is an open, vendor-neutral initiative to establish a global technical and semantic framework that will enable XML to be used in a consistent manner for the exchange of electronic business data. More than 120 representatives from organizations as varied as ACORD, Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12, Commerce One, DataChannel, DISA, UN/EDIFACT, IBM, OAG, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Inc. and others joined together to launch the ebXML initiative. Directors of ebXML include Klaus-Dieter Naujok and Ray Walker of UN/CEFACT and Robert S. Sutor and Bill Smith of OASIS. The Advisory Board includes Jon Bosak of Sun Microsystems, co-author of the XML 1.0 specification, and is being expanded to include key industry players from around the world. Laura Walker, executive director of OASIS, will serve as secretary of the board. ebXML is an International Initiative established by UN/CEFACT and OASIS with a mandate to undertake a 15-18 month program of work to research and identify the technical basis upon which the global implementation of XML can be standardized. The goal is to provide an open technical specification to enable XML to be utilized in a consistent and uniform manner for the exchange of electronic business data in application-to-application, application-to-person and person-to-application environments. UN/CEFACT is the United Nations body whose mandate covers worldwide policy and technical development in the area of trade facilitation and electronic business. Headquartered in Geneva, it has developed and promoted many tools for the facilitation of global business processes including UN/EDIFACT, the international EDI standard. Its current work programme includes such topics as Simpl-edi and Object Oriented EDI and it strongly supports the development and implementation of open, interoperable global standards and specifications for electronic business. www.ebxml.org, www.uncefact.org, www.oasis-open.org

RosettaNet Releases First 10 XML PIP Specifications
12/1/1999

RosettaNet announced the release of its first 10 XML Partner Interface Processes (PIPs). Cooperatively developed by RosettaNet member companies, the PIPs are designed to align the electronic business processes of trading partners within the IT supply chain. RosettaNet's PIPs are specialized system-to-system XML-based dialogs that define how business processes are conducted between IT manufacturers, software publishers, distributors, resellers and corporate end users. RosettaNet PIPs are essential to enabling the standardization of eBusiness processes among buyers and sellers in the supply chain. The PIPs were developed by analyzing supply chain processes, identifying mis-alignments, and designing a standard solution that enables global-scaled deployment. With the completion of these 10 PIPs, RosettaNet takes a step closer to achieving its goal of global deployment on Feb. 2, 2000. RosettaNet is designed to go beyond data interchange to align business processes. Like the earlier release of RosettaNet's technical and business dictionaries and set of eBusiness protocols, the 10 PIPs enable supply chain trading partners to create standard message documents for use in conducting eBusiness via the Internet. The first 10, of an eventual 100 PIPs, support catalog updating and purchasing. www.rosettanet.org

UserLand Releases Manila & Frontier 6.1
12/1/1999

UserLand Software announced the release of Manila, an Internet server application that allows groups of writers, designers and graphics people to manage full-featured, high performance Web sites thru an easy-to-use browser interface. Manila is included with UserLand Frontier 6.1. Key Manila features include: 100-percent browser-based editing; quick easy setup, in most cases, five minutes from download to a working Web site; simple publishing model, managing editor, contributing editors, members, integrated site membership database, with customizable preferences, easy navigation thru back-issues of the home page thru an intuitive calendar; customization thru templates; navigation, CSS, JavaScript, full control over HTML, user interface and navigation features are specified thru XML; content is separated from form, designers edit templates, while writers independently create stories; full content management system; templates, macros, shortcuts, stories, pictures; integrates thru Microsoft COM, ODBC, Apple Events, HTTP, XML-RPC; and ISP-ready, Manila sites are safe, and can be extended thru macros and templates, allowing service providers to differentiate their offerings. Frontier is licensed for $899, with free updates for one year. Manila is included with Frontier 6.1 for Windows and Macintosh, and is available today. www.userland.com

Tumbleweed Appoints French & German Country Managers
12/1/1999

Tumbleweed Communications Corp. announced the appointment of Philippe Delberghe as Sales Director and Country Manager, Tumbleweed Communications SA; and Joerg-Werner Stimming as Sales Director and Country Manager for Tumbleweed Communications GmbH. In addition, the company announced new sales offices in Paris, France and Munich, Germany. Delberghe's more than 15 year career in the software industry has included the roles of President at Ardent Europe and Country Manager for France at Prism Solutions. He has developed significant relationships within French industry. With twenty years of experience in information technology, Stimming has served as Enterprise Account Manager for TSI Software and for Munich Candle GmbH, among others. Before taking the position with Tumbleweed, he worked as a sales manager for the Schwabisch software Schmiede's "top team" data-processing consultation. Both Delberghe and Stimming report to Don Taylor, Vice President, International. Taylor is responsible for Tumbleweed's international operations, including the company's sales teams in Europe and Japan. www.tumbeleweed.com

The e-Content Company Announces XML-Based PowerPoint Authoring
12/1/1999

The e-content company announced the addition of Microsoft PowerPoint as an integrated authoring tool within BladeRunner for the creation of XML content for e-business applications. Users of BladeRunner will be able to generate XML content from PowerPoint to gain greater access and leverage valuable information stored in this presentation software. PowerPoint is the latest addition of software tools to extend the authoring capability of BladeRunner further into Microsoft's Office suite. PowerPoint joins Microsoft Word and Interleaf QuickSilver as integrated XML authoring solutions within BladeRunner. QuickSilver is an application suite for creating and assembling long, complex documents by individuals or workgroups, offering customers full access to the advanced features of Interleaf technology while allowing the creation of reusable content based on the open XML standard. The addition of Microsoft PowerPoint as an integrated authoring tool within BladeRunner will be available in the first

News For December, 1999

Cisco Joins UPnP Forum12/29/1999

Cisco Joins UPnP Forum
12/29/1999