James Niccolai

Five middleware vendors published a set of technology guidelines Monday that could prove helpful to businesses trying to orchestrate groups of online transactions using Web services.

The SCO Group Inc. has found time amid its litigation efforts to make an acquisition, snapping up software startup Vultus Inc. in a move to bolster its ambitions in the Web services arena.

Sun Microsystems Inc. announced plans for a new version of its portal server software on Thursday, adding support for a proposed Java specification that could make life easier for businesses building portals by reducing the time and effort involved.

BEA Systems Inc. announced the general availability Friday of WebLogic Platform 8.1, the latest edition of its suite of Java server software for developing, deploying and integrating business applications.

Sun Microsystems Inc. announced plans for a new version of its portal server software on Thursday, adding support for a proposed Java specification that could make life easier for businesses building portals by reducing the time and effort involved.

Continuing a push to grow its IT services business, British Telecommunications PLC (BT) has licensed software from AmberPoint Inc. to offer a service that's supposed to help corporations manage Web services deployed internally at their companies, BT announced Wednesday.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC), the world's largest contract chip maker, filed a pre-emptive suit in a U.S. District court Friday in a bid to invalidate technology patents, held by a Chicago company, that it said are being used against its clients.

RealNetworks Inc. expects to announce a deal with a large European mobile operator next week that will see its software used to provide audio and video services in 28 European countries over wireless networks that support data delivery.