10 July 2002 Microsoft yesterday released a beta version of new content management software that offers support for web services and enhanced authoring tools.

The beta edition of Content Management Server 2002, which can be downloaded from Microsoft’s web site, forms part of the software giant’s .Net ebusiness software family and sits alongside BizTalk Server, SharePoint Portal Server and other server platforms.

The new version represents the most significant development surrounding Microsoft’s content management software since the company acquired the technology from Canadian start-up NCompass Labs in April 2001.

It contains a variety of new features, among them support for .Net and XML-based web services, including the ability to expose content as web services for content syndication. It also features integration with Visual Studio .Net, Microsoft’s development toolkit, and the ASP.Net web site framework.

Also new is the ability for users to publish directly to their web site from within Microsoft Word and other Office applications via the Authoring Connector tool.

In addition, the server works with Microsoft Application Center for help in managing individual web sites and server farms. Developers can do scheduled appointments, automatic registration of server control components and incremental deployments.

The final version of the software is expected to be released in autumn 2002.