NetRegistry scores IBM business

Domain-name specialist NetRegistry has signed into a reseller agreement with IBM, using the extra business to promote products and services on top of its traditional Domain registration business.

Under the agreement, NetRegistry offers IBM's Websphere software in conjunction with its own domain registration, Web-hosting, e-mail management and e-payments products. NetRegistry secured the deal after IBM began receiving a barrage of enquiries from SMEs during its expansive e-business advertising campaign, deciding to refer some of these customers onto channel partners.

"IBM recognises NetRegistry's core competency in tailoring a product range to the SME market," said NetRegistry chief executive officer Larry Bloch. "The agreement means that we complement their product offering and they complement ours."

Microsoft MSN Explorer beta preview releasedWith America Online in its sights as the latest target of its "embrace and extend" strategy, Microsoft has released the final beta version of MSN Explorer, a services-and-software upgrade to the Microsoft Network (MSN). Billed by the software company as "a portal and browser in one", MSN Explorer integrates several Web offerings into one package - among them the free Hotmail e-mail client, MSN Messenger instant messaging service, and the Windows Media Player. MSN Explorer is a key piece of Microsoft's .NET strategy, which aims to make its Windows and Windows-based products available over the Internet as services on a wide array of devices. The beta, dubbed Preview 2, will soon be available for download at preview.msn.com, said company officials, who would not divulge a final release date.

Medical Web program launched

Queensland software development company Golden Orb Technologies has unveiled a new Web site building and publishing product built specifically for the medical and healthcare industry, named Website Weaver. Launched at medical industry conference HIC 2000, Website Weaver is the result of a research and development grant funded by Federal Government and the Queensland State Government, and an extensive beta testing at over 30 medical-related test sites. The Web Server software offers medical firms Web site database management and intranet and extranet capabilities, including secure e-commerce transactions, public and private key encryption and multi-level user authentication.