Macromedia unveiled Macromedia Flex. Flex expands the Macromedia MX product family to address the requirements of enterprise IT departments seeking to deliver end user experiences that combine the responsiveness and richness of desktop software with the broad reach of the web. Previously code named “Royale,” Flex offers a standards-based, declarative programming methodology and server runtime services for delivering user interfaces with the Macromedia Flash client. The Flex beta program is now accepting applications, in preparation for release in the first half of 2004. Flex developers define user interfaces using an XML-based language that the Flex server renders into intelligent client applications running in the Flash Player. The Flex application framework combines a programming syntax; an extensible class library of building blocks for creating applications; and runtime services for data connectivity, deployment, and experience management. The initial Flex release will run on top of J2EE application servers and a .NET version is planned for future releases. Flex is based on XML, ECMAScript, SOAP web services, and the Macromedia Flash (SWF) file format. Macromedia Flex is expected to ship in the first half of 2004. The Flex server will be licensed as an enterprise server software product. Free licenses are planned for evaluation and single user workstation development. Additional information on Brady, Partridge, pricing, licensing, and configurations will be available at a later date. www.macromedia.com/go/flex/

Traction Software, Inc. announced the release of Traction TeamPage Release 3.0. Release 3.0. New features include: internationalization, enterprise authentication, a new extensible framework for user interface customization and branding, enterprise search engine compatibility, and enhanced support for standards. The new release of Traction’s Instant Publisher Client adds round-trip WYSIWYG editing as well as integrated one-click publishing from Microsoft’s Internet Explorer using a new .NET architecture. A preview edition of Traction 3.0 is immediately available, with delivery of a final edition in December 2003. Traction TeamPage 3.0 workgroup pricing starts at $4,995 per server. A personal edition Traction Communicator sells for $249. Traction 3.0 is free to all Traction Customers entitled to receive software updates. Traction also announced partnerships with Applied Knowledge Co, Ltd of Japan (AKJ), and Netcore Solutions Pvt, Ltd. of India.www.tractionsoftware.com, www.akj.co.jp

Adobe Systems Incorporated introduced Adobe Acrobat Elements Server, new software that provides customers greater control over the deployment and maintenance of PDF generation across the enterprise. Using Acrobat Elements Server, IT managers can centrally deploy PDF creation capabilities across a company without the need to manage additional client software on the desktop. Through a selection of user interfaces — the Web for uploading documents, email aliases for sending attachments, or watched folders for drag-and-drop submissions — the product enables Adobe PDF conversion from a variety of common file types. Using the Web services API, Acrobat Elements Server also can be integrated into more complex document creation and assembly workflows driven by enterprise content management systems. Acrobat Elements Server for Windows 2000 (SP4), Windows 2000 Server (SP4), and Windows XP Professional (SP1) is available through Adobe and will be sold on a per-user and per-server basis. Pricing begins at US$28 per user for a 1,000 user license or at US$22,500 per server. Acrobat Elements Server will be available in English only and is expected to ship by the end of November 2003. www.adobe.com

Stellent, Inc. and Corel Corp. announced an integration between the Stellent Content Management system and the XML authoring platform, Corel XMetaL. The product integration expands Stellent’s XML functionality to meet increasing customer demand for the ability to create content using XML authoring tools and store it directly in a content management system. Together, Corel XMetaL and Stellent enable users to easily create, update, store and manage a variety of XML content for a number of purposes including Web content, technical publications, and product and manufacturing documentation. Users have access to all Stellent Universal Content Management functionalities, including content conversion, library services, categorization, workflow, Web publishing, content collaboration, content distribution and enterprise search. In addition, the integration allows users to search for and open XML content stored in the Stellent system directly from the Corel XMetaL interface. www.stellent.com, www.corel.com

Percussion Software introduced Rhythmyx 5 for Linux – a new version of the company’s Rhythmyx 5 Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system that runs on the open source Linux server platform. Available immediately, Rhythmyx 5 for Linux has been certified against Red Hat Linux version 7.3. Other currently supported Rhythmyx platforms include Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0 and Sun Solaris. www.percussion.com

Overall IT spending has bottomed out, and 2004 and 2005 will see a minimum of strong single-digit growth over 2003 levels, according to Gartner, Inc. Although the aggregate number will rise, Gartner states that growth rates will vary widely by technology sector. Gartner analysts predict that the recovery will be coupled with a tremendous skills shift within the IT workforce, impacting hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of workers. Areas in which skills will be most highly valued include broadband, wireless, Linux, content management, real-time analytics, data mining, security, middleware, certification skills, business intelligence and knowledge management. www.gartner.com

Cardiff Software Inc. announced the availability of a LiquidOffice Connect Agent for the Documentum ECM platform from Documentum. This Connect Agent is an integration package that enables companies to automatically route eForms managed, created and processed in LiquidOffice to the Documentum repository. The new Cardiff solution brings together eForm management, enterprise content management, and workflow into a single solution. The LiquidOffice Connect Agent for Documentum enables users to complete and submit forms, regardless of standards or platform, through a Web-based interface. LiquidOffice captures data from LiquidOffice, HTML, PDF, and InfoPath forms, automatically indexing and archiving the completed form as PDF in Documentum. Through this integrated solution, organizations can reduce the amount of paper used for daily transactions. www.cardiff.com

Ricoh Corporation and Documentum announced the integration of Ricoh’s GlobalScan solution into Documentum’s enterprise content management system. GlobalScan will provide direct access to Documentum’s enterprise content management solution from the LCD panel of the Ricoh Aficio MFP. The GlobalScan Connector for Documentum will allow users to introduce paper-based documents, from the Ricoh Aficio MFP LCD panel directly into Documentum. Additionally, the Connector will allow users to login to the Documentum Content Management repository, directly from the MFP panel, and scan, index and route documents to a specific database. The GlobalScan Connector for Documentum will be available on November 10, 2003. www.documentum.com, www.ricoh-usa.com