The agreement

O_Reilly & Associates Friday announced an agreement with NetObjects to provide a plug-in conferencing and chat component version of their WebBoard 4.0 for NetObjects Fusion 4.0. This will allow WebBoard_s login screen to be easily integrated into a Web site designed using NetObjects Fusion. NetObjects Fusion provides award-winning usability along with intuitive,drag-and-drop editing and site management features. Using NetObjects Fusion_s open and extensible platform enables small businesses to create e-business sites that feature online catalogs, e-commerce and Web applications, all using an interface that does not require the developer to write any code. The new NetObjects Fusion WebBoard component enables users to add the login screen to any or all pages of a Web site. This makes it easy for visitors to a Web site to communicate with each other and the site_s administrators using WebBoard. Installation of the WebBoard component is said to be very simple, and extensive documentation is provided for additional support. O_Reilly believes that the combination of NetObjects with WebBoard will provide users with a way to create an instant Web community. "The combination of WebBoard for community-building and NetObjects Fusion forsite creation expands the possibilities for rapid site development among thousands of Web site builders," said Gina Blaber, O_Reilly Software director. The component version of WebBoard for NetObjects Fusion will be available Oct. 6 and will be provided free.