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IBM Ships Web Content Management Update

IBM announced it is shipping version 6 of its Workplace Web Content Management package, which aims to provide a tightly integrated Web content management and portal solution to, among other things, compete with Microsoft's SharePoint technologies.

Version 6 adds new, easy-to-use authoring tools for non-technical users to create and publish customized web content, according to IBM statements. It also includes new ease-of-use features such as menu-based personalization tools that allow users to customize forms based on a role or function.

It also provides a choice of rich text editors and wiki-like editing features to help users edit objects and data on-the-fly within the context of a Web site or portal.

In version 6, Web content is now stored in the Java Content Repository (JCR), enabling authors to publish content as a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) or Atom feed using simple presentation templates. A plug-and-play approach helps link a company's content source to other web content authoring systems, the statements said.

The update also features a simplified process for authors to create personalization rules for content. An author can now pick and choose from a set of actions to create a personalization rule for a piece of content. "For example, insurance agents can make sure that if users logging in to their web site own property insurance, they will see content about new trends in property protection, while if they own life insurance, they will see content on how to add beneficiaries to their plan," according to IBM.

Among the ease-of-use improvements for non-technical authors are "in-context" editing, which enables authors to make edits directly in the Web site portal view, and instantly see their edit results. Integration to IBM's Portal Document Manager is designed to make publishing content as simple as dragging a document to a Window's desktop folder.

New link management enhancements have been added to secure the reliability and reputation of information in a public forum, such as a web site. Protection against broken or non-working URLs ensures that all internally-referenced Web site links will be up to date.

IBM Workplace Web Content Management 6 is available both as a stand-alone offer or packaged with WebSphere Portal 6.0. New customers and IBM Portal Server 6.0 customers can purchase Web Content Management version 6.0 for approximately $20,000 per processor.

About the Author

Stuart J. Johnston has covered technology, especially Microsoft, since February 1988 for InfoWorld, Computerworld, Information Week, and PC World, as well as for Enterprise Developer, XML & Web Services, and .NET magazines.

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