Tasktop

Creator of Eclipse Mylyn and Tasktop Pro to integrate new functionality of Windows 7 with leading open source development platform

VANCOUVER, Oct. 28, 2009 - Tasktop Technologies, creators of Eclipse Mylyn and the leading provider of task management for application lifecycle management (ALM), today announced it is developing updates to the Eclipse IDE that will incorporate new features available in Windows 7 into the leading open source development environment. In collaboration with Microsoft, Tasktop will ensure that the improved productivity and user experience of Windows 7 will be available to developers using the Eclipse IDE, as well as to desktop applications built on the Eclipse platform, such as the Tasktop Pro rich client for agile task management.

"In order to help deliver the transformational productivity benefits of the task-focused interface, we need a seamless user experience." said Mik Kersten, CEO of Tasktop Technologies and creator of the open source Eclipse Mylyn project. "Windows 7 takes the desktop client to a new level of refinement and usability. Our collaboration with Microsoft will extend the Windows 7 benefits to the Eclipse IDE and all Eclipse-based applications."

Tasktop created its task management tools to help developers be more productive by making it effortless for them to organize their work around tasks and automatically present the most relevant source code and project management information associated with each task. The end result is that developers no longer have to waste time repeatedly searching and scrolling for the information they need to write code, since the IDE shows only the information relevant to the task-at-hand. One-click multitasking allows the developer to minimize the impact of interruptions by instantly recalling relevant information needed to complete specific tasks.

Due for release in Q1 of 2010, the Windows 7 Eclipse integration updates will be available to millions of software developers that write applications using Java, C/C++, PHP and other languages. The new Eclipse user experience on Windows 7 will enable developers to take advantage of Windows 7-specific functionality, such as accessing frequently used Eclipse artifacts from the Windows task bar. The initial features will extend the Eclipse Standard Widget Toolkit (SWT) to leverage Windows 7 features, such as progress integration, application task support and search-based navigation. The updates also will modernize the look-and-feel of Eclipse to match the Windows 7 user interface experience.

"We're pleased to see a project that will ensure Eclipse developers benefit from new enhancements in Windows 7 and receive a first-class experience on the Microsoft platform," said Mike Milinkovich, executive director of the Eclipse Foundation. "Microsoft's work with Tasktop, one of the drivers of innovation in the Eclipse ecosystem, is a great example of the collaborative efforts that continue to evolve and drive the success of Eclipse."

"We're working with Tasktop to deliver a next-generation experience for developers using Eclipse on the Windows 7 platform," said Jean Paoli, general manager of Interoperability Strategy at Microsoft. "This collaborative effort is part of our ongoing work to provide greater choice and opportunities for developers working in mixed IT environments."

About Tasktop Technologies
Tasktop Technologies created the task-focused interface and widely popular Eclipse Mylyn tool that is used by hundreds of thousands of programmers around the globe. In addition, it offers its commercially supported Tasktop Pro and Tasktop Enterprise products that improve developer productivity and increase project management visibility through IDE integration with today's leading software development management tools. Tasktop also provides training and consulting services to the growing number of companies adopting the task-focused paradigm and tools. For more information please visit http://tasktop.com, or call 778-588-6896.

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Christie Denniston
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