Category: Marketing & e-commerce (Page 59 of 77)

The World Wide Web Consortium announced the release of the first Public Working Draft of the XForms Data Model. The XForms Data Model Working Draft, along with the XForms Requirements document, provide the first cross-industry efforts in seven years to produce the next generation of Web-based forms. When HTML Forms were introduced to the Web in 1993, they provided a means to gather information and perform transactions. The structure of forms served the needs of many users at that time, as well as the devices used to access the Web. Seven years later, the Web is a space where hundreds of millions of users expect to use many different devices to perform increasingly complex transactions, many of which exceed the limitations of the original forms technology. The XForms Subgroup has produced a forms architecture that separates data modeling, logic, and presentation. XForms aims to ease the transition of the Web from HTML to XML. As XHTML 1.0 allows HTML content authors to make a smooth entry into the XML world, XForms allow Web application authors to combine the modularity of XML with the simplicity of HTML to gain key advantages in the areas of device independence, accessibility, business-to-business and consumer e-commerce, and embedded devices. The XForms Data Model deliberately separates the purpose of a form from its presentation. This allows the application author to rigorously define the form data, independent of how end-users interact with the application. The separation facilitates the development of Web applications with user interaction components, and provides advantages to Web application developers. In the XForms suite of specifications, the rules for describing, validating, and submitting application data are expressed in XML, as well as the submitted data. By providing the rules and data in XML, XForms lays the foundation for combinations with other XML applications, supporting the extensible Web. Separating purpose and presentation also makes device independence easier to achieve by allowing Web application authors to write the data model once for all devices. Because the data model is not tied to presentation, developers may customize the presentation in a way that best suits each device’s user interface. Support for device independence paves the way for a Web that is accessible to all users. www.w3c.org

Softshare announced the immediate availability of Softshare Delta 2.0. The new Softshare Delta release includes many user-friendly enhancements to further assist in the integration between e-commerce and traditional data formats. The latest version of Softshare Delta is built upon a core mapping product that translates EDI and XML documents into flat file or database formats — and vice versa. Delta also supports mapping to text formats, such as HTML, to aid in Web integration. Softshare Delta 2.0 incorporates several new prominent features, including support of the Microsoft BizTalk Framework. Softshare Delta’s support of this XML framework allows Delta users to integrate BizTalk documents into their business environment. Delta users can generate and automatically address BizTalk documents using the framework’s approved set of XML tags as well as author BizTalk-compatible XML schemas for use throughout the trading partner community. Other features added in this release are Microsoft Visual SourceSafe integration for map version tracking, flat file optimizations for faster map execution, and improved trouble-shooting features. Available for $3,600-$5,800, Softshare Delta works with Softshare Vista 2.0 or Softshare’s Electronic Commerce Server (ECS) application for data communications, tracking and map execution management. Current Delta users will receive the Delta 2.0 upgrade at no additional cost. www.softshare.com

Input Software Inc. announced a new release of its InputAccel information capture solution. InputAccel 3.0 transforms mission-critical information trapped on traditional paper and fax documents into e-business ready content such as XML. InputAccel delivers this e-content to customer databases and the Web, or uses the information to trigger e-commerce transaction workflow processes. InputAccel 3.0 includes new automation technologies that allow Internet businesses to significantly increase the speed and accuracy with which they can transform paper into e-content. InputAccel 3.0 includes: InputAccel/Forms, a suite of InputAccel modules that incorporate advanced recognition technologies to automatically extract critical business data from paper or faxed forms; InputAccel/Document ID, which automatically distinguishes between hundreds of different document types so that each may be routed to the appropriate capture process; and InputAccel/Index, which enables high-speed data entry operations for those documents requiring human intervention. InputAccel 3.0 is scheduled to ship to Beta at the end of Q2 2000. www.inputsw.com

CardoNet joined the Ariba Supplier Link program as a technology member to aid supplier enablement on the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform by offering access to CardoNet’s catalog content aggregation solutions. CardoNet’s MarketStand solution will facilitate the syndication and aggregation of catalog data between the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform and suppliers. As part of Ariba’s supplier ecosystem, CardoNet will be able to expand its catalog content aggregation solutions to suppliers involved in various forms of trade, including online auctions. CardoNet’s MarketStand technology enables suppliers to rapidly build and manage clean, integrated multi-vendor catalogs. In addition, MarketStand offers an advanced, scalable cost-effective solution that eliminates the complexity of managing catalog content. Moreover CardoNet’s catalog content aggregation solutions helps suppliers develop and maintain complete, up-to-date, accurate catalogs. Through its open Ariba B2B Commerce Services, the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform provides CardoNet with a single, Internet-based point of access and integration with buyers and e marketplaces worldwide. Ariba B2B Commerce Services will also provide CardoNet and its customers with access to efficient trading mechanisms and commerce processes such as content management services, global supplier directories, sourcing tools, B2B auctions and reverse auctions, electronic payment and streamlined transaction services. CardoNet also announced that it will collaborate with Ariba on the continued development of cXML. CardoNet will use cXML to make its MarketStand product available via the Ariba B2B Commerce Platform. www.cardonet.com

BEA Systems, Inc. announced new releases of the BEA WebLogic 5.1 product line, an integrated family of e-commerce application servers that include BEA WebLogic Server 5.1 and BEA WebLogic Enterprise 5.1. The BEA WebLogic 5.1 application servers deliver a platform for a wide range of e-business environments by incorporating significant new e-commerce technologies, including support for WML (Wireless Markup Language) and XML for rapid development of mobile applications and business-to-business market places. In the latest release of BEA WebLogic Enterprise 5.1 all the Java functionality in WebLogic Server 5.1 has been merged into WebLogic Enterprise 5.1, combining all of BEA’s Java, CORBA and BEA Tuxedo application technologies in a single integrated product. With support for WML and integration with WAP servers from market leaders such as Nokia, BEA WebLogic 5.1 application servers enable companies to rapidly build personalized and reliable e-commerce applications for wireless devices such as mobile phones and PDAs. BEA WebLogic 5.1 application servers also provide a core set of services to facilitate business-to-business collaboration over the Internet by integrating XML with BEA WebLogic applications and J2EE services. This technology enables new E-Market Integration solutions such as BEA’s upcoming eProcess Integrator, a Java-based business workflow engine, and “Project E-Collaborate,” a dynamic B2B software infrastructure that allows companies to rapidly create Internet-based trading communities. BEA WebLogic Server 5.1 is available from BEA immediately and BEA WebLogic Enterprise 5.1 will be available in May 2000. www.bea.com

arcadiaOne, Inc. and Intershop Communications, Inc. announced the Content Exchange Server (CES) cartridge. CES integrates arcadiaOne’s syndication technology into Intershop enfinity, a sell-side e-commerce application. The CES cartridge is the latest development in a collaborative relationship initiated in June 1999. arcadiaOne and Intershop Communications have developed solutions that enable businesses to solve the problem of distributing up-to-date content to their partners and customers on the web. The agreement announced today enables Intershop to offer its customers an additional solution that seamlessly integrates catalog creation and management with syndication-based content exchange. arcadiaOne’s technology is based on the XML ICE (Internet Content Exchange) application for content syndication. By standardizing content exchange, the ICE protocol enables businesses to reduce the costs of online distribution networks while increasing the value of business alliances. The Content Exchange Server cartridge will be available in the second quarter of 2000. www.arcadiaOne.com, www.intershop.com

Art Technology Group announced that its Dynamo Product Suite now enables wireless device publishing, personalization and e-commerce capabilities for mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). ATG is working closely with Hewlett-Packard Company, as well as systems integrators such as Icon MediaLab, to deliver open, standards-based wireless access to personalized e-commerce applications based on Dynamo. ATG is actively supporting the WAP standard throughout its Dynamo product line. ATG’s Dynamo offers a multi-channel e-commerce architecture that combines the necessary flexibility and scalability of a 100% Java-based application server with integrated personalization and e-commerce capabilities. Dynamo allows businesses to build personalized online relationships with their customers regardless of how they are accessing the Internet. ATG’s multi-channel solution will enable organizations to take advantage of Dynamo’s proven, robust e-commerce and personalization capabilities to build customer loyalty and satisfaction, increase yield from customers, and decrease the cost of customer service over both Web and wireless. www.atg.com

OnDisplay, Inc. announced the general availability of XML Connect. XML Connect is a free, business-to-business, XML-based server for organizations that need to establish secure, guaranteed exchange of critical business transactions with trading partners. This new product enables the exchange of XML business documents — such as purchase orders, invoices, and order confirmations — seamlessly and securely with any other XML Connect user, as well as with users of OnDisplay’s CenterStage eBizXchange product. The new product can be downloaded from the XML Connect Web site and supports all of the XML schemas on the market and allows B2B e-commerce participants to set up secure connections with trading partners without the need to purchase and install proprietary software on both ends of the trading partner connection. In conjunction with the availability of this product, OnDisplay is also launching XMLConnect.net, a B2B community portal found at www.xmlconnect.net. This portal was specifically created to become a destination site for the convergence of the B2B and XML Connect community. The community portal will offer a place to interact with trading partners, exchange ideas and access resources for learning more about the power of Internet ubiquity and the mass adoption of XML and XML Connect. OnDisplay offers free online support for XML Connect; for an additional charge a company can upgrade to a traditional phone support model. www.ondisplay.com