ACORD, HR-XML, and IDEAlliance Sponsor XML.org Focus Areas on Insurance, Human Resources, and Printing & Publishing

OASIS Launches XML.org Focus Areas for Insurance, Human Resources, and Printing & Publishing

Online XML Clearinghouse Showcases Domain-Specific Content Provided by ACORD, HR-XML, and IDEAlliance

Boston, MA, USA. January 22, 2003.

The OASIS standards consortium today launched the first in a series of XML.org Focus Areas to provide domain-specific content on XML standards. XML.org Focus Areas for Insurance (http://insurance.xml.org/), Human Resources (http://hr.xml.org/), and Printing & Publishing (http://publishing.xml.org/) are now publicly available, and new XML.org Focus Areas for other vertical and horizontal industries will be introduced periodically. Each XML.org Focus Area covers news, standards and initiatives, vendors, consortia, trade associations, government agencies and implementers, events, and resources germane to a specific domain.

Through XML.org, OASIS partners with experts in each Focus Area to provide content and editorial guidance. The XML.org Focus Area on Insurance has been developed in conjunction with ACORD, a nonprofit association that facilitates the development and use of standards for the insurance, reinsurance and related financial services industries. The XML.org Focus Area on Human Resources has been developed in cooperation with the HR-XML Consortium, a non-profit organization that develops and promotes XML specifications to enable e-business and the automation of human resources-related data exchanges. The XML.org Focus Area on Printing & Publishing has been developed in cooperation with IDEAlliance (founded as Graphic Communications Association), a membership organization that advances user-driven, cross-industry solutions for all publishing and content-related processes.

"XML.org Focus Areas make it easy for people to track XML standards efforts and XML-related news in their specific area of interest," explained Patrick Gannon, president and CEO of OASIS. "By partnering with experts such as ACORD, HR-XML and IDEAlliance, OASIS is confident that the XML.org Focus Area content will remain comprehensive and relevant to the needs of companies adopting XML-related industry standards."

"As an organization committed to collaboration, ACORD is very excited about the opportunity to be the Insurance Content Provider for XML.org," said Gregory Maciag, president and CEO, ACORD. "Our relationships with insurance trade associations, standards organizations and regulatory bodies around the world will provide a robust view of XML developments from the insurance and financial services industry perspective."

"Standards within any one industry or enterprise function create opportunities and have ramifications beyond the domain in which they were created," commented Chuck Allen, Director, HR-XML Consortium, Inc. "This is why the HR-XML Consortium is pleased to support Focus Areas on XML.org that put cross-industry standards news and resources in one place," said Allen.

"XML evolved from the publishing world into a specification with much broader application. IDEAlliance (formerly GCA) continues at the forefront to foster standards and best practices based on XML for publishers," stated Marion Elledge, Executive Vice President, IDEAlliance. "As the Content Partner for the XML.org Printing & Publishing Focus Area, IDEAlliance welcomes the opportunity to share our expertise in the publishing arena in ways that impact cross-industry initiatives."

XML.org Focus Areas will also serve as access-points to related information on the OASIS-hosted Cover Pages, widely regarded as the most comprehensive public resource for information on XML, SGML, and related technical standards for the structured information community.

Future XML.org Focus Areas will include Financial Services, Defense Logistics, Education, Tax/Accounting, E-Government, Security, Retail, Localization & Globalization, E-Marketplaces, and others. XML.org is sponsored by BEA Systems, Global Exchange Services (GXS), ISOGEN International, and SAP.

About ACORD

ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) is a global, nonprofit insurance association whose mission is to facilitate the development and use of standards for the insurance, reinsurance and related financial services industries. ACORD accomplishes its mission by remaining an objective, independent advocate for sharing information among diverse platforms. ACORD Standards and services improve efficiency and expand market reach. Affiliated with ACORD are hundreds of insurance and reinsurance companies, and thousands of agents and brokers, related financial services organizations, software providers, and industry organizations worldwide.

About HR-XML

The HR-XML Consortium is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enabling e-commerce and human resources data interchange universal. The mission of the HR-XML Consortium is to spare employers and vendors the risk and expense of having to negotiate and agree upon data interchange mechanisms on an ad-hoc basis. By developing and publishing open data exchange standards based on Extensible Markup Language ("XML"), the Consortium aims to provide the means for any company to transact with other companies without having to establish, engineer, and implement many separate interchange mechanisms. HR-XML's efforts are focused on standards for staffing and recruiting, benefits enrollment, payroll, competencies, and workforce management.

About IDEAlliance

IDEAlliance (International Digital Enterprise Alliance) is a not-for-profit membership organization. Its mission is to advance user-driven, cross-industry solutions for all publishing and content-related processes by developing standards, fostering business alliances, and identifying best practices. IDEAlliance has been a leader in information technology since 1966 (founded as Graphic Communications Association) having fostered the development and adoption of standards such as ADIS, GRACoL, ICE, JIFFI, Mail.dat, papiNet, PRISM, PROSE XML, SPACE XML, SGML, and XML.

About OASIS

OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) is a not-for-profit, global consortium that drives the development, convergence, and adoption of e-business standards. Members themselves set the OASIS technical agenda, using a lightweight, open process expressly designed to promote industry consensus and unite disparate efforts. OASIS produces worldwide standards for security, Web services, XML conformance, business transactions, electronic publishing, topic maps and interoperability within and between marketplaces. OASIS has more than 600 corporate and individual members in 100 countries around the world.

For more information:

Carol Geyer
Director of Communications
OASIS
Email: carol.geyer@oasis-open.org
Voice: +1.978.667.5115 x209

Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive.

SEARCH Advanced Search ABOUT Site Map CP RSS Channel Contact Us Sponsoring CP About Our Sponsors NEWS Cover Stories Articles & Papers Press Releases CORE STANDARDS XML SGML Schemas XSL/XSLT/XPath XLink XML Query CSS SVG TECHNOLOGY REPORTS XML Applications General Apps Government Apps Academic Apps EVENTS LIBRARY Introductions FAQs Bibliography Technology and Society Semantics Tech Topics Software Related Standards Historic	ACORD, HR-XML, and IDEAlliance Sponsor XML.org Focus Areas on Insurance, Human Resources, and Printing & Publishing OASIS Launches XML.org Focus Areas for Insurance, Human Resources, and Printing & Publishing Online XML Clearinghouse Showcases Domain-Specific Content Provided by ACORD, HR-XML, and IDEAlliance Boston, MA, USA. January 22, 2003. The OASIS standards consortium today launched the first in a series of XML.org Focus Areas to provide domain-specific content on XML standards. XML.org Focus Areas for Insurance (http://insurance.xml.org/), Human Resources (http://hr.xml.org/), and Printing & Publishing (http://publishing.xml.org/) are now publicly available, and new XML.org Focus Areas for other vertical and horizontal industries will be introduced periodically. Each XML.org Focus Area covers news, standards and initiatives, vendors, consortia, trade associations, government agencies and implementers, events, and resources germane to a specific domain. Through XML.org, OASIS partners with experts in each Focus Area to provide content and editorial guidance. The XML.org Focus Area on Insurance has been developed in conjunction with ACORD, a nonprofit association that facilitates the development and use of standards for the insurance, reinsurance and related financial services industries. The XML.org Focus Area on Human Resources has been developed in cooperation with the HR-XML Consortium, a non-profit organization that develops and promotes XML specifications to enable e-business and the automation of human resources-related data exchanges. The XML.org Focus Area on Printing & Publishing has been developed in cooperation with IDEAlliance (founded as Graphic Communications Association), a membership organization that advances user-driven, cross-industry solutions for all publishing and content-related processes. "XML.org Focus Areas make it easy for people to track XML standards efforts and XML-related news in their specific area of interest," explained Patrick Gannon, president and CEO of OASIS. "By partnering with experts such as ACORD, HR-XML and IDEAlliance, OASIS is confident that the XML.org Focus Area content will remain comprehensive and relevant to the needs of companies adopting XML-related industry standards." "As an organization committed to collaboration, ACORD is very excited about the opportunity to be the Insurance Content Provider for XML.org," said Gregory Maciag, president and CEO, ACORD. "Our relationships with insurance trade associations, standards organizations and regulatory bodies around the world will provide a robust view of XML developments from the insurance and financial services industry perspective." "Standards within any one industry or enterprise function create opportunities and have ramifications beyond the domain in which they were created," commented Chuck Allen, Director, HR-XML Consortium, Inc. "This is why the HR-XML Consortium is pleased to support Focus Areas on XML.org that put cross-industry standards news and resources in one place," said Allen. "XML evolved from the publishing world into a specification with much broader application. IDEAlliance (formerly GCA) continues at the forefront to foster standards and best practices based on XML for publishers," stated Marion Elledge, Executive Vice President, IDEAlliance. "As the Content Partner for the XML.org Printing & Publishing Focus Area, IDEAlliance welcomes the opportunity to share our expertise in the publishing arena in ways that impact cross-industry initiatives." XML.org Focus Areas will also serve as access-points to related information on the OASIS-hosted Cover Pages, widely regarded as the most comprehensive public resource for information on XML, SGML, and related technical standards for the structured information community. Future XML.org Focus Areas will include Financial Services, Defense Logistics, Education, Tax/Accounting, E-Government, Security, Retail, Localization & Globalization, E-Marketplaces, and others. XML.org is sponsored by BEA Systems, Global Exchange Services (GXS), ISOGEN International, and SAP. About ACORD ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) is a global, nonprofit insurance association whose mission is to facilitate the development and use of standards for the insurance, reinsurance and related financial services industries. ACORD accomplishes its mission by remaining an objective, independent advocate for sharing information among diverse platforms. ACORD Standards and services improve efficiency and expand market reach. Affiliated with ACORD are hundreds of insurance and reinsurance companies, and thousands of agents and brokers, related financial services organizations, software providers, and industry organizations worldwide. About HR-XML The HR-XML Consortium is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enabling e-commerce and human resources data interchange universal. The mission of the HR-XML Consortium is to spare employers and vendors the risk and expense of having to negotiate and agree upon data interchange mechanisms on an ad-hoc basis. By developing and publishing open data exchange standards based on Extensible Markup Language ("XML"), the Consortium aims to provide the means for any company to transact with other companies without having to establish, engineer, and implement many separate interchange mechanisms. HR-XML's efforts are focused on standards for staffing and recruiting, benefits enrollment, payroll, competencies, and workforce management. About IDEAlliance IDEAlliance (International Digital Enterprise Alliance) is a not-for-profit membership organization. Its mission is to advance user-driven, cross-industry solutions for all publishing and content-related processes by developing standards, fostering business alliances, and identifying best practices. IDEAlliance has been a leader in information technology since 1966 (founded as Graphic Communications Association) having fostered the development and adoption of standards such as ADIS, GRACoL, ICE, JIFFI, Mail.dat, papiNet, PRISM, PROSE XML, SPACE XML, SGML, and XML. About OASIS OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) is a not-for-profit, global consortium that drives the development, convergence, and adoption of e-business standards. Members themselves set the OASIS technical agenda, using a lightweight, open process expressly designed to promote industry consensus and unite disparate efforts. OASIS produces worldwide standards for security, Web services, XML conformance, business transactions, electronic publishing, topic maps and interoperability within and between marketplaces. OASIS has more than 600 corporate and individual members in 100 countries around the world. For more information: Carol Geyer Director of Communications OASIS Email: carol.geyer@oasis-open.org Voice: +1.978.667.5115 x209 Prepared by Robin Cover for The XML Cover Pages archive.