Archive for February, 2009

Last April, we launched Six Apart Media, our innovative advertising program that helps make bloggers and advertisers successful.

Today’s bloggers are savvy, outspoken and influential, inspiring a record number of people to join conversations throughout the social web. We’re happy to report that to date, Six Apart Media reaches over 2.4 million of these influential bloggers with more than 85.5 million engaged readers. Since our launch, we’ve had some incredibly talented bloggers join our advertising program, including:

• Unreality Magazine
• Cake and Commerce
• Silicon Valley Moms Blog

Most recently, we’ve been hard at work on a campaign for Nature Made, who asked us to help inspire people to share their stories of greatness. Since we know how much bloggers love sharing and because we believe that each of us has a personal story of greatness to tell, this was a campaign we couldn’t wait to kick off.

You can share your story of greatness by answering today’s QotD on Vox, LiveJournal and within your TypePad profile. If you don’t have an account with any of those services, don’t worry, anyone can answer the Question of the Day on Blogs.com! Once you’ve answered, be sure to submit your story on the Nature Made website. You could win $1,000 and appear in the Nature Made “Fuel Your Greatness” documentary.

With so many great bloggers and advertisers on board, we are very excited for what the future holds. Are you ready to join the conversation? Whether you’re a blogger who wants to generate income from your blog, or an advertiser looking for creative ways to reach your target audience, we have a solution for you.

Visit Six Apart Advertising to learn more.

Zend Delivers Fully Integrated Web Solution on IBM i
Zend’s PHP-based Web Stack To Ship On All IBM i Servers

Cupertino, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—February 5, 2009—Zend Technologies, Inc., the PHP Company, announced today that it is teaming with IBM to preload Zend’s Web stack with every shipment of IBM i software, the integrated operating environment for IBM Power Systems, including all hardware that ships with IBM i.  Zend’s PHP-based Web solution stack lets customers Web enable IBM i assets and includes support on IBM i for rapid application development and Rich Internet Applications (RIAs). With PHP, IBM i users also get immediate access to a vast ecosystem of market leading PHP applications and a large professional developer community.

Since the start of IBM and Zend’s joint partnership more than 12,000 IBM i customers from 150 countries have obtained Zend products for IBM i and PHP has been utilized by i customers in rolling out business-critical Web applications.  With Zend Core, Zend’s Web solution stack, now bundled with the IBM i operating environment, IBM customers now enjoy an out-of-the-box experience with PHP on both the IBM i 5.4 and IBM i 6.1 implementations.

“Today’s announcement is an expansion of the relationship between the two companies to further enhance PHP-based offerings for IBM i customers,” said Scott Handy, Vice President, Worldwide Marketing,  Strategy, and Sales Support, IBM Power Systems. “Our customers asked for PHP and we brought Zend PHP to the platform. The enthusiasm for—and utilization of—Zend PHP has exceeded our expectations.”

PHP is the most popular Web development language due to its ease of use and enterprise-grade functionality.  More than 22 million Internet domains deploy PHP including Yahoo! and Facebook.  PHP’s large developer community is estimated at close to 5 million and also enjoys a rich application eco-system including the popular Drupal content management system.  PHP’s popularity has accelerated rapidly over recent years due to its flexibility and ease of use in building modern web applications and web services, including its much heralded support on IBM i operating environments.
 
Zend Technologies has worked with IBM for more than three years to deliver PHP-based products, support, services, and education for IBM i.  Recently, based on feedback from IBM i customers, Zend has delivered a 5250 bridge to simplify the modernization and extension of business applications.  Zend Framework can also be used with IBM i to rapidly and easily build industrial-strength web applications in PHP.

“We have worked with midsize and large i clients to run PHP applications ranging from complete order management systems, to web-enabling their green screen ERP systems, to leveraging the vast open source application portfolio that continues to grow every day,” said Andi Gutmans, CEO at Zend Technologies.  “In addition, IBM & Zend business partners are generating revenue by web-enabling green screen applications and building new web-based applications, reducing costs and extending the long life of this powerful platform.”

Customers and Partners Using IBM i
“We’re heavy users of IBM i” said John Horner IBM Power Systems programming manager at APi Group, a billion dollar conglomerate with home security, transportation/distribution, and specialty construction interests.  “Rather than move to a brand name ERP system implementation estimated to cost 8 figures+ and take 3 years to implement, we were able to significantly reduce our risk, stay on IBM Power Systems platforms, and completely modernize our applications using Zend Solutions for PHP.  We completed this project at 1/10 the cost and in only 18 months!”

“Everyone knows that Business Partners—for instance VARs/SIs and consultants like myself—are experiencing margin compression and Zend’s PHP solutions present an additional revenue stream for us, which is key,” said Larry Nies, President of NSC.   “As a whole PHP runs faster, accesses the database quicker, and is easier for the RPG-minded developer to become proficient in, than other web languages (Net.data, CGIDEV2, Java, etc.)  Using Zend’s solution suite we can often deliver our implementations in 50-80% less time than competing solutions.”
For more information about Zend on IBM i please visit: http://www.zend.com/i

To view the IBM Announcement Letter regarding Zend on IBM i please visit:  http://www.ibm.com/common/ssi/rep_ca/1/897/ENUS209-011/

About Zend
Zend Technologies, Inc., The PHP Company, is the leading provider of products and services for developing, deploying, and managing business-critical PHP applications.  PHP is used by more than twenty million web sites and has quickly become the most popular language for building dynamic web applications.  Deployed at more than 27,000 companies worldwide, the Zend family of products is a comprehensive platform for supporting the entire lifecycle of PHP applications.  Zend is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

For more information, please visit http://www.zend.com or call +1 408-253-8800.

Press Contact:
Bradford Cottel
Zend Technologies
+1 408 253 8812
pr@zend.com

Signs First Movable Type APS Package Agreement with Datagram

San Francisco, CA – February 4, 2009 - Six Apart, the world’s leading blogging software and services company, today announced the availability of Movable Type through hosting providers who support the Parallels’ Application Packaging Standard (APS) format.  Now any size organization can purchase Movable Type via a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, making it easier than ever to get a social website up and running on Movable Type.  Datagram, the Internet Network Services Company, is the first hosting provider to sign a formal agreement to use the APS format of Movable Type.

Six Apart made the announcement at the 2009 Parallels Summit, the premier hosting conference currently taking place in Las Vegas, where it is an exhibitor and two of its executives are speaking.  Ed Anuff, EVP and GM of Movable Type and Six Apart Services, and Michael Sippey, VP of Product Strategy, are participating on panels during the three-day conference.

 “We are committed to making it easier than ever to build a rich, interactive website on the Movable Type platform, and this is one more step in that direction.  By supporting the APS format, we can provide end users and hosting providers with the best social media platform available,” said Ed Anuff.  “Now partners like Datagram can generate additional revenue by bundling Movable Type with other services while end users can use Movable Type on an on-demand basis with confidence that they will have the most up-to-date version of Movable Type in a high quality environment.”

The APS format, which was designed by Parallels, enables hosting providers to efficiently provision and install Movable Type on their existing infrastructure using a standard “socket” for APS applications.  As an APS-compliant application, Movable Type is compatible with Parallels’ Plesk control panel and Virtuozzo containers.

In an increasingly competitive market, hosting providers can differentiate their service offerings with Movable Type to retain existing customers, attract new clients, and generate additional revenue per user.  Movable Type’s blogging and content management capabilities, built-in social and community features, powerful administration and analytics tools, and proven security track record make Movable Type a premium addition to any hosting service package.

“Movable Type will be a valuable addition to our wide range of dedicated hosting options,” said Alex Reppen, CEO of Datagram.  “We understand the vital role blogs play on the web and with Movable Type available in APS format and our experience in hosting, a partnership to provide a hosted Movable Type solution made a lot of sense.”

Hosting providers interested in learning more about Movable Type partnership opportunities can contact Six Apart by visiting movabletype.com/services/partners/signup.

About Datagram
Datagram is the Internet Solutions Company that enables clients to efficiently leverage the Internet to achieve their objectives by providing highly reliable network and datacenter-based services, such as Dedicated Hosting, Internet Access, Colocation and Disaster Recovery. With over fifteen years experience in designing networks and server environments, Datagram operates state-of-the-art network and datacenter facilities in the New York metropolitan area, with additional points of service in Connecticut and California. Datagram is committed to optimal customer support and first-in-class technology so customers can focus on growing their business while Datagram takes care of the rest. Datagram: Internet Solutions Made Simple.  To simplify your company’s Internet solutions, please visit www.datagram.com.

About Movable Type
Movable Type is Six Apart’s flagship blog software product, launched in 2001. Today, this robust social publishing platform powers many of the websites and blogs of the world’s largest media companies and Fortune 100 businesses, small and medium sized businesses, and power bloggers. Movable Type is a fully integrated, scalable, proven social publishing platform upon which to build highly interactive websites, blogs and social networks. For more information please visit www.movabletype.com.

About Six Apart
Six Apart Ltd. provides award-winning blogging software and services that change the way millions of individuals, organizations, and corporations connect and communicate around the world every day. The company provides the Movable Type social publishing platform, the TypePad premier hosted blogging service, Vox, a free blogging service for friends and families, advertising solutions for leading brands and influential bloggers, and a wide range of services dedicated to help bloggers thrive in today’s social media landscape. Founded in 2001, Six Apart is a global company with its headquarters in San Francisco, and offices in Tokyo, Paris and New York City. For more information, visit the Six Apart corporate web site at www.sixapart.com.

Media Contact
Six Apart
Jane Anderson
650-440-0540

Zend Technologies Co-Founder Andi Gutmans Named Chief Executive Officer
MySQL Veteran Mark Burton Named Zend Executive Chairman

CUPERTINO, Calif. — February 3, 2009 — Zend Technologies, the PHP Company, today announced that it has appointed Andi Gutmans, Zend co-founder, as its chief executive officer.  Gutmans was most recently senior vice president for R&D and alliances at Zend, as well as chief technical officer.  It also named Mark Burton, formerly executive vice president of worldwide sales at MySQL, as executive chairman.  Harold Goldberg, who held the position of CEO at Zend Technologies during the past two years, will leave to pursue other opportunities.

Cameron Lester, a Zend director and general partner at Azure Capital Partners remarked: “Zend’s probably the most mature, fast track open source company today. Andi Gutmans’ vision and execution skills have played a key role in guiding the company’s strategy and expansion, and have supported PHP’s phenomenal growth to become the platform of choice for over 20 million Web sites.  Business customers—especially in our current environment—are increasingly looking to open-source solutions to deliver both cost benefit and business agility, which is driving increasing opportunity for Zend.  With Andi’s appointment as CEO, we are now confident that Zend has the leadership team in place to accelerate the execution of its growth strategy.”

“We are very fortunate to have Mark Burton join Zend as executive chairman,” says Danny Rimer, a Zend director and general partner at Index Ventures. “Mark was part of one of the most successful leadership teams in the history of open-source and there are many parallels between his former company—MySQL— and the strategy Andi has been driving at Zend. Mark will take a very active role and will add considerable operational and commercial depth to the team.”

Andi Gutmans stated, “I am honored to take the leadership role at the company I co-founded years ago, when open-source was in its infancy.  Zend’s enterprise-grade PHP solutions and our growing customer roster have increased awareness of the high maturity level of PHP and the efficiencies it brings as most applications move to the Web.  Going forward, we will continue to expand our industry-leading solutions for developing and running business-critical PHP applications, work more closely with our partners, and maintain our strong commitment to the open-source community.”

Mark Burton said, “I am thrilled to be joining Zend’s board of directors and am looking forward to working with Andi on realizing Zend’s strategic opportunity.  Zend is uniquely positioned to take full advantage of PHP’s growth in driving business critical Web applications.”

About Andi Gutmans
Andi Gutmans has been instrumental in building Zend into the company it is today.  In addition to building key partnerships with IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, and Adobe, and contributing to major sales engagements, in 2006 he led the company’s largest round of funding to date.  Gutmans’ leadership of the company’s open source project Zend Framework has included galvanizing the PHP and enterprise communities around the benefits of standardization and has broadened the professionalism and market reach of PHP and of Zend solutions worldwide. 
Gutmans was named one of Computerworld’s “40 innovative IT people to watch, under the age of 40.”  He is also recognized from the widely circulated technical publications he has authored and is a frequent speaker on business and technology issues at global conferences.  Gutmans is a member of the PHP Group, the Apache Software Foundation, and serves on the board of the Eclipse Foundation. Gutmans holds a B.A. in Computer Science from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology.

About Mark Burton
Mark Burton has 29 years of sales and marketing experience. His past accomplishments include executive sales roles at MySQL AB and Informatica.  At MySQL, as EVP of Worldwide Sales and Alliances, he contributed as the sales executive building a worldwide sales engine monetizing the MySQL open source brand and culminating in a $1 billion acquisition by Sun Microsystems in February 2008.  At Informatica, Mr. Burton held roles as senior vice president of Americas Sales and eventually group vice president of Worldwide Sales and Alliances.  His contribution helped grow Informatica from $12m to over $150m in sales resulting in a successful IPO in April 1999 and a secondary offering in September 2000.   Other positions include several vice president of sales and marketing roles in early stage companies, executive-in-residence at Partech International Venture Partners, and regional sales management at Oracle, among others.

Burton was also recently appointed to serve on the board of directors of open-source leaders MuleSource and Infobright as well as on the advisory board for Jaspersoft.

About Zend Technologies, Inc.
Zend Technologies, Inc., the PHP Company, is the leading provider of products and services for developing, deploying, and managing business-critical PHP applications.  PHP is used by more than twenty million web sites and has quickly become the most popular language for building dynamic web applications.  Zend Framework, the leading open source PHP framework, has been downloaded over 10 million times and corporate adopters and contributors include Fox Interactive Media, Google, IBM, and Microsoft. Deployed at more than 27,000 companies worldwide, the Zend family of products is a comprehensive platform for supporting the entire lifecycle of PHP applications.  Zend is headquartered in Cupertino, California.
For more information, please visit http://www.zend.com or call +1 408 253 8800.

Press Contact:
Bradford Cottel
Zend Technologies
+1 408 253 8812
pr@zend.com