Active Navigation, Inc. announced the immediate availability of Portal Maximizer 2, a content management and search solution that enables enterprise intranets and portals to go beyond typical searching capabilities. Portal Maximizer 2 automatically categorizes and analyzes content and provides advanced navigation capabilities to help companies overcome the time it takes for employees, customers and partners to find the information they need. Building on technology for automatic cross-referencing of content in the first release, Portal Maximizer 2 adds four new features — categorization of content; immediate identification of related documents; enhanced search; and the ability to summarize documents on the fly. Active Navigation’s solution also integrates with existing publishing workflow solutions and site security policies. Portal Maximizer 2 analyzes content to identify the most important concepts. The content is then automatically indexed and linked on the fly without any HTML coding. Active Navigation’s solution shrinks the volumes of unrelated results typical of search engines, while quickly providing users with access to untapped information that is often lost in the masses of content on Web portals and corporate intranets. Enterprises and eBusinesses with existing enterprise portals or intranets can both expand the reach and significantly lower the cost of managing sites with Portal Maximizer 2. The new “related documents” feature tracks down other pages that address the same topics, and dynamically updates the document with links as new information is made available. The enhanced search functionality has an automatic drill down feature that typically enables users to find what they want in three clicks. In addition, the newly integrated and enhanced “summarization” feature offers thorough summaries of found and related documents resulting from a search. Portal Maximizer 2 runs on the Windows NT/2000, Solaris, and Linux platforms and is available immediately for an average cost of $75,000 per server. www.activenavigation.com
Category: Semantic technologies (Page 65 of 72)
Our coverage of semantic technologies goes back to the early 90s when search engines focused on searching structured data in databases were looking to provide support for searching unstructured or semi-structured data. This early Gilbane Report, Document Query Languages – Why is it so Hard to Ask a Simple Question?, analyses the challenge back then.
Semantic technology is a broad topic that includes all natural language processing, as well as the semantic web, linked data processing, and knowledge graphs.
Software AG Inc. and thinkXML Inc. have entered into a partnership to integrate Software AG’s Tamino native XML database with thinkXML2000. The combination offers organizations worldwide, engaged in electronic business, a mechanism to simultaneously manage their Web interface and their data store, enabling them to rapidly create XML-based data management systems. Traditionally, form and data schemas are maintained separately and map files must be created whenever a form or database schema changes. The Software AG – thinkXML offering allows users to create a dual-purpose data structure in the thinkXML2000 Management Console without having to maintain a map file. The thinkXML2000 Transaction Server routes and processes data-rich XML transaction documents directly to Tamino. The thinkXML2000 Transaction Manager for Tamino, now in beta testing, provides enterprise intelligence, scalability and streamlined monitoring that enable users to ensure predictable service levels and response times. Using Tamino’s rich reporting and data extraction capabilities and its XQL (XML Query Language) query engine, the thinkXML Transaction Manager for Tamino enables users to search and view logs; complete transaction audit trails and schema transformations; edit a new instance of a transaction inside the original, populated dynamic Web forms; and repair and replay failed transactions instantly. www.softwareagusa.com, www.thinkxml.com
Microsoft Corp. announced branding and RC1 availability for its forthcoming enterprise portal solution, Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server. Previously code-named “Tahoe,” SharePoint Portal Server is the flexible portal solution from Microsoft that allows companies to easily find, share and publish information. The new server provides seamless knowledge portal integration with the Microsoft Office and Windows operating system productivity desktop environment, allowing enterprise customers to integrate document management, search, subscriptions and online discussions into their document collaboration process. SharePoint Portal Server has broad support for enterprise content sources and data types so users can find pertinent information quickly and easily. With one of the most comprehensive, timely and relevant search engines in the industry, SharePoint Portal Server can index multiple content sources, including Web servers, file servers, Exchange public folders, Lotus Notes databases, etc., and present search results based on a probabilistic ranking algorithm. In addition, SharePoint Portal Server supports adaptive crawling, allowing the server to “learn” where information changes the most frequently on relevant sites. In addition to its content aggregation technology, SharePoint Portal Server includes document management features that allow companies to incorporate business processes into their portal solution through check-in/check-out, version tracking and approval routing functionality. Built on Internet and industry standards such as XML, the digital dashboard-based UI can be easily customized and extended by adding Web Parts: reusable components that can contain any kind of Web-based information. SharePoint Portal Server also allows customers to search and index information stored in Web sites based on SharePoint Team Services, a new server-based team Web site solution from Microsoft that allows small teams and ad hoc groups to easily manage activities and work together. RC1 is now available for download from the Microsoft Web site at www.microsoft.com/sharepoint/ and will be the only release candidate before the final version, due later this year. www.microsoft.com
PTC announced the shipment of Windchill 5.1, the latest version of PTC’s family of web-based collaboration software. Featured in this release are several new products developed to address open B2B connectivity, eCatalog development, and data engineering requirements. These new capabilities enable companies to find and publish component data in a distributed network and connect business processes across the extended enterprise using the rapidly evolving RosettaNet standard. PTC is committed to support the advancement of this standard and embed it as a core capability throughout its Windchill collaborative product commerce (CPC) solutions. The latest release of Windchill features the following software components and services for B2B connectivity, distributed content management, e-business process integration and data engineering: Windchill Gateway for RosettaNet; Windchill eCatalog & Windchill eCatalog Web Search enables manufacturers to publish RosettaNet PIP2A9 compliant product catalogs and provide full parametric search access to the eCatalog directly from their website; Windchill eCatalog Search Portal allows manufacturing customers to search detailed information on components across a distributed network of electronic catalogs with a powerful parametric search engine; and, Data Engineering-CounterPart and PartSpeak enables content aggregation, cleansing and standardization to prepare enterprise product information for e-business processes. As part of the introduction of Windchill 5.1 collaborative sourcing capabilities, a new PTC Global Services Sourcing practice is being introduced. This team of consultants within the PTC Global Services organization is focused on developing and deploying supply chain collaboration solutions for PTC customers. The practice has domain expertise for RosettaNet PIP implementation, support and training, business process consulting, component and supplier management, and data engineering solutions. www.ptc.com
Artesia Technologies announced a major enhancement for its software for the management and distribution of rich media. Slated for general availability later this month, TEAMS 4.1 will offer integrators and consultants a number of new APIs that open customization and implementation opportunities for creating new enterprise-class applications. The newest version of TEAMS incorporates support for such video formats as Real, AVI, Quicktime, Microsoft ASF, MPEG1 and MPEG2, and provides users with the ability to edit and sequence video programming via their web browser through the inclusion of TEAMS’ Clip Identifier (CI), Clip Time Adjuster (CTA) and Play Decision List (PDL) features. The full integration of Virage’s VideoLogger into TEAMS allows the software to seamlessly ingest video and audio programming into a central repository so that the user may take advantage of Artesia’s search and retrieval functionality in order to located specific assets based on key frames, speech that has been converted to text, and a number of other parameters. Based on J2EE JSP technology, TEAMS 4.1’s web user interface provides users with a full range of advanced functionality to capture, manage, access, retrieve and distribute digital assets. In addition, TEAMS’ web interface incorporates support for localization and internationalization using ISO8859 character sets. With the addition of these and other web-based capabilities, TEAMS can allow creative, trade and marketing partners to collaborate online in the development and deployment of digital assets of all types. Pricing for TEAMS 4.1 is available from Artesia Technologies or an authorized reseller. www.artesiatech.com
Sequoia Software Corporation announced it has entered into a three-pronged strategic alliance with Doclinx.com. Sequoia has licensed Doclinx’s Docsan XML search engine, enhancing the search performance of XPS, Sequoia’s XML-pure portal software. Doclinx has become a value added reseller of XPS, and will expand the scope of its consulting practice to focus on portal engagements. Sequoia is also turning to Doclinx for Java consulting expertise as it ramps up the development of XPS for Unix, based on Java 2 Enterprise Edition. The Docsan XML search engine gives users the ability to conduct free text and XML-based searches across data and documents in over 200 file formats. Sequoia selected Docsan over other better-known search engines, because of its native support for XML and proven performance. www.doclinx.com, www.sequoiasoftware.com
PyBiz announced a change of policy that makes the use of XDisect, their high-speed XML indexing and search engine free during the development phase of customer projects. PyBiz had been working with pilot customers for evaluation of its XDisect product in an enterprise environment. The December release of XDisect has been greatly improved as a result of incorporating this valuable customer feedback. XDisect now offers very high speed indexing capabilities. It also includes the ability to make incremental changes to the XML data. The new version can easily index millions of XML documents. XDisect supports index sizes of greater than 2 Gigabyte on Windows NT/2000, Solaris and Linux. It has an open XML/HTTP API to make integration to all major programming environments simple and easy. Queries against XML documents can now be done using the standard SQL Language. Since most application developers are familiar with SQL, it makes working with XDisect very rapid. The addition of a new browser based GUI environment helps programmers understand the structure and semantics of their XML data very easily. www.pybiz.com
Microsoft Corp. announced that the Exchange 2000 product line is now generally available to customers, developers, partners and ASPs worldwide. The following are among the new features and enhancements for Exchange 2000: Instant messaging with presence information. Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server enables workers to schedule, manage and participate in multiparty voice, video and data conferences. The Outlook Web Access client gives users convenient access to e-mail, appointments and contacts from any Internet-connected PC. Enhancements include additional Outlook behaviors such as drag-and-drop capability and improvements by tenfold in scalability and performance. An extended platform for unified messaging makes possible a single inbox for the management of all important business communications including e-mail, voice mail and fax. Exchange 2000 also supports voice profile for Internet messaging (VPIM), enabling interoperability between separate voice mail systems. The announcement includes related products: Local Web Storage System, Mobile Information 2001 Server, a new server application code-named “Tahoe,” and a new visual development tool code-named “Office Designer” — which all take advantage of the new Web Storage System, a native XML information repository. “Tahoe,” delivers a flexible portal solution, enables users to easily find, share and publish information. Key design functionality of “Tahoe” includes: Search and organization; “Tahoe” includes an out-of-the-box Digital Dashboard-based portal providing one-step access to business-critical information. Using Web Parts, the portal can be customized with information and resources most valuable to users’ jobs. The search technology simplifies finding and aggregating information from across the company’s other “Tahoe” servers, Exchange public folders, file servers, intranet servers and Internet servers, as well as Lotus Domino databases. Documents can be checked-in and checked-out, sent through an approval process and published to the “Tahoe” portal from within Office 2000, “Office 10,” a Web browser or the Microsoft Windows Explorer. Built on the Web Storage System, “Tahoe” provides developers with a set of services for building Web-based collaborative applications using common tools and interfaces. Exchange 2000 Server, Exchange 2000 Enterprise Server and Exchange 2000 Conferencing Server are available in the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. Evaluation versions are at www.microsoft.com/exchange/productinfo/eval.htm. The “Tahoe” beta is available at www.microsoft.com/servers/tahoe. General “Tahoe” availability is scheduled for the first half of 2001.
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