Acxiom Corporation the Acxiom Data Network now supports XML as its basis for providing InfoBase data products over the Internet to qualified, registered businesses. The addition of XML, a flexible document format for the Web, now allows developers to integrate the Acxiom Data Network with multiple languages and platforms. Developers now have the option of integrating Acxiom Data Network technology with ActiveX/COM objects on Windows platforms or writing their own interface with any platform and language that supports XML. In addition to support of the XML format, a new Acxiom Data Network software development kit, SDK 1.3, was recently made available. This new kit enables developers to integrate the functionality of Acxiom’s InfoBase data products including InfoBase TeleSource, InfoBase Profiler and InfoBase Enhancement into their own applications. Applications can access Acxiom data products in a real-time, on-demand environment simply by utilizing the same software programs companies use everyday for decision support, marketing automation, contact management and sales force automation. www.acxiomdatanetwork
Day: November 30, 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 quarter of calendar year 2000. www.xmlecontent.com
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
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
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
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
