Reference List

Brief article on an SGML-based document production system by Allied-Signal Propulsion Engines (Phoenix, AZ). In the first test for a 1500-page proposal containing 1200 figures, "The cycle time for [document] layout was reduced from fourteen to three days." The composition engine is Datalogics Pager.

Summary: "Compatible with SunOS, this new release adds XML and Java support, two critical technologies for deploying knowledge management applications on intranets and extranets. Adept 7 reads and writes native, non-proprietary XML and can automatically convert documents between XML and SGML. Adept software is based on Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), an international standard for the exchange of structured text and document information. Adept 7 also supports the emerging Extensible Markup Language (XML), a simplified version of SGML that addresses the shortcomings of both SGML and Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) for delivering highly intelligent and interactive information over intranets and extranets." See the online document.

Summary: "ArborText has announced that it is developing an OS/2 version of its Adept SGML editor, the result of a large order from IBM. IBM will be using Adept to create documentation, initially at a North Carolina facility of its Network System Division. Well-placed sources pegged the size of the order at hundreds of seats. IBM will be using its own DTD, IBMIDDOC, to author its documents. The Adept editor, which originated in Unix, was ported to Windows, minus the composition facility, in 1995. The OS/2 version, which will be functionally equivalent with the Windows version, should be ready for beta testing in April, although ArborText has not yet demonstrated the product in public. The first production release is scheduled to roll out to selected customers in July. General shipments and support for Asian languages (and Unicode character sets) won't come until the end of this year."

Description of ADEPT series version 6.0 for UNIX and OS/2 (scheduled for August, 1996). The release prepares ADEPT for a document management solution, code named "Willow." "Major enhancements of the 6.0 release include: Improved ease-of-use, Capability to list differences between documents, Expanded Application Program Interface (API), Expanded graphics support, Support for redundant license servers, Compatible with existing Windows' release. Specific improvements in ease-of-use include simplified menus, a powerful toolbar with tool tips, support for multiple open documents, popup menus, tear-off menus, and several enhancements to onscreen formatting. The new release also supports many new graphic types including EPSF 1.2 and 2.0, TIFF, GIF, JPEG, and BMP." See further: http://www.arbortext.com/whatsnew.html#Beta.

IBM will create and maintain SGML information using ArborText's ADEPT-Editor for OS/2, using the IBMIDDOC DTD. ArborText has also announced plans for and Asian language version (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) of ADEPT-Editor and ADEPT-Publisher, supporting editing and composition. "ArborText has chosen UNICODE (TM) as the character encoding standard to provide Asian language support. Although this 16-bit scheme supports most of the world's languages in a single system, ArborText will release support for Modern Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean in subsequent phases because of differences in fonts, keyboard input methods, and encoding standards. ArborText will support users who need encoding standards, such as JIS and EUC, through built-in or external mapping routines. Because UNICODE also supports English and European character sets, users will be able to create documents with multiple languages." See also:

A description of the Willow API which connects SGML authoring tools, integrating Adept into a number of document management systems. Partners in the Willow initiative include Documentum, InfoDesign, Texcel, Xyvision, and Computer Resources International.

"The Willow initiative delivers this new solution by adding "object awareness" to the company's flagship ADEPT*Editor tool and by adding an unprecedented level of tight integration to document management systems. Through object awareness, ADEPT*Editor will allow teams of authors to collaborate simultaneously on virtual documents as easily and as naturally as they edit single documents today. ADEPT*Editor will allow authors to create an object of any size and containing any number of other objects, all the while providing a simple document view. Authors will be able to create new objects by simply selecting a section of a document and pressing a key." [see from the Web site]

The article summarizes features of Adept PowerPaste - a conversion package for creating non-SGML documents into conforming SGML documents. The conversion tool is interactive. Contact: ArbotText, or link to the ArborText WWW Home Page.

Adobe joins the 'Mainstream SGML' program, for "SGML-driven component management" and simplified publishng systems. "Mainstream SGML" is an industry initiative sponsored chiefly by Microstar.

Anouncement for the availability of Adobe's integrated system for page composition, text editing, graphics handling, and interactive structure validation.

Notice for a newly formed SGML Users' Group in the Boston area. Call Susan Ryan (sryan@hensel.com) or Mark Ketzler (mdk@arbortext.com).

Describes the CALS ISG constituted at a meeting in Montreal in June, 1993. The ISG will promote both defense and non-defense applications of CALS. The article supplies an overview of the ISG's mission, background to its formation, and the interim structure.

Description of the ANSI standard which defines tests for SGML systems.

A note on the founding meeting of DLSIG, the Datalogics Special Interest Group, on September 10, 1996. For further information, contact Dianne Kennedy (1-630-941-8197; sgmldk@aol.com).

Summary: Diebold is a leading supplier of financial transaction machines, and maintains some 600 service manuals (plus 900 bulletins) for customers. ArborText's Adept SGML editor has been selected for this task because it provides the native SGML support and integrated composition facilities needed by the firm.

"ArborText, the world's leading provider of industrial strength software tools for document management and enterprise publishing, today announced that Diebold, a global leader in card-based transaction systems and security and service solutions, has chosen ArborText's ADEPT software as the basis for its new authoring and publishing system. The transition to an ADEPT solution provides Diebold with greater system stability in the face of evolving document system needs. The ADEPT products were selected as "best-of-breed" after extensive in-house evaluations and market research. Using ADEPT.Editor, ADEPT.Publisher and the ADEPT Command Language, in conjunction with Diebold's Document Database Manager (DDM), Diebold expects to achieve significant improvements in document consistency, availability and time to market." See the press release.

"The ACCA has published electronically, a comprehensive database of accounting standards, auditing guidelines and associated legislation. The system, known as FiND - Financial Information Database - is maintained in an SGML document repository. . ." Contact ACCA at: +44 171 3965924, or contact Digitome.

The CDROM contains some 300,000 bibliographic references and 200,000 authority list referrences. The records were converted from MARC to SGML, and are indexed using the EdiBase SGML search and retrieval software from DOCUMENSA. EdiBase SGML uses a client-server architecture and runs on Windows and Mac. Contact: , or link directly to the DOCUMENSA Home Page.

Summarizes the announcement by EBT and the related document "Using Catalogs and MIME to Exchange SGML Documents (IETF Draft Document).

See also the press release on the EBT WWW server: "Electronic Book Technologies, Inc. (EBT), the premier supplier of integrated CD/Web publishing solutions, today announced support for using the SGML Open Catalog standard to enable interchange of Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML) documents on the Internet. SGML Open Catalog is a widely embraced industry standard that enables SGML systems to interoperate in traditional CD-ROM or LAN environments. The SGML Open Catalog includes an extension mechanism that EBT has utilized to apply the Catalog standard to the Internet. This will enable exchange of SGML documents on the World-Wide Web, as well as via electronic mail. The use of SGML Open Catalogs on the Internet is described in the document, 'Using Catalogs and MIME to Exchange SGML Documents,' that is being considered by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)." [mirror, text only]

A note on the decision of Japan's leading newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, to use Electronic Book Technologies' products DynaTextJ and DynaWebJ in a program to deliver news on CD-ROM and on the Web. The newspaper has a daily circulation of 8.25 million, more than four times that of the Wall Street Journal. See: the press release; [mirror copy].

DynaWeb 2.0 with FreeFrames is to be available in first quarter 1996. FreeFrames offers a template mechanism for creating multiple views of information. "Frames" divide HTML pages into multiple scrollable regions within supporting browsers like Netscape. See the press release.

Report on Netscape plug-ins for DynaText as demonstrated by EBT at Internet Expo: Adobe's Acrobat Amber Reader, InterVU PreVU MPEG video player, Macromedia's Shockwave for Director, Microsoft Word Viewer Plug-in from Inso Corporation, VREAM's WIRL virtual reality 3D browser, FigLeaf Inline, etc. DynaText's plug-in facilities create an opportunity for developers to leverage the value of Netscape applications by allowing them to work with DynaText.

A note on a distribtion agreement between Electronic Book Technologies and Hong Hong Printing. Hong Hong will resell EBT's DynaText family of products in Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. See also the press release on the EBT server [mirror copy].

"DynaWeb serves out HTML on the fly directly from large DynaText electronic books stored in SGML. Powerful DynaText searching capabilities (full text, Boolean, proximity, structure-aware, wildcards, etc.) are fully enabled. DynaWeb has been shipped to Ameritech, Bell South, Brown University, Chadwyck Healey, Control Data Corp., EMC, General Motors, Information Handling Services (IHS), International Standards Organization (ISO), JYACC, Motorola, Novell, R.R. Donnelley, Semiconductor Research, Siemens Nixdorf, Silicon Graphics, SunSoft, Sybase, UNISYS, and VISA.

"DynaWeb is commercial grade Web server software that serves large SGML documents to Web browsers for rapid navigating and searching. DynaWeb provides important benefits to both DynaText(tm) publishers and to Web end-users by enabling remote Web browsers to fully exploit DynaText-like functionality on the Web, at the same time requiring minimal effort on the part of publishers to set up and maintain. The DynaText/DynaWeb environment provides publishers with a single solution for cross-platform publishing via the Web, CD-ROM, and LAN/WAN.

"DynaText SGML-based electronic books (often several hundred MBs) are orders of magnitude larger than HTML files, which are typically in the 2KB to 100KB range. To enable Web browsing of large DynaText books, DynaWeb automatically chunks the document, generating a TOC on-the-fly directly from the SGML structure in the electronic book. Users can navigate through the TOC hierarchy, selecting only information manageable by the Web browser. Additionally, all hypertext links in DynaText electronic books are converted to HTML links on-the-fly. These features free publishers from the time and expense of maintaining many small HTML files and associated hypertext links."

DynaWeb connects Web client browsers to the full functionality of the DynaText search engine, including support for fulltext, wildcard, Boolean, proximity, context, and complex searching. End users can quickly locate relevant information with searches that span multiple electronic book collections. The number of search hits are displayed alongside an interactive table of contents (TOC). Only TOC entries that contain search hits are displayed to end-users, greatly improving the efficiency for searching large collections of electronic books."

The article discusses DSSSL, DSSSL Lite, and MIME SGML, all of which are to be supported in EBT's DynaText software, according to an announcement at SGML Europe (Gmunden, Austria). The article also describes the use of DynaText, as demonstrated at the conference, by several EBT customers, including Chadwyck-Healey (The English Poetry Full-Text Database, English Verse Drama, and Patrologia Latina), ZGDV, ICL Client Server Systems, Nokia Telecommunications, IBERIA (Spanish Airlines), Flammarion, Sorman Information AB, and Kauppakaari-yhtyma Oy (leading legal publisher in Finland). See the more detailed press release on the EBT WWW server [mirror copy].

INSO of Boston is buying EBT (Electronic Book Technologies) for $39.8 million in cash, plus $5.2 million if EBT meets specified business objectives. EBT, with 150 employees, will be joined to INSO (formerly with 200 employees) with a goal of integrating some of the EBT and INSO products. INSO's technologies are in the area of "linguistic tools": spell checking, thesaurus tools, hyphenation routines, online dictionaries, proofing software, language-aware searching, etc. EBT specializes in document delivery tools for large electronic books.

A note on an agreement between Electronic Book Technologies (Providence, RI) and Gakken Co. Ltd. The latter is a large Japanese publisher who is to resell and support DynaText products in Japan, following the (now complete) creation of an Asian version of Dynatext.

Support for EPSIG and ISO 12083:1993 will now be managed by GCARI (Graphic Communications Association Research Institute) and McAfee & McAdam. Contact: Tel. +1-703-519-8160.

The article describes a new service, including provision for monthly SGML updates (from Martin Bryan). The Open Information Interchange (OII) data is served by the European Commission's ECHO WWW server. The URL: The Open Information Interchange Initiative - http://www.echo.lu/impact/oii/oiistand.html. See further: OII contact address.

After ten years as "Exoterica (Corporation)", the company is changing its name to OmniMark Technologies Corporation, symbolic of its core commitment to the OmniMark line of SGML software products. The new URL: www.omnimark.com.

A note on the recent purchase of Fulcrum Technologies' minority equity position in Exoterica Corporation by Exoterica employees. Fulcrum had acquired a 34% interest in Exoterica in 1993.

Extract: "Exoterica's President and CEO Acquires Exoterica Common Shares Previously Owned by Fulcrum Technologies: OTTAWA, CANADA, April 9, 1996 - Exoterica Corporation, the developer of OmniMark, the SGML-based hypertext programming language, today announced that John McFadden, the company's founder, President and CEO, has completed the purchase of the minority equity position previously owned by Fulcrum Technologies Inc. Exoterica is now 100% owned by Exoterica employees without any outside ownership interests." From: http://www.exoterica.com/release/fulcrum.html

A note on The Compleat SGML, containing an online annotated copy of the ISO 8879 standard and some 2400 (non-)conformance tests. The viewing software in the product runs under Microsoft Windows.

A note on the sale of Fulcrum's equity share in Exoterica; president and CEO of Exoterica purchased the shares, making the company 100% owned by its employees. Fulcrum had purchased a 34% share in Exoterica in 1993.

The article discusses updates for two of the leading "SGML middleware" tools: sophisticated programming tools that are used for data conversion. Exoterica's OmniMark Version 3 is now able to interoperate directly with a wide range of relational databases. Balise V 3 excels at conversion between different SGML representations of documents. "The Balise software implements a powerful interpreted language with C-like syntax and object-oriented constructs, automated memory management and many specialized features to handle text data in general and SGML structures in particular. The system, which embeds James Clark's new SP SGML parser, is available on all major Unix platforms, PCs under DOS (32-bits), Windows 3.x, Windows 95 and NT" [from Seybold description]. The new Balise directly supports UNICODE, and has incorporated a number of natural-language processing facilities. Balise now also can represent SGML hierarchies as memory-based trees, making complex manipulation operations easier to manage.

Note on version 3 of OmniMark, to be beta tested in the second quarter of 1996, and shipped in the third quarter. In the version upgrade, OmniMark will be integrated with mainstream relational database technologies.

See also the information on the Exoterica WWW server: "The chasm you're trying to cross separates your enterprise database assets from your publications. OmniMark is the bridge that lets your publications become part of your information framework. OmniMark provides a single environment for developing the server logic needed to collect, manage, and deliver up-to-the minute document-centric information to your customers. Through print-on-demand, on-line, the Web, or whatever's hot next year. Now you can leverage your investment in RDBMS and client technology with seamlessly integrated SGML technology to develop fully integrated publishing applications faster than ever before. OmniMark Version 3 finds a new role for SGML -- it effectively brings publications into the corporate data model currently dominated by RDBMS applications."

"OmniMark Version 3 introduces several exciting innovations, including a Hybrid Distributed Data Base (HDDB) model which seamlessly integrates SGML with relational database technology. HDDB allows organizations to break their large monolithic SGML DTDs into smaller independent Information Unit DTDs and share information modeling with relational technology. The key benefits are: easier to develop, understand, and maintain document models; simpler processing models; leverage existing IS assets and staff; increased data integrity; and reduced redundancy."

On Frame's product FrameMaker+SGML: "The new authoring and publishing software enables users to create, edit, and publish structured and SGML documents in an intuitive WYSIWYG environment. It combines page composition, text editing, graphics, interactive structure validation, and visual SGML support in one environment. Features for structured authoring include support for native SGML, including arbitrary document type definitions; mapping support for ISO public entity sets; hierarchical style definition; consistent text and graphics import and export capabilities across all platforms; and a starter kit for implementing the DocBook DTD created by the Davenport Group consortium of software vendors."

Note on Frame's new FrameMaker+SGML, which offers significant improvements over the previous FrameBuilder + SGML Toolkit.

"FrameMaker+SGML" is the next generation of FrameBuilder. It was announced at Seybold Boston in March 1995. Contact: Mark Hamilton at Frame.

Brief description of Fred, a tool developed by OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) to create DTDs from tagged text. See the entry for Fred in this database.

The author counsels "caution" about XML in light of the "gush" coming from the enthusiatic SGML crowd.

A note on the purchase of a ($1 million) equity position in Exoterica Corporation by Fulcrum Technologies, Inc. The cooperation with Fulcrum will allow Exoterica to develop closer ties in its products between SQL- and SGML-based databases.

Note on the purchase of a 20% minority position in Passage Systems (Cupertino, California) by Fulcrum Technologies. Passage Systems works closely with Exoterica Corporation, another SGML company. The business relationship provides an opportunity for integration of Fulcrum's full-text retrieval technology with Passage Systems' SGML services.

Overview of the conference to be held in Boston on November 18-21, 1996. See the conference entry for other information.

Note on the GCA schedule, which may also be found on the GCA WWW server [GCA SGML Conference & Tutorial Calendar]. Or contact GCA via other channels.

Brief description of the March 1997 conference in San Diego, California

Note on the recent (May 1996) upgrade to the GCA Web site, which now includes news features, reports, workshop summaries, committee information, and other useful data. The site is now called Graphic Communications Today. The URL: http://www.gca.org/.

Summary of a public presentation by Michael F. DiMario, Acting Public Printer, U.S. Government Printing Office. In light of Public Law 103-40, the GPO is planning to provide online versions of the Congressional Record and Federal Register. SGML is to be used in the data structuring to support online searching. The full text of the presentation is available from GCA.

Brief description of the WYSIWYG editor for HTML/SGML which works over the Internet. See or link to WWW site for Symposia (Internet editing of SGML/HTML documents) for further details.

Note on the PC Magazine's editors' choice of HoTMetaL Pro 2.0 for an award in the category of HTML authoring tools. See Press Release: HoTMetaL PRO 2.0 Wins PC Magazine's Editor's Choice Award on SoftQuad's WWW server, or PC Magazine: Publish to the Web: No Experience Required (offprint).

Announcement for version 1.1 of Eliot Kimber's tutorial introduction to HyQ, the query language defined in the HyTime standard. Network URLs for an online version of the document are given. [See further the bibliographic entry in this database.]

Announcement for the 2nd International Conference on the Application of HyTime, Vancouver, August 15-16, 1995. Eliot Kimber is to offer a HyTime course. See the main conference entry.

Announcement for the second annual CApH meeting, August 1995, in Vancouver, BC.

A note on the use of OmniMark by various groups within IBM for SGML translation tasks. Over 100 new sites acquired or became distributors for OmniMark in 1995.

Summary: "A serious review of ISO 12083 is under way. There is a concern about whether the standard is usable the way it is. This standard was based upon early 1980's AAP standard and was then rewritten and balloted as ISO 12083. As the standard has been used, flaws have been revealed. Also times and technology have changed so much that the audience and mission of the standard must be reviewed." The results of the survey are to be reviewed at a WG6 ISO 12083 meeting in Paris (SGML/XML Europe '98) May 17, 1998. Dianne Kennedy.

The article is available online. For more on ISO 12083, see the main entry: ISO 12083 DTDs [EPSIG].

A brief report on the first conference dedicated to publishing based upon ISO 12083, held at the Loews New York Hotel in New York City, July 31, 1996. It was co-sponsored by EPSIG and Datalogics. Case studies included presentations by Ted Freeman of Allen Press, Sheridan Press, and Robert Kelly for APS (American Physical Society). Apropos of the last-named: Physical Review Letters (PRL) now uses SGML in the journal production process. See the conference description for other details

Overview of the conference of August 16-17, 1995, in Vancouver, BC. See the main conference entry.

Description of version 1.1 an interactive SGML toolkit (SGML Application Server, SAS) designed to allow incorpotration of SGML functionality within new and existing applications. The current version consists of DLLs for Windows and C objects. The functions for SGML parsing and DTD navigation can be called by database engines, word processors, page makeup programs, etc. See an online draft of the text for this article (partial links; earlier: SSF Preview: SGML)

The brief article features Infrastructures for Information (I for I) new SGML toolkit as a promising new SGML offering. I4I will show its S4-Browser for Microsoft WinWord 6.0. The S4-Browser permits reviewing and annotation of SGML documents. A compantion product S4-Editor can be configured for operation with Winword.

The article describes the use of InContext Spider by XSoft and Corel. Contact InContext, or link directly to the InContext Systems Web Site.

Note on a template-based architecture to generate HTML using word-processor source files.

Brief description of the word-processor to HTML conversion tool. Supports HTML 3.0 draft specification and other grammars. A demo version can be obtained via the Internet: http://www.infoaccess.com/.

The article reports on one of the first industry applications of HyTime for hypermedia documents. The AIMSS software (Advanced Integration Maintenance Support System) is a set of tools for creating SGML-based interactive documents.

The article describes LivePage, a product from Inforium which stores SGML documents as fragments within a relational database and allows SQL access to the documents. Livepage consists of a group of Windows client applications that communicate with SQL databases. Livepage currently supports Oracle, Watcom, Sybase, and Microsoft SQL server databases.

Description of LivePAGE WebMaster, which uses relational database technology to manage information on a Web site and deliver information as documents.

Summary: Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products is to buy the assets of Inso's linguistic software business unit for some $19.5 million. "Included in the assets to be transferred are all of Inso's linguistic software products, including its proofing tools, reference works and information management tools, the Quest database search technology, and all customer and supplier agreements related to those products." The Seybold editors believe this decision "signals its [Inso's] intent to focus on publishing software... and to rely less on OEM sales." In April 1998, Inso 'reported net revenues of $17,632,000 for the quarter ended March 31, 1998 as compared with net revenues of $19,062,000 for the quarter ended March 31,1997.' See also: "Inso Corporation Enters Into Agreement to Sell Linguistic Software Business Unit to Lernout."

A note on Intel's experimental use of SGML for delivery of technical documentation. Intel used the Pinnacles Component Information Standard (PCIS) DTD as the basis for conversion of documents into SGML. See the Intel database entry.

The event represents a "new conference and exposition focusing on business solutions and trends in the electronic and online publishing market." An SGML pre-conference tutorial will be offered.

Announcement for Interleaf 6 SGML, an integrated solution for publishing SGML documents.

Interleaf SGML 6 is described as "a publishing hub for creating, assembling and publishing SGML information." See also the Interleaf WWW server description: Interleaf 6 SGML is a powerful publishing hub for creating, assembling, and publishing SGML information. This extended version of Interleaf's premier publishing system provides full access to the advanced features of Interleaf 6 while creating documents to conform to an SGML Document Type Definition (DTD). Only Interleaf 6 SGML lets you manage SGML and non-SGML documents throughout their lifecycle in one integrated system. From Interleaf 6 SGML, documents can be: (1) published to paper; (2) viewed by an SGML viewer; (3) converted to HTML for World Wide Web publication; (4) included in an Interleaf WorldView collection; (5) passed to other SGML systems."

A <TAG> interview with Eric Severson on the history and implications of Interleaf's acquisition of Avalanche Development Corporation.

Note on the use of an SGML-based system (EBT DynaText) by The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), a non-profit company owned by its 2000 member banks.

The author provides a preview of Microstar's announcements for Near & Far Author 2.0 (with other business partnership developments) at the Seybold San Francisco Conference (September 11-13, 1996).

The article describes Microstar's plans to "bring SGML into the mainstream" through an aggressive growth plan, including a relocation to larger offices in Ottawa.

A note on a $935,000 (Canadian) contract awarded to Microstar by the Canadian Defense Industry Research Program (DIRP) to carry out applied research in the area of document semantics. Microstar in involved in the JCALS project, and manages SGML-related software products.

Near & Far Author monitors a Word user during the creation of a Standard Generalized Markup Language document to ensure that the file contains all the necessary SGML format information. The structure of the document is mirrored in a graphical "tree map" that lets users monitor the creation process and gives continuous validation of the document's SGML compliance..."

Note on the Chicago Chapter of the MidWest SGML Forum [February 20, 1997]. "This is the first meeting of the Chicago SGML Chapter since 1995. And it is only the first of a series of meetings in 1997 which will bring you valuable information, provide you a forum to ask questions and share answers, and to make valuable industry contacts."

An in-depth comparison of "electronic library" solutions offered by EBT (DynaText family), Folio, InfoAccess, and Interleaf.

"The EBT solution specializes in SGML conversion, allowing you to move text or documents from a word processor and automatically convert them to SGML without having to manually tag (or code) every style sheet. However, you should be familiar with SGML before you approach this solution; most electronic publishers are. But as the World Wide Web entices new users to electronic publishing, they're usually green about SGML's intricacies. . . Unlike HTML, SGML is subtle enough to accommodate sophisticated document formatting. This solution is made up of DynaText Indexer and Browser 2.3, which is the publishing tool, and DynaTag 2.0, which includes setup, batch, and SGML tools for converting the documents. InStEd is the Inline Stylesheet Editor for creating style sheets once the document is converted."

Article on CDF (Channel Definition Format), based upon XML, the Extensible Markup Language.

Note on Revision 31 of ATA [Air Transport Association] Specification 100. Contact: 1-202-626-4000.

Announcement for SGML Companion version 1.1, from Publishing Development, ab.

Brief article on the SGML-based standard for distribution of news, sponsored by the NAA (Newspaper Association of America) and the IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council).

Official text of the interim report, created from WG8 documents N1289 and N1350. Date: May 7, 1993. See further the database entry for the ISO 8879 revision process.

The article overviews some of the features planned for OmniMark version 3.2, including XML support and load management for Omnimark server environments. For details, see the company web site and "Creating HTML from XML/SGML," by Andrew Kowal.

New office addresses for OmniMark (Spring 1997): OmniMark Technologies Corporation, 1400 Blair Place, Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA K1J 9B8; Tel: +1 613-745-4242; FAX: +1 613-745-5560

A note on the meeting of the OmniMark Users Group at SGML '96. See OMUG '96 - 4th Annual OmniMark User Group Meeting. November 16-17; or see the announcement from Eric Skinner.

The article describes the merger between Open Text and Odesta, positioning Open Text "to challenge Interleaf, Documentum, IDI, and other firms supplying...document management systems."

The article overviews Panorama, an SGML browser which works in conjunction with Mosaic on the World Wide Web. A basic version will be free (downloadable from NCSA and other sites), while an enhanced commercial version called Panorama Pro will offer superior editing and authoring facilities (bookmarks, annotations, stylesheets, navigators). Panorama has been developed for SoftQuad by Synex AB of Stockholm.

Brief description of the SGML composition system which was introduced at the SGML '96 Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. From the SGMLPublisher Overview: "SGMLPublisher allows users to directly format SGML elements, attributes and entitites. Document integrity is always preserved, and instances can be effortlessly exchanged with other SGML conforming systems. . . SGMLPublisher is fully integrated with all of Penta's highly regarded composition and page makeup modules: QualiType and MathMaster for sophisticated, high quality textual and mathematical composition; DesignMaster for precise interactive page makeup."

". . . SGML is now migrating to the mainstream, too, thanks to innovative programs such as Microstar Software's $399 Near & Far Author for Microsoft Word 6.0. Designed as an add-on for Microsoft Word, Near & Far enables you to create structured SGML documents without having to leave your familiar Word environment. No prior knowledge of SGML is necessary, since Near & Far Author uses a graphical, tree-view model of your document to provide a guide to the document's structure and style."

Pindar PLC currently produces Electronic Letters for the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) using SGML encoding, and has recently been awarded a contract by IEE to produce online and typeset versions of eleven IEE "Proceedings" titles, published bi-monthly. The "Proceedings" titleswill amount to about 5,200 pages per year.

Description of the FAST (Finding Aids SGML Training) program that is part of RLG efforts to train workers in SGML coding practices for RLG digital access projects. Kris Kiesling is heading up the FAST effort (mid 1996), together with cooperation of Lisa Browar, Tim Hoyer, and Ricky Erway. RLG members from the UK and Ireland are also participating. Note that this issue of the newsletter is dedicated to a description of the RLG project "Studies in Scarlet," which is to use SGML in structuring some of the full-text materials.

Online: "Studies in Scarlet". See also New Access to Archival Collections -- The FAST Track [mirror copy].

Note on the publication of the book SGML On the Web: Small Steps Beyond HTML, by Yuri Rubinsky and Murray Maloney, as a volume in the Charles F. Goldfarb Series on Open Information Management. ISBN: 0-13-519984-0, by Prentice Hall.

A front-page tribute to Yuri Rubinsky, whose activities so impacted leaders in the document management industry. See the larger collection of tributes to Yuri from his friends and colleagues.

At an SAE J2008 Task Force Meeting (February 27, 1997), advisemane was given that the Draft SAE J2008 has been mandated by the California Air Regulations Board (CARB) for selling vehicles in the US, beginning in the year 2002. See the main entry for the SAE J2008 (and T2008) Automotive and Truck Standard.

Update on the J2008 Data Model of the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) for passenger car and light truck vehicles. The J2008 uses SGML as its primary form of markup. The American Trucking Association is developing T2008 as a modification of J2008.

More on J2008 (from Dianne Kennedy, chair of the DTD Working Group): "SAE J2008 is a family of standards developed by the membership of the Society of Automotive Engineers in response to the mandate of the Clean Air Act to partition and provide easy access to emission-related automotive service information. At the heart of this SGML standard is a relational Data Model for Automotive Service Information rather than any particular document model. The SGML definition set forth within J2008 provides a hierarchical representation of the Data Model. In addition, this standard provides models for common text constructs such as tables, paragraphs, lists, and procedures which are found within automotive service information." [From: http://www.mcs.net/~dken/sae.htm] For additional details, see the J2008 main entry.

..."For example, consider the case of a table that consists of one header row followed by one or more body rows. Both the header row and the body row consist of one or more cells. The [SGML] parser would allow you to create a table with three cells in the header row and five cells in the body rows..." [Bibliographer's note: What is being modeled in an SGML table DTD that features "rows" and "cells"? Suppose that tables were views of information (part of the processing model), and that data which could be meaningfully displayed in tabular format were represented in the SGML as objects and attributes: would we have better SGML validation on the information at the "semantic" level? -rcc]

Describes the results of a June 1993 meeting by leading semiconductor industry representatives in which analysis was completed for interchange of common information. Four vendors are known as the Pinnacles Group. Contact: 1-708-296-5460.

Notes on the recent release of Carthage (yacc/lex-based parser for SGML DTDs, from TEI editor Michael Sperberg-McQueen), and SP [SGML parser tools] version 1.1.1 (from James Clark), which includes Win32 UNICODE binaries.

The article describes the "SGML Application Server" from Infrastructures for Information. SAS is a set of DLLs in the Microsoft Windows environment, or C objects (MAC/OS, UNIX) for building SGML support into desktop applications. Contact: Infrastructures for Information, or link directly to Infrastructures for Information Home Page.

The reviewers said: "We found SGML Author easy to install and use. While most SGML software for Windows lacks support for equations and tables -- elements that often occur in technical writing -- SGML Author had no problems producing text, tables, and mathematics."

Note on a series of seminars by the SGML University for 1997. The "SGML University is a high-quality source for education and training on SGML and related standards and the products that support them." See the Web site for details.

The article summarizes the work of the SGML Open vendor consortium in the development of Technical Resolution 9401:1994. This resolution proposed a standard method for mapping SGML objects onto system and file-based objects (text, graphics, video, audio) which are logically part of the SGML document. The article notes that James Clark's SGMLS [and SP] SGML parser, as well as Exoterica's OmniMark, already support the use of the 'catalog' described in the technical resolution. [need xref to abstract]

Note on the appointment of Robin A. Tomlin to the position of Executive Director of the SGML Open Consortium. See also the press release announcing the appointment of Robin A. Tomlin as the new Executive Director of the SGML Open Consortium. Or: see the announcement on the SGML Open WWW server, "SGML Open Appoints New Executive Director."

The article lists new board members (elected to begin on August 1, 1995). A full listing of SGML Open sponsors and associate members is also presented. For similar information, contact SGML Open.

Note on the election of Simon Nicholson of Chrystal Software to serve on the SGML Open Board of Directors, serving as Secretary/Treasurer. Nicholson replaces Bruce Brown of Datalogics.

Describes the formation of SGML Open consortium and its goals. The article names the current board members. Larry Bohn of Interleaf is currently the consortium president.

Describes a set of DLLs developed by Infrastructures for Information, Inc. The DLLs are to be released as an SGML Application Server (SAS) for integration into commercial word processing packages and document management applications. Contact: sales@i4i.org, or Tel. 1-416-920-6489 (Michel Vulpe).

This issue of the newsletter supplies a complete listing of names and addresses for officers and corporate affiliates of the International SGML Users' Group. It includes national and regional chapters.

The article provides a report on the formation of the Irish group - SGML Users' Group of Ireland - from Sean McGrath of Digitome. Contact: Sean McGrath, email: digitome@iol.ie.

The article describes a new relationship between the North Carolina SGML Users Group and STC (Society for Technical Communication). Contact: Nacia Avera, Semiconductor Research Corporation; Tel: 1.919.541.9470; Email: nacia@scr.org.

A note on the formation of a Technical Committee within SGML Open: SGML and the Internet. The Committee is to work with the IEEE Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) on matters that concern both the SGML and (Internet) HTML communities

Notes on a seminar sponsored by the Computational Linguistics Group at the University of Zurich, October 11-12, 1995. See an abstract of the program [mirror partial copy], or a detailed agenda [mirror]. Contacts: Dominic A. Merz (email: merz@ifi.unizh.ch), or maurer@ifi.unizh.ch.

Silverman thinks the perceived opposition represents a needless tension, as the two technologies are complementary.

Note on the new (1995) draft of the Standard Music Description Language. See the database entry for further details.

Notice for the availability of the HTML editor HoTMetaL Pro 2.0 from SoftQuad Inc. on Macintosh platform. It comes with MetalWorks, SoftQuad's new graphics editing tool.

Notes on the release of a new version of the HTML (SGML) editor for the Web. For details, connect to SoftQuad's WWW server on http://www.softquad.com/.

A note on an agreement between SoftQuad Inc. and Verity, which will bundle SoftQuad's Panorama Pro SGML browser with some of Verity's publishing products.

Brief article on SoftQuad's product 'SoftQuad Application Builder'. The tool makes it possible to customize Author/Editor for local requirements.

The article summarizes the joint effort to deliver an SGML-based media archive to a potential 1.5 million users (Danish Union workers and representatives). The Arbejderbevaglesens Media Archive (AMA) stores information from 51 newspapers, 15 TV stations, and 50 radio stations, as well as other documents. The AMA application uses the SGML Basis-Plus database and a SGML/HyTime hypertext browser from Synex. See the article on the Seybold WWW server.

Description of the plans for IsoDraw to provide support for integration of CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile) graphics into the Synex Viewport SGML browsing toolkit. "Customers in industries that produce high volumes of documentation with large numbers of technical graphics have been frustrated by the lack of support for CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile) graphics in [some of] today's [SGML] publishing environments. CGM is the ISO (International Standards Organization) standard 2D graphics format and has been widely adopted by industries such as aerospace, automotive, defense, oil & gas, heavy equipment, machine tools, rail equipment, and telecommunications." For more information, see the press release.

Brief description of the convertor/parser. It reckons with RTF, GML, SGML, and other formats, and includes an SGML parser to validate converted data. Contact: +33 45 56 99 22, FAX: +33 45 56 98 77.

Brief article describing how Texcel will use the new ArborText development environment for updates to its leading SGML document management system. "The Willow initiative delivers technology and offers assistance to document management vendors who want to incorporate the ArborText ADEPT*Editor into document management systems. Through the addition of Willow technology in its upcoming 7.0 release, the integration and operation of ADEPT*Editor with Texcel's Information Manager will bring even higher levels of ease and power to an already powerful combination." See Texcel International Joins ArborText Willow Program as Charter Member a press release for more information.

Texcel "has introduced Information Manager, a complete standards-based integrated suite of applications for collaborative authoring, reviewing, querying and distributing documents, fragments, SGML DTDs, workflow, and even comments and other metadata components." Contact Texcel International.

Note on the shipment of EditTime version 1.0, a multilingual SGML editor for Microsoft Windows, by Timelux. Early price is US $785.

The article describes features of EditTIME, a UNICODE-enabled SGML editor. UNICODE (ISO 10646) governs coded character sets for many languages. Features of EditTIME 1.0 include: "native SGML, UNICODE-able, Tree Manager, built-in parser [MarkTime] for on-line validation and HTML editing." It currently supports the eleven European Union languages, and runs under Windows 3.x. For further details, contact TIME LUX in Luxembourg.

A brief description of TopLeaf, developed by Alphabytes/MCL and Turn-Key Systems Pty Ltd (of Sydney, Australia). The system is used to produce looseleaf documentation, and is based upon SGML: "TopLeaf, is a complete SGML compliant loose-leaf publishing system which runs on standard off-the-shelf Windows95/NT/UNIX hardware." URL: http://www.abmcl.com/.

A bried article on the agreement signed by Toshiba to localize and distribute InContext's SGML structured editor in Japan.

Summary of a report from SoftQuad about a DTD (called "ICADD22") to be used in generating braille, large print, and computer voice editions from source data in SGML documents. A second/larger DTD includes support for tables. See the database entry for the ICADD project.

Description of an SGML document system on board the USS Abraham Lincoln. The technology for the online manuals is supplied by Electronic Book Technologies in the DynaText SGML searching/browsing system, running on HP workstations. See also a related article in Seybold Report.

Product reviews: Documentum: Enterprise Document Management System 3.0, OpenText: LiveLink Intranet; XSoft: Astoria.

Announcement for an SGML course offered by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Engineering: "Implementing an SGML Publishing System." The instructors are Brian Travis and Dale Waldt. http://epdwww.engr.wisc.edu/brochures/6896.html; [mirror copy]. Dates: October 22-25, 1996. Contact: +1 (608) 262-4341, or email: vacca@engr.wisc.edu (Dick Vacca).

The article presents Xarchive, a Quark Xpress Xtension that extracts SGML document components from data produced with Xpress. The product was developed through funding from McGraw-Hill, where it is being used to convert copy from print magazines into a neutral (SGML) format for online delivery. Em Software "develops XTensions for QuarkXPress, offering a whole suite of data publishing tools." Contact: http://www.emsoftware.com, or Em's founder and president, Chris Ryland: cpr@emsoftware.com.

The article describes in some detail the significant features of XSoft Astoria - a document component management technology that provides control over SGML documents. Contact Laura Walker at Xsoft: +1 205-880-6072, or email lawalker@xsoft.sd.xerox.com.

Paralnce Document Manager 2.3Bhas been released with the Oracle7 server as an underlying database.

Note on IBM's choice of XyVision Production Publisher (XPP) to produce printed IBM documentation, as a part of IBM's Information Development Workbench project.

Xyvision announced three significant events relating to its PDM (Parlance Document Manager) system, which integrates SGML components. 1. ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials) in Philadelphia has recently "ordered a 50-seat PDM system to help develop, manage, review and distribute almost 10,000 standards documents." Covered in the plan is the 70-volume Annual Book of ASTM Standards: 25% of its 50,000 pages are revised annually, and some 2000 standards documents are in revision at any moment. Two years ago, ASTM decided to adopt SGML as a means of delivering information in a number of formats. 2. Warren, Gorham & Lamont is a division of Thompson Professional Publishing. It will spend several hundred thousand dollars in the first phase of a migration to SGML publishing technology under Xyvision's PDM. The move to SGML is being made, in part, to support simultaneous publication in paper and on CDROM. 3. IBM's ISSC Publishing and Consulting Services is joining with Xyvision in its PDM Partners program. ISSC is a major publishing integrator supporting the use of SGML, including a new documentation system for United Airlines.

Note on the announcement of WebPorter, an extension to Xyvision's PDM (Parlance Document Manager). It is "an extension to its Parlance Document Manager (PDM) solution that facilitates the management, organization, assembly, versioning, and distribution of information over a private (Intranet) or public (Internet) network. WebPorter also controls a "finished goods" Web Repository, which can be directly accessed and navigated by authorized users via cost-effective Web clients." See also: http://www.xyvision.com/NEWS/webporter.html and http://www.xyvision.com/NEWS/cta.html.

On December 7, 1993, Charles Goldfarb announced ObjectSGML (object-oriented SGML parser) and POEM (Portable Object-oriented Entity Manager), components in a new project named Yao. The HyTime parser is to be released into the public domain.