IBM adds Web 2.0 features to electronic forms technology

IBM on Monday released Workplace Forms 2.6, the next version of its electronic forms technology, which will support new Web programming methods and established forms standards. With the latest version, IBM is introducing a new roles-based design tool built on the Eclipse framework that can be configured for designing forms, developing business rules or linking to back-end systems. Reusable components can now be plugged in as a way to snap together form templates and back-end services.

The version also provides support for Asynchronous JavaScript + XML (AJaX), improving the look and performance of forms delivered through a Web browser. According to IBM officials, the marketplace is seeing increasingly more functions being performed through the browser and the latest version now adds more functionality there.

IBM has upgraded its Forms Server with support for AJaX and the W3C standard XForms. The Forms Server, which is part of the Workplace Forms platform that includes a viewer and the Eclipse design tools, includes both the Web Form and form deployment capabilities along with a set of APIs.

The XForms technology creates standards around data models, business rules and presentation of forms. IBM has also added integration with VoiceXML, which allows users to fill out forms using natural speech from devices such as mobile phones.

The Forms Server has been upgraded to support 26 languages.