The Apache XML Project was launched in November 1999 by the Apache Software Foundation as "a new effort focused on XML." The goals of the Apache XML Project project are: "(1) to provide commercial-quality standards-based XML solutions that are developed in an open and cooperative fashion, (2) to provide feedback to standards bodies (such as IETF and W3C) from an implementation perspective, and (3) to be a focus for XML-related activies within Apache projects."
From an announcement of November 10, 1999: "The Apache Software Foundation, in collaboration with Bowstreet, DataChannel, Exoffice, IBM, Lotus Development Corporation and Sun Microsystems, today announced the formation of the xml.apache.org Project in response to the overwhelming demand for Open Source XML and XSL tools triggered by the rapid adoption of XML. Founded in June 1999, the Apache Software Foundation provides organizational, legal, and financial support for the Apache open-source software projects. Formerly known as the Apache Group, the Foundation incorporated as a membership-based, not-for-profit corporation to ensure that the Apache projects continue to exist beyond the participation of individual volunteers, to enable contributions of intellectual property and financial support, and to provide a vehicle for limiting legal exposure while participating in open-source projects. xml.apache.org will advance the development and deployment of XML and XSL standards, and demonstrate the power of these technologies on both Web server- and client-side environments. In addition, xml.apache.org will provide a robust set of XML- and XSL-related libraries and applications within an industry-wide, peer-based Open Source development process. The xml.apache.org Project is being bootstrapped with technology donations from several vendors and Open Source XML developers, and will be maintained by the Project team. The donated technologies include: (1) XML4J and XML4C Parsers from IBM - parsers that read and validate XML documents, and are essential components in XML-based solutions. (2) Java Project X and XHTML Parser from Sun Microsystems - a high performance and fully conformant XML parser with optional validation; (3) LotusXSL, from Lotus Development Corporation - an XSLT processor that accepts and interprets the new W3C XPath and XSL transformation; (4) XPages, from DataChannel - an XML application markup language for quickly building data-driven, cross-platform Web applications that integrate disparate data sources; (5) FOP, from James Tauber, now with Bowstreet - the world's first implementation of XSL for print use; (6) Cocoon, from Stefano Mazzocchi and the Java-Apache community - a 100% pure java XML publishing framework; (7) OpenXML, from Exoffice and Assaf Arkin - an open source, pure Java, fully featured framework for XML-based applications; (8) XSL:P, from Exoffice and Keith Visco - a free, open source XSL processor written in Java."
References:
DTDs package - From 2000-09-21.
[November 08, 1999] A communiqué from Dirk-Willem van Gulik (WebWeaving, and 'ad interim chair for the Apache-XML project') announces that the Apache Software Foundation is launching a new effort focused on XML.
[November 10, 1999] Press Release. "The Apache Software Foundation Launches xml.apache.org Technology Project. Industry Leaders Donate Technology to Provide Open Source Tools for XML." - The Apache Software Foundation, in collaboration with Bowstreet, DataChannel, Exoffice, IBM, Lotus Development Corporation and Sun Microsystems, today announced the formation of the xml.apache.org Project in response to the overwhelming demand for Open Source XML and XSL tools triggered by the rapid adoption of XML. Founded in June 1999, the Apache Software Foundation provides organizational, legal, and financial support for the Apache open-source software projects. Formerly known as the Apache Group, the Foundation incorporated as a membership-based, not-for-profit corporation to ensure that the Apache projects continue to exist beyond the participation of individual volunteers, to enable contributions of intellectual property and financial support, and to provide a vehicle for limiting legal exposure while participating in open-source projects. xml.apache.org will advance the development and deployment of XML and XSL standards, and demonstrate the power of these technologies on both Web server- and client-side environments. In addition, xml.apache.org will provide a robust set of XML- and XSL-related libraries and applications within an industry-wide, peer-based Open Source development process. The xml.apache.org Project is being bootstrapped with technology donations from several vendors and Open Source XML developers, and will be maintained by the Project team. The donated technologies include: (1) XML4J and XML4C Parsers from IBM - parsers that read and validate XML documents, and are essential components in XML-based solutions. (2) Java Project X and XHTML Parser from Sun Microsystems - a high performance and fully conformant XML parser with optional validation; (3) LotusXSL, from Lotus Development Corporation - an XSLT processor that accepts and interprets the new W3C XPath and XSL transformation; (4) XPages, from DataChannel - an XML application markup language for quickly building data-driven, cross-platform Web applications that integrate disparate data sources; (5) FOP, from James Tauber, now with Bowstreet - the world's first implementation of XSL for print use; (6) Cocoon, from Stefano Mazzocchi and the Java-Apache community - a 100% pure java XML publishing framework; (7) OpenXML, from Exoffice and Assaf Arkin - an open source, pure Java, fully featured framework for XML-based applications; (8) XSL:P, from Exoffice and Keith Visco - a free, open source XSL processor written in Java."
[November 12, 1999] "Apache XML Project Launches." By Edd Dumbill. From XML.com (November 10, 1999). ['This Tuesday saw the launch of the Apache XML Project, an effort to provide an open source, commercial-quality platform for XML. The project has been bootstrapped by the contribution of tools from the open source community, and commercial vendors including IBM and Sun.'] "Most noted for their Apache web server project, the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) has turned its attention to XML in response to a growing demand for open source XML and XSL tools. The project is being seeded by the contribution of XML tools from commercial vendors, including Sun and IBM, and existing open source projects. Not since Netscape's decision to release the source code to Mozilla has the open source world seen such a significant commitment by commercial tools vendors."
[November 12, 1999] "Apache and industry leaders debut XML suite of tools. Industry leaders contribute XML and XSL technology to Apache Software Foundation." By Chris Rumble and Scott Cosby. From From IBM developerWorks (November 1999). "In response to developers clamoring for open-source XML tools, the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) has unveiled the Apache XML Project and a suite of open-source XML tools. The tools were contributed by a handful of industry vendors and individual open source XML developers. Contributing vendors include DataChannel, IBM, Exoffice, Lotus Development Corporation, Sun Microsystems, and Textuality. The suite of open-source XML tools includes XML4J and XML4C Parsers from IBM, OpenXML from Exoffice and Assaf Arkin, LotusXSL from Lotus Development Corporation, XPages from DataChannel, FOP from James Tauber, Cocoon from Stefano Mazzocchi and the Java-Apache community, Java Project X and XHTML Parser from Sun Microsystems, and XSL:P from Exoffice and Keith Visco. The Apache XML Project calls its parser technology Xerces, which will be based on IBM's XML4J and XML4C technologies. The next version of this technology will include features of Sun Microsystems' parser and other contributions from the open source community. Following an industry-wide open source development process, the Apache XML Project plans to provide a set of XML- and XSL-related libraries and applications to demonstrate the power of these technologies in both Web server and client environments."
[November 08, 1999] "Apache to Create XML Open-Source Tools." By Wylie Wong. In CNET News.com (November 08, 1999). "The Apache Software Foundation, a nonprofit organization that builds free Web technology, is now turning its attention to Extensible Markup Language, an increasingly important Web technology, with the help of IBM and Sun Microsystems. Apache plans to develop new Extensible Markup Language (XML) tools with technology donated by IBM, Sun, other tech firms, and independent software developers. The group plans to launch the new effort -- called the 'xml.apache.org Project' -- tomorrow [1999-11-09]. Their goal is to further drive the adoption of XML, a popular Web standard for exchanging data, by making tools that are 'open source,' meaning every software developer can view the source code, modify it, and use it for free. IBM and Sun Microsystems have donated their XML parsers for the new effort. A parser dissects and reads XML text within an application, much like a Web browser reads HTML to generate Web pages on a computer. The xml.apache.org project is open to every developer or company, but Microsoft -- which has its own XML tools -- has not joined the effort. Industry observers fear the company is trying to use XML to their advantage, but Microsoft executives have scoffed at the notion, saying they support open industry standards." [alt URL]
