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{{short description|Software company}}
{{Infobox_Company
{{Infobox company
| company_name = NetObjects, Inc.
| company_logoname = [[Image:NETONetObjects, logoInc.png]]
| company_typelogo = IncorporationNETO logo.png
| type = Incorporation
| foundation = 1995 (closed 2001, re-established 2009)
| ___location = [[Redwood City, California]] (1995 - 20011995–2001)<br/ >
[[Doylestown, Pennsylvania|Doylestown]], [[Pennsylvania]] (2009 - 2009–present)
| key_people = [[Samir Arora]], founder<br/ >
Steve Raubenstine, President and CEO
Line 12 ⟶ 13:
| revenue = $34.2 million [[United States dollar|USD]] (2000)
| num_employees = ~240 (2000)
| homepage = [http://{{URL|www.netobjects.com/ www.netobjects.com]}}
}}
 
'''NetObjects, Inc.''' is a software company founded in 1995 by [[Samir Arora]], David Kleinberg, [[Clement Mok]] and Sal Arora. The company is best known for the development of [[NetObjects Fusion]], a [[web design]] application for [[small and medium enterprises]] with designers who need complete control over [[page layout]] and a similar [[Graphical user interface|user interface]] as [[desktop publishing]] applications.
 
In its first phase, NetObjects was based in [[Redwood City, California]], and ceased operations in 2001 after selling its assets to [[Website Pros]] (now [[Web.com]]) and a portfolio of patents to [[Macromedia]].
 
In 2009 NetObjects was re-established as an independent software company.
 
== IntroductionHistory ==
===Beginnings===
 
From 1992 to 1995 the founders of NetObjects had worked at [[Rae Technology]] and before that in part at [[Apple Computer]] investigating proto-types of [[web browser]]s, information navigation and web design tools.
 
In 1995 NetObjects was founded to market NetObjects Fusion, a new design tool to build [[web site]]s. The term "[[web site]]", well-known and widespread today, was thencreated still on the rise and is connected withby the work of [[Samir Arora]], David Kleinberg, [[Clement Mok]] and Sal Arora.{{Citation needed|date=December 2008}} and they were awarded the first web site builder patent as inventors.
 
Initially NetObjects was as a privately held company with the Series A venture investment led by Rae Technology, Series B by [[Norwest Venture Partners]] and [[Venrock Associates]], followed by [[Novell]],<ref name="NOVELL">{{cite web
| url = http://www.novell.com/news/press/pressroom/presskit/brainshare99/netobjects.html
| title = Novell Makes Equity Investment in NetObjects
| publisher = Novell, Inc. / NetObjects, Inc.
| date = 1998-10-21
| accessdateaccess-date = June 30, 2008
| archiveurlarchive-url = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20001215152500/http://www.novell.com/news/press/pressroom/presskit/brainshare99/netobjects.html
| archivedatearchive-date = 2000-12-15
}}</ref>, [[Mitsubishi]] and [[AT&T]] Ventures and the last round by Perseus Capital, L.L.C.
 
In April 1997 [[IBM]] invested $100 million to acquire a majority of the company. The deal had a valuation of $150 million.<ref name="sreenivas">{{cite news
Line 43 ⟶ 45:
| title = NetObjects chooses Big Blue fusion
| work = Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal
| accessdateaccess-date = 2008-03-05
| date=May 18, 1997
}}</ref><ref name="netobj-ibm">{{cite web
| url = http://www.netobjects.com/company/html/pra16apr97.html
| title = "IBM completes investment in NetObjects"
| publisher = NetObjects, Inc.
| date = April 16, 1997
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref><ref name="IBM_ARCHIVES_1997">{{cite news
| url = http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/history/year_1997.html
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20041216110616/http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/history/year_1997.html
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = December 16, 2004
| title = IBM Archives 1997
| work = IBM Archives
| publisher = [[IBM]]
| accessdateaccess-date = 2009-01-27
}}</ref>
 
=== Launch of NetObjects Fusion and IPO ===
== Key positions ==
 
NetObjects Fusion 1.0 was released in 1996. As the first complete web design tool it was seen as groundbreaking by technology observers. NetObjects was elected as one of "25 Cool Technology Companies" of 1996 by ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]''.<ref name="Mok_2">{{cite web
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:NetObjects Founders.jpg|thumb|360px|The founders of NetObjects; from left: Sal Arora, Clement Mok, Samir Arora, David Kleinberg]] -->
|url = http://www.clementmok.com/onrecord/article.asp?ArticleID=21&d=1990
 
|title = 1996 25 Cool Technology Companies
Key positions in the company were as follows:
|work = ClementMok.com
 
|publisher = Clement Mok
* [[Chair (official)|Chairman]] and [[Chief Executive Officer]] (CEO): [[Samir Arora]]<ref name="arora_bio">{{cite web
|access-date = March 5, 2008
| url = http://www.samirarora.com/html/bio.html
|url-status = dead
| title = "Bio: Samir Arora"
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927032744/http://www.clementmok.com/onrecord/article.asp?ArticleID=21&d=1990
| work = SamirArora.com
|archive-date = September 27, 2007
| publisher = Samir Arora
| accessdate = March 5, 2008
|archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071028011721/http://www.samirarora.com/html/bio.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = October 28, 2007}}</ref>, who held executive positions at Apple Computer and Rae Technology.
 
* [[Executive Vice President]], Products and Marketing: David Kleinberg, who co-founded Rae Technology with Samir Arora.
 
* [[Chief Creative Officer]]: [[Clement Mok]]<ref name="Mok_1">{{cite web
| url = http://www.clementmok.com/career/company.asp?offset=5&CoID=6
| title = "Clement Mok: Career: NetObjects"
| work = ClementMok.com
| publisher = Clement Mok
| accessdate = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>, well known as an [[interactivity]] [[designer]].
 
* Vice President of Product Development and Chief Technology Architect: Sal Arora, who was the lead engineer at [[Rae Technology]].
 
* [[Vice President]], North American Sales: [[Dominic Renda]], who was instrumental in the establishment and viability of NetObjects Enterprise Division and the achievement of strategic revenue, alliance and account objectives.
 
* Director of [[Product design|Product Design]]: Victor Zauderer<ref name="Zaud">{{cite web
| url = http://www.zaudhaus.com/team/profile.asp?Person=Zaud
| title = "Victor Zaud"
| work = Zaudhaus.com
| publisher = Zaudhaus LLC
| accessdate = November 7, 2007
| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20051218033408/http://www.zaudhaus.com/team/profile.asp?Person=Zaud
| archivedate = 2005-12-18
}}</ref>, who had been focusing on developing and designing online systems solutions.
 
Additionally, [[Susan Kare]], who had built many of the interface elements of the Apple [[Macintosh]], was a [[consultant]] to help design the [[user interface]] of NetObjects Fusion.<ref name="NetObj-Team">{{cite web
| url = http://www.netobjects.com/company/html/pra27jan97b.html
| title = "NetObjects Enhances Unique, World-Class Design Team"
| publisher = NetObjects, Inc.
| date = January 27, 1997
| accessdate = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>
Also in 1996, NetObjects Fusion won ''[[PC Magazine]]'''s Editors' Choice award. [[CNET]]'s Builder.com elected Samir Arora one of the Web Innovators of 1997,<ref name="INNOVATOR">{{cite web
 
|url = http://builder.cnet.com/webbuilding/pages/Business/Innovators97/ss03.html
== Launch of NetObjects Fusion and IPO ==
|first = Dan
 
|last = Shafer
NetObjects Fusion 1.0 was released in 1996. As the first complete web design tool it was seen as groundbreaking by technology observers. NetObjects was elected as one of "25 Cool Technology Companies" of 1996 by ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]''<ref name="Mok_2">{{cite web
|title = BUILDER.COM - Web Business - The 1st annual Web Innovator Awards - Samir Arora, NetObjects Fusion
| url = http://www.clementmok.com/onrecord/article.asp?ArticleID=21&d=1990
|work = CNET Builder.com
| title = "1996 25 Cool Technology Companies"
|publisher = CNET Networks, Inc.
| work = ClementMok.com
|access-date = June 21, 2008
| publisher = Clement Mok
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20010505054830/http://builder.cnet.com/webbuilding/pages/Business/Innovators97/ss03.html
| accessdate = March 5, 2008
|archive-date = 2001-05-05
}}</ref>.
|url-status = dead
Also in 1996, NetObjects Fusion won ''[[PC Magazine]]'''s Editors' Choice award. [[CNET]]'s Builder.com elected Samir Arora one of the Web Innovators of 1997<ref name="INNOVATOR">{{cite web
}}</ref> and in 1998 NetObjects received the prestigious Gold award from the [[Industrial Designers Society of America]] (IDSA).<ref name="IDSA">{{cite web
| url = http://builder.cnet.com/webbuilding/pages/Business/Innovators97/ss03.html
| first = Dan
| last = Shafer
| title = "BUILDER.COM - Web Business - The 1st annual Web Innovator Awards - Samir Arora, NetObjects Fusion"
| work = CNET Builder.com
| publisher = CNET Networks, Inc.
| accessdate = June 21, 2008
| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20010505054830/builder.cnet.com/webbuilding/pages/Business/Innovators97/ss03.html
| archivedate = 1998-12-12
}}</ref>, and in 1998 NetObjects received the prestigious Gold award from the [[Industrial Designers Society of America]] (IDSA).<ref name="IDSA">{{cite web
| url = http://www.idsa.org/whatsnew/sections/dh/idea_winners_95-99.pdf
|format=PDF| title = "Gold Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) Winners 1995–1999"
| publisher = [[Industrial Designers Society of America]] (IDSA)
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
|archiveurlarchive-url = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20070928095948/http://www.idsa.org/whatsnew/sections/dh/idea_winners_95-99.pdf <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedatearchive-date = September 28, 2007}}</ref><ref name="IDSA_1">{{cite web
| url = http://idsa.org/whatis/seewhat/idea98/winners/netobjects.htm
| title = "Gold Industrial Design Excellence Award (IDEA) Winners 1995–1999"
| publisher = [[Industrial Designers Society of America]] (IDSA)
| accessdateaccess-date = June 27, 2008
| archiveurlarchive-url = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/19980519051330/http://idsa.org/whatis/seewhat/idea98/winners/netobjects.htm
| archivedatearchive-date = 1998-05-19
}}</ref>
 
Line 143 ⟶ 106:
| publisher = NetObjects, Inc.
| date = August 8, 1996
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref><ref name="NetObj-patent2">{{cite web
| url = httphttps://wwwpatents.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT6311196patent/US6311196
| title = Patent 6311196: "Method and apparatus for implementing web pages having master borders"
| publisher = Google Patents
| date = October 30, 2001
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref><ref name="NetObj-patent3">{{cite web
| url = httphttps://wwwpatents.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT5911145patent/US5911145
| title = Patent 5911145: "Hierarchical structure editor for web sites"
| publisher = Google Patents
| date = June 8, 1999
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref><ref name="NetObj-patent4">{{cite web
| url = httphttps://wwwpatents.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT5845299patent/US5845299
| title = Patent 5845299: "Draw-based editor for web pages"
| publisher = Google Patents
| date = December 1, 1998
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref><ref name="NetObj-patent5">{{cite web
| url = http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=%22samir+arora%22&OS=%22samir+arora%22&RS=%22samir+arora%22
Line 167 ⟶ 130:
| publisher = United States Patent and Trademark Office
| date = October 2, 2007
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>
 
Releases 2.0 (1997) and 3.0 (1998) of NetObjects Fusion again gained positive reactions by the PC press as well as commercial success on the market. In 1999 IBM brought NetObjects to the [[stock exchange]] with [[initial public offering]] while remaining the major [[shareholder]]. The [[initial public offering]] (IPO) on [[NASDAQ]] raised $72 million.
 
The [[board of directors]] consisted of six people: Samir Arora as Chairmanchairman of the Boardboard, Chiefchief Executiveexecutive Officerofficer and Presidentpresident, and five directors, including [[John Sculley]] from Apple Computer, three representatives from IBM and one from Novell.
 
=== Success on the market and the stock exchange ===
 
<!-- Commented out: [[Image:NOF 1.jpg|frame|left|NetObjects Fusion 1.0]] -->
Line 182 ⟶ 145:
| first = Samir
| last = Arora
| title = "Bundling discussions"
| work = netobjects.fusionmx.gen-discuss
| publisher = Google Groups
| date = July 16–18, 2001
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>
were made with nearly all the big [[Personal computer|PC]] sellers like [[Dell]] and [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]],<ref name="HP">{{cite web
| url = http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid={A0B9E29C-FF54-4388-A850-B9A4E0D48FAB}
| first = Chris
| last = Kraeuter
| title = "H-P, NetObjects to unveil 3-year deal"
| work = CBS.MarketWatch.com
| publisher = MarketWatch, Inc.
| date = July 27, 2001
| accessdateaccess-date = July 4, 2008
}}</ref>, and with [[Internet service provider]]s like [[UUNET]], [[Earthlink]] or 1 & 1 ([[Germany]]). The company itself said it licensed the [[Distribution (business)|distribution]] of more than 15 million copies of NetObjects Fusion.{{Needs Incitation|date=April addition, the company sold over 500,000 copies of NetObjects Fusion directly through retail. In 2001 a number of 5 million users worldwide was published.2024}}
 
In 2000 the [[stock]] price of NETO ([[ticker symbol]]) reached its record high of $45 11/16 USD, making NetObjects worth $1.5 billion.{{Needs citation|date=April 2024}}
 
[[Revenue]] had started at $7.2 million in 1997, reached $15 million in 1998, $23.2 million in 1999 and peaked at $34.2 million for [[fiscal year]] 2000 (October 1999 - September 2000).{{Needs citation|date=April 2024}}
 
On March 3, 2000, [[TheStreet.com]]'s Adam Lashinsky praised NetObject's financial performance and its early adoption of [[e-business]]:
Line 213 ⟶ 176:
| work = TheStreet.Com
| date = March 22, 2000
| accessdateaccess-date = September 24, 2006
| archiveurlarchive-url = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20050307091804/http://www.thestreet.com/comment/siliconstreet/904775.html
| archivedatearchive-date = 2005-03-07
}}</ref>
</blockquote>
 
=== ChallengesShift andin crisisstrategy ===
 
However, several factors lead NetObjects to a [[crisis]] starting in 2000.<ref name="NetObj-FY2000">{{cite web
| url = http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=57873
| title = "NetObjects, Inc. announces fourth quarter and fiscal year-end 2000 results"
| publisher = PR Newswire Europe Ltd.
| accessdate = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>
 
Tough [[competition]] from [[Microsoft]], [[Macromedia]] and [[Adobe Systems|Adobe]] put pressure on [[market share]] and falling prices of web-design [[Application software|application]]s affected revenues.<ref name="Tristram">{{cite web
| url = http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/pcwk/1410/pcwk0039.html
| last = Tristram
| first = Claire
| title = Crowded House
| work = ZDNet
| publisher = Ziff-Davis Publishing Company
| date = March 10, 1997
| accessdate = June 28, 2008
| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/19991007050446/http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/pcwk/1410/pcwk0039.html
| archivedate = 1999-10-07
}}</ref> Also, long-term revenue effects of bundling deals in the [[software industry]] are controversial.<ref name="Bundling-discussions"/>
 
NetObjects slashed prices for NetObjects Fusion from release 1.0 to release 4.0 by more than 50%. Older versions stayed in distribution for even lower prices.
 
Technical demands for large business web sites changed and required direct access of [[programmer]]s to [[HTML]] [[Source code|code]] — which NetObjects Fusion was not designed for.<ref name="Another-upgrade">{{cite web
| url = http://groups.google.de/group/netobjects.fusion30.gen-discussion-windows/browse_thread/thread/da47321c078354c2/b9212481a8bd5853
| title = "'Another' Upgrade?"
| work = netobjects.fusion30.gen-discuss
| publisher = Google Groups
| date = December 9–21, 1998
| accessdate = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>
Its target market were designers who need complete control over [[page layout]] and a similar [[Graphical user interface|user interface]] as [[desktop publishing]] applications.
 
== Shift in strategy ==
 
In 1998 the company had developed and since then distributed NetObjects Authoring Suite<ref name=DEVELOPER>{{cite web
Line 263 ⟶ 192:
| date = September 1, 1999
| publisher = Jupitermedia Corporation
| accessdateaccess-date = July 23, 2008}}</ref><ref name=INTRANET>{{cite web
| url = http://www.intranetjournal.com/reviews/noas30.shtml
| first = Gordon
Line 269 ⟶ 198:
| title = NetObjects Authoring Server & TeamFusion Client 3.0
| work = Intranet Journal
| dateyear = (1999)
| publisher = Jupitermedia Corporation
| accessdateaccess-date = July 23, 2008}}</ref> and the related "Collage" product,<ref name="Collage">{{cite web
|url | url = http://www.serena.com/products/collage/index.html
|title | title = Serena Collage
|work | work = Serena Software
|publisher | publisher = Serena Software, Inc.
|archive-url archiveurl = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20071005162234/http://www.serena.com/products/collage/index.html
| archivedatearchive-date = 2007-10-05
|url-status = dead
}}</ref>, which as [[Content management system|content management solutions]] were aimed at big businesses and ranged at much higher price levels than NetObjects Fusion.
}}</ref> which as [[Content management system|content management solutions]] were aimed at big businesses and ranged at much higher price levels than NetObjects Fusion.
 
However, IBM and NetObjects decided that its target market was the sector of [[small and medium enterprises]], so it would focus on its flagship application NetObjects Fusion which would fit within the scope of these customers.<ref name="FT">{{cite web
|url | url = http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=010620001434&query=samir+arora
|first | first = Mark
|last | last = Vernon
|title | title = Eliminating risk is key to SME success: Interview: Samir Arora of NetObjects
|work | work = FT.com Financial Times
|publisher | publisher = The Financial Times Ltd.
|access-date accessdate = June 21, 2008
|archive-url archiveurl = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20011125052215/http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=010620001434&query=samir+arora
| archivedatearchive-date = 19982001-1211-1225
|url-status = dead
}}</ref>
 
In the beginnings of the concept of "[[software as a service]]" (SaaS), the company secondly made a bet on its ability to recognize technological trends<ref name="ISOURCE">{{cite web
| url = http://www.isourceonline.com/article.asp?article_id=48
| title = NetObjects' Samir Arora to Speak at Internet World Chicago
| work = iSource Online
| publisher = Vulcan Publishing, Inc.
| accessdateaccess-date = June 26, 2008
| archiveurlarchive-url = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20010729070843/http://www.isourceonline.com/article.asp?article_id=48
| archivedatearchive-date = 2001-07-29
}}</ref> and coined a strategy shift to a [[Subscription business model|subscription model]].<ref name="Lashinsky"/> To this end NetObjects Matrix<ref name="Newcomb2">{{cite news
| url = http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/3411_809171
Line 308 ⟶ 239:
| publisher = Jupitermedia Corporation
| date = June 11, 2001
| accessdateaccess-date = 2008-03-05
}}</ref> was developed and GoBizGo.com, an e-commerce solution<ref name="GOBIZGO">{{cite web
| url = httphttps://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,42537,00.asp
| first = Heath H.
| last = Herel
Line 317 ⟶ 248:
| publisher = Ziff Davis Publishing Holdings Inc.
| date = October 17, 2000
| accessdateaccess-date = August 22, 2008
}}</ref> was started. Subscribing web and online services would help small businesses keep pace with the Internet.<ref name="FT"/> To finance this shift of strategy, the NetObjects Enterprise Division with 40 employees along with two applications, Collage and NetObjects Authoring Suite, was sold for $18 million to UK-based Merant<ref name="Newcomb1">{{cite news
| url = http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/559791
| last = Newcomb
| first = Kevin
| title = "MERANT to Acquire NetObjects Division"
| work = InternetNews.com
| publisher = Jupitermedia Corporation
| date = January 12, 2001
| accessdateaccess-date = 2008-03-05
}}</ref><ref name="ZDNet">{{cite web
|url | url = http://home.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2674069,00.html
|last | last = Holland
|first | first = Roberta
|title | title = "Merant to acquire NetObjects division"
|work | work = ZDNet News - Technology News Now
|publisher | publisher = ZD Inc.
|access-date accessdate = June 23, 2008
|archive-url archiveurl = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20010221052100/http://home.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2674069,00.html
| archivedatearchive-date = 2001-0402-0421
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> (merged in 2004 with [[Serena Software]] Inc., based in [[San Mateo, California]]).
 
High hopes were based on the NetObjects Matrix platform and its possibilities to position NetObjects as a "Business Service Provider". A version for Mac was announced,<ref name="Newcomb3">{{cite web
| url = http://www.internetnews.com/xSP/article.php/3411_784291
| last = Newcomb
Line 347 ⟶ 279:
| publisher = Jupitermedia Corporation
| date = June 12, 2001
| accessdateaccess-date = July 6, 2008
}}</ref>, and a cooperation with IBM Global Services was forged.<ref name="Newcomb2"/>. The share price, which already had fallen below 1 US$, doubled on the news of the IBM deal<ref name="IBM">{{cite web
| url = http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid=%7BB9227F21-D9C9-498F-A2EA-C9694C0B6322%7D&source=blq%2Fyhoo&dist=yhoo&siteid=yhoo
| first = Mike
| last = Tarsala
| title = "NetObjects climbs on IBM deal"
| work = CBS.MarketWatch.com
| publisher = MarketWatch, Inc.
| date = June 11, 2001
| accessdateaccess-date = July 6, 2008
}}</ref>.
 
=== Challenges and crisis ===
However, several factors led NetObjects to a [[crisis]] starting in 2000.<ref name="NetObj-FY2000">{{cite web
| url = http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=57873
| title = NetObjects, Inc. announces fourth quarter and fiscal year-end 2000 results
| publisher = PR Newswire Europe Ltd.
| access-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref> Tough [[competition]] from [[Microsoft]], [[Macromedia]] and [[Adobe Systems|Adobe]] put pressure on [[market share]] and falling prices of web-design [[Application software|application]]s affected revenues.<ref name="Tristram">{{cite web
| url = http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/pcwk/1410/pcwk0039.html
| last = Tristram
| first = Claire
| title = Crowded House
| work = ZDNet
| publisher = Ziff-Davis Publishing Company
| date = March 10, 1997
| access-date = June 28, 2008
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/19991007050446/http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/content/pcwk/1410/pcwk0039.html
| archive-date = 1999-10-07
}}</ref> Also, long-term revenue effects of bundling deals in the [[software industry]] are controversial.<ref name="Bundling-discussions"/> NetObjects slashed prices for NetObjects Fusion from release 1.0 to release 4.0 by more than 50%. Older versions stayed in distribution for even lower prices. Technical demands for large business web sites changed and required direct access of [[programmer]]s to [[HTML]] [[Source code|code]] — which NetObjects Fusion was not designed for.<ref name="Another-upgrade">{{cite web
| url = http://groups.google.de/group/netobjects.fusion30.gen-discussion-windows/browse_thread/thread/da47321c078354c2/b9212481a8bd5853
| title = 'Another' Upgrade?
| work = netobjects.fusion30.gen-discuss
| publisher = Google Groups
| date = December 9–21, 1998
| access-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref> Its target market were designers who need complete control over [[page layout]] and a similar [[Graphical user interface|user interface]] as [[desktop publishing]] applications.
 
=== IBM decisions and sale of NetObjects ===
 
In 2001 revenue streams decreased sharply,<ref name=PR>{{cite web
| url = http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=62055
| title = "NetObjects, Inc. announces financial results for its first quarter of FY2001"
| publisher = PR Newswire Europe Ltd.
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>
a result of changing markets, price cuts, strategy shift, andto absentSoftware Authoring Suite /as Collagea salesService. Subscription fees from NetObjects Matrix started coming in but the company had to facefaced losses.: Totaltotal revenues for the first three quarters of FY 2001 were only as much as $4.22 million, opposed to totalwhilst costs ofwere $7.67 million.<ref name="SEC-NetObj-Jun01">{{cite web
| url = http://www.secinfo.com/dsvNq.4f8Nc.htm
| title = "Netobjects Inc · 10-Q · For 6/30/01"
| publisher = Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C.
| date = August 14, 2001
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>
 
WhileNetObjects tryingstarted to raise an additional $50 million in a [[private placement]] with [[Deutsche Bank]]. But IBM, which controlled the [[ReserveNetObjects (accounting)|cashBoard, reserves]]did startednot toapprove fadethe placement. In the summer of 2001, the markets plummeted with the bursting of the [[dot.-com bubble]]. TheAnd decision of the NASDAQ to de-list NetObjects in August 2001 because the share price had been hovering below $1 for longer than a year made things even worse. Ultimatelyultimately IBM as the majority shareholder decided to sell NetObjects.{{Needs citation|date=April 2024}}
 
NetObjects Fusion, NetObjects Matrix including the MatrixBuilder, BizGoBiz and other assets were sold to Website Pros (now [[Web.com]]), a web design and services company based in [[Jacksonville, Florida]]<ref name="SEC-NetObj-Sep01">{{cite web
In a message to the user community, CEO Samir Arora had to announce that NetObjects was ceasing operations on September 1, 2001.<ref name="Arora-announce">{{cite web
| url = http://groups.google.com/group/netobjects.fusionmx.gen-discuss/browse_thread/thread/0fd21a433d88902c
| first = Samir
| last = Arora
| title = "NetObjects Fusion users"
| work = netobjects.fusionmx.gen-discuss
| publisher = Google Groups
| date = September 5, 2001
| accessdate = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>
 
NetObjects Fusion, NetObjects Matrix including the MatrixBuilder, BizGoBiz and other assets were sold to Website Pros (now [[Web.com]]), a web design and services company based in [[Jacksonville, Florida]], for an estimated amount of $4 million, including instant payments as well as fees from future revenues from NetObjects applications and services within three years. (The sum of $4 million was based on assumptions about sales in this three-year period. Depending on real sales the price could in fact be lower or higher up to a limit of $10 million.)<ref name="SEC-NetObj-Sep01">{{cite web
| url = http://www.secinfo.com/dsvNq.4f8q2.htm
| title = "Netobjects Inc · PRE 14C · For 9/30/01"
| publisher = Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C.
| date = October 22, 2001
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref>
 
Additionally a portfolio of seven patents was acquiredsold byto Macromedia (now Adobe), the distributor of [[Dreamweaver]], the long-term main [[competitor]] of NetObjects Fusion.
 
=== NetObjects as a division of Website Pros ===
 
Website Pros (WSP) (now [[Web.com]]) went on developing and distributing future versions of NetObjects Fusion<ref name="NOF-Club">{{de icon}} {{cite web
| url = http://www.nof-club.de/werner/interview/wsp/
| title = "NOF-Club Interview mit Stephen M. Raubenstine"
| work = Das große Interview
| publisher = NOF-Club Deutschland (NetObjects Fusion Userclub)
| accessdateaccess-date = July 7, 2009
| archiveurlarchive-url = httphttps://web.archive.org/web/20031128171754/http://www.nof-club.de/werner/interview/wsp/
| archivedatearchive-date = 2003-11-28
|language=de}}</ref> and offering subscription services based on this application, representing the mixed business model that was invented at NetObjects.
 
License revenue from sales of NetObjects Fusion reached nearly $3.58 million in 2006, $2.4 million in 2007,<ref name="WSP_2008">{{cite web
| url = http://ir.websitepros.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=293601
| title = "Website Pros Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2007 Financial Results"
| work = Investor Relations
| publisher = Website Pros
| date = February 12, 2008
| accessdateaccess-date = March 5, 2008
}}</ref> and $2.5 million in 2008.<ref name="WEB.COM_IR_364546">{{cite web
| url = http://ir.web.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=364546
| title = "Web.com Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008 Financial Results"
| work = Investor Relations
| publisher = Web.com
| date = February 10, 2008
| accessdateaccess-date = February 23, 2009
}}</ref>. In May 2009 NetObjects Fusion was sold. In the first six months of 2009 "revenue generated by the NetObjects Fusion software business" reached only $428 thousand compared to $1.5 million in the first six months of 2008. Net income for this period was $228 thousand compared to $302 thousand<ref name="WEB.COM_SEC_2_2009">{{cite web
| url = http://ir.web.com/secfiling.cfm?filingID=1144204-09-40519
| title = "Web.com Quarterly Report for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2009"
| work = SEC
| publisher = Web.com
| date = August 5, 2009
| accessdateaccess-date = August 14, 2009
}}</ref>.
 
=== NetObjects as a re-established company ===
 
In May 2009 NetObjects Inc. was re-established as an independent company. It acquired the NetObjects Fusion product line for "approximately $4.0 million" from Web.com. A smaller part of the amount was transferred instantly, while $3.0 million remained payable from future revenue of NetObjects Fusion sales until 2013.<ref name="WEB.COM_SEC_2_2009" /> $4.0 million was the same price that was agreed upon between IBM and Website Pros in 2001<ref name="SEC-NetObj-Sep01" />.
 
In terms of management and staff, there are no overlapping between the old and new companies with the same name. Steve Raubenstine, who was vice president of the NetObjects Fusion division at Web.com (former Website Pros), serves as Presidentpresident and CEO of the new NetObjects Inc.{{Needs citation|date=April 2024}}
 
== Products ==
== Main applications of NetObjects ==
 
* NetObjects Fusion: webWeb design tool created in 1996,. soldSold to Website Pros (now [[Web.com|Newfold Digital]]) in 2001,. re-purchasedIn by2009 thea newmanagement establishedbuyout of the NetObjects, IncFusion division of Website Pros created the second coming of an independent NetObjects. inFusion 2009,was the main part of what management bought. NetObjects still distributeddistributes Fusion. The latest release is versionVersion 1215, Update #1. NetObjects released Update #1 in DecemberMarch 20102015.<ref name="FusionUpdates">
{{
 
Cite web
* NetObjects Authoring Server, a collaborative Web development and [[content management system|content management solution]], created in 1999, sold to UK-based Merant in 2000, after Merant's merge in 2004 with Serena Software distributed as "Collage" and discontinued in 2008<ref name="TRENDS">{{cite web
| url=http://www.netobjects.com/html/downloads.html
| url-status=live
| title=Product Updates and Downloads
| publisher=NetObjects
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421044729/http://www.netobjects.com/html/downloads.html
| archive-date=2021-04-21
| access-date=2021-05-20
}}
</ref>
* NetObjects Authoring Server: Collaborative Web development and [[content management system|content management solution]]. Created in 1999. Sold to UK-based Merant in 2000. After Merant's merger with Serena Software in 2004, distributed as "Collage". Discontinued in 2008.<ref name="TRENDS">{{cite web
| url = http://www.cmswatch.com/Trends/1179-Serena-Collage-to-go-off-into-the-sunset
| first = Tony
Line 451 ⟶ 408:
| publisher = CMSWorks, Inc.
| date = March 12, 2008
| accessdateaccess-date = April 15, 2009
}}</ref>. The predecessor of thisAuthoring Server was NetObjects Team Fusion, introduced as a [[client–server]] application in 1998.
* NetObjects MatrixBuilder: Online Web Page and [[Web service|Web Service]] builder, first released in 2000. Sold to Website Pros (now [[Web.com|Newfold Digital]]) in 2001. Website Pros sold MatrixBuilder licenses directly to customers.<ref name="ANNUAL_11">
 
{{
* NetObjects Matrix, an online Web builder and Web services tool, invented in 2000, sold to Website Pros in 2001. Website Pros, now [[Web.com]], relied their website building process for customers on the NetObjects MatrixBuilder platform<ref name=ANNUAL_5>{{cite web | url = http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/WSPI/351433097x0x189105/BED273D3-F558-48EF-9A1B-4248CFBEBEF8/Annual%20Report%20for%20Web.pdf|format=PDF| title = Website Pros Annual Report 2007, pgs. 15, 21 | publisher = Website Pros | accessdate = July 4, 2008}}</ref>.
Cite web
| url=http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/WSPI/351433097x0x189105/BED273D3-F558-48EF-9A1B-4248CFBEBEF8/Annual%20Report%20for%20Web.pdf
| url-status=dead
| title=Website Pros 2007 Annual Report
| date=2008-04-17
| publisher=Website Pros (Predecessor to Newfold Digital)
| via=[[Internet Archive]]
| at=Page 11 as printed on page (Page 21 as stored in PDF)
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172548if_/http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/WSPI/351433097x0x189105/BED273D3-F558-48EF-9A1B-4248CFBEBEF8/Annual%20Report%20for%20Web.pdf
| archive-date=2016-03-03
| access-date=2021-05-19
}}
</ref> Website Pros also used MatrixBuilder internally to develop websites for customers.<ref name="ANNUAL_5">
{{
Cite web
| url=http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/WSPI/351433097x0x189105/BED273D3-F558-48EF-9A1B-4248CFBEBEF8/Annual%20Report%20for%20Web.pdf
| url-status=dead
| title=Website Pros 2007 Annual Report
| date=2008-04-17
| publisher=Website Pros (Predecessor to Newfold Digital)
| via=[[Internet Archive]]
| at=Page 5 as printed on page (Page 15 as stored in PDF)
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172548if_/http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/WSPI/351433097x0x189105/BED273D3-F558-48EF-9A1B-4248CFBEBEF8/Annual%20Report%20for%20Web.pdf
| archive-date=2016-03-03
| access-date=2021-05-19
}}
</ref>
 
== References ==
{{Reflist|25em}}
 
{{Reflist|2}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Netobjects}}
[[Category:Defunct softwareSoftware companies based in California]]
[[Category:Defunct computerSoftware companies of thebased Unitedin StatesPennsylvania]]
[[Category:CompaniesSoftware companies established in 1995]]
[[Category:CompaniesSoftware companies disestablished in 2001]]
[[Category:CompaniesDefunct basedsoftware incompanies Californiaof the United States]]
[[Category:1995 establishments in California]]
[[Category:2001 disestablishments in California]]
[[Category:Re-established companies]]
[[Category:Software companies established in 2009]]
[[Category:2009 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
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