Site9 Launch Platform Offers New Approach to Web Development

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Wednesday, November 1, 2006; 03:41 AM

Site9 announced that its new Launch Platform development kit challenges the current web development paradigm with a design-to-deployment and website management system, which allows users to build and launch next-generation websites nine times faster with 60 percent fewer resources. Site9 also said a number of leading advertising and interactive agencies are already in the process of licensing the platform.

"We expect Launch Platform to revolutionize web development," said Andrew Mottaz, co-founder, chairman and CTO. "Just as the publishing industry was transformed with accessible, user-friendly software, Launch Platform is a tool that empowers non-programmers to architect, build and manage state-of-the-art commercial websites."

Creating a modern, feature-rich website requires an array of highly specialized applications and technologies. These disparate tools drive designers and developers apart, resulting in inefficient planning, custom programming requirements and considerable expense. With the Site9 Launch Platform, a modest team can build complete cutting-edge sites, where a sizable collection of programmers, designers and technical experts were formerly needed.

"Leading interactive developers quickly recognize that Launch Platform drastically redefines the process of building websites," said Don Carter, president and CEO of Site9. "We're taking developers from the typical page-at-a-time process to a site-wide, design-to-deployment collaborative process."

"We see the potential of Site9's Launch Platform technology," said Steve Gray, technology director at Avenue A/Razorfish, a leading interactive agency worldwide. "Web development would definitely benefit from a process that is quicker, more fluid and collaborative."

Site9's technology is a unifying platform that supports all aspects of web development and deployment for large-scale commercial sites -- without back-end programming. The Site9 Launch Platform consists of two integrated environments: Launch, where sites are designed, built, and deployed; and Command, where sites are managed and maintained.

Developers begin with a live site map that dynamically generates the framework of a website. When a page is added, the corresponding site structure and navigation are automatically constructed, immediately transforming ideas into a working site with just a few mouse clicks.

Pages are easily optimized for search engine effectiveness as they're added, and can be readily tuned throughout the life of the site. "As a marketer, I appreciate Site9's search engine-friendly CMS platform," stated Kent Lewis, president of Anvil Media, Inc. and SEMpdx.

Flexible wireframing of pages promotes rapid prototyping and improved team collaboration. Developers instantly add complex site functionality through a large library of built in Site9 Modules. These configurable components provide plug-n-play integration of features including e-commerce, RSS and podcasting, video-on-demand, advertising, AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) interactivity, and other dynamic content. Launch Platform also introduces extremely powerful item-based page development: universal arrangements for products or images that can instantly generate thousands of pages.

When it comes to final design, developers are unrestricted in incorporating any look or layout their clients require, as there are no pre-defined templates to limit creativity. The program works seamlessly with imported HTML and CSS, including from third-party applications such as Dreamweaver.

Site9 Command provides ongoing management of any website created with Launch. Groundbreaking in its ease-of-use interface, Command lets users assign privileges, add or edit content, update product lines, create new store categories or pages, update or change navigation, optimize pages for search engines and more.

With a process that results in website development up to nine times faster with 60 percent of the resources, agencies are excited to adopt the Site9 platform. "Respond2 is always looking for ways to provide better value to our clients and be able to provide quick turnaround on the large number of sites that we're producing. Site9 is working on creating the tools to help make that possible," said Mitch Turpen, technical director at Respond2, the largest independent direct response television (DRTV) agency in the country.

The Site9 Launch Platform makes its public debut on November 6-8, 2006 in New York City at ad:tech, the leading conference and tradeshow dedicated to interactive advertising, media and marketing. Launch Platform is currently available to advertising and interactive agencies in the U.S. The introductory price for an annual five-seat license begins at $5995. Annual site deployment fees are based on site-specific parameters.