Adobe Systems (NASDAQ: ADBE) builds award-winning software solutions for Web and print publishing.

"As the Internet becomes a delivery medium for high-value content, an open, extensible language for expressing rights and permissions will be crucial in creating interoperability across the industry," said Joe Eschbach, vice president, Adobe Systems Incorporated. "By making XrML freely available, ContentGuard, Inc. is establishing its interest in promoting open standards to ensure that publishers can feel confident in the safety of their digital rights management (DRM) investments and take advantage of the speed and efficiency of conducting business over the Internet."

Audible, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADBL) is the Internet's leading provider of premium, spoken word audio for PC-based listening or mobile playback on AudibleReady™ devices.

"Audible applauds ContentGuard, Inc.'s endeavor to freely license XrML as a common language for expressing digital rights," said Donald Katz, founder and chairman of Audible, Inc. "We believe that this initiative will help to accelerate the distribution of protected, digital content and open new opportunities for the creative community."

Content Works offers "virtual content warehouse" services to manage all processes from content creation to delivery, and "content delivery" services that enable management of content delivery and sales via traditional printing, on-demand printing, and electronic formats without dependence on particular media. The BookPark service, with 30,000 titles, uses Japan's first integration of Web and POD technologies.

DMDsecure is a leading ISV of DRM server-side software components, frameworks and solutions. DMDsecure's products, DMDfusion and DMDaccess, manage the access, usage, protection and licensing of digital content, enabling a wide range of content delivery services including VOD, e-learning, subscriptions, PPV, corporate communication and live events.

Hewlett-Packard Laboratories is the central research organization for Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HWP), the leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services for business and home.

"Open standards, scalability and extensibility have been the basis for the explosive growth of the Internet," said Dr. John Erickson, systems program manager for DRM at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories. "HP believes that standards at several levels will be important to the successful adoption of DRM in information commerce. XrML represents an important step towards consistency in the area of rights expression, one key to interoperability for DRM systems and services. Hewlett-Packard actively endorses XrML."

Integrated Management Concepts is an ISV whose primary business is enterprise cost and earned value management software. The company's flagship product, MicroFusion Millennium, uses XrML and allows users to realize tighter control over projects with a greater return on their investment.

A pioneer in the field of DRM, MediaDNA™ has developed revolutionary software that protects electronic content from theft.

"ContentGuard, Inc.'s XrML represents a major step towards enabling the deployment of end-to-end, soft-goods commerce solutions," said Greg Benson, founder and chief executive officer of MediaDNA. "XrML can play an important role in helping our technology integrate seamlessly throughout the value chain."

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is a worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing.

"Microsoft supports XrML as the most comprehensive, fully developed, rights language in existence, and we believe strongly in the benefits of a single rights language for all to use."

OverDrive is a leading developer of ePublishing tools and services. OverDrive also has taken a leadership position in authoring the recently released Open eBook Specification 1.0, partnering with NIST, Microsoft and others on the Open eBook Specification Authoring Committee.

"OverDrive's ReaderWorks software will permit authors, publishers and other content owners to easily point and select the terms and conditions for the use and license of their intellectual property for eBooks in the digital marketplace," said Steve Potash, president of OverDrive. "Without having to learn tagging codes or special symbols, ReaderWorks will provide an easy-to-use application that is part of the copyright protection solution this market has been yearning for. Along with the release of the Open eBook Specification, XrML will be the catalyst that allows authors, publishers, aggregators and others to intelligently send their eBook product into digital distribution channels. XrML will facilitate the commercial success of the eBook market."

Portal Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRSF) develops, markets and supports real-time, scalable customer management and billing software for providers of Internet-based services.

"Portal Software is a big supporter of standards efforts aimed at growing the market for the benefit of all and applauds the XrML initiative to facilitate standards adoption in the digital content distribution industry," said Vijay Iyer, senior director of market development at Portal Software, Inc. "Portal Software is currently investigating the XrML specification for efficiency and completeness."

Xerox Corporation's (NYSE:XRX) portfolio of global, industry-based document solutions combines services, software and hardware into partnerships that bring high value to our customers' mission-critical business processes.

"The scientists at Xerox PARC and in the Architecture Center had a vision of being able to help publishers of all media to distribute and sell content over the Internet," said Herve Gallaire, senior vice president, corporate research and technology for Xerox corporation. "The announcement of XrML as an open specification, along with the tremendous industry support we are seeing is the significant first step in the realization of that vision. As a strong proponent of open industry standards, Xerox is excited to support the ContentGuard XrML initiative."

Zinio intends to revolutionize the magazine publishing industry. The Zinio solution converts print magazines into digital form and includes a dedicated reader along with a comprehensive delivery system that allows magazine readers to enjoy portability, easy navigation and interactivity in a digital version identical to print. The Zinio solution is built using ContentGuard tools and technology.