Microsoft Corp. and Open Text Corporation (NASDAQ:OTEX)(TSX:OTC) announced a strategic relationship to optimize Open Text’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) solutions for the Microsoft platform. As part of the announcement, Open Text, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, becomes a worldwide ECM partner with Microsoft. By deepening the relationship between Open Text and Microsoft, the companies will work to enhance Open Text solutions in ways that combine the Microsoft platform and Open Text’s understanding of the ECM needs of large enterprises. The resulting solutions from Open Text will include vertical-market offerings in financial services and government.Open Text is also introducing two new solutions that use Open Text’s Livelink ECM suite and Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003. The new solutions include an Open Text records management solution for Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003. Open Text is also introducing Web Parts that expose Livelink ECM content and functionality in SharePoint Portal Server 2003. This new level of integration will allow SharePoint Portal Server 2003 users to utilize specific Livelink ECM capabilities and access content stored anywhere in Livelink ECM. Future versions of Open Text solutions will be built on Microsoft Office “12,” the code name of the next major release of Microsoft Office products. Livelink ECM will connect directly with Microsoft’s ECM capabilities and extend the content created in Office “12” into business processes. Open Text has also agreed to support the latest version of Visual Studio 2005, for the development of new Livelink ECM solutions that integrate with SharePoint Portal Server 2003. http://www.opentext.com, http://www.microsoft.com