The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) announced the release of the XForms 1.0 Recommendation. XForms 1.0 is the foundation for next-generation Web-based forms, combining the ability to separate purpose, presentation, and results with XML. In contrast to HTML forms, in which functional and presentation markup are intertwined, XForms lets forms authors distinguish the descriptions of the purpose of the form; the presentation of the form, and how the results (the instance data) are written in XML. By splitting traditional HTML forms into three parts–XForms model, instance data, and the XForms user interface–XForms separates presentation from content. This separation allows for reuse, device independence, and acessibility. Practically speaking, XForms technologies make it possible to deliver the same form to a PDA, a cell phone, screen reader or conventional desktop machine–without loss of functionality for the end user. XForms, while initially designed to be integrated into XHTML, may be adopted by any suitable markup language, such as Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG). XForms uses XML Events, another W3C technology, to define XML-based declarative event handlers that cover common use cases, so that the majority of XForms documents can be statically analyzed. The XForms Working Group includes W3C Members and invited experts from Adobe; CWI; Cardiff; Helsinki University of Technology; IBM; Mozquito Technologies; Novell; Oracle Corporation; Origo Services; PureEdge; SAP; Sun Microsystems; and x-port.net Ltd. www.w3.org
Year: 2003 (Page 16 of 70)
Stellent, Inc.’s Content Components Division announced the release of the Outside In Transformation Suite, bringing together established data transformation components into a new server architecture accessible as a Web service. The Outside In solution converts native files to XML, HTML, wireless or image formats, enabling access to information stored in more than 250 proprietary file formats from a broad range of devices, such as desktop computers, browsers and wireless devices. The components of the suite include Outside In HTML Export, XML Export, Image Export and Wireless Export. The server architecture features automatic fault protection, support for multiple simultaneous transformation processes and an extensible architecture that provides third-party transformations with the benefits of process isolation and a single client API. The Web services SOAP interface is provided in addition to existing C and Java APIs. www.stellent.com
Percussion Software introduced its newest software product, Lyrix, a content integration solution for the reuse of Domino content in other enterprise applications. Lyrix is targeted at users of Lotus Domino that are deciding between co-existence and migration for each of their Domino applications. Built on a Web services architecture, Lyrix provides organizations with a range of options allowing them to choose the right future for each of their Domino applications. For each application, Lyrix enables organizations to choose co-existence with Domino by continuing to create content in existing applications while simultaneously reusing the content in other applications, or migration of Domino content to other applications systematically. In addition, if selecting to migrate, Lyrix does not force a migration of all content into a new central repository. Lyrix automatically transforms all unique Domino attributes into standard XML and xHTML, and also maintains content relationships. Pricing for the Lyrix Starter Package is $34,000 (USD). Lyrix is available now for immediate delivery. www.percussion.com
Convera and Nexidia announced a new partnership that will add phonetic audio search as an optional component to Convera’s RetrievalWare search and categorization platform. Nexidia’s technology embedded within Convera’s search platform will ensure RetrievalWare can search audio and video the equivalent of 30 hours of audio information in less than one second. Nexidia’s phonetic searching pinpoints spoken words in word or phrase formats by analyzing the phonetic content of indexed audio or video files based on the similarity of sound. RetrievalWare’s new audio search feature will enable customers to search for spoken words without converting the audio to text through speech-to-text software or human transcription. Nexidia’s technology adds high precision to RetrievalWare’s phonetic search capability, identifying not just dictionary words, but also slang terms and code words. In addition to retrospective search, Convera will offer Nexidia technology for real-time monitoring of audio, matching capabilities already offered by Convera’s Profiling feature for processing textual content. www.nexidia.com, www.convera.com
IBM announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the software assets of CrossAccess Corporation. The acquisition is expected to close later this month. Financial details were not disclosed. CrossAccess is a provider of infrastructure software that enables corporations to access information stored in mainframe databases and make it available for use with new business applications. The acquisition is meant to strengthen IBM’s enterprise information integration capabilities, a key strategic priority for its Data Management efforts and the company’s on demand computing initiatives. With CrossAccess technology integrated into DB2 Information Integrator software, IBM will be able to deliver a comprehensive enterprise information integration infrastructure. Once the acquisition is completed, IBM plans to integrate CrossAccess’ software assets and personnel into the Data Management Software group, narket and sell CrossAccess technology through the IBM sales force, and integrate CrossAccess technology into IBM’s DB2 Information Integrator software. http://www.software.ibm.com/data
EMC Corporation and Documentum, Inc. announced a definitive agreement for EMC to acquire Documentum in a stock transaction valued at approximately $1.7 billion. Documentum stockholders will receive 2.175 shares of EMC common stock for each share of Documentum common stock. Based upon the EMC closing stock price of $14.45 on October 13, 2003, the transaction is valued at approximately $1.7 billion. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of calendar year 2004. When completed, EMC expects to take a charge in the quarter the transaction is closed for the value of Documentums in-process research and development costs and other integration expenses. Upon completion of the acquisition, EMC intends to operate Documentum as a software division of EMC headquartered in Pleasanton, California, led by Dave DeWalt, Documentum’s current CEO. Documentum’s sales, marketing and services will remain focused on selling and servicing Documentums products and solutions. www.EMC.com, www.documentum.com
Plumtree Software unveiled plans to offer a J2EE version of its portal software by the middle of 2004, designed to run with Java application servers hosted on UNIX, and later, Linux. Plumtree plans to continue developing the .NET version of its portal alongside this new J2EE version. The 5.0J version of the portal software is expected to have the same features, functionality and server architecture as the 5.0 Windows product but will have a re-designed Java kernel, and will use many J2EE components and specifications including JDBC for access to multiple databases, JMX for management and monitoring of the portal server, JNDI for naming and directory services, and JNI for JVM communication. In addition, both J2EE and .NET versions of the portal are designed to support the new Java portlet standard JSR 168. The 5.0J portal design draws on the J2EE application server, but uses the same HTTP-based Web Services Architecture as the Windows portal for communicating with other systems and the same parallel processing technology for communicating with a large number of Web services simultaneously. Plumtree plans to test application and Web servers including Apache Tomcat, BEA WebLogic, IBM WebSphere and Sun Java System Application Server, running on Sun Solaris and IBM AIX operating systems. Plumtree currently plans to offer Linux support later in 2004. www.plumtree.com
Topologi announces the 1.1.6 release of its Collaborative Markup Editor. Along with several interface improvements for both Windows, Linux and Mac OS X, Topologi announced new support for very large file handling. From original conception, Topologi has committed the Collaborative Markup Editor to addressing the needs of SGML and XML publishing production environments. However, feedback to date has been that working with 8-10 megabyte files is still not enough for many users. The editor’s core has been extensively reworked in version 1.1.6. Using memory profiling techniques, users can make final edits to million-line (50 megabyte) files without performance problems. Other improvements in this release include improved interactive diagnostics of markup syntax errors, support for Java 1.4.2 features such as mouse wheels and improved file chooser, Schematron 1.1.6 compliance, allowing better datatyping, improved support for RTF import of foreign languages including Chinese, built-in hex and image previewer, and faster load times. The Topologi Collaborative Markup Editor is available as a 30 day evaluation download or as a licensed purchase for US$60 at www.topologi.com
