Serence Pulls Together New Web Experience
The browser has stood the test of time as the primary means of interacting with information on the Web. Failed attempts at reining in information by "pushing" content directly to users' desktops brought about a void of indifference that has remained despite an overall desire to make content acquisition more streamlined. Serence thinks it may have the answer and is preparing to beta test Klip and KlipFolio, .NET-like subscriptions that work in tandem to provide a variety of user defined alerts and content across differing data types that exist on the Web.
Klip content can range from job board Klips that monitor help wanted ads, to Klips that provide intrusion detection and notification. Klips can even provide gamers with cheat codes, or monitor local weather conditions.
Users subscribe to whichever Klips they desire and proceed to manage and view them through KlipFolio, a small application that can customize, arrange, and re-size Klips. Subscribing to Klips can be a simple as clicking a hyperlink on a Web page - no matter what the format.
According to Allan Wille, President and Chief Executive Officer of Serence, "a Klip simplifies the information source. Does a user care if content is delivered as xml, rss, html, or any other type? A Klip is something easy to understand ... It's a live information channel."
The mere mention of channels raises the specter of failed push initiatives such as those pioneered by the PointCast Network, an organization that has since ceased operations. However, as Wille explained to BetaNews, Klips use simulated push technology by following defined instructions on where and when to locate a content source, effectively "pulling" information to the user.
"This eliminates a massive central server farm that orchestrates the entire push by handing this responsibility over to the distributed clients," said Wille.
Klips can be created by official sources such as MotorTrend, which could own a "Tip of the Week Klip," or they can be openly developed by third parties. Developers can direct their Klips to an information source from where all of the content for their Klips is parsed. Wille provided the example of an independently developed "Network Monitor Klip" that pulls information from office LANs.
Given striking conceptual similarities, Serence is closely monitoring Microsoft's Web service platform with plans to align its own technology to take advantage of .NET throughout the coming years.
The company is actively seeking 500 beta testers to sign up for the test, with the final retail product expected to surface some time in the first quarter of 2002. Developers, webmasters, and even average users are invited to participate.