Infocon America Corp., a provider of Web solutions for B2B publishers is now offering its new InfoRights Service to publishers as a stand-alone service, and to current publisher customers as an add-on service to its existing InfoWeb Ecommerce Service, an outsourced, turn-key web solution platform and content management service. With the InfoRights Service, publishers can grant rights and charge for permissions for up to twelve uses of their content, including providing pre-approvals, flexible pricing options dictated by the publisher and immediate reporting capabilities.  An Administrative Site enables permissions to be transacted by telephone by the publisher's sales and customer service team. Publishers can enable the following twelve permission options, with pre-approvals, and your customers and subscribers can complete a Web site transaction for the intended use: broadcast on radio/television; distribute in an email; photocopy for internal use only; photocopy for external use; publish in a book; publish in a brochure; publish in a CD-ROM/DVD; publish on the internet/Web site; publish on an intranet; publish in a journal/magazine; publish in a newsletter; and publish in a newspaper. The InfoWeb Ecommerce Service is a Web site solution implemented into a publisher's site. The InfoWeb service provides full text searching with the ability to subscribe/buy, email notifications and alerts, Web site access, and delivery of digital content, along with a Publisher Administrative Site to process offline (telephone, fax, and email) orders, customer look-ups, security access controls, real-time reporting, content management and uploading, and more. The InfoWeb service is designed to increase sales on a worldwide basis--print and electronic publications as articles, issues, chapters, subscriptions, bundled publications/subscriptions, volume site licenses, products, and conferences--while requiring no personnel, no software or hardware, and no on-going maintenance.  

(http://www.infoconamerica.com)

The Gallup Organization has launched The Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing, a new subscription-based news service that provides a weekly summary and analysis of the latest proprietary Gallup Poll findings. The launch of Tuesday Briefing marks the first time The Gallup Organization is directly offering their polling data and analysis to the general public for use as a news source. The Tuesday Briefing service offers small businesses, libraries, schools, students, research firms, law firms, resource centers, journalists, financial analysts, and the general public an alternative to other news gathering services at a price of $95 for a one year subscription. The Gallup Poll Tuesday Briefing delivers original content articles focusing on topics relating to Government, Healthcare, Religion, Education, and Finance. Additionally, Tuesday Briefing subscribers can access the Gallup Archives, which contain more than six decades of Gallup Poll's public opinion surveys, poll results and analysis. Each Tuesday morning, subscribers receive 10 new summaries, two summaries for each subject in their inboxes. The summaries, written and edited by Gallup's editorial and polling analysis staff, offer a balanced and in depth look at Gallup's poll results. The Gallup Archive (also known as the "Gallup Brain") is a searchable record of more than 60 years of public opinion that contains responses to more than 125,000 questions asked by The Gallup Poll since 1935.

(http://www.gallup.com)

Corel Corporation has announced Corel XMetaL 4, a new platform designed to simplify the implementation of customized XML applications while extending XML authoring power to any ActiveX-compliant application, including popular Web browsers. Corel XMetaL 4 provides XML editing solutions that support dynamic validation for both DTDs and W3C Schemas. With a focus on the needs of both developers and end users, Corel XMetaL 4 is comprised of four separate components: Corel XMetaL Author, Corel XMetaL for ActiveX, Corel XMetaL Developer and Corel XMetaL Central. Corel XMetaL Author is a customizable XML authoring environment that features the authoring aids and advanced construct support necessary to create valid, well-formed XML documents. XMetaL Author includes the comprehensive writing tools featured in Corel Ventura and WordPerfect Office. Corel XMetaL for ActiveX is an authoring interface that developers can embed into any ActiveX-compliant Windows application, including Web browsers. Corel XMetaL for ActiveX features comprehensive editing and document viewing functionality. Corel XMetaL Developer is a centralized development environment for creating Corel XMetaL customizations and applications. Designed as a plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, it enables developers to use existing Web programming skills in Script, COM, and DOM to create customizations for both XMetaL Author and XMetaL for ActiveX. Corel XMetaL 4 Developer also lets developers create and edit Cascading Style SheetsT (CSS) and includes the Corel XMetaL Forms Toolkit for creating custom forms interfaces. Corel XMetaL Central provides a server-based XML environment management tool that simplifies the deployment and maintenance of customized XML applications across an organization. Corel XMetaL Central enables IT managers to leverage the power of Web services to remotely manage and maintain enterprise customizations and takes advantage of SOAP technology to provide access to up-to-date XML customization files, including style sheets, scripts, CSS and templates. Corel XMetaL 4 will be available in early 2003.

(http://www.corel.com/xmetal4)

Microsoft has unveiled plans for turning its upcoming Office 11 business productivity suite into an extensible platform for business applications using a set of tools that will allow Visual Studio .NET developers to build business-specific applications based on Word and Excel documents. Dubbed Visual Studio Tools for Office, the technology is designed to allow developers to design Word and Excel templates with an underlying customer-defined XML structure, based on corporate, departmental, or industry-wide schemas. In this way, developers will be able to build document-based applications with context-specific help and supporting information. The tools support the Visual Basic .NET and Visual C# .NET programming languages, and developers will have access to other features of Visual Studio .NET 2003, including its editor and debugging environment, and designers for creating user interfaces, working with data and XML, and building server-side code and components. Other features of Office 11 will also be available, including smart documents and smart tags, to help create customized applications. Office 11 also includes integrated support for XML Web services, XSL, and XPath. Both Office 11 and Visual Studio Tools for Office will be made available in mid-2003. Microsoft has yet to release pricing and availability details.

(http://www.microsoft.com)

Reliant Pharmaceuticals, LLC, an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company, has deployed Centra's Web collaboration application to address enterprise communications

needs across the organization. Delivered through Centra's ASP service, Reliant Pharmaceuticals has been using Centra to train and communicate with its dispersed sales organization, collaborate with business partners, and accelerate rollout on a number of enterprise applications, including the company's new 401K plan and a spend management application. Reliant is also working on programs to conduct online marketing focus groups using Centra. Centra enabled Reliant to eliminate the need for travel and minimize the impact of taking sales personnel out of the field. Reliant Pharmaceuticals is extending the use of Centra to its marketing organization to reach physician populations through targeted, online focus groups. With Centra, the marketing organization will be able to quickly and cost-effectively recruit participants from any geographic region and organize online events to test messages, support product introductions, and obtain timely feedback that can be tracked and recorded for future use. Centra's scalable application suite provides workflow modules for sales, marketing, and training that are designed to enable more efficient and cost-effective business communication over the Web. CentraOne brings together voice, video, data, and graphics in easy-to-use interfaces for Web conferencing, meetings, and virtual classrooms that can be deployed on-site or accessed through a secure global service network. Centra's solutions are available in 13 language editions and in 29 countries worldwide.

(http://www.centra.com), (http://www.reliantrx.com)

ProQuest Company, a provider of value-added information and content to the library/education, and automotive/powersports industries, has signed a letter of intent to acquire bigchalk.com, inc. ProQuest has received clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to conclude the transaction. The acquisition is subject to bigchalk shareholder and Board of Directors approval. The acquisition is also subject to an execution of a definitive agreement and various closing conditions. Terms of the acquisition were not yet disclosed. bigchalk develops and markets products and services for research, curriculum integration, and professional development for the kindergarten through twelfth grade educational community.

(http://www.bigchalk.com), (http://www.proquestcompany.com)

Network Associates, a provider of network security and availability solutions, has selected Speedera's content delivery network (CDN) in an effort to enhance its download site's performance and help support unpredictable traffic spikes that occur during major virus outbreaks.  Network Associates chose Speedera to enhance the performance and scalability of the site that provides updates to users of its McAfee Security product suites.  Speedera stood out by presenting a solution that met Network Associates' specific needs, a key one being support for file transfer protocol (FTP).  Through FTP, content such as virus data files can be delivered from Speedera's large network of edge servers to Network Associates users worldwide. Network Associates has gained access to improved business intelligence through Speedera's SpeedEye--a browser-based interface that gives direct access to log files to enable detailed performance and usage analysis. SpeedEye has helped the company analyze and verify traffic levels, error rates, and performance.

(http://www.nai.com), (http://www.speedera.com)

British Council, the government-backed agency that promotes relationships between the UK and other countries, has announced that it plans to launch a new Web site every two weeks in the New Year, using its content management solution from Obtree Technologies. British Council's goal is that by the end of 2003 the majority of its 109 global learning resource and information sites will go 'live'. British Council has two key objectives that will be reflected in the new Web sites: to connect people world-wide with UK learning opportunities and creative ideas, and to promote and communicate a positive image of the UK. By improving the quality of content, it hopes that the Web sites will be viewed as more useful and encourage a greater number of visitors to the UK. So far, British Council has launched country specific Web sites for the UK, France, Australia, India, and most recently the Japanese site, www.britishcouncil.org/japan. Countries earmarked for new Web sites next year include Singapore, Italy, Indonesia, South and North America, and five countries in southern Africa. One Arabic language portal covering 16 countries is being developed for launch at the end of January. With the launch of the new Web sites, authors around the world will be able to make changes to the content in a timely fashion. Already, up to 10 authors in Japan are updating content to the newly launched Japanese Web site. To support one of British Council's most demanding needs--multilingual Capabilities--each site will be written in English and the native language.

(http://www.britishcouncil.org), (http://www.obtree.com)

Documentum, a provider of enterprise content management (ECM), has signed a partnership agreement with Telestream, a provider of media encoding and internet protocol (IP) delivery technology. The partnership will integrate Telestream FlipFactory transcoding automation technology into the new audio/video plug-in for Documentum Media Services. Available now, the advanced audio/video transcoding option enables content creators in both global 2000 corporations and media and entertainment companies to convert digital assets automatically between audio and video formats, including streaming formats. The partnership and resulting integration was developed in direct response to demand from companies who were looking for media management solutions to transform audio and video assets into media that could be easily accessed online by anyone anywhere in the world, repurposed for the Web, and reused for corporate activities. Documentum's new audio/video media plug-in, which incorporates Telestream's FlipFactory technology, automates the process of transcoding media into a variety of Web-ready formats and bit rates. It automatically delivers the resulting files to streaming servers, content distribution networks, or editing systems, for applications such as repurposing audio/video content for the Web and for wireless devices.

(http://www.documentum.com), (http://www.telestream.net)

Veridocs, a provider of XML software, consulting, and development services, has announced the upcoming availability of XMLdocs Beta Release. XMLdocs is a Web-based system for creating XML content management solutions. The Beta Release will be available free online. XMLdocs Version 1, slated for release in February 2003, will be available on a hosted basis. With XMLdocs, organizations can create XML document templates for everything from press releases and product descriptions to knowledge-based articles and help documents. Using these templates, non-technical users write and edit XML documents in XMLdoc's intuitive XML word processor. Documents can then be exported for publication on a Web site or elsewhere through a simple Web Service.

(http://my.xmldocs.com), (http://www.xmldocs.com)

FileNET Corporation, a provider of enterprise content management solutions, and NS Solutions Corporation, a solutions provider and information technology consulting company, have announced a new strategic partnership to penetrate the Japanese ECM market. The partnership will have a strategic focus on developing and marketing solutions for the Financial Services, Insurance, Pharmaceutical, Government, Manufacturing and Utilities markets in Japan. With this newly formed partnership, FileNET aims to build its presence further throughout the region. NS Solutions, which has been involved in the technical drawing and content management business for more than 15 years, has more than 400 customers in Japan. FileNET's business model encompasses partnerships with independent software vendors, system integrators, and application developers that can deliver expertise in addressing the needs of specific markets.  

(http://www.filenet.com), (http://www.ns-sol.co.jp/e/index.html)

DataPower Technology, Inc., a provider of intelligent XML-aware network infrastructure, has announced a joint marketing and development agreement with Contivo, Inc., a provider of automated data integration, to integrate the Contivo Enterprise Integration Modeling (EIM) solution with the DataPower XA35 XML Accelerator. The joint solution provides enterprise customers with a complete standards-base XML integration solution providing data modeling and XML data transformation technology to reduce time and money spent on integration services. XML provides an open, standards-based approach to inter- and intra-enterprise integration that is designed to alleviate the costs of customized coding and integration.  Contivo's platform-independent model-based semantic server automates the design and management of data integration. By enabling model reuse and collaboration across the enterprise, Contivo removes the need to repeatedly hand-code transformations or become locked into proprietary systems. DataPower's XA35, based on its patent-pending XG3 XML processing technology, provides XML data transformation engine. While Contivo's product helps enterprises scale their data mapping projects, DataPower's XA35 helps them scale the actual XML processing. DataPower XA35 XML Accelerator and Contivo EIM Solution 3.0 are available for purchase immediately.

(http://www.contivo.com), (http://www.datapower.com)

Percussion Software has announced that Broward Community College has selected Rhythmyx to speed the creation and publication of content to its Web presence. With more than 60,000 students and 2,000 faculty and staff, Broward Community College relies on its Web site to facilitate administrative processes, provide online registration and fee payment, and disseminate education and marketing information to the community and prospective students. With more than 5,000 pages of content and individual faculty Web pages to create and maintain, Broward Community College's Web team was spending 80% of its time managing content, rather than devoting time to developing new applications or enhancing current content. Through its home-grown content management system, faculty Web pages had to be created with inflexible templates that permitted very few options. Broward County Community College selected Rhythmyx based on the product's open architecture, in addition to its workflow capabilities and interface designed for non-technical users. Percussion integrates its content management methodology into Rhythmyx, thereby reducing the time and skill level required to execute content initiatives.

(http://www.broward.edu), (http://www.percussion.com)