The new platform provides an integrated, modular licensing platform that eliminates the commonly-used single-point solution approach and the members can leverage it to offer an array of complementary infrastructure, consulting, corporate and value-added solutions to both software vendors and corporate users. FLEXnet also defines a flexible licensing standard that enables both software vendors and their users to take advantage of streamlined pricing, packaging, licensing and protection.

"Through Macrovision's Alliance Program, we can leverage our expertise in grid computing to deliver a flexible, responsive, grid-enabled enterprise license management offering in conjunction with the FLEXnet platform," said James MacDonald, Vice President, Business Development, Platform Computing. "By intelligently allocating software licenses across a grid infrastructure, we can increase the productivity and efficiency of engineers across the enterprise."

Technology vendors and their users will benefit from the alliance program by having access to a wide range of solutions that seamlessly integrate with the FLEXnet licensing platform. Companies joining the FLEXnet Alliance Program today include: Aditi Technologies, Boonty, Diggibag, Digital River, element 5, Globalware Solutions, InstallShield, Intel, Intraware, MarketShare, Micro Bureau, MontaVista, ON Technology, Open Channel Solutions, Petersen New Media/Compingo, Platform Computing, Softrax Corporation, StreamTheory and Tally Systems Corp.

"For over 20 years, MarketShare has specialized in helping software companies make better decisions about pricing. We joined the FLEXnet Alliance to better serve clients in need of innovative pricing solutions, including usage-based or utility pricing," said Jim Geisman, Principal, MarketShare. "With FLEXnet, we're able to recommend innovative licensing strategies that deliver greater value to both our clients and their customers, and we can be confident that these strategies can be quickly and easily put into practice."

"We're thrilled that some of the world's leading organizations have chosen to partner with Macrovision to deliver FLEXenabled solutions to their customers," said Dan Stickel, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Macrovision Software Technologies Group. "Working with best-of-breed partners is fundamental to how we view the future of software licensing. Macrovision is fully committed to providing our partners with the technical and marketing support they need to develop and deliver world-class solutions."

Macrovision has a wide range of solutions in software licensing, digital rights management ("DRM") and copy protection technologies for the software, video, games and music markets. Most DVD players use its technology to limit copying onto analogue video recorders.