IBM Launches WebSphere Business Components to Speed E-business Development

Business Wire, June 6, 2000

Business Editors

JavaOne 2000

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 6, 2000

At the JavaOne(b) Conference today, IBM announced an initiative to enhance its WebSphere(a) software platform with component technologies designed to speed the development of e-business applications.

The initiative includes new tools and Enterprise JavaBean(b) (EJB) components designed to improve developer productivity, speed product cycles and simplify the process of getting e-business applications to market.

The WebSphere Business Components, which will begin to ship this year, build on IBM?s extensive experience in component technologies, including more than 1,000 Java(b) components that are widely used by independent software vendors as well as corporate developers.

"We're seeing a steady increase in the number of companies turning to component-based development," said Steve Rosenberg, director of marketing, IBM WebSphere Business Components. "The drive to get to market first with a winning solution puts pressure on developers to speed up application development. WebSphere Business Components will give developers a head start in this process, with business content that narrows the gap between available technology and deployable business solutions."

According to a GartnerGroup study, the market for pre-built components will grow from $1.4 billion in 1997 to more than $8 billion in 2002. By 2003, at least 70 percent of all new applications will be assembled primarily from components.

The WebSphere Business Components will include a comprehensive array of business functions, including components for particular industries such as insurance and banking, and cross-industry components, for supply chain management and customer relationship management, for example.

A number of WebSphere Business Components can be downloaded today from alphaWorks (www.alphaWorks.ibm.com), IBM?s on-line site that allows direct, public access to its emerging technologies. Included are base components for date and time support; decimal numbers and arithmetic operations; address components; company components for describing and managing organizational units; currency components for describing and managing currencies and exchange rates; and natural calendar components that provide the capability to manage a working calendar. Developers who download this "alpha code" are encouraged to share their feedback with IBM before the technologies are integrated into products.

IBM also has launched a Components Zone on its developerWorks(a) (www.ibm.com/developerWorks) Web site. developerWorks is a free, on-line resource of tools, code, tips, news, tutorials, and technical content from both IBM and industry-leading sources. Through the Components Zone, developers can download free tools and get information and guidance on working with objects and reusable components. The zone will also offer ongoing discussion forums, moderated by technical experts.

Prelude Systems, Inc., a software and services company in the wholesale distribution industry, is among the companies using IBM?s component offerings.

"IBM's components have played a critical role in our product development," said Ken Berger, manager of systems design at Prelude. "For example, our next distribution system will incorporate multi-lingual and multi-currency capabilities, both based on IBM components. Our component-based development strategy has doubled our productivity."

IBM is also working with other industry leaders to accelerate the mainstream adoption of component-based development. For example, IBM and Flashline.com, Inc., have agreed to collaborate on component documentation, reliability and performance testing, and delivery alternatives in order to simplify component use for developers. Flashline.com is a leading provider of software component products, services and resources, including the Flashline.com component portal.

About IBM WebSphere

IBM WebSphere's customizable family of products provides the industry's most scaleable e-business software foundation and application services, and delivers a flexible and open platform on which to build next-generation e-business applications. Based on WebSphere Application Server, the WebSphere software platform supports business applications from simple Web publishing through enterprise-scale transaction processing. Tightly integrated business and web content development tools and Web site management capabilities deliver the most advanced and productive end-to-end application development, deployment and integration for sophisticated e-business solutions.

About IBM

IBM is the world?s largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. IBM creates, develops and manufactures the industry?s most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage devices and microelectronics. The fastest way to get more information about IBM is through the IBM home page at http://www.ibm.com. Additional information on IBM WebSphere Business Components is available at http://www.ibm.com/software/components. Information about the complete WebSphere software platform is on the Web at http://www.software.ibm.com/websphere.>