Salesforce.com Updates CRM Service

January 18th, 2007: CRM specialist Salesforce.com has announced the latest version of its on-demand CRM service, including a preview of its new Apex code.

The release’s inclusion of the Apex developer preview could prove exciting for many companies as Apex is a Java-like programming language that enables new programs and extensions to Salesforce.com's services to be built by its customers.

According to Salesforce chief executive Marc Benioff "All components and applications created with Apex code and the Apex on-demand platform will be able to be shared via Salesforce's AppExchange directory, enabling all the innovation that Apex unleashes to benefit the entire on-demand community."

AppExchange opened its doors last year as a place to host business software. It already hosts 500 on-demand applications, a number that could drastically increase depending on how well Apex is received by the Salesforce.com community.

Salesforce.com says a beta for Apex should be available later this year, by which time the company’s move towards being carbon neutral should also be well underway.

The Salesforce Foundation also announced this week that its new goal is to make the company carbon-neutral by the end of 2007. Dubbed the "Earthforce" initiative, the company has joined the growing number of companies working with environmental and conservation groups to offset the emissions from data centres, offices and executive travel.

Comment on this story