Intentia Sings Praises of SOA, Introduces Movex3
by Dan Burger

Many companies with investments in RPG-based applications are at the integration crossroads. They know platform interoperability is the destination, but they are unsure of the best route. Sometimes when you are lost, the best thing to do is follow the guy in front of you. Following Intentia International is not a bad idea. One of the largest software vendors in the IBM midrange market, it made a decision years ago and the latest version of its enterprise software, Movex3, shows how far down the Java and XML development road it has gone. READ MORE >

Microsoft Boosts B2B Integration with BizTalk Server 2006
by Alex Woodie

There is no doubt Microsoft wants to dominate the business software market like it does the consumer market. At the same time, the software behemoth realizes it's coming up against platforms that are embedded into the psyche of some businesses, such as IBM's OS/400 server. While Microsoft's long-term strategy is to displace competing platforms like the iSeries, it is also taking a more pragmatic approach, including surrounding and extending these core platforms with new capabilities, and the impending launch of BizTalk Server 2006 is a good example of this. READ MORE >

WebSphere Portal To Receive Content Management and Workflow Enhancements
by Dan Burger

To keep the wheels turning on the service oriented architecture (SOA) bandwagon, IBM has announced plans to introduce a new version of WebSphere Portal in the third quarter of 2006. When WebSphere 6.0 becomes generally available, it will replace the current product, WebSphere Portal for Multiplatforms Version 5.1.0.1. At the top of the list of enhancements is the integration of additional productivity tools, primarily content management and workflow. Other notable areas of improvement are to be found in ease of deployment and administration of the portal environment. READ MORE >

Jacada Tackles Desktop Automation with Fusion 3.0
by Alex Woodie

Information is not very useful if it stays on a server and never finds its way down to a screen. In the business world, customer service representatives (CSRs) are one of the most important classes of users to interact with server-resident data. However, CSRs are increasingly burdened with a maze of screens, applications, and platforms they must navigate to do their job. New software unveiled by Jacada last week, including Fusion 3.0 and a WorkSpace portlet, should help CSRs to do their jobs better. READ MORE >