Progress Software Participates in Developing W3C Recommendation of XML Schema Standard; New Recommended XML Schema Standard in Use at Company

Business Wire, Oct 25, 2000

Business/Technology Editors

BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 25, 2000

Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq:PRGS), a leading supplier of technology for building E-Business solutions, today announced their participation in the development of and support for the new XML Candidate Recommendation Schema announced yesterday by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The Bedford-based company already has incorporated support for its XML Schema Mapping facility into Progress Software's Progress(R) 9.1B, an enhanced version of its comprehensive suite of integrated development tools, application servers and relational database products, to transport XML data from the company's premiere Java(TM)-based E-Business Messaging Service solution, Progress(R) SonicMQ(TM).

Using Progress Software's Smart B2B technology the XML schema can easily map to the Progress architecture. The technology provides for mappings to accommodate the different business requirements of incoming and outgoing messages. Progress 9.1B, using SonicMQ as its messaging service, and using Progress SmartB2B to flexibly adapt, can then easily integrate applications and provide a business-to-business backbone.

"Progress Software is proud to participate in the development and implementation of the standards created by the World Wide Web Consortium," said Pete Sliwkowski, vice president, Engineering, Product Development, and Core Product Development. "The proposed XML schema standard allows us to create an open infrastructure for B2B and easily integrate the more than 5,000 Progress-based business applications, with each other as well as with non-Progress Software applications."

The W3C was created to lead the Web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability. As one of the emerging standards from the W3C, the new XML Schema will provide the foundation for the next generation of E-Business. Progress Software is actively participating in the development of these standards in order to accelerate the evolution and adoption of E-Business technology. Members of the Progress Software team were included in the work group that developed and finalized the XML schema standard.

About Progress Software

Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS) is a global supplier of software products and services for developing, deploying and managing business applications moving to the Internet. We offer messaging servers, application servers, databases, and application development and management products. Our partners include more than 2,000 application service providers and independent software vendors who supply annually over $5 billion in Progress(R)-based applications and related services. Our products are used by over 10,000 organizations across 100 countries worldwide, including 60% of Fortune 100 companies. For more information, visit www.progress.com or call 1-781-280-4000.

Progress and SonicMQ are trademarks or registered trademarks of Progress Software Corporation, in the U.S. and other countries. Java and all Java-based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc., in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.