Trade-Ranger Inc. has announced plans to release new and expanded capabilities through its Content Platform 2.0. Powered by i2 Content Management solutions from i2’s latest software release, i2 Six, Trade-Ranger’s new offering provides improved features and functionality, standardization, flexibility, cost/adoption efficiencies, scalability and usability. Through the utilization of i2 Content Management solutions, part of the i2 Supplier Relationship Management suite, Trade-Ranger’s Content Platform 2.0 allows suppliers to upload and publish catalog content, while enabling them to build and maintain product information. It also offers a catalog and content search tool that permits buyers to locate products and suppliers in real-time. Some of the updates in which customers will benefit include multi-language support, bulk file uploads, multiple auto-approval rules, newly developed templates, and the ability to export in multiple formats. www.trade-ranger.com, www.i2.com
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Plumtree released new software to support Web Services for Remote Portlets (WSRP) from OASIS and the proposed final draft of the Java Specification Request 168 (JSR 168) portlet standard. For both standards implementations, Plumtree’s support extends to versions 4.5, 4.5WS and 5.0 of the Plumtree Corporate Portal. Currently in proposed final draft, JSR 168 is developed though the Java Community Process with contributions and support from an 18-member Expert Group (EG). It is a portlet standard for portal computing designed to establish a common interface for portlets. Final release of the standard is expected later this month. Plumtree plans to update its container with any changes made in the final release of the JSR 168 standard. In any implementation of JSR 168, the portal communicates with a container, which contains the actual JSR 168 portlet. The Plumtree Container was designed to run on many application servers and Web servers including Apache Tomcat, BEA WebLogic and IBM WebSphere. www.plumtree.com
Altova Inc. announced the availability of the new Altova 2004 XML development tools product line, designed to meet the needs of building advanced XML and Web services applications. The new Altova 2004 product line consists of updates to existing products, XMLSPY 2004, AUTHENTIC 2004, and STYLEVISION 2004, and introduces a new product, MAPFORCE 2004. MAPFORCE 2004 is a visual data integration tool, which auto-generates custom data mapping code in multiple output languages such as XSLT and Java, to enable programmatic XML-to-XML or database-to-XML data transformations. Altova’s new MAPFORCE 2004 provides a 2-step XML-based approach to enterprise data integration. Using MAPFORCE 2004, data architects can programmatically convert data into XML from any database by drawing visual mappings from relational databases to any data model expressed in XML schema. MAPFORCE 2004 will then auto-generate the software program code required to programmatically marshal data from the source database to the target XML schema. Next, data can be transformed from one XML format to another, by visually drawing mappings between different XML schema data models. MAPFORCE 2004 is available for a free 30-day trial download or purchase for $499 for a single user license. www.altova.com
Interwoven, Inc. announced the availability of Interwoven MediaBin Asset Server 3.0 software, an integrated digital brand management solution incorporating a services-oriented architecture (SOA). On June 27, 2003, Interwoven completed its acquisition of MediaBin. MediaBin Asset Server 3.0 software includes a new Web Services-enabled connector for Interwoven TeamSite content server software that automatically ensures that published renditions of digital assets are always properly formatted and up-to-date across all Internet-based applications. Interwoven MediaBin 3.0 can be purchased from Interwoven today at an entry price of approximately $100K. www.interwoven.com
Brainshark, Inc. and ViewCentral Inc. announced a strategic marketing and sales alliance. Together the companies will jointly market ViewCentral Collaboration Management Solutions and the Brainshark Communications Platform. The Brainshark Communications Platform enables customers to create, manage, and share rich-media communications by combining audio, visuals, and business documents which can be viewed on-demand. ViewCentral Collaboration Management Solutions enable companies to automate and manage all collaborative event processes including scheduling, registration, online payments, communications, follow-up and reporting. Brainshark and ViewCentral are also both integrated with leading Web conferencing providers WebEx and Microsoft Live Meeting (PlaceWare). www.brainshark.com, www.viewcentral.com
Altova Inc. announced an agreement with Borland Software Corporation, to include a special edition of Altova XMLSPY 5 within future editions of Borland Delphi Studio, Borland C++ Builder, and Borland C#Builder for the Microsoft .NET Framework integrated development environments (IDEs). www.altova.com
Basis Technology and Endeca announced that Endeca will incorporate Basis Technology’s Rosette Language Analyzers into their software for commerce and enterprise search, Endeca InFront and Endeca ProFind. The combination of the two companies’ products and expertise will give Endeca’s multinational customers new multilingual features, and it opens new government and commercial markets for the company’s products. Endeca’s enterprise search offering, Endeca ProFind, features advanced search and Guided Navigation and is able to handle both structured and unstructured information for access to all types of enterprise data and documents residing across a wide variety of repositories. The Rosette Language Analyzers are part of the Rosette Globalization Platform, Basis Technology’s suite of interoperable products designed for applications that analyze and process all the world’s languages. www.basistech.com, www.endeca.com
Open Text Corporation and Gauss Interprise announced that a wholly owned subsidiary of Open Text will acquire the common shares of Gauss for cash by way of agreement with certain of the shareholders, who will hold 73 percent of the shares at closing after conversion of indebtedness and a tender offer for the balance of the shares. Total cash consideration for the shares is expected to be approximately US $11 million. Open Text expects that the transaction will close, subject to certain conditions, in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 04 (the quarter ending December, 2003). Together, the companies will present a combination in the market for enterprise content management (ECM) software, with Gauss adding its Web content management, and business process management solutions to Open Text’s Livelink suite and its integrated collaboration and content management capabilities. Gauss’ IDOM product line extends Open Text’s IDOM offerings, which are designed to apply business processes to the unstructured content companies maintain in Livelink to improve collaboration. Gauss also extends Open Text’s ERP connectors by adding J.D. Edwards and a variety of ERP applications on IBM AS/400 systems to existing connectors for PeopleSoft. www.gaussvip.com, www.opentext.com
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