[Mirrored from: http://www.sq.com/press/releases/prmar1197.htm]
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For Immediate Release-March 11, 1997
SoftQuad and Other Web Technology Leaders Microsoft, Sun, NCSA and Dow Jones Interactive Publishing Hail XML as the Basis of a New Generation of Web-based Knowledge Publishing Applications.
San Diego, Calif. (Mar. 11, 1997) -- Today, at the Graphic Communications Association's XML conference, SoftQuad (NASDAQ:SWEBF; TSE:SKI), a leading provider of content publishing tools for corporate intranets and the Internet, announced its support of a broad industry initiative to entrench eXtensible Markup Language (XML) in Web-based Knowledge Publishing tools.
XML, developed by online publishing experts from industry and academia under the auspices of a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) working group, promises to become the next significant enabling technology for the Web. XML will provide Web publishers, information consumers, and knowledge workers with unprecedented power, flexibility and control over the creation of and access to Internet and intranet content. The XML working group includes members from SoftQuad, Adobe, IBM, HP, Microsoft, Lockheed Martin, NCSA, Novell, Sun, Boston University, Oxford University, and the Universities of Illinois and Waterloo.
eXtensible Markup Language Will Allow For New Features Inside Smarter Client Applications
XML provides a standard way of adding custom markup to information-rich documents, so that complex documents can be rendered and published in any way. Today, HTML provides a very limited way of representing and publishing structured information. While HTML is easy to use, its inherent simplicity places serious constraints on the degree to which publishers and users can utilize business-critical documents and databases. XML provides the means to publish and receive any information, regardless of format or origin, in any way that they wish.
"With XML and web-based Knowledge Publishing tools, Web users will have even greater power to create, manage and access dynamic, personalized and customized content on the Web and on corporate intranets," said Murray Maloney, SoftQuad Technical Director and a member of the W3C working group responsible for the XML specification. "And with XML, end users will be able to dynamically manipulate documents in the browser, creating a whole new paradigm for presenting highly targeted and dynamic web-based information."
XML makes this possible by allowing information providers to encode data using a markup language that is designed to meet their business requirements. In effect, businesses will be able to distribute structured databases that consumers can manipulate at will. Dynamic processing on a Web browser will dramatically reduce the network delays that the current breed of server solutions have caused.
"XML is poised to solve the problem of integrating structured information, such as that in SQL databases, into the fabric of Web pages," said John Ludwig, VP of Internet Client & Collaboration Division, Microsoft. "Knowledge consumers will now have immediate, personalized access to information that customizes itself on the fly to suit their specific needs."
For example, a single mouse click might transform overall sales figures from a database into an annual report, or into a pie chart showing regional breakdown or a bar graph showing a breakdown of products sold. XML, together with dynamic HTML, CSS, Java and other Web technologies, makes almost anything possible.
Industry Leaders SoftQuad, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard Sun, and Dow Jones Interactive Publishing Share Vision of Dynamic Content for the Web.
"We're very excited about this new Web initiative," said David Gurney, Chief Executive Officer, SoftQuad International. "By implementing XML technology in SoftQuad's Knowledge Publishing tools, we broaden our ability to offer customers strong, integrated publishing solutions that can tap the corporate knowledge base in ways that no other solutions can, making corporate intranets richer, more active sources of information."
"As a leader in the effort to bring the advantages of structured data to Web publishing, Sun applauds SoftQuad's commitment to XML-based product development," said Jon Bosak, SunSoft's Online Information Technology Architect and Chairman of the W3C working group responsible for the XML specification. "Standardized extensible markup makes possible a new generation of Web applications that use richly structured data to exchange information and drive Java programs. SoftQuad's initiative represents the first wave of what we expect to become a large and important body of high-level applications based on the XML model of data representation."
"Microsoft is excited by SoftQuad's initiative in promoting the development of eXtensible Markup Language to enable dynamic content on the Web," said John Ludwig, VP of Internet Client & Collaboration Division, Microsoft. "XML is a powerful means to provide data awareness, giving users the ability to manipulate and input data efficiently, with minimal load on the server. The result will be faster, richer and more interactive information on the Web."
"As developers of the NCSA Mosaic™ web browser, and long-time supporters of research on the World Wide Web, NCSA is very excited that SoftQuad has committed to providing support for the eXtensible Markup Language, " said Larry Smarr, Director. "XML is a simple, truly extensible method for creating arbitrary structured markup, yielding an enormous potential for businesses and institutions to supply more sophisticated and usable structured content on the World Wide Web. "
"At The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition, we've had to deal with a host of proprietary extensions to HTML in order to make use of new features in Web browsing and casting software," said Alan Karben, Manager, Multimedia, The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition. "With the advent of XML I hope will come an acknowledgment in the industry that one doesn't have to shoehorn new tags into a quasi-HTML framework to create useful and novel Web client applications. What XML stands for, eXtensible Markup Language, can actually mean more for Internet users than new ways to make information look pretty. Maintaining the intelligence of documents all the way to the point of delivery allows for new features inside smarter client applications. And that's exciting news for Web publishers and surfers alike."
About SoftQuad
SoftQuad is the leading provider of multi-platform, standards-based Knowledge Publishing applications that enhance business processes. SoftQuad is recognized worldwide for its pioneering work in structured document publishing and, through its newly-acquired Alpha Software unit, structured databases. SoftQuad is a founding member and active participant in the World Wide Web Consortium, the Internet Engineering Task Force and Editorial Review Boards. Based in Toronto, Canada, SoftQuad International employs more than 150 people with additional sales offices across North America, and European operations based in London, with offices in Paris and Munich.
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainties, including without limitation risks of intellectual property rights and litigation, risks in technology development and commercialization, risks in product development and market acceptance of and demand for the Company's products, risks of downturns in economic conditions generally, and in the software application development tools and business intelligence tools markets specifically, risks associated with competition and competitive pricing pressures, risks associated with foreign sales and high customer concentration and other risks detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For Further Information
- Investor Relations Inquiries:
- Selwyn Wener, (416) 544-9000 investor@softquad.com
- Press Inquiries:
- Press and Media Relations, (416) 544-9000 press@softquad.com
