News For July, 1999

Global Compliance, LLC announced Enterprise Desktop for Domino.Doc, a customizable Windows interface for Domino.Doc. Using Enterprise Desktop, line-of-business personnel throughout an enterprise simply profile any electronic document according to an area, sub-area, document type, etc. and it is automatically stored inside the Domino.Doc library. Since Enterprise Desktop remembers which documents each user has been working on, they can be quickly retrieved. For more complex document research situations, users can conduct profile, full-text, or combined searches. Enterprise Desktop includes innovative features like complete email integration, project foldering, quick viewer, Windows Explorer integration, and support for mobile users. Built as a Visual Basic application, and optionally licensed with source code, Enterprise Desktop gives organizations an alternative interface to the Lotus Notes and Web browser interfaces that come standard with Domino.Doc. Customers can further tailor the interface and easily integrate other business applications such as ERP, financial, legal, and compliance systems with their document management system. www.globalcompliance.com

SoftQuad & Object Design Form Strategic Alliance
7/27/1999

SoftQuad Software Inc. and Object Design, Inc. announced a strategic alliance to integrate and jointly market SoftQuad's XMetaL XML authoring environment and Object Design's eXcelon XML eBusiness information server. The integrated products provide customers with a complete solution for developing, managing and publishing XML content for a wide variety of eBusiness applications, including knowledge management, Web product catalogs, Web publishing, etc. SoftQuad has built a special XMetaL Integration Toolkit for eXcelon, providing users with an extremely efficient way to store and retrieve XML documents. eXcelon also automates the security, administration and on-line publishing of XMetaL-generated content. www.softquad.com, www.objectdesign.com

Open Market Partners with Renaissance Multimedia
7/26/1999

Open Market, Inc.announced that Renaissance Multimedia, an interactive agency based in New York City's Silicon Alley, will be reselling LiveCommerce, using the product to develop industrial-strength catalogs for their customers. www.rcac.com, www.openmarket.com

Open Text to Acquire Microstar
7/26/1999

Open Text Coporation announced it has entered into an agreement with Microstar Software Ltd to acquire all the outstanding shares of Microstar for  $2.10 per share payable in cash. Microstar, which had revenues of $6.2 million for its last fiscal year ended January 31, 1999. Microstar has agreed not to solicit other offers and has agreed to pay Open Text a break-up fee equal to approximately 4% of the equity value of Microstar if the transaction is not completed in certain circumstances. In addition, Microstar has granted an option to Open Text, exercisable only in the circumstances in which the break-up fee is payable, to purchase treasury common shares equal to 19% of the issued and outstanding shares of Microstar at an exercise price of $2.10 per share. The offer is subject to standard conditions including at least 66 2/3% of the shares being tendered to the offer, regulatory approvals and due diligence. Shareholders holding in the aggregate approximately 35% of the shares of Microstar have agreed to tender their shares to the offer. www.microstar.com, www.opentext.com

As we went to press Open Text had bought the vast majority of shares, precluding any other offers.

OASIS Summer Workshop -- Special Offer
7/23/1999

Companies, individuals and industry associations involved in XML are invited to participate in the sixth annual OASIS Summer Workshop. This year, Workshop highlights will include sessions dedicated to the Consortium's Registry and Repository and XML Conformance Technical Committees. In addition to OASIS committee working sessions, the OASIS Board of Directors will conduct their quarterly meeting, interface with the Board of Directors of CGM Open, an OASIS affiliate organization, and meet with the XML.org Steering Committee. The recently formed XML.org Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from XML.org sponsoring organizations including Commerce One, DataChannel, Documentum, GCA, IBM, Oracle, SAP, SoftQuad and Sun Microsystems, will hold their second strategy meeting during which they will finalize policy regarding allowed schema languages for schema submissions for XML.org. Registrations are now being accepted for the three-day meeting that will address future directions for the registry and repository capabilities of XML.org, the XML industry portal, and other OASIS technical projects. The members-only event, which will be held August 11-13 in Montreal, Canada, is expected to attract XML users and vendors from around the world. For the first time ever, the OASIS Summer Workshop is open to individuals, who are now able to join the consortium as part of recently restructured membership. As a special incentive, the OASIS Summer Workshop's 150 USD meeting fee will be waived for Individuals who join OASIS for 250 USD before 10 August. www.oasis-open.org/forms/summerworkshop.htm

Adhesive Software Introduces Web-Site Management Tool for E-Business
7/23/1999

Adhesive Software, Inc., introduced an e-business system designed to quickly deploy and easily manage all aspects of an online business. Adhesive's new Bizflash e-business system is suitable for both"business-to-business" and "business-to-consumer" operations. Bizflash helps manage the entire online selling process, from updating product offerings to capturing initial transaction data to fulfilling orders and following up (including cross promotion). Bizflash also has the unique ability to "syndicate" an e-business to third-party Web sites.  Products, order processes, brand messages -- the entire online business experience -- can be provided to affiliates, marketing partners, distributors and others, either exactly as is or using elements of the affiliate's "look and feel." Bizflash is based on Adhesive's core technology, called WebOS, a Web application server utilizing an object-based management system that permits users to create data, applications and other files that can be added to any Web page. Objects can be text files, graphics, multimedia files, audio, video, database queries, surveys, Java applets, custom C and Perl programs or command line scripts.  Text, video and image files are databased when published and are fully retrievable. sales@adhesive.com.

Eastman Announces WMX Solution Provider Program
7/23/1999

Eastman Software's Work Manager (WMX) Collaborative Business Unit announced the launch of its new WMX Solution Provider Program for its line of collaborative knowledge management products.  This new program will provide participating partners with expanded revenue opportunities from their existing Exchange customers and bring added value to both existing and potential Exchange customers. Eastman Software will unveil the details of the new WMX Solution Provider Program during its multi-city partner recruitment program beginning in late August. Currently, Eastman has more than 50 partners participating in the program including: The Computer Solutions Company (TCSC), WSB Technologies and Systems Farm, Inc. www.eastmansoftware.com/wmx.

OASIS Summer Workshop -- Special Offer
7/23/1999

Companies, individuals and industry associations involved in XML are invited to participate in the sixth annual OASIS Summer Workshop. This year, Workshop highlights will include sessions dedicated to the Consortium's Registry and Repository and XML Conformance Technical Committees. In addition to OASIS committee working sessions, the OASIS Board of Directors will conduct their quarterly meeting, interface with the Board of Directors of CGM Open, an OASIS affiliate organization, and meet with the XML.org Steering Committee. The recently formed XML.org Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from XML.org sponsoring organizations including Commerce One, DataChannel, Documentum, GCA, IBM, Oracle, SAP, SoftQuad and Sun Microsystems, will hold their second strategy meeting during which they will finalize policy regarding allowed schema languages for schema submissions for XML.org. Registrations are now being accepted for the three-day meeting that will address future directions for the registry and repository capabilities of XML.org, the XML industry portal, and other OASIS technical projects. The members-only event, which will be held August 11-13 in Montreal, Canada, is expected to attract XML users and vendors from around the world. For the first time ever, the OASIS Summer Workshop is open to individuals, who are now able to join the consortium as part of recently restructured membership. As a special incentive, the OASIS Summer Workshop's 150 USD meeting fee will be waived for Individuals who join OASIS for 250 USD before 10 August. www.oasis-open.org/forms/summerworkshop.htm

Adhesive Software Introduces Web-Site Management Tool for E-Business
7/23/1999

Adhesive Software, Inc., introduced an e-business system designed to quickly deploy and easily manage all aspects of an online business. Adhesive's new Bizflash e-business system is suitable for both"business-to-business" and "business-to-consumer" operations. Bizflash helps manage the entire online selling process, from updating product offerings to capturing initial transaction data to fulfilling orders and following up (including cross promotion). Bizflash also has the unique ability to "syndicate" an e-business to third-party Web sites.  Products, order processes, brand messages -- the entire online business experience -- can be provided to affiliates, marketing partners, distributors and others, either exactly as is or using elements of the affiliate's "look and feel." Bizflash is based on Adhesive's core technology, called WebOS, a Web application server utilizing an object-based management system that permits users to create data, applications and other files that can be added to any Web page. Objects can be text files, graphics, multimedia files, audio, video, database queries, surveys, Java applets, custom C and Perl programs or command line scripts.  Text, video and image files are databased when published and are fully retrievable. sales@adhesive.com.

docSpace Announces PDQ.net to Offer docSpace
7/21/1999

The docSpace Company announced the newest addition to its docSpace Service Bureau Program (dSB) - PDQ.net, Inc. The largest full-service Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Houston, Texas, PDQ.net will offer co-branded docSpace carrier class file services to its clients, including several Fortune 500 corporations. The docSpace services will enable secure business-to-business communication for PDQ.net's clients by offering mobility, collaboration tools, and a replacement for services like FedEx and UPS without requiring any software. PDQ.net will offer co-branded versions of docSpace Express (Web courier) and docSpace Drive (virtual hard drive). The services will first be available through MyPDQ.net, the company's new consumer portal site. PDQ.net is also targeting business customers with docSpace by offering it in conjunction with their DSL high speed Internet access services. www.docSpace.com, www.pdq.net

Lotus & Novell Announce Notes & Domino Support for Single Sign-on Directories
7/21/1999

Lotus Development Corp. and Novell Inc. announced that they have created a single log-on solution using Novell Directory Services (NDS) for the Lotus Domino servers and the Lotus Notes client. With Novell Single Sign-on, a user need only log onto a computer network once with a single NDS password to access all enterprise applications, regardless of the network platforms on which those applications reside. Novell Single Sign-on simplifies the end-user computing experience by eliminating the need for users to remember and input multiple passwords. It also can help companies save money by simplifying password management processes and reducing the number of password-related help desk calls. In addition to Notes R4.6 and Notes R5 users, the Lotus Domino R5 servers also can authenticate Web browser-based users of NDS, using LDAP as the authentication protocol. Novell Single Sign-on is available from Novell to customers of Novell NetWare 5. www.novell.com, www.lotus.com

Allaire Spectra Unites Content Management, E-Commerce & Personalization
7/21/1999

Allaire Corporation introduced Allaire Spectra, a packaged system for content management, e-commerce and personalization that enables corporations to embrace the Web as a strategic center of their businesses. In beta testing today at over 170 sites, Allaire Spectra is designed to use best-practices established by successful Internet businesses, uniting content, commerce and customer interaction capabilities into a common model for enterprise-wide Web systems. Incorporating best practices in building and running large-scale Web businesses, Allaire Spectra is based on the concept of "transactive content" -- systems that combine a tight relationship between the management of Web content assets, services that extend a company's business models into e-commerce, and the ability to deliver this package to the customer in a rich, personalized manner. Allaire Spectra is designed around a model and methodology for building large scale content and commerce systems that embrace the idea that every participant in an enterprise has a unique set of requirements to be productive in their use of the Web. This spectrum of participants spans system administrators, developers, designers, business managers and users, as well as customers, partners, and site affiliates. With Allaire Spectra implemented across an enterprise, each member of the spectrum can use the Web in a logical way. For example, it gives business managers and users a rich set of Web-based tools for managing workflows and security roles, conducting analysis and reporting on the business, and self-managing content and commerce assets without any IT intervention. The six core services of Allaire Spectra include: Content Management, Workflow and Process Automation, Roles-based Security, Personalization, Business Intelligence, and Syndication. Allaire Spectra, which runs on Windows NT and Solaris, is currently in beta. The product is expected to ship in Q4 1999. A bundled offering that includes servers, tools, training, consulting and support will be priced at approximately $100,000. Standard pricing for Allaire Spectra will be $7,495 per server and requires ColdFusion Enterprise Application Server. www.allaire.com

Vignette & Viant Form Strategic Alliance
7/21/1999

Vignette Corporation and Viant Corporation announced a strategic alliance to help companies build effective Internet businesses. Together, they will address the broad-ranging and complex needs of global companies seeking to transform their businesses through the Internet. By combining Vignette's StoryServer technology platform with Viant's ability to tailor technology to meet business goals, the combined team will help businesses compete online. The companies plan to offer full solutions that serve the needs of Fortune 1000 companies, new spin-off companies, and startup companies that are building a presence on the Web. Viant will maintain a core set of consultants trained and experienced in Vignette products and technologies. The partnership will allow Vignette and Viant to build the right solution for customers more quickly, while providing these customers with confidence in the underlying technology and services. www.viant.com, www.vignette.com

OAGI & Microsoft Announce Pilot Project
7/21/1999

The Open Applications Group Inc. (OAGI), a nonprofit industry consortium composed of business software component interoperability stakeholders, and Microsoft Corp announced a pilot project to review migration of the Open Applications Group Integration Specification (OAGIS) XML Definitions to the BizTalk Framework specifications. The XML working group within the OAGI, which includes Candle Corp., Compaq Computer Corp., HK Systems Inc., IBM Manufacturing Systems, Microsoft, NEC Corp., PeopleSoft Inc. and PricewaterhouseCoopers, plans to update the current OAGI XML documents, which were developed under the W3C XML 1.0 specification, by prototyping them under XML-schema and BizTalk Framework specifications. The goal is to produce a compatible set of XML-schema documents and publish them in the BizTalk.Org library. The OAGI plans to be in a position to have the prototyping and architecture issues completed as soon as possible after the W3C finalizes the XML-schema recommendation currently in review before that group. Once the XML-schema specification, which the BizTalk Framework will support, is completed and formally recommended by the W3C, the OAGI plans to very quickly publish its work under the XML-schema format and, subsequently, the BizTalk Framework. www.biztalk.org/, www.microsoft.com/industry/biztalk/, www.openapplications.org/

XMLSolutions Announces Partnership with Lisle Technology Partners
7/21/1999

XMLSolutions Corporation (XMLS) announced today that they have signed Lisle Technology Partners (LTP) as a strategic development partner. As a strategic partner, LTP will be involved in assisting XMLSolutions in technical product direction, as well as a resource partner for implementing the product strategy. The first project LTP will work on for XMLSolutions is the Exeter family of XML-based e-commerce products, a suite of products specifically designed to fulfill the objective of business-to-business e-commerce. The Exeter product set includes the Exeter XML Server, Exeter E-commerce Engine and Exeter EDI Parser. This application suite eliminates the manual processes of trade by enabling computer applications and humans to exchange business documents written in XML. www.xmls.com, www.lisletech.com

Crowe Chizek Develops Document Solution for Baan Users
7/21/1999

Crowe Chizek recently released Electronic Document Warehouse (EDW) for Baan, a high-performance, document storage, retrieval and management solution that provides a bridge between Baan ERP  and FileNET Panagon integrated document management (IDM) software. The product was developed by Crowe Chizek to offer Baan users the powerful information management capabilities of FileNET to manage correspondence, bills of lading, accounting records, maintenance records, hazardous material data (MSDS), engineering drawings, quality documents and literally any paper or electronic document. With this solution, scanned or imported electronic documents are immediately available for viewing and processing by Baan users or other employees using a Web browser. EDW for Baan allows companies to manage the unstructured information outside of their ERP system by giving them access to FileNET's imaging and document management software to provide the storage, retrieval and database management services needed for enterprise-wide document management applications. The solution is designed for distributed client/server and Web-based environments and features a scalable architecture for easy expansion of document imaging and storage. A free CD is available www.crowechizek.com

Kofax Introduces Support for Documentum 4i
7/21/1999

Kofax Image Products has shipped a new release script that integrates Ascent Capture 3, the company's document capture application, with Documentum 4i, Documentum Inc.'s content management platform for corporate and e-business portals. The release script also integrates Ascent Capture with Documentum's prior product release, Enterprise Document Management System (EDMS 98). Ascent Capture 3's DDI architecture combines document capture, data capture and Internet-based distributed capture in a single application. It's the only tool required to digitize paper documents at remote locations, extract data from them and insert that information into workflow, document management and Web publishing applications. Documentum 4i is a content management platform that dynamically manages all facets of content creation and delivery for corporate and e-business portals. Kofax has partnered with Documentum for several years to develop solutions that integrate paper and electronic sources of corporate knowledge. The new 32-bit Ascent Capture 3 release script for Documentum provides full functionality for both the 4i content management platform and the EDMS 98 client/server-based document management platform. The Ascent Capture 3 release script for Documentum 4i and EDMS 98 is free and may be downloaded now at www.kofax.com

Bell Atlantic to Deploy Wireless Application Protocol
7/21/1999

BellAtlantic Mobile operation will use Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) to give its customers access to electronic mail and information from their cellphones and to simplify phone upgrades. Bell Atlantic will deploy Phone.com, Inc.'s microbrowser and associated server software with Motorola Inc.digital phones. The service should be commercially available early next year. Customers will need to buy the new Motorola phones in order to use it. Using Phone.com's UP.Browser, phone subscribers will be able to view specially tailored Internet and intranet content on the display screens of their phones. The micro-browser works with Phone.com's UP.Link server software, which delivers content using wireless markup language (WML) rather than the hypertext markup language (HTML) used for most World Wide Web content. Bell Atlantic is at least the fourth US wireless carrier to announce plans to use Phone.com's micro-browser. Sprint PCS and Nextel have announced plans for trials in the fourth quarter. SouthernLink, a regional carrier, has also announced plans for the technology, the Phone.com spokesman told Newsbytes. www.bam.com

Open Market Partners with SpeechWorks
7/20/1999

Open Market, Inc. announced that it has partnered with SpeechWorks International, Inc. Open Market will be working with SpeechWorks to sell commerce solutions coupling Transact with SpeechSite, a new solution announced today by SpeechWorks, to provide customers with a single speech activated system that gives customers the ability to conduct commerce, even if they do not have access to a computer. Working with Transact, SpeechSite will enable customers to purchase products and services, and check order status, from any telephone. www.openmarket.com

webMethods, PSDI & MRO.com Partner
7/20/1999

webMethods, Inc., and MRO.com, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PSDI, announced the companies have entered a strategic partnership to deliver a series of XML-based e-Commerce solutions to PSDI customers. Under the agreement, PSDI will incorporate webMethods' XML technology into MRO.com, PSDI's business-to-business e-Commerce network that connects buyers and suppliers over the Internet. MRO.com is an online marketplace that supports the procurement, management, control and purchase of all MRO goods and services. Using webMethods B2B, MRO.com will provide buyers with direct access to Web-hosted and XML-based catalogs and real-time connections to the back-end systems of their suppliers, further reducing the typically high costs associated with traditional, paper-based MRO processes. In addition, PSDI plans to extend its XML-enabled set of Java-based business application interfaces to further enhance MAXIMO, its industry leading EAM system, for business-to-business integration with enterprise systems. This will allow integration with applications and systems from a wide array of vendors inside or outside the firewall. www.webmethods.com, www.psdi.com

Aurigin Systems Integrates Cartia ThemeScape
7/20/1999

Aurigin Systems, announced an agreement with Cartia, Inc. to integrate its ThemeScape visualization software into the Aurigin Intellectual Property Asset Management (IPAM) system.. Cartia's ThemeScape will be available from Aurigin as a standard add-on component of the Aurigin IPAM system. Cartia's ThemeScape will enable IPAM customers to integrate diverse content, automatically extract the core themes and topics, and organize them into an interactive thematicmap. Similar in appearance to topographical maps, thematic maps are a visual representation of a collection of documents arranged by thematic content. www.cartia.comm, www.aurigin.com

Webb Interactive Services to Use BEA WebLogic Server
7/20/1999

Webb Interactive Services, Inc. announced that it has incorporated the WebLogic Server from BEA Systems, Inc. as its application server platform for delivering XML-based components. Webb's XML-based publishing technology creates a new platform for publishing and aggregating local content and commerce information that is capable of supporting tens of thousands of small businesses. Using XML and Java as the underlying technology will better allow Webb to leverage the content in a way that enables consumers to shop more easily and enables merchants to publish and promote their products far more effectively. www.webb.net

Linguistic Technology Shows EasyAsk
7/20/1999

Linguistic Technology Corporation (LTC) unveiled EasyAsk eCom 1.0, a new natural language question/answer search technology for e-commerce. EasyAsk eCom allows retail consumers, business-to-business buyers and merchants to interact with e-commerce product catalogs and purchase history using plain English. EasyAsk eCom features an extensive vocabulary (dictionary) that is automatically extended upon installation by interrogating the underlying e-commerce database. The dictionary, which can be enhanced dynamically, contains product attributes found in the database and: synonyms, structured hierarchies, and business logic. An Agent feature can monitor the e-commerce database and notify managers of the occurrence of key events. EasyAsk eCom is available immediately. Pricing includes an initial license fee of $5,000 plus a monthly usage and support fee of  10 cents per question answered. There is a minimum monthly fee of $999, and volume discounts are available as the number of questions answered increases. Implementation services are available from the company. www.easyask.com

Progress Introduces Apptivity 3.1
7/20/1999

The new version delivers enhanced XML support for improved connectivity and data integration, according to the Bedford-based developer. Version 3.1 also includes enhanced SQL functionality to deliver E-commerce applications that support vendor-specific queries on enterprise databases by ven-dors such as Oracle Corp. Currently, Progress has more than 2,000 Apptivity VARs. The company recently formed a program to enable its VARs to extend more than 5,000 packaged applications to the application service provider (ASP) model. With technology and services from Progress, numerous VARs are expected to embrace the ASP business model. www.progress.com

OASIS Advises White House on E-Commerce
7/20/1999

OASIS has agreed to participate in a focus group on Internet Standardization and E-Commerce organized by the Office of Science and Technology Policy of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The focus group, which will be held at the White House Conference Center in Washington, DC on Tuesday, July 20, will examine how changing technological, market, and legal environments are affecting the development of standards for the Internet, electronic commerce and knowledge management. www.oasis-open.org

OAGI Forms Council to Foster XML Based Application Integration
7/20/1999

The Open Applications Group, Inc. (OAGI) announced the formation of a Customer Interoperability Council, made up of end users, that will work with the OAGI's existing software vendor membership to promote adoption of standards based application integration technology. The OAGI Interoperability Council will focus on development of industry specific Business Object Documents that define inter-application message formats and the deployment of enterprise integration frameworks based on the Open Applications Group Integration Specification (OAGIS), XML and transactions sent over middleware conforming to the newly released Open Applications Middleware API Specification (OAMAS). This approach will simplify integration of Financial, Human Resources, Manufacturing, Logistics, and Supply Chain application components both within the enterprise and among trading partners. The OAGI Interoperability Council is holding one of its regular meetings in Chicago on July 28-29, 1999. Interested parties are welcome to participate www.openapplications.org

Data Mining Consortium Develops Predictive Modeling Standard
7/20/1999

The Data Mining Group (DMG) announced the first version of an XML-based open standard for defining predictive models. The Predictive Modeling Markup Language (PMML) provides a quick and easy way for companies to define predictive models and share models between compliant vendors' applications. The founding consortium companies include: Magnify, Chicago; SPSS Inc., Chicago; Angoss Software Corp., Toronto; NCR Corp., Dayton, Ohio; and the National Center for Data Mining (NCDM) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). DMG founders invite other vendors and interested parties to participate in the proposed W3C standards initiative. First developed by NCDM and then revised and enhanced by the DMG, PMML is an XML-based language providing applications a vendor-independent method of defining models so that proprietary issues and incompatibilities are no longer a barrier to the exchange of models between applications. Predictive models express the patterns of information discovered in data mining, which companies then may use to develop specific strategies from which they can realize increased profitability. The Data Mining Group has applied for W3C working group classification. More information about PMML Version 1.0 and becoming PMML compliant is available from the Data Mining Group at www.dmg.org

Oracle Announces Oracle8i on Linux
7/19/1999

Oracle Corporation announced dramatic growth and demand for Oracle on Linux with strong adoption in both enterprise and general business markets. Oracle also announced the general availability of Oracle8i on Linux, after completion of an early adopter's program. www.oracle.com

'Eve's Advisory' Site to Provide XML Info
7/19/1999

Arbortext has launched an XML advisory site to be hosted by Eve Maler. The site provides free insights on XML, as well as a wealth of XML-related resources and links. Eve's Advisory provides a forum for questions and is designed to give clear, concise answers. The debut issue of Eve's Advisory, entitled, "Validation: It's a Good Thing," answers a reader's question about whether XML will free him from the tyranny of rigid structure in document authoring. Readers can send their own questions to askeve@arbortext.com. The site also provides links to resources, such as standards information, XML authoring tips, and calendars and agendas for upcoming educational events, end-user forums, and online product tutorials. www.arbortext.com

Microsoft Announces Design Review for Metadata Extensions
7/19/1999

Microsoft Corp. announced it will hold an open design review for gathering industry feedback on new metadata extensions that will enable a business to integrate its line-of-business, data warehousing, and knowledge management environments. Also today, the Meta Data Coalition (MDC) formally announced that the Open Information Model (OIM) has been accepted as the metadata standard. The proposed extensions to the OIM capture business knowledge such as goals, objectives, processes and rules, as well as terminology and categorizations, enabling the automated linkage between a wide variety of business information types. This linkage is needed for the creation of enterprise information portals or "digital dashboards," which enable real-time decision-making by providing businesses with a single window into all their information.The OIM extensions are the result of extensive collaboration with industry partners and represent the first milestone in the effort initiated with the Meta Data Coalition in December 1998. The open design review period for the new model extensions begins today with the availability of preliminary specifications for the following three models: Knowledge description model, Business engineering model, and Business rule model.This phase of the open design process is expected to conclude with an industry partner review in fall of 1999, where updated specifications, final input and early product demonstrations will be presented. Information about obtaining a copy of the specifications and providing feedback during the design review period is available through the Microsoft Web site at www.microsoft.com/repository/ or the Meta Data Coalition Web site at www.mdcinfo.com

Uniscape Launches Translation Web Portal
7/19/1999

Uniscape announced the launch of its E-Services Translation Portal (ETP), Uniscape.com, a vertical marketplace for translation services that enables businesses to conduct multi-lingual e-commerce. Uniscape.com will enable companies to make human translation quicker, more efficient and reusable. Using Uniscape.com, companies will have the ability to work with translators anywhere in the world and offer them free use of Uniscape's XML-based Translator Studio. The technology is designed specifically to aid the human translation process by offering access to a scalable translation memory database, workflow automation, content management, reporting and filtering technology. As the translators do their work, it is captured in a scalable translation memory database, where it can be automatically reused across a company's future translation projects. When content is updated on a Web site or new content is created, the system automatically checks to see if the key terminology, sentences or paragraphs have ever been translated previously. Prior translations are automatically pulled from the database and translators complete the partially translated files using Translator Studio. Companies are charged a minimal transaction fee of a few pennies for each word processed, with discounts based on the overall translation volume and percentage of reuse. Workflow automation automatically routes files and communications between content producers, translators, reviewers, quality assurance and publishers; according to a company's own business rules and objectives. Reporting capabilities enable companies to track every aspect of their translation and publishing activities. The site will be open in September. Pricing is determined by number of words to be translated and volume of reuse. www.uniscape.com

Intranet Solutions Announces Intra.Doc! Profiler
7/19/1999

IntraNet Solutions, Inc. has announced two new products -- Intra.doc!  Profiler and Intra.doc! Commerce -- for adding personalization, Web usage tracking and e-commerce functionality to the Intra.doc! family of Web-based document and content management products. Intra.doc! Profiler helps organizations personalize a user’s experience when they access information from Intra.doc!-based Web-sites and track site usage. Intra.doc! Commerce is a companion product to Intra.doc! Profiler and provides all the same capabilities plus the ability to link to financial transaction systems like Cybercash for authenticating and handling credit card transactions. Intra.doc! Profiler and Commerce are derived from IntraNet Solutions’ acquisition of Softgoods technology in December of 1998. Both products contain self-registration capabilities and a business rules engine that lets organizations collect and analyze data about users and the information they access ? so that they can provide users more relevant information. Business rules also can be used to trigger actions that provide additional information based on URLs that users request. For example, a trigger could be set up to survey and poll users based on specific topics, provide coupons, and suggest related information and URLs. In addition, business rules can be easily modified to meet an organization’s future requirements for Web information delivery. Intra.doc! Profiler and Intra.doc! Commerce is sold as optional modules to the Intra.doc! Management System. Intra.doc! Profiler is priced at $15,000 USD and Intra.doc! Commerce, which includes Intra.doc! Profiler is priced at $25,000 USD. The Intra.doc! system for Workgroups starts at $30,000 USD for up to 50 contributors and unlimited consumers in Windows NT or UNIX environments.  Intra.doc! Enterprise starts at $85,000 USD for unlimited contributors and unlimited consumers in Windows NT or UNIX environments. www.intranetsol.com

Andromedia Introduces LikeMinds Personalization Server 3.0
7/16/1999

Andromedia, Inc. announced LikeMinds Personalization Server 3.0. LikeMinds Personalization Server 3.0 makes the most of every click by utilizing virtually any source of consumer behavior data -- be it online or offline, implicit or explicit, real time or historical, transactional or navigational -- to personalize every interaction from the first click to the final checkout. LikeMinds Personalization Server 3.0 introduces two new personalization engines: The Purchase Engine and the Clickstream Engine. The Purchase Engine enables e-commerce vendors to leverage valuable offline and/or online purchase history data to make personalized recommendations. The Clickstream Engine builds customer profiles in real-time, based on navigational data gathered as customers browse a site. This allows an e-commerce vendor who lacks purchase history data and doesn't want to force users to fill out lengthy questionnaires to still offer personalized content and product recommendations. The new engines enable LikeMinds to learn by unobtrusively observing online navigational behavior and shopping activities and automatically adapt in real-time to changes in users' tastes and preferences. The Clickstream and Purchase Engines complement the Preference Engine and Product Matching Engine, which were built into previous versions of LikeMinds Personalization Server. The Preference Engine leverages explicitly stated preferences. The Product Matching Engine makes recommendations based on product similarities, enabling vendors to immediately recommend new products, before customers have seen, rated, or bought them. No other personalization solution offers e-marketers so many options for leveraging consumer behavior data to personalize interactions with users on their Web sites. LikeMinds Personalization Server 3.0 requires Windows NT 4.0 running on Pentium-class PCs or Solaris 2.6 running on Sun SPARC stations or Ultra SPARC workstations, any CGI-compliant Web server, and ODBC-compliant databases including Oracle 8 and SQL Server 7.0. LikeMinds Personalization Server 3.0 is priced from $25,000 and is available immediately. www.andromedia.com

XMLSolutions Receives $3.6 Million
7/15/1999

XMLSolutions Corporation announced the completion of a $3.6 million round in venture capital financing with Verticality Investment Group, LLC, a Jersey City, N.J.-based venture capital firm that invests in private technology companies. The investment, which marks the company's first round of funding, will be used to continue the rapid expansion of XMLSolutions' superior professional services group and accelerate deployment of the Exeter family of e-commerce software products. The Exeter family of products will be released on August 1, 1999. www.xmls.com

Scala and StreamServe Sign Partnership
7/15/1999

Scala Business Solutions N.V., and StreamServe announced a strategic OEM contract. Under the agreement, Scala will OEM StreamServe software -- a solution that formats, personalizes and distributes business critical information -- and market it as the Scala Output Server. Scala recently introduced its XML-based electronic commerce solution, Scala.Solutions, which will now be offered with the Scala Output Server option. Scala Output Server will enable current and potential Scala Global Series customers to create documents, such as invoices and shipping statements, which are formatted and customized for individual receivers, improving the clarity of communications to help retain and attract customers. The Scala Output Server will then distribute the information to each receiver individually across a variety of channels including printers, archives, fax servers, e-mail gateways, pagers, SMS (Short Message Service for mobile phones) and PDF files. Also, the Scala Output Server can output to XML, HTML or EDI, allowing companies to expand to e-business solutions such as Scala.Solutions. The Scala Output Server will have limited availability on September 1, 1999, and will be generally available in Q4, 1999. www.streamserve.com, www.scala.se

ACORD Transaction Working Group Brings Experience, Expertise to XML Standards Process
7/14/1999

The ACORD Transaction Working Group met recently to tackle the necessary infrastructure and protocol needed to effectively transport XML transactions. Participating in the working group are Microsoft, Travelers, PMSC, SAFECO, NCFocus, National Grange Mutual, Symmetry Technology Labs, Progressive, APT, Ontos, ISO, Hartford, Applied Systems, Kemper, Delphi, IVANS, CGU, AMS, St. Paul, Docucorp, and others. Concurrently, the Data Requirements Working Group is analyzing the AL3 and ObjX standards in order to assure that all lines, including Personal, Commercial, Surety, Claims, and Accounting, are included in the initial dictionary. This group was formed out of the recently announced joint initiative between ACORD and the Independent Insurance Agents of America's (IIAA) Agent's Council for Technology (ACT). Working toward an August 31, 1999 deliverable, the groups plan to complete the ACORD Insurance XML Dictionary. The objective, introduced by IIAA/ACT, is to prevent industry fragmentation by providing a base dictionary for the production of all future insurance XML transactions. IIAA/ACT is an advisory board of agent and industry representatives, formed by the IIAA to foster understanding and better utilization of technology in the independent agency system. ACT also helps to provide technology education, acts as a catalyst for the research and practical implementation of technology, and monitors related legislative developments. www.acord.org

Open Market to Acquire FutureTense
7/14/1999

Open Market, Inc. announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire FutureTense, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Open Market expects to issue approximately 7,226,000 shares of its common stock to the holders of outstanding FutureTense stock. In addition, Open Market will assume options to acquire FutureTense stock, which will convert into options to acquire approximately 1,118,000 shares of Open Market common stock. A portion of these options will be exercisable immediately upon the closing of the transaction. As of the close of trading yesterday, these shares had an aggregate market value of approximately $125 million. The companies expect that the transaction will be accounted for as a pooling of interests. The transaction is subject to shareholder approval and is expected to close in Q4 1999. Open Market believes that the combination of its products and those from FutureTense will provide customers with the potential to: Deploy e-business solutions more quickly and reduce the cost of vendor selection, integration and ongoing support, Create e-business Web sites with increased revenue potential because integrating content and commerce management helps maximize the value of on-line customer relationships, Extend and expand systems more easily because of FutureTense's open application server architecture. Upon closing the transaction, Gary Eichhorn will continue as CEO of Open Market. Ron Matros, president and CEO of FutureTense, will join Open Market as president and chief operating officer. BC Krishna, co-founder and chief technology officer of FutureTense, will join as Open Market's chief technology officer. A demonstration showing what a dynamic, personalized web site created with the two integrated products looks like is available on the Web at www.openmarket.com/futuretense

Intraspect to Support Office 2000, WebDAV
7/14/1999

Intraspect Software announced full support for Microsoft Office 2000 and the WebDAV protocol in Intraspect Knowledge Server (IKS). Intraspect's Knowledge Server, coupled with Internet Explorer 5.0, allows users to drag-and-drop any file from their desktop to the IKS repository. Microsoft Office and other documents are immediately indexed and locatable through IKS' Browser User Interface. Office 2000 users can open a document directly from an Intraspect WebDAV server, modify it, and save the updated version back to the server -- all from within the Office 2000 applications. www.intraspect.com

EXE Technologies to Support BizTalk
7/14/1999

EXE Technologies, Inc. announced its commitment to support Microsoft's BizTalk Framework by developing industry-specific schemas that will enable the seamless exchange of business information for EXE's customers. EXE Technologies will support Microsoft's advocacy of XML and industry standards for sharing business information by using BizTalk schemas and developing industry-specific schemas for EXE applications. EXE customers will execute BizTalk schemas as the default business-to-business communication language and EXE-developed schemas for industry-specific functionality. Industry-specific schemas developed by EXE will be submitted to the BizTalk.org schema repository. In addition to committing to develop and use BizTalk XML schemas, EXE is participating in the beta program for Microsoft BizTalk Server and is working to ensure that BizTalk Server and schemas will seamlessly integrate with EXE's application suite, EXceed. The BizTalk-enabled solutions will allow businesses to easily and uniformly exchange data with ERP, APS, Order Management, and other applications. EXE will deliver the first BizTalk schemas later this year. www.exe.com.

Interwoven Acquires Lexington Software
7/13/1999

Interwoven, Inc. and Lexington Software Associates (LSA)announced an agreement for Interwoven to acquire LSA. LSA was founded in 1997 to help companies create quality software and Web applications. Their consulting expertise is in configuration management, process management and implementation, and electronic asset management and troubleshooting. The Professional Services Organization (PSO) at Interwoven provides customized implementation of Interwoven software in order to leverage existing Web practices, tools and processes. PSO consists of three main practices: consulting, technical support and training. These represent a complete service offering as a complement to Interwoven’s content management products. The LSA acquisition will be integrated into PSO effective immediately. www.interwovwn.com

Bowstreet to Lead Work on XML for Directory Services
7/13/1999

Bowstreet Software, Inc. announced that it will lead work to define an industry standard for describing directory service information in XML. The effort to develop a Directory Services Markup Language (DSML) builds upon work performed by Bowstreet while creating its Web Services Architecture. The DSML effort will be supported by industry leaders IBM, Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, and the Sun-Netscape Alliance to provide customers more flexibility in using and sharing directory information in XML-enabled applications. DSML provides a way to use directory information without knowing the specific data formats of each directory. End users will benefit because Web-based applications can be aware of their directory policy and profile information and adapt accordingly. Additionally, DSML enables "friction-free" eCommerce value chains to be integrated across corporate boundaries based on directory information. This capability provides an essential building block as directories play a more significant role on the Internet. Furthermore, DSML complements the goals of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) and helps to extend the power of LDAP to web-based applications. Bowstreet and supporting companies plan to submit a proposal to appropriate standards bodies. There is an information Web site at www.dsml.org. Additional group members are expected to be added in the future. www.bowstreet.com

Information Architects Receives Patent Approval for E-Commerce App
7/13/1999

Information Architects Corporation has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent Office covering its Web application server technologies. The patent allowance covers technologies at the core of Information Architects' (iA) Metaphoria Virtual Web Server products. Metaphoria enables rapid development of Internet products and applications for business users that require efficient access to data from multiple sources. Metaphoria enables data residing in mainframes, client server systems, web servers, Internets and Extranets to be divorced, parsed, combined, personalized and viewed REAL-TIME from any Internet accessible device such as a PC, PDA, WebTV, Palm VII or WinCE device. Metaphoria can not only let the user view selected data but it can update the data across multiple systems in real time with the click of the mouse. www.ia.com

Novell Provides Directory Solution for Linking Business Data to E-Business Apps
7/13/1999

Novell, Inc. unveiled its solution for helping customers link business data for easy use in electronic business applications. Novell demonstrated a new software solution called DirXML. Extending the capabilities of Novell Directory Services (NDS) 8, this new solution links and manages all the places where business and network information is stored. This includes software applications, network operating systems, databases and network devices. This is the first solution based on a directory that not only brings all data together, but also keeps control of the information with the individual departments that own the data. DirXML will connect all data without the need to modify existing software, allowing companies to build on their existing technology investments. Novell has received support for DirXML from partner companies including Bowstreet, Bulletproof Corporation, Compaq Computer Corporation, enCommerce Inc., Entrust Technologies Inc., HAHT Software, Intracus, ISOCOR, Netegrity, NetPro, Oblix Inc., Unimax Systems Corporation. By utilizing XML, Novell's DirXML will enable companies to connect multiple databases and applications without the need to modify their existing software -- thereby getting the most out of their technology investments. A beta-testing version of DirXML will be available for customers to evaluate in Q4 1999. The final product is expected to ship in 2000 and pricing will be announced at that time. The first version of DirXML will support Novell's NetWare and Microsoft NT operating system environments, with support for Sun Solaris and Linux platforms to follow soon after the initial release. www.novell.com

Prophet 21 Announces Support of BizTalk
7/13/1999

Prophet 21, Inc.announced its commitment to support the BizTalk Framework by developing industry-specific schemas that will enable the exchange of business information for the Prophet 21 customer base. In addition to committing to develop and use BizTalk XML schemas, Prophet 21 is participating in the alpha/beta program for Microsoft BizTalk Server and is working to ensure BizTalk Server and schemas will integrate with Prophet 21 products, including Prophet 21 Wholesale and Prophet 21 Acclaim. These BizTalk-enabled solutions will allow businesses to easily exchange documents with online trading partners regardless of the platform technology underlying each company's systems. Prophet 21 Wholesale customers will enjoy support for BizTalk schemas later this year.www.p21.com

Managed Object Solutions Delivers Version 1.2 of Formula
7/12/1999

Managed Object Solutions, Inc. (MOS) today released Formula version 1.2. This new release integrates with Tivoli Systems TME/10 NetView, Tivoli Enterprise Console (TEC) and Hewlett-Packard OpenView Network Node Manager, and provides XML support, business-centric views, and centralized automation. Formula makes it easy for service providers and IT departments to manage complex, heterogeneous networks, while allowing them to keep their existing management applications in place. Developed entirely in 100 percent pure Java, Formula integrates data from multiple management applications, and then delivers a secure, customizable enterprise view through any standard Web browser. The new HP and Tivoli adapters add to the list of management systems supported by Formula. All Formula adapters are CORBA-based and bi-directional, providing a greater scope of visibility and tight integration with the underlying platforms. They dynamically learn what the management system knows and therefore require no configuration. Formula's new XML support simplifies customization of business-centric views. Already capable of providing a universal management console for operations managers, Formula now can take disparate information and organize it on business-centric lines, supplying a specific, valuable view to businesspeople, line-of-business managers and service provider customers. www.mos.cc

Extensibility Announces Commercial Product for BizTalk
7/12/1999

Extensibility Inc. announced the first commercial product for BizTalk Framework schema validation. XML Authority 1.1 will provide import and output support for BizTalk Framework compatible schemas and for the XDR schema format and for the W3C schema specification when it becomes available. It will also provide advanced support for XML namespaces. The test version of XML Authority 1.1 will be made available free of charge to XML Authority 1.0 customers in late July. A special trial version of XML Authority 1.1 will be accessible for download from the BizTalk.org site at www.biztalk.org in August. Using XML Authority 1.1, developers can create and exchange schemas compliant with the BizTalk Framework specifications. XML Authority is $99.95, multiple user x-Packs are available: 5-user, $449.95; 10-user, $849.95; 50-user, $3,995.00. A 10-use trial version may also be downloaded from the Extensibility site. www.extensibility.com

Macromedia Signs Agreement to Acquire Elemental Software
7/12/1999

Macromedia, Inc. announced a definitive agreement under which Macromedia will acquire Elemental Software for $24 million in a stock for stock transaction. Elemental's products Drumbeat 2000 and eStore Builder combined with Macromedia's products like Dreamweaver and Generator, will enable Web developers to create dynamic Web sites for e-commerce, corporate intranets and personalized content. The addition of the Elemental products to Macromedia's Web publishing product family provides a standards-based end-to-end solution of software for efficiently creating, producing and maintaining dynamic Web sites that automate the process of linking database information to Web applications with reusable code. In the transaction, Macromedia will exchange approximately 625,000 shares of its stock for all of the outstanding equity of Elemental, for a total purchase price of approximately $24 million. The transaction will be accounted for as a pooling of interests, and is expected to close within 45 days, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Macromedia expects to take a one-time charge of approximately $3.0 million for expenses related to the acquisition in the current quarter. www.macromedia.com

Intranet Solutions Sells 552,000 Additional Shares
7/12/1999

IntraNet Solutions, Inc., announced that the underwriters of its public offering have exercised their option to acquire an additional 552,000 shares of its common stock, including 484,500 shares sold by the Company and 67,500 shares sold by selling shareholders, at a price of $8.00 per share to the public. The managers of the offering were Dain Rauscher Wessels, a division of Dain Rauscher Incorporated, and U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, Inc. The Company plans to use the net proceeds of the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. www.intranetsol.com

Plumtree Ships New Release
7/12/1999

Plumtree Software announced it has shipped a new release of the Plumtree Corporate Portal. Enhancements include: A new Active Portal architecture for embedding third-party corporate tools and Internet services in the portal using modular components called Plumtree Portal Gadgets; Self-service personalization, for empowering users to choose the corporate content and services that they use every day for inclusion in a single portal page; Multi-server enterprise scalability, with support for more than 100,000 users; Web administration, with a sophisticated submission and approval process for enabling a wide range of users to contribute to the portal in a controlled way; and Security for the extranet and Internet, with complete access control for all portal contents, including search results. Pricing for the Plumtree Corporate Portal 3.0 begins at $100,000. The Plumtree Corporate Portal is available immediately. www.plumtree.com

Verity Files for Public Offering
7/12/1999

Verity, Inc. announced it has filed a registration statement in connection with a proposed underwritten public offering of 1,775,000 shares of its Common Stock, plus an over-allotment option of 266,250 shares. 1,500,000 of the shares (plus the shares in the over-allotment option) are being offered by Verity in a new financing, and 275,000 of the shares are being offered by certain stockholders. SG Cowen Securities Corporation, Banc of America Securities LLC, Dain Rauscher Wessels, a division of Dain Rauscher Incorporated, and SoundView Technology Group, Inc. are the underwriters of the offering. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such State. www.verity.com

OASIS Opens Membership
7/9/1999

OASIS, the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, announced the restructuring of its membership requirements, widely expanding access to its XML interoperability technical work. The non-profit consortium, which was previously open only to companies who use or provide products or services based on structured information standards such as XML, SGML and CGM, added new membership categories for individuals and associate XML industry groups. Interested parties may apply for membership online at www.oasis-open.org. OASIS membership levels now include Sponsors, Contributors, Individuals and Associates. Organizations participate in OASIS as either Sponsors or Contributors, based on the level of benefits they wish to receive. Sponsors, who take advantage of comprehensive technical and marketing benefits, support the consortium for 9500 USD annually. Contributors, who also benefit from OASIS marketing and technical work, pay 5000 USD (companies with ten or more employees) or 2500 USD (companies with fewer than ten employees). The new Individual Membership, at 250 USD per year, is offered to those who wish to participate in OASIS technical activities. Like all members, Individuals have the right to attend all OASIS general meetings, and they can fully participate in all working groups. At this level, membership is on an individual basis and is not transferable to other individuals. OASIS supports the development of XML specifications by offering an Associate Membership to individuals representing application or industry standards bodies. Associates, who pay 250 USD annually, are individuals appointed by an industry consortium or standards body (recognized as such by the OASIS Board of Directors) to represent the interests of that body in OASIS. Representatives enjoy the same rights and level of service as Individuals; the difference is that representation is transferable between individuals if the designated contact person for the represented organization gives notice. This allows continuity of participation by an organization even when it is necessary to change designated representatives. www.oasis-open.org

Webb & the Switchboard Network to Partner
7/9/1999

Webb Interactive Services, Inc. announced a technology partnership with Switchboard, Inc., focused on bringing Webb's XML-based community publishing and commerce platform to Switchboard's network of merchants, users and distribution partners. Switchboard, Inc., a majority-held subsidiary of Banyan Worldwide is a leading Internet directory that represents thousands of merchants nationwide. Webb's XML-based Internet publishing and advertising platform will strengthen online business/consumer interaction in areas such as offer management and comparison-shopping. This will allow consumers to easily find merchants who best fit their needs, and merchants will be able to interact with targeted consumers more effectively. Switchboard will integrate Webb's technology into its merchant services on Switchboard.com and through its distribution network. No financial terms of the partnership were disclosed. The partnership with Switchboard is the first deployment of Webb's e-commerce platform using XML. www.webb.net

Interleaf Establishes `The e-content company’ to Focus on XML for E-Commerce
7/8/1999

Interleaf announced the establishment of "the e-content company. " Recognized as a separate business segment, the e-content company is dedicated to the development of XML-based content management solutions for e-business applications. The e-content company develops and delivers BladeRunner, the division's solution that provides end-to-end content management solution for e-business applications. BladeRunner enables companies to create, manage, and publish e-content - targeted, timely, personalized, intelligent business information - for web-enabled applications using XML as its technology backbone and Microsoft Word for content creation. Companies are able to apply intelligence, structure and style to their business information, generate output in a variety of formats, and dynamically integrate that information with other electronic and business processes in support of their e-business initiatives. BladeRunner enables organizations to leverage information content and facilitate business transactions through the information chain, connecting companies with their customers, suppliers and distributors. In addition to the establishment of the new business segment, the e-content company will launch their own website, www.xmlecontent.com when it goes live on July 12, 1999. www.interleaf.com

OASIS Announces New Members
7/8/1999

OASIS announced that in response to recent announcements including the XML.org industry portal, record numbers of XML users and vendors have joined OASIS, the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards. In this, its sixth year since being founded as SGML Open, OASIS has seen membership increase 300 percent. New OASIS Sponsor members include Documentum, Interwoven, Microsoft, Object Design, Reuters, and Wavo. IBM, NIST and Synthbank have upgraded their previous membership to Sponsor-level status. Also joining OASIS as Contributor members are Bluestone Software, CourseNet Systems, Extensibility, GE Information Services, Hynet, iMediation, Novell, ProcureNet and Sequoia Software. www.oasis-open.org

Intergraph & FileNet Team to Create Spatially Enabled Document Management System
7/8/1999

Intergraph Corporation announced its Spatially Enabled Document Management System (SEDMS), a new solution combining geographic information systems (GIS) and document management technology with products from Intergraph, SpatialENTERPRISE and FileNET. These companies have merged their technologies to create a geographically oriented document management solution. Now available, SEDMS is web-enabled allowing a variety of users, such as government and transportation professionals, to quickly and easily access business-critical information on the enterprise network, from an intranet or the Internet. SEDMS is comprised of GeoMedia, Panagon Document Services, and SpatialENTERPRISE. Intergraph's GeoMedia combines seamless data integration with all major GIS vendor formats and an open development platform for creating custom applications. FileNET's Panagon Document Services information repository enables document management and can view over 200 file types, offering flexibility and reliability. The SpatialENTERPRISE solution links GeoMedia and Panagon Document Services into an integrated environment. With this new SEDMS solution, document access and map displays can all be conducted from a single window. For example, parcels of land can be associated not only with the usual attributes such as area, valuation and owner name, but also with documents such as permit applications, building photographs and crime statistics. Likewise, bridges can be linked to traditional data such as bridge rating, height and width, and also with information such as inspection reports, design drawings and video logs. www.intergraph.com

GlobeID Delivers Implementation of ECML
7/7/1999

GlobeID, announced it has performed the world's first secure Internet purchases using the Electronic Commerce Modeling Language (ECML) standard. The transaction, which took place on Tuesday, July 6, 1999, was run at GlobeID's Paris office. The implementation demonstrates the compliance of GlobeID's @dvanced Payment Solution Suite with ECML. ECML enabled @PayWallet and @PayButton will be commercially available this quarter. The ECML format was announced in early June by a consortium of major technology companies, including AOL, IBM, Microsoft, Compaq, CyberCash and others, along with Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Until now no real-time transaction application has been conducted. ECML, the new proposed standard, is a set of XML tags that merchants will be asked to use on their merchant servers to make form completion easier. www.globeid.com

USI Announces Workflow for DOCS Open
7/7/1999

Universal Systems Inc. (USI) officially announced its e.POWER Workflow Activator for PC DOCS/Fulcrum's DOCS Open. The initial version is designed to meet the needs of existing and new PC DOCS/Fulcrum customers. Workflow Activator is accessible from the DOCS Open user interface making the automation of enterprise processes available to organizations in an already familiar environment. Enterprise processes such as procurement and contract management procedures in governmental agencies or the management of change in manufacturing and utilities are repetitive and occur frequently. USI already deploys PC DOCS/Fulcrum as part of the e.POWER Records Management Edition, the workflow-enabled records management application certified by the Department of Defense (5015.2 Standard). Using both Web browsers and Windows clients, e.POWER Records Management Edition supports a wide range of applications from correspondence and action management to electronic procurement and customer service. With e.POWER Workflow Activator, customers use their existing DOCS Open client with e.POWER WorkManager for workflow and process automation. www.USI-Web.com

Vignette Completes Acquisition of Diffusion; Announces Multi-Channel Server
7/7/1999

Vignette Corporation announced that on June 30, 1999, it completed the acquisition of Diffusion Inc. Vignette announced the acquisition of Diffusion earlier this year, and completed the initial technology integration in less than three months. Today, Vignette is also announcing the Vignette Multi-Channel Server, a solution based on the integrated technology, enabling organizations to extend their online customer relationship building. Vignette Multi-Channel Server is targeted towards organizations that look to develop tighter, more individual customer relationships with their online customer base. The new software provides a central point of management and control for automated interaction with a defined customer community. Vignette Multi-Channel Server will enable Vignette customers to manage the distribution of personalized information across any delivery channel, including the Web, e-mail, fax, pager and telephone, regardless of the channel the communication originates from or is routed through. www.vignette.com

Lutris Delivers XML Compiler to Enhydra
7/7/1999

Lutris Technologies released Enhydra 2.1. Enhydra 2.1 is a Java/XML application server with new developer tools leveraging XML. Enhydra XML Compiler (XMLC) is a new XML technology that eliminates the shortcomings of embedding code in HTML found in Sun's JavaServer Pages (JSP) and Microsoft's Active Server Pages (ASP). Merging W3C consortium standards XML and the Document Object Model (DOM), Enhydra now supports a new, more efficient approach for interface designers and programmers to co-develop Web applications using Java to generate dynamic HTML. Lutris developed a technology similar to JSP and ASP over two years ago. Since then, the limitations of this approach have become obvious during the course of many consulting engagements. These limitations include: HTML editor incompatibility, wasteful designer/engineer interdependence, needless manual source file editing, and difficult application maintenance. Enhydra XMLC overcomes these limitations. XMLC converts HTML documents into Java classes represented as DOM objects. The W3C standard DOM defines a way to represent XML documents as a Java object tree. This process lets developers easily isolate data application logic from interface design, improving collaboration between the developer and the interface designer. The inclusion of simple id tags in an HTML document means that HTML templates can be created with any HTML editor, and then be modified and re-used with no impact on the underlying application. Available now, Enhydra 2.1 runtime and source code is free and may be downloaded from www.enhydra.org. On-line demonstrations, documentation, and FAQs are provided for quick evaluation. www.lutris.com

Progress Apptivity 3.1 Delivers Enhanced Capability, XML to Java Application Server
7/7/1999

Progress Software announced Progress Apptivity Version 3.1, its Java application server and integrated development environment. The new version's support for XML facilitates the deployment of broadly available business-to-business and e-commerce applications. In addition, enhanced SQL functionality strengthens e-commerce applications by allowing custom, vendor-specific queries on enterprise databases. Progress Apptivity Version 3.1 greatly increases the ability for enterprises to exchange information via support for documents formatted with the XML data interchange language. Progress Apptivity Version 3.1's integrated XML support enables more rapid deployment of business-to-business transactions such as procurement and cataloging without the need for external XML servers. Via enhanced Progress Apptivity SmartAdapter technology, inbound XML data are integrated into local applications as relational data, reducing the need for manual conversion. Additional enhancements include: Improved SQL Functionality, Conditional HTML, Java 2 Support, and a Refined Look and Feel. Progress Apptivity server prices start at $10,000 USD. Availability is immediately. www.apptivity.com

XML.Org Gets Financial Commitment
7/7/1999

OASIS, the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, announced it has received financial commitment from industry for XML.org, the global XML industry portal. IBM, Oracle, SAP and Sun Microsystems have all agreed to support XML.org as Founding Partners, and Commerce One, DataChannel, Documentum, the Graphic Communications Association (GCA) and SoftQuad have demonstrated their support as XML.org Founding Affiliates. XML.org Partners (companies with revenues in excess of $250M US) are expected to contribute 100,000 USD and Affiliates (companies with revenues under $250M US) to provide 25,000 USD annually to fund the industry portal. Initially, the XML.org Steering Committee will be led by these founding organizations, although other companies are welcome to participate in the future by becoming Partners or Affiliates. XML.org ( http://xml.org) is the OASIS XML industry portal that provides accurate, timely information about the application of XML in industrial and commercial settings. XML.org serves as a reference repository for specific XML standards such as vocabularies, DTDs, schemas, and namespaces. www.oasis-open.org

Merrill Corporation Introduces Merrill EDGAR Advantage
7/7/1999

Merrill Corporation announced the launch of Merrill EDGAR Advantage, a service to help clients migrate to the Securities Exchange Commission's (SEC's) new HTML and PDF formats for electronic filing. Merrill EDGAR Advantage also continues to offer clients a direct line to the SEC at the highest speed the SEC allows, ensuring that clients are always able to get a connection at peak filing times. To better serve clients, Merrill EDGAR Advantage has launched a new EDGAR resource Web site that includes news and information relative to EDGAR filings. www.edgaradvantage.com

Document Sciences Announces DLS Version 5.0
7/7/1999

Document Sciences announced the general availability of Document Library Services (DLS), version 5.0, a new version of its present document automation application. DLS provides users with an end-to-end solution for compliance document management and document production. DLS provides users with a Windows interface to manage and control the business logic and textual content of regulated documents such as Insurance Policies and Contracts. These documents can then be published through CompuSet, Document Sciences industrial strength composition engine. DLS, version 5.0, extends this capability with two new exciting offerings, DLS Express and DLS Batch for MVS. DLS Express is a new offering from Document Sciences that carries some of the same document automation features of DLS while allowing publishing of output to Microsoft Word. This new offering, with its lower cost, is ideal for smaller companies, for departmental applications, or for distributed production environments. DLS Batch for MVS, the newest member of the DLS family of products, extends high-volume batch production capabilities in the MVS mainframe environment. DLS Batch for MVS increases the throughput capabilities of DLS and facilitates multi-threaded processing. www.docscience.com

Differential & UWI.Com Team Up on E-Commerce
7/5/1999

Differential and UWI.Com, announced a strategic relationship. The combined technology provides a safer than paper solution for enterprises and financial institutions to securely send and receive legally binding transactions and other contractual agreements for conducting business-to-business e-commerce. Differential's Digital Receipt Infrastructure compliments InternetForms by providing a complete non-repudiation solution for e-commerce and legacy systems. Non-repudiation is the use of strong electronic evidence to prove to an independent third party that a document or transaction was sent and received at a specific time by a specific person or company. Non-repudiation requires an irrefutable trail of digital evidence, as well as protocols and procedures for transaction verification, dispute resolution, auditing and reconciliation. A Digital Receipt is an XML document, which captures the digital signatures of the sender and the receiver, a verifiable time stamp and standardized transaction details. Digital Receipts may contain information about related receipts permitting complicated transactions to be re-assembled and reconciled. Digital Receipts also support real-time assurance such as online notaries, insurers and auditors. An InternetForm is an XML document that preserves in a single, digitally signed form all of the elements of a transaction required to produce a binding record. InternetForms capture the questions a form posits, and the answers a person provides, as well as any internal form logic and attached related documents, to provide non-repudiation and preserve the signer's intent. www.uwi.com, www.differential.com

OASIS Announces New Board
7/2/1999

OASIS, the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, announced the election of a new board of directors led by Simon Nicholson (Chrystal Software) as chairperson and Bill Smith (Sun Microsystems) as president. Jonathan Parsons (Xyvision Enterprise Solutions) serves as vice president/secretary/treasurer and Bob Sutor (IBM) as chief strategy officer. Norbert Mikula (DataChannel) serves as chief technical officer and leads the technical track. Mary McRae (DMSi) serves as chief marketing officer and leads the marketing track. Alan Hester (Xerox) serves as director and liaison to the CGM-Open affiliate consortium. www.oasis-open.org

Interleaf Announces General Customer Shipment Of BladeRunner
7/2/1999

Interleaf, Inc. announced volume general customer shipment of BladeRunner, the Company's XML-based, and Microsoft Word-based e-content solution. Now BladeRunner is immediately available to any business that requires customized, dynamic, and intelligent e-content solutions for e-business applications. The general customer shipment of BladeRunner comes shortly after the completion of the Early Adopter Program (EAP). EAP was designed to enable customers to deploy a pre-release version of BladeRunner, develop XML-based prototypes, and evaluate the performance of applications through close collaboration with Interleaf's development organization. www.interleaf.com

Macrosoft Joins SER Group
7/1/1999

MacroSoft announced that the company has been acquired by SER Systeme AG, the international document management group headquartered in Neustadt/Wied, Germany. SER is the largest European based provider of document management solutions with major divisions in Germany, France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The acquisition is an important advance in SER’s strategy to expand its business in North America. The acquisition of MacroSoft is the first step into the U.S. financial services sector. MacroSoft has a history of providing Integrated Document Management solutions for organizations of all sizes. Organizations worldwide use MacroSoft solutions for check imaging, document management and enterprise report management (COLD). The new company will continue to use the recognized MacroSoft name. www.ser.com and www.macrosoft.com

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