Companion B.V. released an update of their main product Companion 2.0. The main new feature in this update is the add-on Companion Publisher which can be installed separately on the machines of content contributors. Companion 2.0 and Companion Publisher provide a comprehensive environment for database publications without the need for a specific and expensive application server. Companion makes it possible to create pre-generated database-driven web sites. Companion provides three Database Query Wizards and several specialized Companion tags to include database content in static pages, e.g. one specific field, a list of fields, all records, or a selection based on an SQL query. Companion facilitates content publication from ODBC and Access databases. For publication Companion retrieves the specified content from the database(s) and inserts it into the files that are uploaded to the web server. Companion Publisher enables content contributors to publish new database content, for instance new press releases or new product information, without the help of the web developer. Web developers control which templates are shown in Companion Publisher. A simple user interface allows the content contributor to start and stop the publication of templates. By choosing a Project Profile the author can choose to publish to a test location before the final release. Companion 2.0 is geared at professional, technically skilled users and early adopters. Companion 2.0 departs from the current paradigm in web development of editing source files directly — Companion introduces a separate layer, enabling a component-based approach of script management. The following prices are applicable: Single user license: $199 (introductory price, normal price $349); Five user license: $945 (normal price $1675); Ten user license: $1875 (normal price $2975). www.companion.nl
Day: March 14, 2000
The first ebXML Initiative Technical Specifications have been released for public comment. The ebXML Requirements Specification is available for download from the ebXML web site at www.ebxml.org. This ebXML Requirements Specification represents the work of the ebXML Requirements Project Team. It defines ebXML and the ebXML effort, articulates overall business requirements for ebXML, and defines specific technical infrastructure requirements that will be addressed by the various ebXML Project Teams in preparing their deliverables. The document includes general guiding principles for the development of other ebXML Technical Specifications. Major requirements are identified in the specification. The specification is available for the full ebXML Work Group and all interested parties in the general public. Comments should be emailed as plain text in the body of the mail message or as an attachment to Mike Rawlins, ebXML Requirements Project Team Leader at rawlins@metronet.com or Mark Crawford, ebXML Requirements Project Team Editor at mcrawfor@mail.lmi.org. The review period closes 27 March 2000. The specification will undergo a second cycle of revision and review prior to the expected final approval. The ebXML vision is to create a single global XML framework solution. It is a joint effort of the United Nation/CEFACT organization and OASIS. Participants represent 14 countries, 83 companies, government agencies and several national and international standards organizations. More than 500 people around the world participate via Internet mailing lists. Following the public comment period, the final Requirements Specifications will be approved by the full ebXML Plenary during its meeting in Brussels 8-12 May 2000. Full details about the ebXML Initiative, its project teams and meetings is at www.ebxml.org, www.uncefact.org, www.oasis-open.org
