Tumbleweed Communications Corp. announced IME Alert, an online communications application that a company can use to automatically send its customers sensitive, business-critical information about news and events as they occur. IME Alert is the newest application to integrate with Tumbleweed Integrated Messaging Exchange (IME), a set of products and services that leverage the Internet and existing e-mail networks to create a secure communications channel for e-business. Tumbleweed customers have chosen the IME platform because its infrastructure provides a valuable online communications channel with advanced security features, tracking and auditing capabilities. IME Alert is customizable. Companies can create their own criteria determine what kind of Alerts to send to customers. More importantly, companies can invite their customers to make their own selections about what kind of Alerts to receive – customers can design their own value-added IME Alert service. A browser-based graphical interface allows a company to define types of Alerts to offer their customers. A flexible API integrates with external information sources for notification of defined events. Alerts can be delivered via e-mail, or programmed to be sent to a customer’s pager. IME Alert messages can be sent with a range of security options, tracked from end to end, and delivered to an intuitive user-interface the recipient already uses. www.tumbleweed.com/solutions/ime_alert_overview.htm

In an effort to ease integration and communications along the supply chain, Open Applications Group, Inc. (OAGI) will standardize RFQs in XML. SupplierMarket.com will lead the effort for OAGI to standardize RFQs in XML. www.openapplications.org, www.suppliermarket.com

Bitstream Inc. and Corel Corporation announced that Corel has licensed a Linux font server currently being developed by Bitstream. Corel will integrate this font server into the office and graphics suites that it is currently developing for Linux. Bitstream’s new Linux font server can render PostScript Type 1 fonts, in addition to TrueType and other industry standard font formats. It also succeeds at making fonts on the Linux OS user friendly by providing robust and intuitive font management that is comparable to what is currently available for the Windows or Macintosh operating systems. The new Bitstream technology will help the Linux platform overcome one of its most significant barriers to acceptance in the desktop market. www.bitstream.com, www.corel.com

OASIS unveiled plans to host the XML-DEV mail list through its industry portal, XML.org. Since 1997, XML-DEV has served as an open, unmoderated list supporting XML implementation and development. In the closing plenary of the XML 99 conference today, Prof. Peter Murray-Rust of the University of Nottingham (UK) announced that XML-DEV, presently hosted by Imperial College (UK), will soon become an OASIS resource. XML-DEV, which has global membership of approximately 1500, averages more than 1200 postings a month from XML developers around the world. It emphasizes active participation through code development, creation of protocols and specifications, and other material contributions such as reference resources. The XML-DEV transition to OASIS will take place over the next few weeks and details will be announced on XML-DEV and the OASIS web sites, www.oasis-open.org and http://xml.org

OASIS announced public availability of the OASIS Draft Registry and Repository Technical Specification. The new OASIS Specification will be used in building the XML.org Registry & Repository and will contribute to the infrastructure needed for deploying interoperable XML repositories across the Web. The OASIS Draft Registry & Repository Specification is being well received by leading industry standards organizations, including the Object Management Group. The OASIS XML Registry & Repository Technical Committee includes representatives from Arbortext, Commerce One, DataChannel, Documentum, DMSi, Dun & Bradstreet, Enigma, Extensibility, IBM, Isogen, Oracle, STEP, Sun Microsystems, XyEnterprise and others. The OASIS Draft Registry and Repository Technical Specification is available on www.oasis-open.org/html/rrpublic.htm

MessageMedia Inc. announced it has signed an exclusive agreement with R.R. Donnelley Online Services, the Internet solutions group of R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company. Under the agreement, MessageMedia will offer e-mail-based newsletters to customers of R.R. Donnelley Online’s ePublish, a program designed to allow magazine publishers to quickly develop a quality web site and online presence. ePublish (www.rrd-epublish.com) will design, build and run web sites for magazine companies, incorporating tools and technology that are centered on content management, community building and commerce. The program brings technology and functionality to its product platform to meet the demanding needs of magazine publishers and online users. www.messagemedia.com

Document Sciences announced the general availability of DLS Web Express, the latest version of its Document Library Services (DLS) product. DLS Web Express now provides users an end-to-end solution for compliance document management and production in traditional print and electronic web distribution environments. DLS Web Express supports on-demand transactional creation of highly personalized documents in a three-tiered Web Server environment. With DLS Web Express, users can design complex document automation applications using a Windows interface and Microsoft Word. These applications and the DLS Web Express transactional client are integrated into a Web Server environment using any of today’s Web programming technologies like Active Server Pages (ASP), Java, and Cold Fusion. The output of DLS Web Express produces multiple file formats from a single source of input. Documents are generated in the web-standard HTML format for format-independent applications, and in Adobe’s PDF. www.docscience.com