Release archive · April 2018
XDocs CCMS 5.1 opened the door to more contributors.
XDocs CCMS 5.1 introduced XDocs Web Explorer for browser-based participation. The 2018 announcement also listed file-change notifications, branch and merge, release management, archiving, and DITA support.
The 2018 announcement
Archive · Published 19 April 2018. Product versions, roles, contact details, and partnership statements reflect the original release period. Release prose is lightly edited for readability; direct quotations remain unchanged.
Allowing everyone in the organization to seamlessly become part of the content lifecycle
April 2018 Vancouver, Canada: Bluestream Database Software Corp. announces the general availability of XDocs Component Content Management System (CCMS) version 5.1, its flagship product. The release highlights a powerful web-based application for reviewers, engineers, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and other content stakeholders. It seamlessly brings these people into the content lifecycle, even when they are not familiar with XML.
Over the past 15 years, Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) has become a de facto writing standard for technical documentation departments. They use it to extract the maximum value from their content. However, DITA authoring challenged non-technical writers. It required knowledge of the underlying data model, XML authoring applications, and best practices. For this reason, wikis have remained popular amongst engineers and SMEs. Yet wikis fall short in many ways when it comes to professional technical content. With release 5.1, Bluestream introduced its solution after many years of development: XDocs Web Explorer (Wex).
A web-based route into the content lifecycle
Wex is a web-based module in the XDocs CCMS. It enables review, casual contribution, and full document authoring of DITA content on the web. The development premise was simple—no training or installation required! Its audience includes anyone who creates content or needs to participate in the organization’s content development lifecycle.
‘This is a game changer for structured content adoption. We are finding that organizations are creating more technical content than ever before and that greater volumes of content are being produced by non-technical writers (engineers, SMEs, marketing, and sales). In order for an organization to truly benefit from structured content, all parties must be able to contribute in a meaningful way without having a technical mountain to climb,” says Nenad Furtula, VP Sales and Marketing at Bluestream.
Wex is tightly integrated with the Oxygen Web Editor. It can just as easily support any other web-based DITA XML editor, including Fonto XML and XEditor. The application centers on roles and workflow capabilities. This gives teams greater control when delivering publications within a particular workflow. At the same time, users can contribute meaningful content whenever great ideas arise. Furthermore, the Wex authoring experience is completely transparent: the interface resembles MS Word or a Wiki.
In addition to Wex, XDocs 5.1 supports file-change notifications and market-leading branch and merge functionality. The release also includes advanced release management and content archiving. It supports DITA 1.3 and multiple versions of the DITA Open Toolkit (OT).
About Bluestream
Bluestream provides XDocs, a DITA-based Component Content Management System (CCMS). It is the leading single-vendor solution for organizations seeking to improve and enhance their information workflow. Bluestream combines a unique, rapid-to-deploy methodology with unrivaled functionality. This inspires author teams to create powerful, user-focused content. They can deliver that content flexibly to any device or platform.
Customers range from Fortune 100 organizations seeking complex cross-departmental documentation solutions to small businesses with single-author teams.
The company has been in business since 1997. Its customers span many verticals, including software, oil and gas, health care, military, manufacturing, and finance.
Bluestream Media Contact
Nenad Furtula, VP Sales and Marketing
nenadf@bluestream.com
Bluestream Database Software Corp.
North America Office
200 – 1168 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, Canada
Tel: +1.604.669.4469
Editorial context · October 2026
The release’s main idea
The XDocs CCMS 5.1 announcement focused on people who hold valuable knowledge but do not routinely author XML. It described review, casual contribution, and full document authoring through WEX. Therefore, the product story connected collaboration with content control. More people could participate while the work remained within a managed lifecycle.
Evaluate participation and control together
Contributor experience
First, give a subject-matter expert a precise question to resolve. Can they understand the task and locate the relevant information? Then observe whether they can contribute without unnecessary setup.
Author responsibility
Next, confirm how the technical-writing team evaluates the change and applies content standards. Who decides whether the result is ready for publication?
Release confidence
Finally, identify which version the expert reviewed and what changed afterward. Check how the team distinguishes an approved set from work in progress.
Read release notes with a version boundary
The original announcement lists DITA 1.3 and multiple DITA Open Toolkit versions among the release’s supported technologies. However, those statements belong to XDocs 5.1 in 2018. Before an upgrade or deployment, verify the exact versions, extensions, integrations, and support arrangements in the proposed environment. This archive is not a current compatibility specification.
What to carry into a pilot
Keep a small record of the contributor request and the topic version used for review. Also record the response, the author’s decision, and the approved output. Together, these details make “easy collaboration” a workflow the team can examine. For example, they help distinguish interface friction from unclear ownership or an incomplete review brief.
Archive source: XDocs CCMS 5.1 Release – Let the Structured Content Revolution Begin!, 19 April 2018.