I've posted a large section of an article describing interaction Alpha Micro has with Portico. I'm having trouble posting the whole article as it's very long, but it worth reading.
AlphaCONNECT: Turning Infoglut into Real-Time Knowledge
Michael Sullivan-Trainor
IDC Bulletin #16203 - May 1998
alphaconnect.com
Portico: Delivering Data via Cellular Phone
AlphaCONNECT technology is capable of delivering data to other devices besides computers, such as fax machines, alphanumeric pagers, and cellular phones. General Magic, Inc., a Sunnyvale, CA communications company (www.generalmagic.com) is in the business of delivering integrated voice and data information products and services. One such service is Portico, an automated office assistant with natural language speech recognition. A Portico subscriber can make queries verbally, such as "What's the stock price of Microsoft?" or "What's new at Intel?" and receive spoken results seconds later.
When Portico receives voice input from a client, it linguistically processes the sound, defines the words the customer is speaking, and decides what action is required. Portico understands more than one million different phrases and replies to the user with approximately 5,000 responses and helpful hints.
When a subscriber requests information about a business or company, Portico passes the request to an AlphaCONNECT server, which promptly delivers the information. The AlphaCONNECT server is set up to continually scan the Internet to assure that company demographics, news, filings, newsgroup postings, and stock quotes are up to date.
General Magic chose AlphaCONNECT technology as a back end to provide Portico with company information for the following three reasons:
AlphaCONNECT technology was easily integrated into the existing system. General Magic was using XML to communicate between Portico and its various servers. AlphaCONNECT supports XML and a wide range of other protocols.
AlphaCONNECT's architecture provided data independence. Technical details, such as Internet data sources, how information is parsed, and how it is retrieved, are completely isolated from the Portico server. As a result, if General Magic contracts with a different information provider, all that needs to change is a small AlphaCONNECT component, not Portico.
AlphaCONNECT is scalable in multiple directions and across multiple platforms. General Magic anticipates that Portico is going to achieve high market penetration, thus one or two servers may be sufficient to handle the increasing subscriber load. AlphaCONNECT's ability to deliver its functionality on a single server or on several dozen servers gives General Magic the scalability and flexibility it needs for growth.
Conclusions
Using the client-server model, AlphaCONNECT middleware technology pulls information from a variety of sources (the Web, enterprise databases, and data warehouses) and redeploys the information in a well-organized, user-defined format. This middleware creates an application that operates in the background, serving up highly selected information in a timely manner. BusinessVue demonstrates the possibilities for enterprises where accessing the Web for critical information is an essential part of day-to-day business procedures.
While many technologies are solutions in search of problems, AlphaCONNECT is clearly useful and desirable. Business executives, analysts, brokers, researchers, investors, business journalists, and many others will find immediate use for generic applications such as BusinessVue and StockVue.
When regarded as a proprietary application or applet on a corporate intranet, the AlphaCONNECT technology becomes even more valuable. The user interface is totally customizable, and the intelligent agents can be set to search for any type of content, not just company and stock information. When you consider that this single application, running in the background, can replace hours of tedious manual searching through Web pages and meta-indices, the productivity value becomes quickly apparent.
The vertical markets for AlphaCONNECT technology are multitudinous. For example, purchasing managers can track raw material prices from various suppliers in a very time-effective manner. Real estate agents and brokers could locate property listings. Literary and talent agents could find authors and actors, while advertising agencies and public relations firms could put reverse data warehousing to good use. There seems to be an application for every interest and industry.
AlphaCONNECT is to be commended for addressing the need to search the Web with intelligent agents and deliver selected information content painlessly. However, is it possible that with the advent of Internet 2, the AlphaCONNECT technology could go the way of Sidekick, Sideways, PIMs, and other interstitial technologies? The Web is a fast-paced environment, with technologies bursting through its networks like shooting stars. Only a stalwart few remain viable for long.
The secret seems to lie in how the technology is distributed. The Netscape client/server model of giving the client software away and selling the server technology seems to work. Further, the technology's scalability is an asset. AlphaCONNECT is using the client/server model for both Web information services delivery and for enterprise-wide development. We see this as the wisest strategy, because AlphaCONNECT is a development environment for creating a custom, proprietary application that obtains just the information its users want, at their fingertips.
About Alpha Microsystems
From its beginnings in 1977 as a microcomputer company, Alpha Microsystems has pursued the front wave of computer technology. Today, Alpha Microsystems provides software, services, and technologies to the Internet and intranet markets. The company also provides products and services such as consulting, maintenance, software, hardware, and networking, both directly and through value-added resellers and distributors.
AlphaCONNECT is the company's newest division, launched in 1996 to offer powerful foundation technologies for business intelligence software serving the Internet, intranet, corporate information technology, and software development markets. Alpha is deploying its AlphaCONNECT middleware technology through OEM partnerships, enhancements to corporate IT systems, and licensing to Web-based businesses and service providers, as well as continuing to develop off-the-shelf and custom companion products.
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