webMethods and Microsoft Partner On Technology for Next-Generation XML Applications
XML Query Technology Simplifies and Enhances XML-Based Applications
CHICAGO, IL. November 16, 1998. XML '98 Conference.
webMethods Inc. and Microsoft Corp. today announced that the companies are collaborating on the development of XML technology for data-driven Web applications, including sophisticated new technology for querying XML documents.
Microsoft selected webMethods as a partner for these efforts because of the company's expertise in the development and deployment of XML-based software for business-to-business integration and e-commerce.
"XML is a key component in our Windows distributed application platform called Windows DNA," said J. Allard, general manager of Microsoft. "By addressing common application requirements such as query and data retrieval, Microsoft and webMethods are helping evolve XML from a document-centric markup language to the basis for a new generation of interoperable enterprise and Internet distributed applications."
As part of the ongoing partnership, Microsoft and webMethods have worked with Texcel to develop XQL, a set of extensions to XSL (eXtensible Stylesheet Language) that provide developers using XML with a powerful way to query their XML data. By using concise query expressions to express complex retrieval requirements, the technology enables applications to process queries against DOM (Document Object Model) nodes, to embed queries within URLs, and to use XSL as a query language. XQL at once greatly simplifies and greatly enhances applications that use XML to represent data.
Microsoft has included XQL in the recently announced beta2 version of Internet Explorer 5.0. webMethods will ship its implementation of the specification in a forthcoming upgrade of its B2B Integration Server, available as part of the webMethods B2B product. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has made the specifications available to W3C members and other interested parties via the W3C web site at http://www.w3.org/TandS/QL/QL98/pp/xql.html
"Microsoft was the first major vendor to recognize the importance of XML by incorporating support in Internet Explorer and by organizing initiatives that promote the development of XML-based solutions," said Phillip Merrick, president and chief executive officer of webMethods Inc. "We are honored to partner with Microsoft in the development of future XML technologies and standards that will revolutionize the manner in which information is accessed and exchanged on the Web."
About webMethods Inc.
Named one of Red Herring's 1998 Top 50 Privately Held Companies, webMethods is the leading vendor of XML-based solutions for business-to-business integration. webMethods B2B products enable corporations to use the open standards of the Web for business-to-business e-commerce applications such as supply chain integration and automated procurement.
webMethods delivers real business value to companies who want to leverage their investments in legacy, ERP and Web-hosted applications to link their business processes with those of their key business partners. With webMethods, companies can connect applications to applications, Web sites to Web sites, or business or desktop applications to existing Web sites.
webMethods' award-winning products are in use at leading companies including DHL Airways, Hewlett-Packard, Ericsson, Cisco Systems, Discovery Communications, Motorola and Nortel, and work with Web server, database and ERP application products from vendors such as Microsoft, Netscape, Oracle, Sybase, Informix, SAP, PeopleSoft, J.D. Edwards, and Baan.
Founded in 1996, venture-backed webMethods Inc. is based in Fairfax, Va., with offices in San Francisco, Ca.
For more information, contact webMethods Inc.:
webMethods Inc.
3975 University Drive
Suite 390
Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: +1 703/352-8501
Fax: +1 703/352-0370
Email: info@webMethods.com
Web: http://www.webMethods.com
webMethods and webMethods B2B are trademarks of webMethods Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
[Note: See also the copy of the announcement on the Webmethods Web site, and the related news item.]
Contact:
webMethods Inc.
Caren DeWitt
Tel: +1 703/352-0851
Email: cdewitt@webMethods.com
