FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 1999
BLUE WORLD ANNOUNCES LASSO 3.5 WEB DATA ENGINE
New version supports JavaScript and XML standards and advanced
functions for Web application developers. Available in full-featured
Application Server editions along with specially priced Developer
editions.
BELLEVUE, WA -- March 29, 1999 -- Blue World Communications, Inc.
today announced the Lasso 3.5 Web Data Engine, a significant upgrade
to Blue World's popular award-winning tool for building and serving
powerful database-driven Web applications. Key new features include
support for Server-Side JavaScript, XML, syntax errors notification,
data interaction with other CGIs, fault recovery, advanced security
and enhanced credit card validation among others. In addition, Lasso
3.5 introduces support for Web servers from Netscape Communications
and support for Windows 95/98. What's more, Lasso 3.5 introduces
exclusive protection against service affecting issues associated with
Web hosting FileMaker Pro databases under certain configurations,
furthering Lasso's position as not only the leading solution, but
also the safest stand-alone CGI solution for Web-enabling FileMaker
Pro databases.
"The Lasso 3.5 Web Data Engine delivers cutting-edge support for
industry standards and offers new tools providing Web application
developers maximum payback on their investment in both time and
money," said Blue World president and CEO Bill Doerrfeld. "For Web
application developers who require mature technology that is easy to
use yet robust enough for their most demanding tasks, Lasso 3.5 is
the clear choice."
New Editions Appeal to Developers and ISP Customers
The Lasso 3.5 Web Data Engine introduces the following new editions;
Lasso Application Server 3.5, Lasso Developer 3.5 and Lasso Publisher
3.5 and continues with the top of the line Lasso Enterprise 3.5
edition. Lasso Application Server 3.5 is for configuration
stress-testing, staging and final deployment of database-driven Web
applications. Lasso Developer 3.5 is specially priced for single user
developers and Lasso ISP hosting customers who create websites for
deployment using Lasso Application Server 3.5. Lasso Publisher 3.5 is
a feature limited version of Lasso Application Server 3.5 available
exclusively through Blue World's OEM partners (see related WebSTAR
Lasso Publisher announcement dated March 29, 1999.)
Recognizing the need for a specially priced version of Lasso for use
by developers who build solutions for deployment elsewhere, leading
Lasso developers and Lasso Internet Service Providers welcome the new
Lasso Developer 3.5 edition.
"Lasso Developer 3.5 is a key addition to any Web application
developer's arsenal of development tools for deployment using Blue
World's Lasso Web Application Server 3.5," said David Haney, general
manager of Advanced Database Systems, a leading Lasso and FileMaker
development consultancy. "Now our hundreds of Lasso Web hosting
customers have the opportunity to become Blue World customers by
purchasing Lasso Developer 3.5 to build and edit their Lasso-driven
websites," said Ben Harper, president of Reprahduce, a leading Lasso
Internet Service Provider. "With Lasso Developer 3.5, Blue World
delivers a key Web database development tool we recommend to many of
our customers when Web hosting FileMaker Pro databases," said Chris
Kilbourn, President of digital.forest, a premiere Internet Service
Provider that specializes in FileMaker Pro database Web hosting.
Server-Side JavaScript, XML and More
Lasso 3.5 introduces support for Server-Side JavaScript allowing the
huge installed base of JavaScript programmers to use Lasso to build
sophisticated database-driven Web applications without acquiring new
programming skills. In conformance with emerging standards, Lasso 3.5
introduces support for the Extensible Markup Language (XML) by
allowing Lasso tags to be coded using XML syntax. Compatibility with
WYSIWYG HTML editors is furthered with enhancements to the LDML
(Lasso Dynamic Markup Language) Object syntax in addition to improved
handling of CDML from FileMaker, Inc. Templates are provided for easy
Lasso 3.5 Web database authoring using Macromedia Dreamweaver 2 and
Adobe GoLive 4 HTML editors.
Dynamic Syntax Checking Speeds Development
A new tag parser improves performance with more accurate tag parsing
and automatically performs dynamic syntax checking with visual error
reporting for enhanced code debugging. Lasso developers can now
instantly locate coding problems and receive detailed feedback on
errors, saving countless hours of development and debugging time.
Additional New Functionality
For enhanced interapplication data exchange and website data
acquisition, the new Include CGI tag can be used to invoke a CGI
located on another server. The Re-Use Form Parameters function allows
for simpler batch management of form parameters within an Inline
command. New encoding tags ease interoperability between Macintosh
and other operating systems. The enhanced Credit Card Validation tag
supports more credit card algorithms.
Enhanced Security and Uninterrupted Service
For enhanced security, Lasso 3.5 only processes files with an
authorized file suffix. Support for Rebound! from Sophisticated
Circuits enables automatic, unattended crash detection and recovery*.
Enhanced Integrity for FileMaker Pro Web Hosting
Lasso 3.5 introduces an exclusive workaround--not available in any
other product or any other version of Lasso--for preventing certain
reproducible problems which can compromise the uninterrupted service
of any publicly accessible FileMaker Pro database on the Internet
that relies on Apple Event communication*. To avoid intentional
denial of service attacks on applicable installations, details on how
to reproduce this issue will not be made available.
About the Lasso 3.5 Web Data Engine
The Lasso Web Data Engine is leading cross-platform Web Application
Server software letting Web developers quickly build and deploy
sophisticated database-driven Web applications for enhanced Web
browser access to information via intranets and the Internet. Lasso
is the leading solution for Web-enabling FileMaker Pro 4.x databases
and also provides robust support for any ODBC-compliant database,
including Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, Informix, Microsoft Access,
Sybase and more. Lasso's innovative architecture provides an industry
first multi-platform, database-independent and open standards
approach to building database-driven websites firmly positioning
Lasso technology within the rapidly evolving server-side Web tools
market. With early Lasso technology embedded within the
market-leading personal and workgroup database FileMaker Pro 4.x from
FileMaker, Inc. combined with the rapidly growing installed based of
Lasso customers, Lasso technology is used at tens of thousands of
business critical websites worldwide. Additional information about
the Lasso Web Data Engine--including competitive comparison reports,
feature overviews, customer success stories, Lasso Internet Service
Providers, Lasso-powered sites, Lasso solutions, distributors and
resellers and a downloadable test drive version--are available at
http://www.blueworld.com/lasso/.
Pricing and Availability
The Lasso 3.5 Web Data Engine is scheduled for release in mid-April,
1999 priced from $299 to $1999. Beginning in mid-April, all
registered Lasso 3 customers may request a free electronically
distributed upgrade to Lasso 3.5 and all registered Lasso 1.x - 2.x
customers can order upgrades to Lasso Application Server 3.5 for
FileMaker Pro for Macintosh priced from $299 - $499.
About Blue World Communications, Inc.
Blue World Communications (http://www.blueworld.com) develops
cross-platform Internet middleware software allowing Internet and
intranet information administrators to quickly build sophisticated
database-driven Web applications. Blue World provides the Lasso 3.5
Web Data Engine (http://www.blueworld.com/lasso/), the Blue World
Store (http://store.blueworld.com) and the Blue World ListSearch
service (http://listsearch.blueworld.com) in fulfillment of its
mission of "bringing business to the internet (tm)." Recently cited
as the State of Washington's 12th fastest growing technology company,
Blue World, based in Bellevue, WA, is a privately held company
founded in 1992.
Media Contact:
Sharol Hance
Blue World Communications, Inc.
425.646.0288 x228, sharol@blueworld.com
* Mac OS installations only.
