BroadVision wakes up and smells the Java

The e-commerce software maker said its BroadVision One-to-One Enterprise 6.0 adds much-anticipated Java support to its product line with Sun Microsystems' J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition) technology and support for JavaBeans, Java Server Pages, and Java Servlet APIs (application programming interfaces).

J2EE is a standard technology for developing and launching enterprise applications and, along with the other Java enhancements, was needed in BroadVision's product family to quiet criticism that the company was not doing enough to open up its e-business applications to Java developers, analysts said.

"This is a big release for them," said Shawn Willett, an analyst with Current Analysis. "The big rap on BroadVision applications was that they were proprietary and didn't run on Java."

Although further e-business applications that will sit on top of BroadVision One-to-One 6.0 are expected to be released during the coming months, the new Java-induced software server increases BroadVision's position in its battle with Vignette and ATG, which already have Java support in their e-commerce software applications, Willett said.

Upcoming e-business applications, including BroadVision InfoExchange Portal, BroadVision MarketMaker and BroadVision Retail Commerce, are being developed for the new server software and should be available in the second quarter of 2001, a representative for the Redwood City, Calif., company said.

BroadVision is also expected to begin shipping an integrated e-commerce travel software application that combines its e-commerce technology with the tools of tourism technology and services provider Amadeus Global Travel Distribution. The application is the result of a partnership between the two companies that began last June.

The BroadVision-Amadeus Travel Commerce application runs on its One-to-One personalization e-business software server and will allow airlines, hotels car rental agencies, and travel agencies provide Internet travel applications and services to their customers.

Amadeus Global Travel Distribution runs a consumer travel site, a corporate travel site, and has existing partnerships with 34 airlines and about 3,800 travel agencies.

Combining the Amadeus network with BroadVision's e-commerce software allows travel providers to build customer profiles, personalized travel alerts, services, and promotional offers.

BroadVision did not release pricing details for the products.