Arbortext, Inc. announced the launch of Epic 4.0. Principal among Epic’s enhancements is the introduction Epic E-Content Engine (E3), a server-side system that enables e-businesses to attract and retain more customers by providing more personalized, dynamic and easily searchable content for improved pre-sale and post-sale interactions. In addition, Epic 4.0 adds compatibility with Oracle 8iFS to the list of repositories that Arbortext supports. E3 forms the centerpiece of a Web-based system to assemble, process and personalize business-critical content for delivery to the Web, print, wireless devices and other media. Running under a Web server, E3 offers powerful content processing capabilities that can be triggered through commands sent over the Web. Developers can write processing routines in a choice of several programming and scripting languages including C, C++, Java, TCL and Perl. Developers gain access to E3’s capabilities through its support for the Web-standard Document Object Model (DOM) Application Programming Interface (API). E3 can convert Microsoft Word, Adobe FrameMaker and Interleaf content to XML through the Epic Interchange option. In addition, E3 can capture XML from Web forms with the Forms Engine option. E3 is capable of transforming XML for many different purposes, including HTML for Web browsers, WML for cellular phones, Open Electronic Book (OEB) for eBooks, PostScript and PDF. Through stylesheets based on XSL E3 adapts content to the capabilities and limitations of each device. For example, customers can control the size and font of text, the amount of text that fits in a single page, and the format of an automatically generated table of contents. Available as a new standard feature of Epic Architect, graphical DTD development for XML DTDs is the starting point for quick development of a DTD. This feature, along with Arbortext’s free form editing, enables rapid prototyping and helps reduce development time substantially compared to traditional DTD development. Epic 4.0 adds DOM Level 2 core support to existing DOM Level 1 support along with Range interface. Epic Editor, Epic Editor LE and E3 may be programmed using C, C++, Java, Perl, TCL and Arbortext Command Language (ACL). Epic Editor’s “Tag Alias” feature lets customer present alternate tag names to authors, which allows authors working in different language to create content based on the same DTD. With this release, all versions of Arbortext software support 16-bit Unicode. Epic 4.0 will ship in July 2000. All Arbortext customers on maintenance are eligible to receive the Epic 4.0 upgrade at no charge. www.arbortext.com
Category: Content technology news (Page 512 of 638)
Curated information technology news for content technology, computing, and digital experience professionals. News items are edited to remove hype, unhelpful jargon, iffy statements, and quotes, to create a short summary — mostly limited to 200 words — of the important facts with a link back to a useful source for more information. News items are published using the date of the original source here and in our weekly email newsletter.
We focus on product news, but also include selected company news such as mergers and acquisitions and meaningful partnerships. All news items are edited by one of our analysts under the NewsShark byline. See our Editorial Policy.
Note that we also publish news on X/Twitter. Follow us @gilbane
IBM alphaWorks has posted two new Java tools in XML messaging and intelligent software for developer feedback — SOAP for Java Q and ABLE — as part of IBM’s ongoing efforts to promote open standards on the Internet. SOAP for Java Q XML-based messaging technology has better synergy with other Internet standards than its predecessor. ABLE provides a framework and graphical editor for constructing intelligent software agents in Java. The SOAP specification defines a simple, Internet-friendly way of using XML to send messages and to access services. SOAP is important to e-business because it provides a flexible, natural way of building applications of which pieces are distributed across networks. With XML and SOAP, each business can choose its own internal implementation technology, such as Enterprise JavaBeans, Microsoft’s Component Object Model (COM), or traditional languages such as COBOL. In addition to HTTP, SOAP services can now be accessed through a variety of message transports. For example, bindings could be defined to IBM’s MQseries, or to electronic mail messages (SMTP). SOAP data representations and structures have been aligned with the proposed W3C XML Schema language, and it is now possible to apply those encodings in a much broader range of message patterns (e.g., streaming, one-way, multicast, etc). Using SOAP, any business can access a service, such as a parts catalog, or send a purchase order, to or from any other business. SOAP makes it easy to bind to the programming language or object system of the developer’s choice. SOAP’s built-in support for Remote Procedure Calls (RPC) also makes it easy to invoke methods on remote objects, using XML and HTTP, so developers can use SOAP to create distributed systems within their own organizations. This posting on alphaWorks is in Java, and is designed to work well with Websphere and other servlet-based systems. IBM and Tivoli’s ABLE is an agent construction toolkit based on the JavaBean architecture. Targeted to the needs of Java application developers, academicians and researchers working on intelligent agent software, ABLE provides an extendable library of JavaBean software components, called AbleBeans, that includes inferencing and learning algorithms. ABLE’s graphical Agent Editor allows users to quickly construct and test intelligent agents. The library of reusable AbleBeans provides forward and backward chaining inferencing, fuzzy reasoning, genetic search algorithms, and neural network learning capabilities. Application developers can focus on the unique requirements of their application and use the intelligent AbleBean components to create solutions. ABLE is designed to allow Java application developers to easily construct hybrid intelligent agents out of IBM and third-party software components. ABLE provides a flexible mechanism for integrating software agents with Java client and web applications. www.alphaWorks.ibm.com
POET Software announced a third major release of its popular B2B eCatalog management solution. Targeted specifically for the emerging class of eSuppliers, POET eCatalog Suite Supplier Resident Edition is a comprehensive supply-side solution for creating, managing, and distributing custom eCatalogs to customers, eProcurement networks and eMarketplaces. The release of POET eCatalog Suite Supplier Resident Edition expands catalog management with a browser based interface for online access by buyers to manage their eCatalog requirements, an expanded schema for multi-supplier aggregation, and complete scheduling capabilities across POET eCS’ range of functions. For suppliers using SAP’s R/3, tailored data extraction has also been added. POET eCS supports all major eCatalog exchange formats as well as data export to websites and print catalog applications. Using POET eCS, suppliers import content to a central eCS data repository, or “master catalog” of products. Buyer profiles store each recipient’s preferred catalog content, contract pricing, and preferred commodity codification system, which are customized to reflect the supplier’s specific attribute, media, and industry requirements. A powerful transformation engine creates custom eCatalogs in all major catalog formats, including xCBL, cXML, and BME-CAT. For other XML and flat file formats, the Catalog Developer’s Kit (CDK) facilitates rapid creation, customization and deployment to ensure all customer requirements are met. With POET eCS, each eCatalog is customized for the user, destination, and protocol. POET eCS Supplier Resident Edition will be available in mid- June with pricing starting at $60,000. www.poet.com
Worldweb.net announced their third generation content management solution, Expressroom I/O, which enables content to be entered from and delivered to multiple formats and devices. Because of its XML and Java-based open architecture, Expressroom I/O expands content management beyond just managing and delivering content on the Web. It enables syndicated content, live news feeds, and legacy information to be managed and delivered to multiple sources including web pages, cell phones, and other wireless devices. Expressroom I/O provides a reliable and scalable foundation for obtaining and creating content from multiple sources. Expressroom is then able to manage the interaction and deliver the content across fixed and wireless communication channels such as those using Wireless Markup Language (WML). Expressroom I/O uses XML to provide a highly sophisticated content management solution that is targeted to both web professionals and everyday users. It is designed to create, manage, deploy and deliver web content. Non-technical contributors effectively control content input and design/layout issues by using Graphical User Interfaces that provide a collaborative environment for managing XML-described site components. Content input and design/layout issues are separated from web site administration in Expressroom I/O, empowering non-technical end-users with the ability to make real-time content changes ‘on the fly’. Expressroom site components are managed within a versioned, access-controlled, and XML-aware asset manager. It is then deployed to a page server that performs just-in-time transformation of XML-described content into any delivery format needed. By fully separating the web site development environment from the deployment environment, Expressroom I/O supports distributed content delivery for thousands of users and millions of page views. Newly supported inputs and outputs of Expressroom I/O include: WML, Kinecta Syndication Server. ScreamingMedia, QuarkXpress, and Oracle 8 and 8i databases. Expressroom I/O will be available at the end of Q2, 2000. Expressroom is sold on a monthly or annual subscription basis. www.worldweb.net
In response to growing demand for quality content over the Internet, Bookface, Inc., announced its development of proprietary technology to deliver valuable content online securely. The Bookface delivery solution offers content providers a secure method for publishing their content directly on the Internet, enabling them to reach the entire Internet audience while protecting the integrity of their work and gaining appropriate credit and compensation. Internet users also benefit by being able to access content directly from their browser — without installing software or buying special hardware. Prior to Bookface, utilizing the simplicity and installed base of the Internet for displaying digital content was hindered by piracy. Websites either posted warning notices to reduce copying, alteration, and unauthorized redistribution, or packaged their content into secure files for delivery. File downloads represent an extra step that reduce convenience — online delivery allows content creators to place secure content on the web, so that users will not need to interrupt their reading to download. Slow modems and firewalls may also prevent downloads and installation of files or reader software. The Bookface protected, yet direct, avenue for delivering content also has the advantages of a centralized delivery system. Since content is served from one central location, publishers can easily control or limit access and track usage. The Bookface delivery solution will work flexibly with any business model. Content providers can charge access fees, subscriptions, per use charges, or leverage ad revenues to gain compensation from their content. Bookface technology will first be applied to their own web destination, www.Bookface.com. This website will deliver the ultimate reading experience to Internet users — actually opening books online. Regardless of whether they are logging in from a Mac, Windows, or Unix machine, Internet users will be able to read whole books via the site. Targeted towards providing a new marketing and distribution channel for the U.S. trade book market, the branded web destination will be launched in the summer of 2000. www.Bookface.com
The VoiceXML Forum announced that the W3C has acknowledged the submission of Version 1.0 of the VoiceXML specification. At its May 10-12 meetings in Paris, the W3C’s Voice Browser Working Group agreed to adopt VoiceXML 1.0 as the basis for the development of a W3C dialog markup language. The Forum’s founding members, AT&T, IBM, Lucent Technologies, and Motorola made the W3C submission. Acknowledgement by the W3C will help to accelerate and expand the reach of the Internet through voice-enabled Web content and services. The VoiceXML Forum will host the next meeting of the W3C Voice Browser Working Group in September 2000. Since the release of VoiceXML 1.0 in March 2000, the Forum has nearly doubled its supporter membership to more than 150 companies. Based on XML, Version 1.0 of the VoiceXML specification provides a high-level programming interface to speech and telephony resources for application developers, service providers and equipment manufacturers. Standardization of VoiceXML will: simplify creation and delivery of Web-based, personalized interactive voice-response services; enable phone and voice access to integrated call center databases, information and services on Web sites, and company intranets; and help enable new voice-capable devices and appliances. More information about VoiceXML can be obtained at www.w3.org/Submission/2000/04/ or www.voicexml.org. The complete W3C Note, Voice eXtensible Markup Language (VoiceXML) version 1.0, can be obtained directly at www.w3.org/TR/2000/NOTE-voicexml-20000505/.
Informix Corporation and eHelp Corporation announced a partnership in a joint effort to support the ALURe specification. ALURe, the Aggregation and Logging of User Requests, is an open implementation of XML that tracks and reports usage patterns in Help and customer assistance systems on Web sites. Led by eHelp, the ALURe Partner Program is designed to bring industry leaders together with a shared interest in promoting user assistance standards for the Web. The open ALURe specification defines how companies identify, track and modify trouble areas on their Web sites. By adopting this specification, companies can easily obtain valuable feedback and usability data about their site when using data mining, analysis and reporting tools. The ALURe specification and Informix Object Translator are for capturing and analyzing critical customer care information to improve customer service on the Web. Informix Object Translator, a data integration tool for mapping the relationships of XML objects to the Informix Foundation.2000 database server provides two-way transparent mapping between the ALURe XML model and the data collection model in the database. Informix Object Translator generates Java components to handle ALURe XML documents, making it easy to integrate ALURe transcripts with common business analysis tools. Any data mining and analysis tool that recognizes XML can use data gathered through ALURe. Adopting the ALURe standard allows developers to make continual Web site improvements that ALURe data point to, and alleviates the need to implement data gathering and reporting technologies into their online User Assistance Systems. www.alurexml.org, www.ehelp.com, www.informix.com
webMethods, Inc. announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Active Software, Inc. in an all-stock transaction. This acquisition brings together two vendors whose software solutions address the integration requirements of global companies and industry trading exchanges, both within the enterprise and across B2B trading networks. The companies expect that the transaction will close during the third quarter of 2000, pending completion of customary closing conditions and receipt of Active Software and webMethods stockholder and required government approvals. Under the terms of the agreement, Active Software’s stockholders will receive 0.527 of a share of webMethods common stock in exchange for each share of Active Software common stock. The transaction, valued at approximately $1.3 billion based upon the Friday, May 19, 2000 closing price of webMethods common stock, is expected to be accounted for as a pooling-of-interests. Approximately 13.6 million shares of webMethods stock will be exchanged for all outstanding shares of Active Software. webMethods was advised by Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, and Active Software was advised by Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Thomas Weisel Partners. Until now, companies have been forced to adopt separate solutions for uniting internal business processes, and then sharing and integrating these processes with external trading partners, either directly or via B2B marketplaces and trading exchanges. Upon completion of the acquisition, Active Software’s products and operations will be combined with webMethods. Phillip Merrick will continue in his role as president, CEO and chairman of webMethods, with Jim Green, Active Software’s CEO, joining the team in the role of CTO and executive vice president, product development. Green will also join the webMethods Board of Directors. Other members of the Active Software management team will join the webMethods management team. Active Software’s Santa Clara, Calif. offices will become the West Coast headquarters of webMethods. The combined companies will have nearly 600 employees worldwide. www.webmethods.com, www.activesw.com
Subscribe to the Gilbane Advisor
