Macromedia is flavoring its next-generation Web
publishing platform with a heavy dose of blog-friendly software.
The San Francisco-based Web graphics software maker said the latest
update to its
Web Publishing System includes Really Simple Syndication (RSS)
activity feeds and management tools. The enhancements are designed to
let larger numbers of non-technical staff post information to a
company’s intranet, extranet, wiki tool or public Web site.
“We took a look at the direction that Web publishing was going and we
decided this release would be focused on large organizations,” Craig
Barberich, a senior product manager with Macromedia, told
internetnews.com. “In the enterprise space, creating an
architecture and infrastructure of publishing rights can be complex when
everyone is looking to publish to the Web at the same time. This release
helps simplify the process.”
Barberich said the platform could be configured to serve either a
centralized administrator or provide the ability to distribute through
individual departments. Managers can assign certain tasks to employees
while maintaining control. The publishing tool then alerts
administrators to any Web site changes courtesy of an e-mail or RSS
reader.
Building on last
year’s release, the revised version includes Macromedia Contribute,
now in version 3.1, Macromedia Contribute Publishing Services release
1.1, and FlashPaper 2.
Other new features include an enhanced LDAP
connectivity interface, expanded Web services and service oriented
architecture (SOA) functions, better embedded linking with Macromedia
Breeze objects, staging-to-live deployment, and streamlined document
publishing. The Macromedia publishing platform also coordinates with
Microsoft Office applications, Barberich said.
Currently, Macromedia boasts more than 360,000 users and 250
companies using the publishing tool. The customer beta test list for the
updated platform includes the Mayo Clinic, Visa International Latin
America and Caribbean Region, and the University of Montana.
Macromedia said the Mayo Clinic uses the Web
publishing tool and Contribute 3.1 to help support more than 450 authors
and manage upwards of 300 sites on their corporate intranet with only
one server administrator who spends less than 5 percent of the time
supporting their system.
Pricing for new users is still the same at $229 for a single seat. A
10-pack of seats runs for $2,990 but includes an additional year of
maintenance.
Current users of the Web publisher can download the free update in
English. Volume discounts and government and education licensing are
also available.
