POET Software announced that it applied the new recently proposed Java Data Objects (JDO) specification, a work in process specification in the Java Community Process, for a common API to develop an embeddable, small footprint, 100% pure Java database. Ericsson leveraged the new database technology to develop a ‘smart’ Internet phone prototype called ‘Penny2’. POET has contributed to the JDO specification process through its participation with the Object Data Management Group (ODMG) and as an expert in Java Community Process. The Java Community Process represents the formalization of the open to develop and revise Java technology specifications in cooperation with the international Java community. The specification also provides for interface-based definition of data stores, transactions, selection, queries, and transformation of persistent storage data into native Java objects. For more information on the specification go to: java.sun.com/aboutJava/communityprocess/jsr/jsr_012_dataobj.html. www.POET.com.

Oberon Software Inc. unveiled its partnership with webMethods, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will build on Oberon’s Prospero solution and webMethods B2B suite to accelerate cross-enterprise integration of line of business applications across the supply chain. The result of this alliance will be a Prospero building block for the webMethods B2B suite. Oberon will develop and support a building block enabling seamless integration between webMethods B2B and the Prospero environment. As part of Oberon’s mission to seamlessly link disparate systems, this new building block will leverage webMethods’ cross-platform, XML-based products to deliver an integrated framework for conducting e-business by connecting applications in real time through firewalls over the Internet. webMethods customers will have immediate access to packaged and legacy applications supported by the extensive library of Prospero building blocks. For all the enterprise applications that Oberon supports, Oberon customers are immediately able to securely and reliably deploy cross-enterprise e-business applications.

Innovision Corporation announced it will introduce a new XML Protocol (XP) framework, Nepal XP, to achieve universal data interchange. The Nepal XP components include: Nepal XP Language: A language modeling platform that enables full life-cycle development of XML Protocols; Nepal XP Server: A server component that supports protocol-specific frameworks and application development; Nepal XP Client: Thin-client components for browsers, embedded devices and emerging technologies; and Nepal XP Tools. www.innovision.com

Systran Software Inc. announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance with Berlitz International Inc. to offer full professional human translation services on the Internet in addition to its already existing Machine Translation Services. www.systransoft.com, www.berlitz.com

Infinity, A SunGard Company, announced it has contributed the Infinity Network Trade Model to the Microsoft Windows Distributed interNetworking Architecture for Financial Services (Windows DNAfs) Advisory Council. The Infinity Network Trade Model will form the basis for industry standards definitions for Risk Management and Derivatives schemas and interfaces. Infinity has joined the Microsoft STP / Windows DNAfs Advisory Council and taken responsibility for leading the council’s risk management and derivatives Competency Centers as a result of the work and expertise they provide to the initiative. The objective of the Microsoft Windows DNAfs initiative is to promote standards within the financial services industry that address the key obstacles to straight-through-processing: business-to-business connectivity and application-to-application integration between new and legacy systems. www.infinity.com

webMethods, Inc., announced support for the FpML standard (Financial Products Markup Language: www.fpml.org), an open XML-based protocol that supports financial derivatives, e-commerce and data sharing between applications. Led by J.P. Morgan & Co. Incorporated and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the FpML standard will facilitate seamless Internet-based integration for a wide range of client services, allowing the financial services market to take full advantage of Internet connectivity while lowering operational risks. www.webmethods.com

XML For All, Inc. today announced the release of its first product, the XFA Scripting System, a rapid application development system for XML. Microsoft Windows and Linux versions of the XFA Scripting System are free and can be downloaded from www.xmlforall.com. XFA (XML For All) is a set of XML tags that specify executable actions. Other approaches to processing XML require the use of another language such as Java, Perl, or Visual Basic. With XFA, all you need is XML. XFA was designed from the start around XML and uses XML pervasively. XFA is for developing advanced web sites. An XFA script contains a mix of XFA, XML, and HTML tagged elements allowing web page designers and programmers to share a common language. Its easy to add new executable tags to XFA or to create a custom interpreter for a new XML tag set. The XFA Scripting System includes an XFA interpreter, comprehensive documentation, and a collection of examples, libraries, and tools. The XFA interpreter can be run either under a web server or stand alone. The XFA library system can be used to factor large applications and to organize collections of reusable components. www.xmlforall.com

Novera Software, Inc announced the latest release of the Company’s Novera software suite (formerly known as jBusiness). Novera 4.5 adds XML support, along with a new IBM WebSphere module, to extend enterprise applications to the Web. Integrating applications between customers, partners and suppliers is a time-consuming and expensive process. Novera 4.5 eases this process by encapsulating corporate data locked inside of relational databases, mainframe applications and packaged applications to create standards-based Enterprise Business Objects. Novera then allows these business objects to be exposed as XML to any Web application, providing organizations with a standard format for communicating business information (such as attributes of an order placed over the Web) with partners and suppliers. By combining XML with its EJB- and CORBA-based Enterprise Business Objects, Novera provides the distribution and management capabilities needed for enterprise-class business-to-business electronic commerce applications. Additionally, Novera 4.5 allows the same Enterprise Business Object to be exposed as Java Server Pages (JSP), Java Beans and/or Java Servlets, providing customers with the flexibility to use and reuse the Enterprise Business Objects in any Web application. This reusability translates into significant cost savings and faster time-to-market for organizations looking to deploy multiple Web applications. Novera 4.5 is available immediately from Novera Software. www.novera.com