SGMLand XML News On the Internet
Usenet Newsgroup: comp.text.sgml
The Usenet Newsgroup comp.text.sgml is probably the most valuable information resource for SGML currently on the Internet. A description of its history and current operation is available from the SGML Repository's general-info file.
Archives of the Newsgroup have been kept at the SGML Repository [through February, 1996] and mirror sites since about 1991, and are searchable via WAIS and other methods. The primary archive site is the SGML Repository, but mirrors will also be found. The CTS news articles through mid-1994 are published on SoftQuad's "SGML World Tour" CDROM.
A highly valuable resource is the comp.text.sgml shadow archive, created and maintained by Arjan Loeffen. The archive is hosted by Utrecht University, Department of Computer & Arts. As of February 1997, the comp.text.sgml shadow archive, archiving the comp.text.sgml Usenet newsgroup, contains all submissions to comp.text.sgml dated from September 14, 1990 to January 31, 1997. There are 16,009 messages about 6041 subjects. Arjan Loeffen's Home Page contains other information of interest, including description of SGML-related Ph.D. research. Other addresses: Arjan Loeffen, Dept. of Humanities Computing, Faculty of Arts, University of Utrecht, Achter de Dom 22-24, 3512JP, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Phone work ++31+30536417, Home ++31+206656463, Fax work ++31+30539991; Email: Arjan.Loeffen@let.ruu.nl
If you do not have local access to Usenet News, you may be able to read the submissions to CTS (but not submit postings) by accessing a site like MSU:
- comp.text.sgml: Chronological or
- comp.text.sgml: Threaded
- MSU may be broken, nominate another:
[Historical note: Erik Naggum supported a valuable service in providing mail-based access to comp.text.sgml for several years [ceased 01-March-1996]. . . The digests are [were?] archived, and accessible via FTP to ftp://ftp.naggum.no/pub/digest (or possibly: ftp://naggum.no/pub/digest).]
Usenet Newsgroup: comp.text.xml
[July 15, 1998] In mid 1998, a proposal was drafted to initiate a new Usenet News group comp.text.xml. See the draft RFD (Request for Discussion): http://www.jtauber.com/xml/CTX_RFD.txt, [local archive copy, 980408.] The first call for votes was issued on June 23, 1998. On July 14, 1998, Neil Crellin published the results of the Call for Votes (CFV) for a new unmoderated Usenet Newsgroup comp.text.xml. The voting period closed at 23:59:59 UTC, July 14, 1998. The vote passed, "365:22".
What's New in the SGML and XML World?
The SGML/XML Web Page officially provides no daily news service as such, but the section entitled "What's New, Relatively New, or New in the 'SGML/XML Web Page'?" may be read as a periodic news column. It contains a list of announcements and notices relating to SGML events that have come to the attention of the author. Updates are typically made each week, or more frequently. These "news" entries are arranged in reverse chronological order. They are cumulative beginning in the year 1995.
Other XML/XSL/XLL News
News for XML (Extensible Markup Language) and the associated linking and style languages maybe found in:
Press Releases and Announcements: SGML Newswire
Avalanche sponsors an email-based news service for SGML products, conferences, etc. Between March 1993 and October 1994, approximately 126 announcements were broadcast. To subscribe to the Newswire service (it is free), send email to the SGML NEWSWIRE LIST MANAGER at sgmlinfo@avalanche.com with a request for subscription. To receive a listing of archived announcements via email, send the instruction send toc in the body of an email message to the same address. A sample 'Table of Contents' from Newswire is available here. If you are a subscriber, send the message send all to the list manager to receive all articles as email files.
All back issues of Newswire are also accessible (more economically) via FTP from the SGML Repository, where they are archived: Newswire via the SGML Repository. See the online Table of Contents.
See the description of SGML Newswire on the Interleaf/Avalanche WWW server [mirror copy, partial links only, July 1995]. Link to the welcome message or link to the SGML Newswire Table of Contents.
Other relevant contact addresses: SGML NEWSWIRE LIST MANAGER: Sue Martin-Gamble, Interleaf, 4999 Pearl East Circle, Ste 100, Boulder, Colorado 80301, VOX 303/449-5032 x 109, FAX 303/449-3246. Email: sue@avalanche.com