WebEx, a forerunner of on-demand Web conferencing and interactive online products, launched its WebEx Connect Platform in an event Monday night, following SaaScon — a software as a service conference. It allows existing software to be integrated with a variety of on-demand collaboration and business applications. The platform combines instant messaging, shared documents, and discussion threads, in addition to robust Web conferencing. Because of its SOA underpinnings (a result of the company’s partnership with Cordys), it will facilitate an array of business process mash-up capabilities to knowledge workers across a wide spectrum. “Software developers will be able to easily extend the reach of their applications by creating on-demand access,” said Subrah Iyar, CEO of WebEx.Several major companies including BMC Software, Mindjet, Genius.com, and OpsSource have signed on to the WebEx Connect Platform — allowing their developers to create and deliver composite applications to the large community of WebEx users (25,000 companies with nearly 2 million registered users, according to company officials.)The platform could eventually rival Salesforce.com’s AppExchange as a leading on-demand collaborative forum, provided it maintains momentum in the way of developer and user loyalty. It’s scheduled to be available as a production service early in 2007. Software Development