More Than A Movement - With More Companies Calling For Web Application Technology, Some Of The Biggest Vendors Are Realizing The Benefits Of Offering Platforms-And Giving The Market A Boost.(Microsoft's Visual InterDev 6.0, Oracle's Application Server, Apple's WebObjects 4, IBM's WebSphere 1.1, Web application software)

Apple's $1,499 WebObject 4, IBM's WebSphere 1.1, Microsoft's Microsoft Visual InterDev 6.0 and Oracle's $195 Oracle Application Server are among the numerous Web application servers that handle electronic commerce transactions. WebObject 4 is a versatile and robust alternative for seasoned developers working in Java or Objective-C. WebSphere, the first IBM product in this field, needs to improve its developmental tools as well as coordinate its overall development environment with individual application tools. Microsoft Visual InterDev WebSphere helps corporate developers who wish to migrate Microsoft technology such as Visual Basic and COM, while its development tool stands out. WebSphere 1.1's standard version costs $795, and Microsoft Visual InterDev 6.0's price is not available.