Lee Copeland Gladwin

Microsoft Corp. has released two beta versions of its Visual Studio.Net tools aimed at easing the task of designing and creating applications that support Web services.

The growing corporate demand for Web services is accelerating IT's shift to component-based software, a complex and time-consuming process that comes at a time when the software architects needed to design applications are in short supply.

Citing poor coordination between its production lines and its extensive supply chain, Ford Motor Co. early this year outlined the business drivers for overhauling its manufacturing plants with wireless networks that should allow workers to call in automotive parts orders from the shop floor.

In just about every industry

Web services recently received a boost from BEA Systems Inc.at eWorld 2001, the vendor's sixth annual user...

In just about every industry - from automobile manufacturing to chemical production - an electronic marketplace has...