Macromedia, Inc. announced the Macromedia Flash MX Data Connection Kit, which provides pre-built connections to a range of data sources to jumpstart development of data-aware rich Internet applications. The kit includes Macromedia Firefly Components acquired from CyberSage Software, as well as a developer edition of Macromedia Flash Remoting MX. Macromedia Firefly Components provide a framework for accessing, displaying, and updating data within Macromedia Flash applications. For rapid data access, the Firefly component architecture includes specialized connectors and resolvers that integrate with multiple data sources including XML, Microsoft SQL Server, and Macromedia Flash Remoting. For consistent data display, the components include common visual building blocks that separate presentation from application logic. For simplified data updates, shadowing technology used by the components enables efficient saving of information to original data sources. The developer edition of Macromedia Flash Remoting MX can be used with Macromedia Firefly Components to access ColdFusion, Microsoft .NET, Java, and SOAP-based web services. The Macromedia Flash MX Data Connection Kit is priced at $299 for commercial users and $199 for the education channel. The kit will be available for purchase next week from the Macromedia Online Store. Macromedia DevNet Professional members will be able to download the kit next week as part of their subscription. www.macromedia.com/go/dck/

Captiva Software Corp. announced an alliance agreement with Open Text Corp. Open Text will resell InputAccel, Captiva’s document capture software, and select modules of FormWare, Captiva’s forms capture software, to offer its Livelink customers a complete input management solution on a single platform. These document and forms capture capabilities will create new business opportunities for OpenText within its customer base. InputAccel transforms mission-critical data from paper and faxes into business-ready content. FormWare manages business-critical information from forms, documents and electronic data streams into enterprise systems. www.captivasoftware.com, www.opentext.com

Documentum announced several training options that provide the benefits of classroom training without requiring students to travel. Documentum’s “Training Without Travel” program offers a full range of courses for developers, system and web administrators, project managers and end users, through self-paced Web-based courseware, e-learning classes, and instructor-led classroom training at the customer site. Recent offerings include courses on records management, eRoom collaboration and Documentum 5. www.documentum.com/education/index.html

SavvyBox announces a new release of their new Content Management System Author.CMS v3.3. The system’s usability-tested user interface simplifies most common tasks related to information publishing. Author.CMS is specifically geared to small to medium size sites. Author.CMS embeds a variety of intuitive site management tools that save content publishing time and give full control over the website. The main system features are: usability-tested administration interface, WYSIWYG editor and intuitive site management tools, special installer that easily installs the system on a server, high-level functions that save template creation time. The new version of Author.CMS has a new directory structure to improve system adaptability for servers with different settings. www.author-cms.com

Software AG, Inc. announced that version 4 of its Natural 4GL development platform for mainframes now supports the creation and processing of XML documents. In addition to supporting XML, Natural Version 4 provides several other new capabilities, including improved overall application performance, accelerated and simplified access to Software AG’s Adabas by other databases, the ability to develop applications for a UNIX production environment using a Windows desktop, and expanded interoperability between Natural for IBM’s OS/390 or z/OS and Natural for Linux. Natural Version 4 for OS/390, z/OS, VSE/ESA, VM/CMS and BS2000/OSD is now available as a controlled release to registered customers. The general release is scheduled for September 2003. www.softwareagusa.com

TRADOS Incorporated announced the availability of TRADOS 6 LSP (Language Service Provider) and TRADOS 6 Freelance. In addition to improvements in Translation Memory manageability, quality assurance and language support, TRADOS 6 provides single and multi-language vendors compatibility with the translation memories of clients, using TRADOS TM Server, the new server translation memory technology from TRADOS. Performance improvements for tagged file formats in all TRADOS 6 applications speed up the translation process for TRADOStag files. Because of Unicode refinements, TRADOS 6 now supports a number of new languages, among them Maltese, Malaysian, and Tagalog. Support for other languages such as Vietnamese and Serbian has been enhanced and even complex chains of Unicode characters are now fully preserved during translation. TRADOS 6 Freelance now combines all TRADOS freelance applications into one tool set. TRADOS 6 Freelance will be normally priced at 895 EUR/USD. However, as a special introductory promotion, TRADOS 6 Freelance is priced at 695 EUR/USD until June 27, 2003. www.trados.com

SAQQARA Systems, Inc. announced a partnership with DPCI. The partnership combines SAQQARA’s collaborative technology for capturing, managing and dynamically re-expressing digital rich media for eCatalogs with DPCI’s expertise in delivering content to print production formats such as QuarkXPress. Leveraging DPCI database publishing and integration experience with the distributed authoring system that is bundled with SAQQARA’s CommerceSuite product enables organizations to deliver highly stylized content for their customers from a single electronic catalog. By simplifying the transition from traditional catalog layout to database publishing the cost of going to print is reduced. www.saqqara.com