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
Year: 1999 (Page 12 of 97)
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
ACORD announced a reciprocal membership agreement with IFX Forum. Both organizations set information technology standards for message transmissions in financial services industries. They will cooperate in the development of XML standards for the electronic exchange of data in the insurance and banking industries. The collaboration is typical of recent announcements of alliances between standards bodies to consolidate development. The arrangement will combine the insurance expertise of ACORD and the banking expertise of IFX Forum. The organizations will focus on the base IFX specification and the proposed ACORD Insurance XML specifications to produce a framework supporting XML-based transaction services. Joint participation is underway. ACORD and IFX Forum have exchanged memberships and committed to participation in each other’s working groups. ACORD participants are assessing the base IFX specification and supplying IFX Forum with recommendations. In turn, IFX Forum will route insurance-related issues through the ACORD standards process. The IFX specification defines a messaging standard for secured IP-based banking business messages over the public Internet or private networks. The significance of XML and IP for the insurance industry is the progression from batch store-and-forward EDI transmissions to real-time messaging. Insurance business benefits include fast, reliable rates, quotes, applications, policies, claims and other transactions among a variety of trading partners-carriers, producers, rating bureaus, third-party administrators and service providers. As members increasingly look to supporting electronic commerce across all lines of business, ACORD is pursuing multiple open partnerships and alliances with U.S. and international standards-setting organizations. The goal is worldwide e-commerce connectivity throughout the insurance industry. www.acord.org, www.IFXForum.org
OneSoft Corporation launched version 3.0 of its OneCommerce software. OneCommerce Enterprise Edition 3.0 is an XML-based solution, providing businesses with extensibility to optimize revenue. OneCommerce provides a patent-pending architecture that includes distinctive capabilities to attract and retain customers, such as Dynamic Personalization, for targeted and personalized marketing and merchandising to increase customer conversion rate; comprehensive content management to target customers with the right product and information; and remote site administration and control for non-technical business managers to make informed decisions. www.onecommerce.com
Interwoven, Inc. announced its second major initiative with IBM which integrates the IBM WebSphere product line with Interwoven’s product, TeamSite. The integrated solution allows customers to accelerate both time-to-Web and the evolution of eBusiness Web sites. This complements Interwoven’s first collaborative effort, the successful integration of TeamSite with IBM Net.Commerce, IBM’s leading eCommerce solution. The IBM WebSphere family, including the WebSphere Application Server and the WebSphere Studio Web application development environment, is a comprehensive system designed to help customers with high-performance Web sites to ease the transition from simple Web publishing to advanced eBusiness applications. WebSphere products leverage existing enterprise systems and extend them to the Web, while running on multiple IBM and non-IBM platforms. With TeamSite, customers have an enterprise-scale content management solution, including versioning, workflow control and efficient deployment of content for IBM WebSphere applications. TeamSite supports the IBM WebSphere Studio development environment and set of Web development tools for designing and building interactive Web sites for the IBM WebSphere Application Server. TeamSite is also compatible with IBM’s DB2 Universal Database. TeamSite allows the integration of IBM WebSphere application code, including JavaServer Pages and Java servlets, with all other Web content such as HTML and multi-media assets. The entire Web application is then quality assured within the TeamSite environment before being deployed to production. www.interwoven.com
Microsoft Corp. and New Era of Networks Inc. announced a strategic relationship to jointly enhance and market e-commerce integration solutions based on Microsoft platforms and NEON’s e-commerce Integration products. NEON is endorsing the Microsoft BizTalk Framework and BizTalk products and tools. In addition, NEON is joining the BizTalk steering committee as a leading e-commerce integration vendor. Others, including American Petroleum Institute, Ariba Inc., The Baan Co., The Boeing Co., Clarus Corp., Commerce One Inc., Concur Technologies Inc., Data Interchange Standards Association (DISA), J.D. Edwards & Co., Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., Microsoft, Open Applications Group (OAG), PeopleSoft Inc., Pivotal Software Inc., RosettaNet and SAP AG serve as members of the committee. www.neonsoft.com, www.microsoft.com
webMethods, Inc. announced it will team with EDS to better serve clients implementing B2B e-commerce initiatives. Through this new relationship, EDS electronic business expertise and webMethods B2B software capabilities combine to provide comprehensive solutions for business-to-business e-commerce. webMethods B2B provides a business-to-business integration platform that makes it possible for companies to pursue direct integration with trading partners, while also participating in emerging B2B Marketplaces such as mySAP.com, the Ariba Network and Clarus SupplierUniverse. Through this partnership, EDS will incorporate webMethods B2B as part of the solution set it offers to EDS supply chain clients. webMethods B2B utilizes XML and open B2B standards, such as RosettaNet, OAG, OBI and ACORD, to build integrated business communities and enable companies to conduct business over the Internet with minimal stress to corporate resources and existing IT infrastructure. www.eds.com, www.webMethods.com
