NetObjects: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:07, 9 October 2016

Revision as of 23:57, 8 November 2016

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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.

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}}</ref>

=== Launch of NetObjects Fusion and IPO ===

== Key positions ==

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:NetObjects Founders.jpg|thumb|360px|The founders of NetObjects; from left: Sal Arora, Clement Mok, Samir Arora, David Kleinberg]] -->

Key positions in the company were as follows:

* [[Chair (official)|Chairman]] and [[Chief Executive Officer]] (CEO): [[Samir Arora]],<ref name="arora_bio">{{cite web

| url = http://www.samirarora.com/html/bio.html

| title = Bio: Samir Arora

| work = SamirArora.com

| 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]].

* 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 = https://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>

== Launch of NetObjects Fusion and IPO ==

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

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The [[board of directors]] consisted of six people: Samir Arora as Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President, 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]] -->

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</blockquote>

=== Challenges and crisis ===

However, several factors led NetObjects to a [[crisis]] starting in 2000.<ref name="NetObj-FY2000">{{cite web

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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

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}}</ref>

=== IBM decisions and sale of NetObjects ===

In 2001 revenue decreased sharply,<ref name=PR>{{cite web

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Additionally a portfolio of seven patents was sold to 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">{{cite web

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}}</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 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" />

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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 President and CEO of the new NetObjects Inc.

== Products ==

== Main applications of NetObjects ==

* NetObjects Fusion: web design tool created in 1996, sold to Website Pros (now [[Web.com]]) in 2001, re-purchased by the new established NetObjects, Inc. in 2009, still distributed. The latest release is version 12, released in December 2010.