Ann: Altova announces FREE XMLSPY Home Edition and releases new version 2004r4 of XMLSPY, MAPFORCE, and STYLEVISION

["Altova Announcements" <announce@altova.com>]

Altova (http://www.altova.com) producers of Altova XMLSPY, the world's
leading XML (eXtensible Mark-up Language) development environment, today
announced that the Home Edition of its award-winning XMLSPY product is now
being offered to the public through a FREE software license.

In addition, Altova just announced the immediate availability of Version
2004 Release 4 (v2004r4) of its entire product line.

Far more than a typical interim release, v2004r4 provides major enhancements
across the product line, ranging from advanced editing features and new data
integration capabilities to user interface improvements and new product
editions.

For more information on what's new in v2004r4 visit:
http://www.altova.com/whatsnew.html

The v2004r4 product line is available for immediate download at:
http://www.altova.com/download.html


New in XMLSPY 2004 Release 4
----------------------------
Altova XMLSPY 2004, the industry standard XML development environment,
continues to extend its lead by offering the best in XML technology.
Accordingly, XMLSPY 2004 Professional and Enterprise Editions have been
augmented with several important new features, including:
- Brand new advanced text view functionality
- Extended database support for Sybase, MySQL, and IBM DB2
- XML-aware file differencing and merging
- Enhanced Systems Integration API (COM/Java)

XMLSPY is also offered in a new FREE Home Edition, which is perfect for
students and technology enthusiasts.  In addition to its built-in XML
editing capabilities, XMLSPY 2004 Home Edition gives users the opportunity
to try selected features of the Enterprise and Professional editions of
XMLSPY 2004. These are fully-functional advanced features designed to
accelerate the most demanding aspects of XML development.

Altova recognizes that while XML technologies will be the basis upon which
the next generation of interconnected business systems and Web service
applications are built, the developers of tomorrow need a truly affordable
platform upon which they can learn the technology and gain hands-on
experience. It is with this in mind that Altova decided to make its
powerful, entry level XMLSPY 2004 Home Edition software available at no
cost. After all, what could be more affordable than free?

As a special offer, customers who have purchased previous releases of XMLSPY
Home Edition will receive a 50% discount when they upgrade to XMLSPY
Professional Edition.


New in MAPFORCE 2004 Release 4
------------------------------
Altova has added so much functionality to this graphical data integration
tool that it will now be offered in Professional and Enterprise Editions.
The new features include:
- XML/database/EDI to database mapping (Enterprise Edition)
- EDI to XML mapping (Enterprise Edition)
- MAPFORCE Engine for instant preview of any output
- Customizable XSLT libraries
- User interface enhancements


All New STYLEVISION 2004
------------------------
With Release 4, Altova STYLEVISION 2004 has been completely restructured
around its graphical stylesheet designer functionality, and is now the
ultimate stylesheet designer and database report generator. In one simple
step you can access database data, process it in XML, and render it into
eye-catching HTML pages and PDF reports.

New in the redesigned STYLEVISION 2004 Release 4:
- Database reporting (Enterprise Edition)
- Authentic Forms preview
- Command line operations
- User interface enhancements


Improved Support and Maintenance Pack
-------------------------------------
With v2004r4 Altova is offering a new Support and Maintenance Pack (SMP)
that now covers MAJOR product updates, as well as minor releases published
during the support period, and includes web-based priority technical
support.

For more information about the new SMP, please visit:
http://www.altova.com/support_package.html.

Altova, XMLSPY, MAPFORCE, STYLEVISION, and AUTHENTIC are trademarks of
Altova GmbH registered in numerous countries. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners.