Oh, btw, did I tell you that Microsoft signed on for ODIS' eXtreme Advantage Partner Programme? Well... even if it wasn't put that way in the following article, it looks like MSFT is sort of an ODIS crypto-VAR:
The race to create XML for e-commerce
By Wylie Wong
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
March 5, 1999, 4:00 p.m. PT
Excerpt:
...Analysts say the [Microsoft] product is similar in scope to Bluestone's XML Server or webMethods B2B server technology, which automatically generates and distributes XML documents from information in databases. In fact, Microsoft will use webMethods' software for BizTalk.
Satya Nadella, Microsoft's general manager for commerce platforms, said BizTalk is a framework that will help businesses perform the nitty-gritty details of setting up the connections to each other and includes tracking and analysis tools that help companies monitor transactions.
To facilitate transactions, the framework will include XML "schemas," or descriptions of businesses documents, such as name and order number, Nadella said.
But while Microsoft and Bluestone's XML servers allows XML documents and applications to communicate across the Web, Software AG's server focuses on storing XML data.
Software AG's Tamino will serve as a database for storing and caching XML documents and compete with Object Design's Excelon XML data server.
Tamino can process information from existing databases and applications and convert it to XML, Software AG executives said.
Rappaport said the smaller companies, such as Object Design and Bluestone, are first to market and have a good head start against Microsoft, Software AG, and other future XML vendors. Software AG's Tamino won't ship until the fourth quarter.
Microsoft plans to release a beta version of BizTalk Server this summer, but has not announced a final ship date.
Now's the time for the smaller companies to get their names out to the early adopters of XML, analysts said.
Direct link:
news.com
The above news dropped on the wires at 4:00 PM Pacific Time, so... let's see how the market'll digest it on Monday! After all, one does not need to hold a PhD in Advanced Math to see that if MSFT's BizTalk server incorporates WebMethods' B2B and if B2B incorporates eXcelon then BizTalk is powered by eXcelon! Did I miss something? |
