fyi




AOL Lands New Patent, Beefs Up IM in '8.0 Plus'
April 1, 2003
By Christopher Saunders


The past week has brought several important moves in America Online's (Quote, Company Info) instant messaging strategy -- another new patent covering instant messaging, and upgrades to IM features built into its flagship service

The patent, No. 6,539,421, protects a "messaging application user interface" -- one that enables sending and receiving of messages to a subset of IM users, and for auto-completion of partially entered IM handles (for interfaces in which one needs to specify an address each time before sending messages.)

On its face, the patent, which was filed in Sept. 1999 and issued last week, means protection for the little-known and short-lived TiK implementation of AOL Instant Messenger. TiK came about in late 1998, when America Online -- under pressure to open its IM network -- released under the GNU Public License an open, ASCII-based protocol called TOC, which provided for a limited version of AIM's functionality. In connection with TOC, AOL released TiK, a Tcl/Tk 8.0 instant messaging client. TiK required users to input the name

Just months later, however, AOL discontinued its support for TiK at the height of a feud with competing IM networks over interoperability. Yet TiK-based clients continue to exist, and the project remains actively supported within the open-source community.

While the patent details features specific to TiK, it also notes that those features are "optional implementation features." As a result, other IM systems, including AIM, might be within the scope of the patent.

Specifically, the text of the patent describes "a messaging application user interface has an input element for receiving electronic messages and an output element for displaying electronic messages." It also provides for a UI that maintains "a subset of the plurality of potential message recipients, the subset being determined using a predetermined criterion," which might apply to Buddy Lists, an AIM (rather than TiK) convention.

Spokespeople at Dulles, Va.-based AOL did not return requests for comment by press time.

The patent issue comes just months after AOL raised concerns after receiving a patent on a system of Internet-based instant messaging communications, and on presence. Critics contend that the patent, No. 6,449,344, was unenforceable due to the wealth of pre-existing chat and IM systems -- but many still continue to worry that the online giant will leverage the patent to attack competitors or force them to pay licensing fees.

Enhancements to IM in AOL 8.0 Plus

The other major development at America Online comes in the form of its new "AOL For Broadband" product, which includes an updated version of its flagship online service geared toward power users, and designed to promote several important initiatives for the company.

For the first time, the built-in AOL IM client will support offline IM forwarding to SMS-equipped mobile devices, which has been available in AIM for several months. (That is, when a user logs off of PC-based IM, messages are then forwarded to their mobile device.) As with AIM, users can also add mobile phone numbers to their Buddy Lists, and IMs sent to that entry appear on the recipient's phone as SMS messages. While mobile message recipients can't respond to either of these messages, Cian Chang, America Online's director of clients, said those features are in the works.

America Online's Music@AOL and Video@AOL areas also are integrated with its IM client: for instance, streaming radio listeners can click a button to share the stream with Buddy List members, to listen in tandem.

AOL 8.0 Plus also will mark a renewed effort to encourage members to use AOL Alerts, which enables users to subscribe to IM, e-mail and SMS updates on weather, news and other types of content -- and which executives conceded had yet to be promoted significantly despite having been in the market for more than a year.

"We need to educate our members on features we already have in the field, but that they don't know about," Chang said.

Highlighting AOL Alerts represents an effort by the company to be a contender in an area seen by some as a growing competitive arena and a potential moneymaker. Microsoft (Quote, Company Info) has parlayed its .NET Alerts service -- which sends messages to MSN Messenger and Windows Messenger users -- into a channel for automated broadcast and narrowcast communications from third parties. Already, companies paying Microsoft for the rights to use the service include E*Trade (Quote, Company Info) and eBay (Quote, Company Info), while messaging players and alerting relays like Comverse and MessageCast also are leveraging .NET Alerts as a platform for their communications. Meanwhile, a number of startups are seeking to launch cross-network alerting platforms on their own.

In an offering geared for the teen crowd, AOL for Broadband also offers support for so-called "instant greetings," full-screen rich media animations that users can send to Buddy List members. (Not quite so different than the "flirts" in Microsoft's new teen-oriented, P2P messaging application, codenamed "threedegrees.")

For parents, the broadband service also offers reporting details of kids' IM use to parents as part of its Parental Controls feature -- including their Buddy Lists members, and how often they use IM.

AOL 8.0 Plus also will begin keeping a dynamically updated group of Buddies in users' Buddy Lists, based on the most recent AOL users to whom the user has sent e-mails, and users can add those Buddy Names to their permanent Buddy Lists. That way, AOL users can easily expand their lists of contacts -- and AOL can increase the number of active IM users.

Communicator released

AOL For Broadband also represents the official release of AOL Communicator -- the company's closely watched standalone e-mail and IM client, formerly known as "Photon."

Rather than being tailored to Aimed at AOL power users, Communicator doesn't have all the features available in the latest versions of AIM -- such as Direct IM and Connect to Talk -- but nevertheless represents an improvement over the America Online service's built-in IM client, with additions like support for file sharing.

The product also integrates notifications about new e-mail from contacts into the Buddy List -- which shows an icon if a user's inbox contains a message from a Buddy. Users can also group-select Buddy List members to send them an e-mail, which opens in Communicator. (AIM offers similar functionality but attempts to launch Netscape Mail, for which a user must be registered.)

"With AOL members, we've seen how one window stays open and people use it to monitor their communities," Chang said. "That had been their IM ... now, this lets them launch [e-mail] from their client."

AOL Communicator also integrates Buddy List presence into its e-mail side -- so, for instance, Communicator users can see at a glance whether others cc'd on an e-mail are online for a group discussion.

As with IM broadcast alerts, integration of presence into other communications and collaboration applications is becoming increasingly commonplace in the software industry: Microsoft Windows Messenger already offers similar, limited integration into its Outlook e-mail clients, and that sort of integration is only expected to increase with the next release of its Office productivity suite.

Christopher Saunders is managing editor of InstantMessagingPlanet.com.

Virtual Projects


Endeavros technology, 2003-04-01: Endeavors Technology, developer of Web-enabling solutions for enterprise network infrastructures, today announces a new contract win from Autodesk, the world's leading design software and digital content company. Its streaming applications on-demand, software is enabling the rapid, cost-effective, and piracy-free deployment and management of AutoCAD 2004 to a large pool of prospects. AutoCAD 2004 is a 2D drafting and detailing and 3D design tool used by more designers worldwide than any other CAD software.
Offering software on a trial basis is a common practice in the technology industry, and typically involves prospects either downloading a stripped version for concept evaluation or receiving a 30-day full product trial CD in the mail. Costs and follow-up tasks related to those trial methods can be substantial. Autodesk looked to Magi AppExpress technology to reduce trialware costs without compromising the quality of the user's experience. As a result, Autodesk is able to deliver more product, discover more customer opportunities and add more security to the AutoCAD 2004 trial process. The AutoCAD 2004 trialware being delivered using Magi AppExpress technology is not a demonstration product, but a completely functional version that includes the ability to create, view, save and plot files.
Endeavors Technology is a leader in developing Web-based products for transferring and sharing digital information. With its trialware delivery solution, Endeavors has provided Autodesk with a new efficient way to get to market while lowering costs of trialware projects.
The streaming technology of Magi AppExpress downloads AutoCAD 2004 components from trial site server to a PC on an "as needed" basis. The trial site automatically first checks that a PC satisfies the minimum requirements needed to install and run the streaming trial software. If it encounters any problems, it flags these errors and suggests how to correct them and proceed. When all the requirements are met, the streaming trial client and AutoCAD 2004 cache are downloaded to a virtual drive on the PC. Icons to access the AutoCAD 2004 trial and the accompanying Express Tools are placed on the desktop.

Tuesday 1 April 2003 ( from CW360)

Web conferencing comes of age



Web conferencing is proving to be a smart way for businesses to strengthen collaboration and trim costs.

Andrew Nilssen, senior analyst and partner at Wainhouse Research, said web conferencing services raked in $315m last year. Nilssen expected the industry to grow 22% a year over the next five years, as it moves from "a renegade to a blessed stage".

One reason Nilssen and others take such a bright view of Web conferencing is its ability to help IT managers keep costs in check while offering a range of pricing models. All players offer a laundry list of collaboration services, such as audio and videoconferencing, application sharing and whiteboarding. But technologies and approaches vary.

Of the pure service providers, WebEx Communications leads the pack. PlaceWare and Raindance Communications offer hosted software services, while IBM, Spectel and Microsoft offer enterprise collaboration software.

Robert Mahowald, research manager of Collaborative Computing at IDC, said IT managers should consider their company's size, its existing IT infrastructure, and how the technology will be used.

Mahowald added that small and midsized businesses tended to stick with a services-only approach because there is no heavy up-front investment and meetings can be arranged on an ad hoc basis. "Very small businesses don't think strategically, but tactically, and will go after services nine times out of 10."

Many large firms, on the other hand, see web services and hosted software offerings as a convenient way to bring together global workers, shave travel costs and strengthen virtual teams.

Nilssen said firms that want to use the technology as part of their daily workflow should think about investing in enterprise collaboration software that integrates with other business applications and sits behind the company firewall.

Most major web conferencing services can transgress company firewalls, and offer security, Nilssen said, but some industries, such as healthcare, are required to have their data sitting inside the company firewall, making software a better solution.

In the realm of collaboration software, IBM Lotus Sametime stands out. Sametime posted year-on-year revenue growth of 30% in 2002, and has more than eight million users.

Many believe that Microsoft's real-time collaboration project, codenamed Greenwich, will challenge Sametime when it launches later this year. Greenwich is expected to combine peer-to-peer voice and videoconferencing with instant messaging, one-click e-mail generation, authentication, logging and alerts.

Microsoft agreed to acquire conferencing service provider PlaceWare in January, and analysts expected to see PlaceWare technologies in Microsoft products in the next year or so.

Very interesting!!

Many believe that Microsoft's real-time collaboration project, codenamed Greenwich, will challenge Sametime when it launches later this year. Greenwich is expected to combine peer-to-peer voice and videoconferencing with instant messaging, one-click e-mail generation, authentication, logging and alerts.


M

Posted by TT on 3i's


Morning Rentier

I guess I have an advantage over you ....... from looking at your recent posts it's clear you have no position in Tads and not close to the current situation. I went to the AGM and talked to the directors and many of the shareholders present. I also played an active part in the session itself.

Both before and after the meeting, I talked on the phone for many hours with customers - shareholders and people close to the company. I guess what I am saying is - I think I might be in a better situation than yourself in forming an up-to-date view of where we might be heading.

Tads has changed in every way - we are software rather than hardware orientated ......... we have let BH the former CEO go ...... we have new management - reduced cost base - new products and a new strategy is being formed and implemented.

I am an experience trader as well as an investor and always welcome someone taking the opposing view - allows me to buy cheaper:-). I can understand why recent sellers want the price to move down - it would confirm they made the right decision. I can understand why you want to try and talk them down and talking of bombs and cataustrophic endings is no different than me talking of lift-off.

Clearly you don't believe in their future but I do. You are not investing but I am and have invested. Question is - who is right?


You talk of the bottoming process as a chartist would comment - Tads is or was news led and will now be led by contract news/rumour and actual results. Fact is - there is always a bottom and chartists are usually able to tell you when it happened ......... around 3-12 months after it has happened. I am not in the business of calling a bottom or in waiting until guys like yourself confirm that the doubling of the price says the bottom has happened already (6 months ago).

I am in the business of playing the odds - the calculated odds. in the process I have to guestimate where the bottom is and what fair value is ..... you say they are overpriced - I say they are oversold.

The end of GEM will not be announced other than the time expiry - contracts will be announced soon after they are signed ......... I am in the business of 2nd guessing when the contracts will come. My take is soooooon - very soon. Maybe not in magi or IM but in Cartesia and apps X. I am certain we will be in profit by end of the next interims - that's in a years time. I am reasonably convinced we will be cash flow positive by end of this year.

We may get a partner for Endeavours - we may get $20 million from the HW option - We may get big clients for magi and or IM ...... these will be the icing on the cake.

We are currently worth less than 9 million - I think we can see 30 million. I accept some will not agree but that's how I make money ....... so I will not knock it.

MEPs discover the power of GI at Brussels reception
Company: Open GIS Consortium (OGC)

Apr 01, 2003

Southampton,UK--UK national mapping agencies connect with Europe Dozens of MEPs and EC officials attended an evening reception at the European Parliament in Brussels, which highlighted the important contribution of geographic information (GI) to achieving EU objectives. Hosted by Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland (OSNI), the reception was supported by EuroGeographics, the representative organisation of European mapping agencies.

The theme of the reception was 'Connecting with Europe', with key speeches by Joakim Ollen, (President of EuroGeographics), Steve Erskine (Managing Director of Graphic Brands, Ordnance Survey), Stan Brown (Director of Marketing, OSNI) and Vanessa Lawrence (Director General and Chief Executive, Ordnance Survey).

The speakers highlighted how GI can contribute to European Directives, and emphasised the benefits of a common geographic framework for Europe's information economy. The presence of several European mapping agency CEOs demonstrated how working together to promote best practice can achieve significant common goals.

The reception was a highlight of Ordnance Survey's week-long exhibition at the European Parliament, visited by many interested MEPs including Glenys Kinnock and UK Cabinet Minister Peter Hain.

Britain's national mapping agency is directly involved with the development of European and international GI standards, and is a member of the Open GIS Consortium and EuroGeographics. In common with other European mapping agencies, Ordnance Survey provides topographical data for a pan-European 1:1 million scale EuroGlobalMap. This dataset can provide the structure to support a number of EU policies, including the Water Framework Directive. Geographic intelligence can also provide solutions for key EU policy areas such as transportation, community development, agriculture, emergency response, environmental management and information technology.

The reception demonstrates Ordnance Survey's wider commitment to communicate the benefits of GI to policy and decision-makers, both in Britain and internationally.

Britain's national mapping agency is directly involved with the development of European and international GI standards, and is a member of the Open GIS Consortium and EuroGeographics. In common with other European mapping agencies, Ordnance Survey provides topographical data for a pan-European 1:1 million scale EuroGlobalMap. This dataset can provide the structure to support a number of EU policies, including the Water Framework Directive. Geographic intelligence can also provide solutions for key EU policy areas such as transportation, community development, agriculture, emergency response, environmental management and information technology.

I bet TAD are involved there big time.

How did it go? OS to recoup the cost of development by reselling.........


M

http://nt1.directionsmag.com/pressreleases.asp?PressID=6798

Cartesia is coming of age..

M

http://gis.esri.com/uc2003/exhibitors/uc.cfm

M

New MSN, Windows Messengers On the Way
April 4, 2003
By Christopher Saunders


Some of the confusion surrounding the differences between Microsoft's (Quote, Company Info) Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger could be reduced when the Redmond, Wash. software giant ships new -- and increasingly specialized -- versions of each IM client in coming months.

Both IM applications will be a part of larger, upcoming products. MSN Messenger 5.0 Build #544 is an incremental update slated to ship as part of Microsoft's MSN 8.5, which was released to beta in recent weeks. MSN Messenger 6, which has not been released to beta testing yet, is said to incorporate client-side logging features, and will likely accompany the release of MSN 9.

More dramatic changes are to be found with Windows Messenger 5.0 Build #149, a beta version of the IM client expected to ship as part of the "Greenwich" Real-Time Collaboration Server. As a result, most of the changes in Windows Messenger ensure the app's position as Microsoft's business-focused IM client.

For one thing, Windows Messenger now recognizes users' local e-mail client -- Outlook Express or Outlook 2003 -- rather than MSN Hotmail, as the default e-mail client of choice. It also supports Ink -- that is, input from pen-enabled TabletPCs, Microsoft's recent effort into creating a new enterprise PC niche.

Vanished from Windows Messenger 4.7 are the abilities to participate in chat rooms or to view another user's MSN profile. Also gone is the built-in ability to send a message to a user's mobile device, as well as a configuration option for your own mobile device, for receiving messages from other .NET Service users.

Additionally, the Add-ins and Add-Ins Web site link are gone, as is Publish my Phone Number and Edit my Mobile Settings.

However, Windows Messenger 5 users regain the ability to connect to three different messaging services. In addition to the .NET Service, which also supports MSN Messenger, added back into the client is support for Exchange Messaging, which had disappeared in versions after 4.7.0106. In addition to adding Exchange support, the generic-sounding "Communications Service Account" has been rebranded to become "SIP Communications Service Account" -- hammering home Microsoft's support for Session Initiation Protocol in Greenwich.

Additionally, support is added back in for launching a NetMeeting session from the client.

The changes come as Microsoft seeks to clearly differentiate the two "Messenger" clients available for the Windows platform. In a larger sense, Microsoft and the other public IM networks, America Online (Quote, Company Info) and Yahoo! (Quote, Company Info), are aiming to position their instant messaging services as business-quality, after long being viewed as a consumer-only -- and especially teenaged -- phenomenon. All three are rolling out or already marketing gateways that layer enterprise control onto public IM use within the workplace.

Microsoft also recently released a new version of its MSN Messenger client for Mac OS X, incorporating features as yet unavailable in its Windows clients -- like client-side chat logging. (Competing Mac products, like Apple's iChat, offer logging.) On the other hand, it also adds support for .NET Alerts -- a service long absent from Mac clients, and which is growing in importance to Microsoft.

Christopher Saunders is managing editor of InstantMessagingPlanet.

Ikeja
The chairman's words when talking about a strategic partner were to mention Bristol Water and not to fall into the same trap.
Which I took him to mean we are in talks but will not announce anything until it is signed.
Guru 1 1/4

Guru 1 1/4
Thanks for coming back to my question. Let's hope the new management speeds things up a bit.

Posted by Ken Thompson on 3i's

I've been a long time suporter of the company and I am still fully invested. Recent events, particularly the resignation of Bernard Hulme, and the drop in share price has caused me to agonise and reassess my holding several times in very quick succession.

Nobody enjoys the value of their investments dropping. And as a matter of information those that gloat in it are beyond contempt in my opinion ................but whatever they get off on is their own personal choice.

The results of my dilebrations are that Tadpole have made mistakes, some which they can stiull address and some which they cannot.

1. With hindsight the purchase of the hardware business was a mistake, although at the time it seemd a sound business plan to fund the r and d of the Software side with money made form the hware arm. The only saving grace in this area would be the possible payback for the 19% of the hardware company we retained. It is possibility, but not a certainty, that a hardware float could return more money than the entire group is worth at this moment in time.

2. The number of products being developed at ETI has been too large and this has led to the thin spreading of both reasearch and sales efforts. Hopefully David Lee and Keith Bigsby will and concentrate and focus our efforts on the areas that have the greatest potential for success and quick return on investment. Time is undoubtedly an important factor for Tadpole now and in my opinion it may be necessary to focus our efforts on Applications Express and Instant Messaging. This may well involve Enterprise being put on the back burner till conditions are more favourable but I would retain the IP for this because I believe it will be successful in more favourable conditions.

3. I believe the company will need to look carefully at its target markets and carefully examine its pricing structure for the different markets. Gaining a number of adoptions is now important and lower prices and margins are acceptable. Afterall the r and d is virtually paid for.

4. The progress in Cartesia is pleasing. The alliance with ESRI was a masterstroke. Cartesia appears to be growing in strength and I believe there is much more to come form it. However I feel strongly that to convert the company just to cartesia would be a big mistake. Like it or not the prospects for strong future growth lie with Endeavours and therefore I believe strongly that Cartesia should help to fund ETI in the short term.

5. GEM initially looked like a good way of funding development in the software business without taking on debt. In fact the sale of the hware division probably meant a bank facility was out of the question so a GEM type option was the only choice.
However times have changed and GEM is acting like a dark cloud over sharholder value. Nobody is going to invest or even trade when they know that the company is highly likely to launch another tranch of shares as soon as the share price goes up.
Added to that we have, in my opinion, the questionable ethics of GEM selling 15 days before the rest of us know about the release of new shares. It has also crossed my mind that GEM must place the sale of these share with an unspecified broker and only their snese of fair play and sound ethics would prevent them form taking an advantge of it.
Perhaps that is a matter for the FSA and its new chairman.

One way or another draw down of funds using GEM is now a mistake on the comapnies behalf. It is counter productive at these prices and is alienating their own sharholder base. It must ne stopped as soon as possible.

So where do we stand :

1. The Company has few issues to address as a matter of urgency.

2. With reduced overheads it looks like sales of somewhere in the region of 7 million would see us break even. Based on the Note using the figures as of Sept 2002. I am feeling more confident this is achievable by the end of this year. Cartesia looks to be the biggest contributor.

3. The much quoted 300k for ETI seems to be based on September 2002 estimates of revenue. Somehow I have a feeling that Autodesk, Centia, Mitsibushi. NTT,Livelink, Protarius and any other we win by September will exceed this.


So I personally think the share is oversold and think by September will have recovered from todays low levels on sound basics. Being realistic the idea of a sudden dramatic recovery in share price is also unlikely but with Tad......You just never know.

Ken Thompson

Monday April 7, 5:03 PM

NTT DoCoMo to add credit-card function to handsets

ADVERTISEMENT




Click to enlarge photo
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's top mobile phone operator, NTT DoCoMo Inc, said on Monday it would soon launch a trial service that would allow subscribers to make payments at stores using their cellphone handsets.

Users of its 504i and 504iS series of handsets, which are Internet-enabled and equipped with an infrared transmission port, would first download their credit-card authentication data from the Internet.

When making a purchase, users would simply transmit the data via wireless transmission by pointing the handset at a special terminal located by the store's registers.

DoCoMo plans to start a test service in June, with a commercial operation slated for early 2004.

More than eight million people are using DoCoMo's 504i and 504iS handsets.

DoCoMo will cooperate with Visa International, Nippon Shinpan Co Ltd, OMC Card Inc and Aeon Credit Service Co Ltd for the new service, a DoCoMo spokesman said.

Nippon Shinpan, OMC and Aeon are Japan's major consumer credit card companies.

Return on Investments 400%

The integration of Magi Application Express into Autodesk's AutoCAD 2002 trial strategy resulted in faster, higher quality lead generation for the company - leading to a 400% return on investment. More trials were generated online versus traditional CD trials, which led to faster customer conversions and more sales.

Magi Application Express provided a rich experience for the streaming trial users. The rapid application download and the exceptional application performance, as if directly installed from a CD, allowed users to immediately utilize the software. With the strong anti-piracy mechanisms of Magi Application Express, Autodesk was able to allow streaming trial users to explore the full functionality of the application. Consequently, a shorter evaluation period was needed for users to determine the suitability of the software and purchase decisions for AutoCAD 2002 were made sooner than planned. Additionally, users were inclined to purchase more complementary products than originally intended.

The detailed user data that was collected provided Autodesk with real-time information about application usage and end-user


http://www.endeavors.com/as_trialware_case.html


M

Nice one .... peeps wil pay for new software if it saves them money

This is a placing of shares organised by the broker with the institutions. David Lee's purchase of shares represents 84% of his annual fee from Tadpole. The placing is not linked with GEM.

With best regards,

Hugh



Morning Hugh

Have seen the news, not sure I fully understand it.

Couple of questions.

Does this replace the gem agreement.

Is it linked to GEM in any way.

Who has bought the 21M shares is it an institution or a consortium, any clues.

Please be as direct as you can.

Good research ML.
Guru

See todays FT

Technology: Mobile Computing



by Karl Cushing

Tuesday 15 April 2003

Ordnance Survey staff to get XP Tablet PCs



The Ordnance Survey is to issue its field surveyors with 300 Tablet PCs running Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to enable them to supply faster updates to OS Mastermap, its digital map database and online delivery service.

"We are upgrading our Tablet PCs in anticipation of the demands we will be putting on the system," said project manager Simon Bartlett. "There is a definite return on investment in using Tablet PCs and digital technology. It also greatly enhances the quality and accuracy of the data."

The Tablet PCs will use the Ordnance Survey's new data capture and field editing system, Field Object Editor, which is currently under development. Using the pen-based interface, surveyors will record geospatial data such as the position of buildings and streets and send updates to the central database from which OS Mastermap is produced.

The Field Object Editor is based on ESRI software adapted by software firm Tadpole.

The surveyors currently use Fujitsu Siemens FT 3400 and 3500 tablet PCs running Windows 98 and a geographic information system mapping application called Prism that pulls files from a central database for updating.


Mapping IT
The Ordnance Survey finished digitising its 233,000 map files in 1995

Electronic data accounts for 80% of its turnover

It is developing a central database to hold its files in a "seamless" instead of a "tiled" format of individual files. The data will be controlled by a transaction management system from Tadpole to enable access by multiple users instead of a single user, as at present.