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Last modified: March 28, 2003
XML Industry News: 2003 Q1

XML News

This XML Industry News section consists mainly of links to company press releases announcing support for XML/XSL/XLink/XQuery etc. Other documents with reference collections:

Major articles on XML in the trade magazines, as well as the more substantive refereed articles on XML in technical publications, are listed in the dedicated database sections: Current XML Surveys and Overview Articles

Search: [Indexed Search]

  • [March 28, 2003] "Web Leaders Agree to Add Native XML to ECMAScript. New ECMA International Standard, ECMAScript for XML (E4X), to Unlock the Power of XML for Web Developers." - "ECMA International (ECMA) is completing extensions to the widely used ECMAScript standard, currently being updated to its 4th Edition. The enhancements known as E4X (ECMAScript for XML) standardize the syntax and semantics of a general-purpose, cross-platform, vendor-neutral set of programming language extensions adding native XML support in ECMAScript. E4X will make it easier for Web developers to use the power of XML structured data, allowing them to leverage their existing skills and knowledge, and reuse familiar concepts, operators and syntax. E4X will also reduce code complexity, time to market and revision cycles, decrease current XML footprint requirements and enable looser coupling between code and external data. Given the rising popularity of XML and the near universal usage of ECMAScript on the World Wide Web, the Web development community will welcome a simple, familiar, general purpose programming model for XML allowing them to harness the power and flexibility of XML immediately with little or no additional training. In July 2002, recognizing the need for Native XML support in ECMAScript, a group of companies led by ECMA member, BEA Systems, Inc., lobbied the ECMA Technical Committee (TC39) responsible for ECMAScript. Consensus was reached in the Programming Languages Technical Committee of ECMA (TC39) and ECMA formed a specialist group to draft the specification. Jan van den Beld, Secretary General of ECMA International said: 'The network effects of an open standard are more valuable than a proprietary approach. We congratulate BEA systems and its cosponsors for starting this activity and commend the collaborative work of our members who are making this high-quality, high-value standard possible in so short a time.' 'It's fantastic to see leading application server, browser and mobile device vendors collaborating to make E4X a reality,' said Adam Bosworth, chief architect and senior vice president of Advanced Development at BEA Systems. 'We want developers to be able to leverage E4X everywhere they find XML.' As part of the standardization process, BEA plans a publicly available implementation of E4X, to provide an opportunity to solicit feedback from the development community and assist the standardization process. Brendan Eich of Mozilla.org, creator of JavaScript, said: 'We welcome E4X as a timely, simple, and powerful extension to ECMAScript. As more script authors encounter XML data, they will want exactly what E4X provides. This is a useful and innovative extension for developers across the Web.' Since its inception in 1961, ECMA International (ECMA) has developed standards for information and communication technology (ICT). ECMA is a not-for-profit industry association of technology developers, vendors and users. Industry and other experts work together in ECMA to complete standards. ECMA then submits the approved work for approval as ISO, ISO/IEC and ETSI standards. ECMA offers industry a 'fast track' into these organizations' standardization procedures, through which high quality standards are rapidly made available for implementation..."

  • [March 27, 2003] "Industry Visionaries to Headline XML Europe 2003 Conference and Exposition. Experts from Sun Microsystems, Red Hat and OASIS to Be Featured in This Year's Keynote Lineup." - "IDEAlliance is pleased to announce keynote presenters for this year's weeklong XML event. These industry experts will share their ideas and visions for the future at the annual XML Europe 2003 Conference and Exposition, being held 5-8 May 2003, at the Hilton London Metropole, in London, England. This comprehensive conference, now in its 20th year, is known for the quality of its program, which draws information technology experts from around the globe every year. 'This year's keynote presenters provide attendees with an exceptional opportunity to learn how technology visionaries are using XML effectively in their organizations today,' said Edd Dumbill, Editor of XML.com and Conference Chair of this year's XML Europe event. 'This year's theme is 'Powering the Information Society' and presentations will focus on how XML and related technologies are being used to drive today's businesses.' Keynote speakers for XML Europe 2003 include the following renowned experts: (1) Jon Bosak is Sun Microsystems' XML architect. He organized and led the working group that created XML and served for two years as chair of the W3C XML Coordination Group. He is a founding member of OASIS and of its predecessor, SGML Open. Prior to his work with XML, Mr. Bosak originated the Web strategy used by Sun for the distribution of Solaris documentation. Before joining Sun, he was responsible for the SGML-based delivery system that put Novell's NetWare documentation online and was a primary force behind the development of the DocBook standard for Unix and Linux documentation. Mr. Bosak will be speaking to attendees about The Universal Business Language (UBL). (2) Patrick Gannon is President and CEO of OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards). In addition to serving on the OASIS Board of Directors, Mr. Gannon has served since 2000 with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), as Chairman of the Team of Specialists for Internet Enterprise Development, which advises governments in transitional economies on best practices for electronic business. He also serves on the ebXML (electronic business using eXtensible Markup Language) Joint Coordinating Committee together with management from UN/CEFACT. Mr. Gannon has also provided guidance to governmental leaders (ministers and heads of state) on adoption of electronic business (Information & Communication Technology) strategies to facilitate economic growth; which has included Lee Teng-hui, President of the Republic of China, and Askar Akayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic. Mr. Gannon's closing keynote presentation will be 'Achieving Sustainable Business Benefits with XML and Web Services Standards.' (3) Daniel Veillard is a software engineer with Red Hat. Formerly, he was the co-chair of the W3C XML Linking WG and member of the XML Core WG where he was implementer of the libxml and libxslt C and Python libraries wrappers. He is also implementer and maintainer of the rpmfind services. Mr. Veillard is a Member of the Board of the Gnome Project. He holds Ph.D in distributed operating system from Grenoble. Mr. Veillard's presentation is entitled 'XML Usage Within the Open Source Community..." See also the Events Calendar entry.

  • [March 27, 2003] "OASIS and UN/CEFACT to Host ebXML Showcase at XML Europe 2003 in London. Conference Will Highlight ebXML Implementations Around the World." - "International standards bodies, OASIS and UN/CEFACT, will host the ebXML Showcase in London, 5-6 May 2003. Highlighting the growing use of Electronic Business XML (ebXML) in a range of industries as well as ebXML's role in Web services, the two-day event will be held in conjunction with IDEAlliance's XML Europe 2003 conference. The ebXML Showcase is designed for developers and business managers worldwide with an interest in ebXML's modular suite of specifications for conducting business over the Internet. The event will feature answers to real-life questions of adopting the UN/CEFACT and OASIS ebXML standards for exchanging business messages, establishing trading relationships, communicating data in common terms and defining and registering business processes. Attendees will also hear about the business benefits of managing electronic commerce through ebXML from existing ebXML end users and software suppliers. Keynote presentations from Paul Murphy of the European Commission, Patrick Gannon, president and CEO of OASIS, and Ray Walker, chair of the UN/CEFACT Steering Group, will be featured at the ebXML Showcase. The program will also include updates from ebXML users in the telecommunications, shipping, publishing, manufacturing, and e-commerce industries. Representatives of the United Nations, Fujitsu, NIST, SeeBeyond, Sun Microsystems, and others will present. 'ebXML adoption around the world has been steadily building, and some of the most pervasive and exciting applications are being implemented in Europe,' said Patrick Gannon. 'The London Showcase will offer industry organizations and business users the chance to learn more about planning, integrating, and implementing various combinations of the ebXML specifications in practical business scenarios. The program will explore how ebXML is being used to facilitate Web services with the support of global product vendors and the backing of major standards-setting bodies.' Ray Walker added, 'We are very pleased that the ebXML specifications will be submitted to the UN/CEFACT plenary immediately following the ebXML Showcase. This should pave the way for a UN recommendation to industry, commerce and governments on the use of ebXML.' The ebXML Showcase will feature a presentation by the European ebXML interoperability pilot project (CEN/ISSS eBES Vendor Forum), demonstrating interoperable implementations of the ebXML Messaging OASIS Open Standard in a real-life use case scenario. The demo will employ e-business integration scenarios from an ebXML application currently being used within the steel industry..." General references in "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)."

  • [March 26, 2003] "Announcing OpenOffice.org 1.1 Beta." - "We are glad to announce that the next OpenOffice.org version (OpenOffice.org 1.1) has reached an important milestone and is now available for download as OpenOffice.org 1.1 Beta. It represents a significant advance in the application and incorporates the features and changes introduced in the developer builds over the past year. The release includes a massive amount of new and exciting functionality, features and bugfixes, the highlights are: (1) Many new import/export formats like PDF, Macromedia Flash, DocBook, several PDA Office file formats, flat XML and XHTML; (2) Support for Complex Text Layout (CTL) and vertical writing languages, such as Thai, Hindi, Arabic, Hebrew; (3) Enhanced integration with Java, with up to 10 times better performance; (4) Support for Accessibility throughout the entire suite; (5) Support for add-on components; (6) Initial support for recovering damaged OOo files; (7) Support for a new data source type -- MySQL; (8) Improved online help..." See other references in the news story "OpenOffice.org Releases Version 1.1 Beta for Open Source Office Productivity Suite." General references in "OpenOffice.org XML File Format."

  • [March 25, 2003] "Phaos Releases Toolkit to Meet Liberty Alliance 1.1 Specifications, Increases Liberty Alliance Involvement as Sponsor Member. Phaos Technology Enables Java Developers to Adhere to Updated Sign-on Authentication and Authorization Specifications." - "Phaos Technology Corp., a leading global provider of cross-platform e-Security services and software tools to empower Internet applications, today announced the release of the Phaos Liberty Toolkit to enable developers to build applications that meet the newly established Liberty Alliance 1.1 specifications as well as the Company's membership as a sponsor member in the project. As a sponsor member, Phaos will participate in the policy, marketing and technology committees of the program. The Liberty Alliance strives to support the development, deployment and evolution of an open, interoperable standard for federated network identity. The Liberty Alliance 1.1 specifications are an important element for the upcoming Liberty Alliance Phase 2 specifications, which introduce the Identity Web Services Framework (ID-WSF). ID-WSF outlines the technical components necessary to build interoperable identity-based Web services that meet specific business needs and also protect the privacy and security of users' shared information. By keeping in-step with the specifications as they are ratified, Phaos enables Java developers to immediately begin building applications that adhere to the sign-on authentication and authorization specifications set by the Liberty Alliance. With the Phaos Liberty Toolkit, Java developers can rapidly build applications that enable single sign-on capabilities, support the consolidation of enterprise authentication schemes and allow the migration from legacy infrastructure to XML-based Web services. The Phaos Liberty Toolkit provides integrated message security (XML digital signatures and XML encryption) and channel security (SSL/TLS), and provides stronger privacy and identity protection mechanisms by seamlessly integrating with smart cards and hardware security modules. Dynamic and scalable performance acceleration using cryptographic/SSL accelerators is also supported..." General references in "Liberty Alliance Specifications for Federated Network Identification and Authorization."

  • [March 25, 2003] "Commerce's NIST Reports Significant Advances Made in Facial Recognition Technology." - "Computers have become much more adept at "recognizing" human faces during the past two years, states a report released today by the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Scientists from NIST, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and DoD Counterdrug Technology Development Program Office have completed the most comprehensive evaluation to date of commercially available face recognition systems, and concluded that the technology has made significant advances. The study, Face Recognition Vendor Test 2002 (FRVT 2002), was performed in response to the USA PATRIOT Act and the Enhanced Border Security Act. The primary objective of FRVT 2002 was to provide performance measures for assessing the capability of automatic face recognition systems to meet real-world scenarios -- verification of identity, identification of an unknown individual and detection of an individual on a watch list. Key findings of the study include new data about verification, demographics, and indoor and outdoor matching abilities..." See details in "NIST HumanID Evaluation Framework Uses XML for Biometrics."

  • [March 21, 2003] "VeriSign Expands Lawful Intercept Service to Wireless Packet Data. VeriSign Demonstrates Benefits of NetDiscovery Service for Carriers with GPRS, CDMA 1x Packet Data Networks at CTIA Wireless 2003." - "VeriSign, the leading provider of digital trust services, today unveiled its NetDiscovery service bureau solution for accomplishing lawful intercepts of packet data on GPRS and CDMA 1x wireless network technologies. VeriSign introduced NetDiscovery services for voice networks last year, offering a cost-efficient, turnkey solution for landline, wireless, and packet cable operators to meet federally-mandated obligations to provide lawfully authorized electronic surveillance of call content and call data to law enforcement agencies. VeriSign now provides a fully integrated service bureau solution to wireless data network operators, enabling them to minimize performance impact to their network infrastructure created by the demands of isolating and monitoring target packet traffic for single or multiple law enforcement agencies. In addition, VeriSign operates a full security administration bureau to ensure appropriate handling and records management of the requisite legal orders involved in lawfully-authorized surveillance... Raj Puri, VP of NetDiscovery Services for VeriSign Telecommunication Services Puri said that as advanced multi-media messaging services become popular with mobile subscribers, the law enforcement community's need to access wireless packet data is expected to become more crucial. VeriSign NetDiscovery Service offers an innovative solution to this challenge. In today's wireless data networks, all packet data service nodes do not have the same capabilities as voice network switches for handling intercepts. To avoid negative performance impact, carriers may be required to invest in additional network capacity, essentially building a separate infrastructure. VeriSign offers a cost-saving alternative at a fraction of a carrier's self-deployment expense by leveraging its secure mediation infrastructure and providing seamless intercept capabilities for voice and data networks. In addition, VeriSign's NetDiscovery Service can customize delivery of the requested data to law enforcement agencies based on the specific requirements of the court order, further ensuring accurate compliance. 'As the need for lawful intercept solutions continues to expand globally, VeriSign intends to remain in the forefront of development of innovative, trusted solutions that balance the needs of homeland security with the needs of communications service providers and their customers in the U.S. and abroad,' said Puri. VeriSign is a founding member of the Global Lawful Intercept Industry Forum (GLIIF), a not-for-profit group dedicated to promoting the development and adoption of a technology standard for lawful interceptions based on XML (http://www.gliif.org). Anthony M. Rutkowski, VP NetDiscovery Services Strategy for VeriSign, is the current President of GLIIF. Rutkowski also was recently named chair of the LI-XML technical committee of OASIS..." Related references: (1) The LI-XML Initiative; (2) OASIS LegalXML Lawful Intercept TC website.

  • [March 19, 2003] "World Wide Web Consortium Issues Draft of Patent Policy. Final Public and Member Reviews of Royalty-Free Draft to Start Today." - "Today, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) began what it expects to be the final review of the proposed Royalty-Free Patent Policy. The W3C Patent Policy aims to solve a specific problem -- to reduce the threat of blocking patents on key components of Web infrastructure. Both W3C Members and the general public are encouraged to participate in the review, which is scheduled to last for six weeks, ending on 30 April. The W3C Director's decision on the final policy, which takes into account the full range of feedback, is expected in May 2003. "This policy, put together by a diverse and knowledgeable group, furthers the spirit of innovation on which the Web has thrived," explained Daniel J. Weitzner, Patent Policy Working Group Chair and Leader of the W3C's Technology and Society Domain. "Thousands of hours have gone into the development of this policy, including participation of W3C Members and invited experts from the Open Source/Free Software community. Our work has also benefitted greatly from the voluntary efforts of members of the public who read and responded to the various drafts'... The primary goal of the W3C Patent Policy Working Draft is to enable W3C Recommendations to be implemented on a royalty-free basis. The policy also requires patent disclosure by W3C Members when they are aware of patents -- their own or others -- that may be essential to the implementation of W3C Recommendations. In simple terms, the Patent Policy provides that: (1) All who participate in the development of a W3C Recommendation must agree to license essential claims (that is, patents that block interoperability) on a royalty-free (RF) basis. (2) Under certain circumstances, working group participants may exclude specifically identified patent claims from the Royalty-Free commitment. These exclusions are required shortly after publication of the first public Working Draft, reducing the likelihood that surprise patents will jeopardize collective Working Group efforts. (3) Patent disclosures are required from W3C Members and requested of anyone else who sees the technical drafts and has actual knowledge of patents that may be essential. Patent claims not available with terms consistent with the W3C Patent Policy will be handled by a dispute resolution process..." See also "Patents and Open Standards."

  • [March 19, 2003] "Veridocs Announces Availability of XMLdocs Version 1 with New 'Template Designer' Feature. Hosted System Provides Affordable, Easy-to-Use XML Document Authoring and Management. New Template Capabilities Add Even More Flexibility, Customization Options." - "Veridocs, a provider of XML software, consulting and development services, today announced the availability XMLdocs Version 1, a hosted XML document authoring and management system. For the release, Veridocs has added a flexible new 'Template Designer' feature not available on the product's Beta Version... Response to the Beta Version of XMLdocs has been overwhelmingly positive, with more than 1500 organizations registering to test the system in ten weeks. Veridocs CEO Nat Dunn says Version 1's enhanced capabilities and affordable, predictable pricing is already attracting many of these organizations and new customers as well. 'We listened very carefully to feedback from our Beta users, many of whom asked us for a way to create document templates from existing XML schemas,' says Dunn. 'We've addressed these requests and believe that, feature for feature, XMLdocs Version 1 offers the best value in an XML content system.' Template Designer makes it simple for organizations to create templates from schemas (or use an existing template from XMLdocs as a starting point for a new template) for everything from press releases and product descriptions to knowledge-based articles and help documents. Using these templates, non-technical users write XML documents via the XMLdocs Editor's intuitive, word-processor-like interface. Documents can then be exported for publication on a Web site or elsewhere through a simple Web Service... Founded in January 2002, Veridocs provides the software and services organizations need to build and maintain XML-based Web sites and applications. The company's flagship product, XMLdocs, is a software service that allows content contributors to collaboratively author XML documents. In addition, Veridocs provides XML consulting and development services, and customized training workshops. Veridocs is a wholly owned subsidiary of Summit Software..."

  • [March 18, 2003] "IFX Forum to Review Web Services Opportunities." - "The Interactive Financial Exchange (IFX) Forum today announced the formation of a new working group to investigate opportunities in the exploding business-to-business technologies known as Web Services. Web Services are self-contained business functions that operate over the Internet, written to strict specifications to work together and with other similar kinds of components. The more established Web Services provide messaging, security, directories of business capabilities, and descriptions of technical functions. The IFX Forum Web Services Working Group will determine the feasibility of supporting Web Services in its current specifications, now in version 1.4, or the extent to which the IFX Forum needs to make changes in its specifications to adopt Web Services. The group will focus on those standards and specifications now approved or in their final stages by other standards bodies, including SOAP, WSDL, UDDI, WS-Security, BPEL4WS, ebXML, and SAML among others. Mark Tiggas of Wells Fargo and IFX Forum chair said, 'The Financial Services industry is looking to Web Services as the means to provide the next generation of integrated business processes, leveraging Internet technologies, to provide more services to customers and higher productivity in the industry overall.' Tiggas added, 'IFX Forum has a chance to provide leadership to the industry as it begins to use Web Services, as well as offer real-world business feedback to the technology standards bodies writing the Web Services specifications.' Josh Lee of Microsoft and chair of the Web Services Working Group said, 'The work group will demonstrate that IFX is ahead of the Web Services momentum by showing how IFX's schemas and messages fit into the Web services infrastructure.' Lee added, 'Without this work, we risk the development of Web Services implementations that are inconsistent or incompatible with other implementations'... The IFX Forum is made up of leading financial institutions, service providers and software vendors. Membership to the IFX Forum is open to anyone interested in contributing to the development of open financial standards that harness the power of XML. The IFX Forum is currently organized into the following working groups: ATM/POS; Business Banking; Credit Application Processing; and Electronic Bill Presentment & Payment. IFX Forum working groups, in concert with an Architecture Committee to coordinate their efforts, develop open Internet-compatible messages for all sectors of the financial services industry..." General references in "Interactive Financial eXchange (IFX)."

  • [March 18, 2003] "XyEnterprise Announces Web Services Development Kit for XML Publishing." - "XyEnterprise, leading developer of XML content management and enterprise publishing software, announced today a new Web Services Development Kit for its XML Professional Publisher (XPP) software line. This new Web Services interface makes available the rich XML publishing capabilities of XPP to Web interfaces, portals, and application integrations, providing rapid deployment of automated XML publishing solutions in environments as diverse as corporate IT services to consumer 'publish on demand' applications. The new Web Services offering exposes the proven standards-based composition, transformation and rendering capabilities of the XPP software through a SOAP/XML interface. This API provides easy access for customers and developers, enabling them to build customized end-user interfaces in support of distributed XML publishing services. Web Services also supports the growing deployment of XPP as an embedded batch processing engine able to transform XML content to PDF, print, and Web output on demand. XPP Web Services extends the 'autoprocessing' model which XyEnterprise customers have relied on for over 10 years to deliver millions of electronic and print publications and provides unique capabilities not found in other applications. End users and their customers will benefit from the ability to connect remotely to trigger and monitor complex publishing events. Partners, integrators, and service providers will benefit from the ease of application development and support, while leveraging proven standards. The XPP Web Services interface has been delivered to early adopters who have created unique XML publishing environments in rapid fashion. Said Bart Terryn, technologist for XP2: 'The ability to use standard Internet connectivity to access and leverage the proven automated publishing capabilities of XPP has a significant business impact. Not only can customers and developers deploy a solution quickly, they can deploy the same solution either remotely or locally in a platform-independent way. They also know that underneath, the solution uses the long-standing strengths of XPP in XML publishing environments - autoprocessing, standards support, complex typography, and robust PDF output'... Examples of the potential application of XPP Web Services include dynamic content assembly and publishing from a Web Content Management system, remote creation and publishing of customized and localized product documentation, commercial publishing interaction through Web interfaces, catalog production with dynamic database integration, and IT server-based processing of XML to PDF in applications similar to solutions already implemented by XyEnterprise customers such as IBM, Sun Microsystems, Inc., LexisNexis, i2 Technologies, Inc., and The Boeing Company..."

  • [March 18, 2003] "Distributed Management Task Force Releases Final Status of WBEM Specifications. Standard Enables Industry Organizations to Make Significant Progress on 2003 Initiatives." - "Distributed Management Task Force, Inc. (DMTF) today announced the final release of three Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) Specifications. The status, 'final release,' indicates that the Specifications are stable and have been successfully used in multiple, independent implementations. Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) is a set of management and Internet standard technologies developed to unify the management of enterprise and Internet computing environments. This release provides the ability for the industry to deliver a well-integrated set of standard-based management tools leveraging Web technologies. WBEM relies on HTTP and XML to offer a Web-based approach for exchanging Common Information Model (CIM) data across otherwise disparate technologies and platforms. In this way, WBEM is a forefather of today's Web services, as it anticipated the use of Internet standards and protocols to facilitate a more consistent approach to sharing information. 'WBEM is now a mature standard that enables the IT community to better provision and manage computing and networking environments. Both open-source and vendor implementations have validated the specifications and demonstrate the interest in using web technologies for management,' said Andrea Westerinen, DMTF vice president of technology. 'In addition, the finalization of the WBEM Specifications enables other industry organizations to build on this progress in areas such as storage, applications, security and grid computing.' The DMTF has developed a core set of standards defining the WBEM infrastructure. These standards describe the encoding of the Common Information Model (CIM) using XML (xmlCIM), and define operations and the transport mechanism for the encoded data (CIM Operations over HTTP). CIM is defined by a Specification, which describes its basic modeling concepts and meta-schema design, as well as the Managed Object Format (MOF) language in which it is rendered; and a Schema, which defines the semantics for a wide range of managed objects and relationships between them. CIM serves as the data model for the WBEM Specifications, and enables applications to manage a networked environment end-to-end..." See details in the news story "DMTF Publishes Three Final XML Specifications for Web-Based Enterprise Management."

  • [March 18, 2003] "Seybold Seminars, Publications and Consulting Announces New Mega-Event in San Francisco. Seybold San Francisco is Reborn at Moscone West. Nine Focused Channels Cover the Breadth of Publishing Today." - "Seybold Seminars, Publications and Consulting today announced a worldwide event program including the largest Seybold Seminars Conference Program ever! The San Francisco event has been completely transformed, the dates have changed, the building has changed and the tradeshow model has been completely redesigned. For the first time, the program will include nine in-depth, hands-on focus areas, covering a wide variety of topics critical to all aspects of the publishing industry. The new Seybold San Francisco will make its debut September 8-12, 2003 at the Moscone Center West. 'At some point in every brand's life cycle there needs to be evolution, reinvention and change. Today is a new day for Seybold and change abounds,' said James Smith, vice president and general manager of Seybold Seminars, Publications and Consulting. 'For 32 years, the Seybold brand has represented quality, reliability and vision. As publishing technology has changed over the years, Seybold Seminars and Seybold Publications have served as 'pathfinders' which have helped many survive and prosper through some very tough times. We've spent the last 4 months reaching out to our community and understanding their strategy and challenges during these difficult times. We've aggregated this feedback, repositioned the brand and completely rebuilt the mega-event in San Francisco. The result is the most complete publishing technology information solution in the industry today.' The mission for this new event is to equip industry professionals with complete, unbiased information and face-to-face experiences that will allow them to make important business decisions with confidence. Seybold San Francisco 2003 will introduce nine new channels to provide the Seybold community with a forum to network and be inspired. Each key publishing industry segment will be developed individually for maximum impact, yet feed into the overall Seybold mission. These channels include: (1) Print/JDF - Virtually every area of print publishing is being revolutionized by new technologies and marketplace changes. Learn what you need to know to be competitive in print workflow. (2) Web Design & Development - Compete successfully with businesses that are developing cutting-edge online strategies by mastering the skills and latest technologies required to stay ahead. (3) Content Management - Providing up-to-date understanding of technologies, trends and market dynamics for storing and transforming words and images in context. (4) PDF - Addressing the entire range of applications, technology developments and best practices; Acrobat 6, dynamic document generation, print-production intents, and collaboration. (5) Creative Pro - Learn the essentials of implementing and maintaining technologies and infrastructure to support the creation of digital content, publishing workflows, and e-business initiatives. (6) Digital Imaging - Covers the technologies for the creation, manipulation, editing, managing and outputting of digital images for the professional user. Learn how to integrate them into a workflow that can enhance your services and save time and money. (7) XML for Publishing - Focusing on how XML and related TLAs (three-letter acronyms) are changing the landscape of publishing (8) Digital Media - Learn the latest in digital video and imaging, streaming technologies, animation, syndication, content delivery and how it fits into other publishing workflows. (9) Tech Doc - Hear about the advances made in technologies and techniques for the production of technical documentation and illustrations..."

  • [March 17, 2003] "MatML Version 3.0: NIST, International Team Develop Materials Data Exchange Language." - "Scientists and engineers trying to share materials property data over the Internet will have an easier time now thanks to a new computer language called MatML -- Materials Markup Language -- developed by an international group of researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), industry, government laboratories, universities, standards organizations and professional societies. MatML provides a standard format for managing and exchanging materials property data on the World Wide Web, eliminating interoperability and interpretation problems. Based on the Extensible Markup Language (known as XML), MatML is a non-proprietary, generic language that makes it possible to parse and process data without the need for human intervention. The MatML format makes it easily readable and understandable by scientists and engineers. At the same time, MatML provides software developers with a protocol that is both structured and ordered, facilitating the transmission, validation, and interpretation of materials property data between different applications and across different platforms. Currently, the MatML Steering Committee is coordinating acceptance testing as well as prototype software development. More information, including the MatML Version 3.0 Schema, which contains the formal specification for the materials markup language, is available [for download] at www.matml.org..." See general references in "Materials Property Data Markup Language (MatML)."

  • [March 11, 2003] "Liberty Alliance Project Completes Federated Network Identity Architecture." - "The Liberty Alliance, a consortium formed to develop open standards for federated network identity, today released details outlining the Liberty Alliance Federated Network Identity Architecture, a complete infrastructure that the Alliance expects will resolve many of the technology issues currently hindering deployment of identity-based web services. This new identity architecture outlines the direction the Liberty Alliance will follow to accomplish its vision of enabling a networked world in which individuals and businesses can more easily interact with one another while respecting the privacy and security of shared identity information. The architecture and features of current and upcoming Liberty specifications are detailed in the white paper titled Introduction to the Liberty Alliance Identity Architecture, now available on www.projectliberty.org... The complete Liberty Alliance federated network identity architecture provides an open, standards-based foundation for building and supporting identity-based web services. The architecture enables companies to increase the security of their information systems, lower infrastructure maintenance costs, and more easily adapt to new business models and new technology. Consumers and employees will also benefit by having more choice and convenience in how they share and manage personal information over the web... The specifications released in Phase 1 in July 2002, and updated in January 2003, provide the plumbing for federated identity management. These specifications, called the Liberty Alliance Identity Federation Framework (ID-FF), provide standards for simplified sign-on and federation or "linking" among disparate accounts within a group of businesses that have already established relationships. Businesses, governments and other organizations can use this commonly accepted architecture to build their own interoperable products and services... Phase 2 of the Liberty Alliance specifications, which are expected in mid-2003, will enhance Liberty's Identity Federation Framework and introduce the Liberty Alliance's Identity Web Services Framework (ID-WSF). This Web Services Framework outlines the technical components necessary to build interoperable identity-based web services that meet specific business needs and also protect the privacy and security of users' shared information. Phase 2 also includes the introduction of Liberty Alliance Identity Services Interface Specifications (ID-SIS), a collection of specifications built on the Liberty Identity Web Services Framework. These specifications will provide a standard way for companies to build interoperable services like registration profiles, contact books, or calendar, geo-location or alert services. The first service interface specification to be introduced is the ID-Personal Profile, which will define a basic profile template that can be used to build a registration service. The Liberty Alliance is not a service-provider, so these specifications will offer a method to standardize the interface for exchanging data between different systems, not to standardize the service itself..." General references in "Liberty Alliance Specifications for Federated Network Identification and Authorization."

  • [March 10, 2003] "OASIS Members Collaborate to Define Web Services Management." - "The OASIS interoperability consortium today announced plans to define a standard way of using Web services architecture and technology to manage distributed resources. The new OASIS Web Services Distributed Management (WSDM) Technical Committee will closely align its work with related activities at other standards groups, including the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Services Architecture Working Group and the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF), and with other OASIS security and Web services efforts. 'As the number of Web services deployed across the extended enterprise increases, the ability to effectively manage those services will become critical to building out a comprehensive services-oriented architecture,' said Winston Bumpus of Novell, co-chair of the OASIS WSDM Technical Committee. 'By collaborating with other ongoing industry standards activities in this area, this new technical committee will play a important role in defining how services should be managed.' Heather Kreger of IBM, co-chair of the OASIS WSDM Technical Committee, added, 'This work is immediately relevant for business integrators who use Web services, management system vendors, and Web service platform vendors. It also applies to ongoing work being done by business, government, and university sectors on provisioning, management, grid, and on-demand computing.' Initial members of the OASIS Web Services Distributed Management Technical Committee include Actional, BMC Software, Computer Associates, Confluent Software, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi, IBM, Novell, OpenNetwork, SeeBeyond, Sun Microsystems, Waveset, webMethods, and others..." Details in the news story of 2003-02-25: "OASIS Technical Committee Addresses Management of Web Services."

  • [March 10, 2003] "IONA Unveils Mobile Orchestrator, the First Component of Its Next-Generation Rapid Integration Solutions. New Mobile Orchestrator Delivers Simple, Fast, and Secure Process Integration to Enhance Mobile Workforce Productivity. Extends Intel Centrino Mobile Technology with Occasionally Connected Computing Applications." - "IONA, the leading provider of Rapid Integration software, today announced Mobile Orchestrator -- a Web services-based process integration broker optimized for applications that serve occasionally connected users. Mobile Orchestrator - the first member of IONA's new Orchestrator product family -- increases the productivity of mobile workers by allowing them to work equally well with or without a network connection. IONA's new Mobile Orchestrator facilitates un-interrupted mobile user involvement in multi-step business processes regardless of network connectivity. Mobile Orchestrator enables clients to work with the enterprise applications and data they need while disconnected. It automatically saves all of a user's work and interactions with those applications and data, and upon detection of a wired or Wi-Fi network, quickly and securely synchronizes data and documents between the mobile user's PC and enterprise applications in a series of rapid steps transparent to the user. This solution is referred to as 'Occasionally Connected Computing' (OCC). The IONA Mobile Orchestrator is the first product to provide an 'Occasionally Connected Computing' solution and was developed in alliance with Intel to support Centrino Mobile Technology. 'It's exciting to experience the productivity advancements of Occasionally Connected solutions,' said Chris S. Thomas, Chief Strategist at Intel. 'IONA's Mobile Orchestrator is providing an infrastructure that enables solutions to be productive offline, while optimizing network latency and enabling the user to utilize the applications of their choosing. Once users experience these new levels of productivity, efficiency and choice they'll accept nothing less.' IONA Mobile Orchestrator can: (1) improve the productivity of sales people and field support representatives, by ensuring that they have access to the latest customer information and sales tools, even when they are out of the office and disconnected from the network; (2) forge stronger relationships, by providing the latest product catalogs and promotions to partners, even when they are offline and lack access to the partner portal; (3) strengthen customer relationships, by providing better customer service and improving access to customer loyalty programs..."

  • [March 07, 2003] "ISDA Releases FpML Version 2.0 Recommendation." - "The International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) today released the Recommendation for Financial products Markup Language (FpML) Version 2.0. FpML is the XML-based, freely licensed, e-commerce standard supporting OTC trading of financial derivatives. 'Work on the FpML standard is advancing rapidly,' said Robert Pickel, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of ISDA. 'While the Recommendation for version 2.0 thoroughly covers interest rate derivatives, upcoming versions will focus on equity and credit derivatives, as well as messaging.' FpML Version 2.0 extends interest rate product coverage to include interest rate options including swaptions, caps and floors, and extends the swap definition to include FX resetables, cancelables and early termination provisions. The Recommendation reflects consensus within FpML as represented by approval from the Standards Committee. The Standards Committee considers that the ideas and technology specified by a Recommendation are appropriate for widespread deployment and promote the mission of FpML..." See details and references in the 2003-03-07 news story "ISDA Publishes Financial Products Markup Language (FpML) Version 2.0." General references in "Financial Products Markup Language (FpML)."

  • [March 07, 2003] "ASC X12 Defines 2003 Strategic Direction, Develops New EDI Messages in X12 and XML Formats." - "The Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12 approved a strategic direction that embraces collaboration with domestic and international organizations while continuing to forge ahead to ensure ASC X12 member companies' electronic data interchange (EDI) requirements are met. ASC X12 committed in its new strategy to continue to clarify its message design architecture, XML schema syntax and XML design rules and guidelines. ASC X12 also intends to harmonize X12 XML business messages with UN/CEFACT's approach. The Committee will engage other organizations that are developing XML based business messages to incorporate the broadest possible representation of business needs and technical considerations. This strategy was finalized at the most recent ASC X12 meeting, Feb. 2-7, [2003] in Denver. As ASC X12 expands its reach to industries using EDI in a variety of formats, the Utility Industry Group and representatives from leading energy and utility companies are creating a charter and work plan for a new Subcommittee within ASC X12. Subject to approval by the ASC X12 membership, it is anticipated that this new Subcommittee will be formed officially this June at the next ASC X12 meeting in Nashville. A new Subcommittee will enable energy and utility companies from around the world to standardize their EDI transaction sets in X12 and XML formats. ASC X12 also continued to refine its draft X12 XML Design Rules, which will likely be approved this summer once the ASC X12 technical group deems them stable. Currently, ASC X12 members are using the draft XML Design Rules in their XML business message development initiatives to ensure the rules fulfill their organization's business message requirements... Two new EDI transaction sets were approved at the ASC X12 meeting in Denver: They include Equipment Inspection Report Transaction Set 228 and Implementation Acknowledgement Transaction Set 999. Developed by the ASC X12 Transportation Subcommittee, TS 228 can be used by transportation carriers to provide equipment owners with equipment inspection activity results. In addition, it can convey information regarding any damage to and repair of the equipment. Developed by the ASC X12 Communications & Controls Subcommittee, TS 999 is based upon a full or implemented subset of X12 transaction sets. The next ASC X12 publication - Version 4, Release 6, Subrelease 1 - includes 318 EDI transaction sets and will be available in March 2003..." General references in "ANSI ASC X12/XML and DISA."

  • [March 06, 2003] "GSA and the Department of Defense Join the Liberty Alliance Project. Government Groups Look to the Open Liberty Alliance Project to Address Digital Identity Challenges." - "The Liberty Alliance Project announced today that the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) have joined the Liberty Alliance in its pursuit to develop open and interoperable standards for electronically managing identity information. The GSA and DoD join other Liberty Alliance members from both the private and public sectors, representing various countries around the world. The global collaboration of government organizations, corporations and consumer interest groups will prove invaluable to helping solve the complex technical and business issues associated with network identity that the Liberty Alliance is currently working to address. 'Governments and companies are looking at how to use the Web to improve business processes and provide consumers and constituents with better access to information,' said Michael Barrett, president of the Liberty Alliance Management Board and vice president of Internet Strategy for American Express. 'Identity management is central to each of these things, and identity management is becoming even more relevant as an increasing number of transactions and relationships move online.' For example, eAuthentication is one of the Bush Administration's 24 eGovernment initiatives. The initiative was designed to verify (authenticate) the identity of citizens and businesses doing business with the government over the Internet. eAuthentication will enable the mutual trust needed to support widespread use of electronic interactions between the public and government and across governments. GSA, the managing partner for this initiative, is responsible for the development and implementation of infrastructure for common authentication services across the Federal Government. GSA's participation in the Liberty Alliance is an important step toward the development of a common infrastructure to advance the President's eGovernment agenda. Other government groups, on the federal as well as state and local level, are looking at how digital identity affects their own systems and processes. Some, like the Department of Defense, are joining the Liberty Alliance as a way to participate in the discussion and solve their identity issues. The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) is responsible for collecting and maintaining important information for the Department of Defense, including automated power, personnel, training and financial databases. 'We are involved in a number of projects where there is a need for secure digital identity,' said Bill Boggess, Chief of Access and Authentication Division for the DMDC. 'We are pleased to be a part of the Liberty Alliance's efforts to create an open, federated network identity standard that can be used across industries which will help us enhance our relationships with government entities'..." See: (1) the news item "Government Agencies Join Liberty Alliance to Support Digital Identity Standards"; (2) general references in "Liberty Alliance Specifications for Federated Network Identification and Authorization"

  • [March 06, 2003] "Software AG's Tamino XML Server Validates Digital Signatures for Secure Electronic Communication. Security Extensions for Tamino XML Server 4.1 Enables Organizations to Securely and Conveniently Exchange Sensitive or Legally Binding Documents over the Internet." - "Software AG, Inc., a pioneer in XML solutions, today announced the availability of a new software component for its Tamino XML Server 4.1 that allows the native XML server to validate digital signatures in support of secure electronic communications. Tamino XML Security Extensions makes the completion of legally binding contracts and other sensitive transactions over the Internet more secure and convenient. Digital signature technology allows the author of an electronic document to digitally 'sign' the document and check later to see if the document has been modified without permission. Tamino XML Security Extensions automatically checks whether an electronic document has been given a digital signature, and verifies the validity of the signature during the database storage transaction for the signed document. In this manner, Tamino XML Server allows users to verify a document's authenticity... 'Tamino XML Security Extensions makes electronic communication between business partners much more convenient,' says Dr. Peter Mossack, Deputy Member of the Executive Board responsible for Research and Development at Software AG. 'E-commerce, e-government and e-contracting transactions can now be carried out securely thanks to Tamino XML Security Extensions, which not only verifies a document's authenticity, but also meets non-repudiation requirements'..."

  • [March 06, 2003] "Sybase PowerBuilder 9.0 Available. Open IDE Powers Rapid Application Development Across Leading Technologies, with Support for XML, JSP, EJB, .NET and Web Services." - "Sybase, Inc. announces general availability of Sybase PowerBuilder 9.0, the company's market-leading, rapid application development (RAD) tool. PowerBuilder 9.0 increases developer productivity with support for J2EE and Microsoft .NET, and integration with existing technology investments and business logic. Enhancements include the XML DataWindow, Web Services, RAD JavaServer Pages and third-party application server support. PowerBuilder 9.0 lays the groundwork for 4GLplus, the next generation of RAD environment from Sybase. Sybase, Inc., a leading enterprise infrastructure and integration company, today announced that Sybase PowerBuilder 9.0 is currently scheduled for general availability the week of March 24, 2003. This version of Sybase's industry-leading rapid application development (RAD) tool enables developers to continue building rich-client applications for their mission-critical business requirements, and at the same time propel them further into Web and N-tier development with significant new capabilities. PowerBuilder 9.0 also lays the foundation for "4GLplus", the next RAD environment from Sybase that will bring an even higher level of developer productivity through tight integration of design, modeling, development, deployment, and management... New capabilities in PowerBuilder 9.0 include: (1) RAD JavaServer Page (JSP) Targets, which allows developers to quickly develop and deploy a JSP Web application through wizards and other RAD tools; (2) Web Services, enabling developers to build, publish and consume Web services for Microsoft .NET and other frameworks without extensive knowledge of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and Web Services Description Language (WSDL); (3) XML DataWindow: Imports data directly from an XML document and saves data that was retrieved from any data source as a fully customized XML document, or as a document or string using XSL Formatting Objects (XSL-FO) or PDF; (4) PowerBuilder Native Interface: Greatly extends the capabilities of PowerBuilder applications by wrapping a C++ class as a PowerBuilder extension, and then calling its methods in the application. Through JNI, Java applications also can communicate with the PBVM; (5) Third-Party Application Servers - In addition to existing support of Sybase EAServer, PowerBuilder now supports BEA WebLogic Server, IBM WebSphere and other J2EE Application Servers through wizards that generate proxies for enterprise Java beans (EJBs), and call the EJBs in J2EE servers from PowerBuilder through the proxies; (6) The PowerBuilder Document Object Model: The Sybase implementation of DOM, defines how XML documents can be accessed and manipulated. PBDOM is used to read, write, and manipulate standard-format XML from within PowerScript code; (7) PDF Report Generation: Provides two ways to save a DataWindow object so that it can directly generate reports in PDF format. The distill method is used by default and can save all types of DataWindow objects; (8) Source Control Enhancements: Helps developers manage large PowerBuilder projects more efficiently and achieve tighter integration with Rational ClearCase and Merant PVCS; (9) OrcaScript Utility: Invokes Orca application program interface commands with English-like scripting language. New source code control integration allows PowerBuilder targets to be rebuilt directly from source control..."

  • [March 04, 2003] "Sun Continues to Innovate as Project JXTA Speeds Past One Million Downloads. Only Peer-to-Peer Computing Technology that Enables Collaboration and Communication on Any Networked Device. Commercial Products Available from InView Software, Internet Access Methods, and Implemented by National Association of Realtors and National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS)." - "Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced in a press teleconference that more than one million developers have downloaded Project JXTA from the Sun Web site. JXTA is the only open source, standards-based, peer-to-peer technology that supports collaboration and communication on any networked device anywhere, anytime. Sun also announced that the National Association of Realtors and the National Association of Convenience Stores are implementing JXTA-based applications and that InView Software and Internet Access Methods have released commercial products based on JXTA. This major milestone highlights the mounting adoption of JXTA for peer-to-peer application and service deployment... 'Our JXTA based solution allows distributed property listing data sources to participate in a listing search without the need to have the listing data aggregated in a single database,' said Aubrey Jackson, strategic architect, National Association of Realtors. 'By allowing listing owners to maintain their data, updates are reflected immediately making the most current information always available'... InView Software and Internet Access Methods are part of a range of companies that are expected to release commercial products that leverage the collaborative strengths of the JXTA platform this year. InView Software developed its Momentum application using JXTA technology as its peer-to-peer communications infrastructure layer. Momentum enables file sharing and collaboration between users on the Solaris Operating Environment, Linux and Windows workstations. Users create workspaces containing files that they would like to share, and then invite other users to join that workspace. Momentum users can work collaboratively on documents such as drawings, charts, or timelines. Internet Access Methods built IAM-Developing, a collaborative Java Integrated Development Environment (IDE), using JXTA technology. IAM- Developing works across multiple plaforms. The product enables multiple developers to work securely on the same piece of source code, and see modifications made by others in real time across corporate firewalls... JXTA is an open, generalized peer-to-peer platform that allows any connected device on the network to communicate and collaborate. Sun Microsystems developed and released JXTA to the open source community in April 2001. JXTA can be applied across multiple platforms including the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE), Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME), C language, and others. Any device on the network including cell phones, two-way pagers, electronic sensors, PDAs, desktop computers and servers, can be connected using JXTA. Sun's technical consulting arm, Sun Professional Services, is at the forefront of helping organizations leverage JXTA to deliver services to the Web, and to engineer architectures to support pervasive -- any device, anywhere, any time -- access..."

  • [March 04, 2003] "Payroll Deduction Specification Approved by HR-XML. Data Interchange Standard Enables Requests to Payroll Processors for Payroll Deductions and Other Change Instructions." - "A new data interchange standard for transmitting payroll deduction requests and other payroll change instructions has been approved by the HR-XML Consortium. The purpose of HR-XML's Payroll Instructions specification is to streamline the setup of interfaces between organizations that need to exchange payroll deduction requests and similar pre-payroll instructions. When an employee changes benefit elections, enrolls in new benefit programs, or when work or life events otherwise change the employee's benefits coverage, corresponding changes to payroll deductions usually are necessary. HR-XML's Payroll Instructions specification provides the standard means for employers, benefits administrators, and payroll processors to structure the exchange of information about payroll deductions and adjustments. The specification is designed to be useful globally. The specification is extensible, so implementers can add lists of benefit deduction types based on remuneration practices in their country. The HR-XML Payroll Instructions specification will be useful in handling deductions related to medical insurance, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, short and long term disability insurance, accident insurance, savings accounts, and employee stock purchase plans. The Payroll Instructions specification also will be useful for voluntary or non-benefit deductions, such as those for charities, union dues, savings bonds, savings/credit union accounts, personal loans, child support, personal and business membership fees, tuition and book fees, transportation fees, and parking fees..." See: (1) the 2003-03-04 news story "HR-XML Consortium Approves Specifications for Background Checks and Payroll Deductions"; (2) general references in "HR-XML Consortium."

  • [March 03, 2003] "BEA First to Unify Application Development and Integration into a Single Software Environment. BEA WebLogic Workshop 8.1 Offers Breakthrough in Time to Value, Dramatically Increases Developer Productivity." - "BEA Systems, Inc., the world's leading application infrastructure software company, today redefines time-to-value with BEA WebLogic Workshop 8.1 -- the industry's first unified environment for the rapid development and integration of service-oriented applications. Leveraging its revolutionary approach to simplifying J2EE and Web services development, BEA WebLogic Workshop 8.1 now provides a fully integrated development environment that covers all aspects of enterprise-class application development and integration, across the entire BEA WebLogic Enterprise Platform. With this release, IT organizations can achieve unprecedented productivity when using BEA WebLogic Workshop 8.1 to address enterprise software projects. By converging what has traditionally been two dramatically different methodologies around integration and application development into one unified model, BEA WebLogic Workshop is designed to provide one standard development approach across an entire IT organization. The Workshop development environment provides an easy-to-use tool that can enable customers to base all IT projects on one platform -- including development of Web applications, Web services, portal and integration projects -- thereby increasing productivity and reducing time to market and development costs... To best meet developer and IT needs, BEA is offering two editions of BEA WebLogic Workshop -- BEA WebLogic Workshop, Application Developer Edition, for Web services and Web application development; and BEA WebLogic Workshop, Platform Edition, for the development of enterprise applications, including custom applications, portal initiatives and integration projects utilizing the entire BEA WebLogic Enterprise Platform. Both packages introduce a host of Java controls, easy to use building blocks for rapid application construction that are designed to enable any developer to connect to, use and reuse IT assets -- increasing developer productivity and reducing application time-to-market..."

  • [March 03, 2003] "Fiorina: HP Makes Strategic Investments in Web Services Management. Company Unveils Software, Services, Standards Framework to Help Customers Adopt Web Services, Bridge Competing J2EE and .NET Worlds." - "HP Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Carly Fiorina today outlined several HP investments and technologies to help customers address key management issues that may inhibit the adoption of Web services. During her keynote address at the eighth annual BEA eWorld user conference, Fiorina focused on the critical role Web services management will play in overcoming IT complexity, unifying systems and accelerating a return on IT investments. HP also announced today the creation of a dedicated Web Services Management team to extend the HP OpenView software suite for simplified Web services management. The team, reporting to Nora Denzel, senior vice president of software, will lead HP's efforts to help customers provision and manage Web services with the choice and flexibility to adopt future innovations, including a consistent management interface for J2EE and .NET components. The team also will continue HP's active work in Web services standards, including W3C, OASIS, Liberty Alliance, OGSA (Open Grid Service Architecture) and Web Service Interoperability Organization (WS-I.org)... Fiorina unveiled several investments that HP is making to overcome management barriers to full-scale Web services adoption: (1) HP's dedicated Web Services Management team within the HP OpenView business unit brings 20 years of network and systems management experience to the organization... (2) HP has created a dedicated Web services management and deployment practice for J2EE environments within HP Services. This practice includes more than 500 consultants worldwide that are trained to work with customers to deploy J2EE solutions faster, cheaper and more effectively. By the end of 2003, the J2EE practice will include more than 1,000 people -- all focused on developing repeatable J2EE solutions. (3) Additionally, HP is expanding its market-leading HP OpenView software suite into the realm of Web services management. (4) Working closely with partners, HP plans to make a major contribution to standards efforts, allowing companies to incorporate management capabilities in Web services, rather than take a 'build later' approach. Additionally, over the next few months, HP will contribute a Web services management framework to the OASIS Distributed Management Organization and work with it towards a Web services management standard. This framework is a way to model and design relationships and interacts with a Web services environment. It is designed to enable companies to architect 'management-ready' systems for out-of-the-box integration with top management tools -- all based on Web services standards..." See also: "OASIS Technical Committee Addresses Management of Web Services."

  • [March 03, 2003] "Employment Background Check Specification Approved by the HR-XML Consortium. HR-XML Background Check Specification Enables Integration of Critical Data in the Midst of Heightened Workplace Security." - "The HR-XML Consortium has approved version 2.0 of its data exchange standards for background checks. The newly approved standards enable easy integration of data between HR systems and the systems of background-check service providers. "With legal liability costs continuing to rise and with the current state of heightened workplace security within the United States, fast and effective background checks are more important than ever before," said Brad H. Whitney, chair of the HR-XML Consortium's Screening Workgroup and Executive VP and CIO, American Background Information Services, Inc. "For this reason, U.S. employers are seeking tighter integration between their core HR systems, applicant tracking systems, and the systems of third-party background checking firms. A high level of integration between systems is essential for background checks to be performed quickly and reliably," according to Whitney. The HR-XML Consortium's Background Checking 2.0 improves upon the previous version of the specification. The reporting format within version 2.0 supports the return of very detailed, discretely fielded search results. The types of screenings supported by the standard include criminal records, education, employment, military service, professional licenses, administrative/professional sanctions, and credit. The specification is extensible so that customized search types also can be supported. The built-in extensibility accommodates specialized industry needs as well as the needs of government employers. The third-party background-check model enabled by HR-XML's specifications also helps employers respect employee privacy since it can spare employers from having to see, process, or store background information on the vast majority of individuals for whom no disqualifying information is uncovered..." See: (1) the 2003-03-04 news story "HR-XML Consortium Approves Specifications for Background Checks and Payroll Deductions"; (2) general references in "HR-XML Consortium."

  • [February 27, 2003] "I3A Announces Release of CPXe Specification Suite and New Online Directory Service. Picture Services Network and v1.0 Interoperability Specifications Put CPXe Into Motion." - "The International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) today announced the availability of a suite of CPXe interoperability specifications and the creation of the Picture Services Network (PSN). Working in concert, CPXe specifications and the PSN Directory Service will simplify for consumers and businesses the process of finding, accessing and using Internet-connected and retail photo services. 'The introduction of the PSN Directory Service and the CPXe specifications gives life to the imaging industry's vision for making it as convenient to get prints and other photo services from digital pictures as it is today with film,' said Lisa Walker, president, International Imaging Industry Association. 'Today's announcement signals the beginning of new levels of convenience and flexibility for consumers and incredible possibilities for retailers'... I3A along with Eastman Kodak Company, Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd and Hewlett-Packard Company announced today the availability of a suite of CPXe specifications. The first in a planned series of concurrent specification releases by I3A enables the business-to-consumer components of the CPXe system architecture. It is planned that future specifications will be developed to address the business-to-business elements of the CPXe architecture. Copies of the v1.0 CPXe specifications may be downloaded from the I3A website. CPXe is providing the industry with an extensible and open technology platform on which any imaging device can seamlessly exchange digital images and order and commerce information with any networked imaging application or service, regardless of manufacturer, service provider or geography. The combined impact of CPXe specifications and the PSN Directory Service will simplify for consumers the process of finding and using Internet-connected and retail photo services... CPXe is an International Imaging Industry Association (I3A) initiative group of companies working together to provide more opportunities for consumers to enjoy their digital pictures. Technology companies, software makers, camera and equipment manufacturers, imaging companies, and online photo services providers are working within I3A to develop a series of specifications to enable the transmission of digital pictures and order information between digital cameras, PCs, desktop software, Internet services, photo kiosks, digital minilabs and photofinishers via the Picture Services Network (PSN)..." See general references in "Common Picture Exchange Environment (CPXe)."

  • [February 26, 2003] "OASIS Members Advance Reliable Message Delivery for Web Services. WS-Reliability Specification Submitted to OASIS." - "Members of the OASIS standards consortium announced plans to collaborate on the development of a generic and open model for ensuring reliable message delivery for Web services. The new OASIS Web Services Reliable Messaging (WS-RM) Technical Committee will work to establish a standard, interoperable way of achieving reliability at the SOAP messaging level and potentially with other messaging protocols. The WS-Reliability specification, published by Fujitsu, Hitachi, Oracle, NEC, Sonic Software, and Sun Microsystems, will be submitted as input for the OASIS WS-RM Technical Committee. Other contributions are welcome. The group plans to work closely with related OASIS Technical Committees, such as the ebXML Messaging Services and the Web Services Security teams, and with relevant efforts of other organizations, such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Services Architecture Working Group. According to Thomas Koulopoulos, Delphi Group CEO, 'Through WS-RM, OASIS is once again demonstrating a leadership role in the movement towards building a services-based architecture. The initiative is a critical step forward in creating a solid foundation for virtualization and the underlying, broad-based processes that are critical to its adoption.' 'Interoperability, ease-of-implementation, and ease-of-use are our fundamental goals,' stated Tom Rutt of Fujitsu, chair of the OASIS WS-RM Technical Committee. 'We are determined to build on existing standards wherever possible so that the results of our work will interoperate and not overlap with Web services specifications that are being developed by other open, recognized, standards bodies.' The OASIS Reliable Messaging specification will address message persistence, acknowledgement and resending, elimination of duplicate messages, ordered delivery, and delivery status awareness for sender and receiver applications. It will provide WSDL definitions for reliable messaging, and the message formats will be specified as SOAP headers and/or body content. Members of the OASIS WS-RM Technical Committee include Commerce One, Cyclone Commerce, Fujitsu, Hitachi, IONA, NEC, Oracle, SAP, See Beyond, Sonic Software, Sun Microsystems, webMethods, WRQ, and others. Under the rules adopted by the OASIS WS-RM Technical Committee, each participant has agreed to provide a free license to any of its intellectual property rights which someone building a product to the final technical specification would need. Participation in the technical committee remains open to all organizations and individuals, and OASIS will host an open mail list for public comment..." See details in "OASIS Members Form Technical Committee for Web Services Reliable Messaging." General references in "Reliable Messaging."

  • [February 25, 2003] "Cape Clear Software Ships New Release of Free Web Services Editor." - "Cape Clear Software has today released a new version of its free WSDL (Web Services Description Language) Editor. The WSDL Editor provides a friendly, graphical environment for creating and editing WSDL, the key building block of Web Services. The editor has been designed for both experienced and novice Web Services developers and works with existing languages such as .NET, Java, J2EE, and CORBA. This latest release makes the creation of Web Services faster and easier, while adding support for building Web Services from large XML Schema. 'Over thirty thousand programmers are using the first release of our WSDL Editor,' said John Maughan, director of engineering at Cape Clear Software. 'The overwhelming feedback from these users has provided us with a rich resource for future product development, and to illustrate our commitment to the community we've upgraded the free editor to incorporate new features and improvements that make it faster and easier to edit and create Web Services.' 'The WSDL Editor is significant because software developers are increasingly placing WSDL at the center of their Web Services development process. It facilitates good Web Service design, enables the reuse of existing data type definitions, and can be used to automatically generate service implementations without developer effort,' continued Maughan. This release of the WSDL Editor introduces a range of improvements over the previous release including: (1) Improved graphical environment, which makes creating and editing Web Services faster and easier. (2) New automated wizards that simplify the creation and editing of proprietary and industry-specific XML Schemas. (3) Support for large XML Schemas, which enables developers to create Web Services that interface to existing business processes. (4) Simplified process for creating different WSDL elements such as service definitions, port types, binding, template operations, and messages. (5) Broader support for WSDL validation against WSDL schema and WSDL profiling. (6) Advanced WSDL capabilities such as imports, faults, SOAP headers, multiple bindings, and parameter ordering, as defined in the latest WSDL specification. (7) Easier retrieval of WSDL files from across corporate networks, UDDI repositories, or the Internet..." See the news story from 2002-09-04: "Cape Clear Software Releases Free WSDL Editor Graphical Tool." General references in "Web Services Description Language (WSDL)."

  • [February 25, 2003] "UML 2.0 Vote Highlights Upcoming OMG Standards Meeting. Orlando, FL, USA, March 24-28, 2003." - "Members of the Object Management Group (OMG) will meet in Orlando, FL, USA from March 24 - 28, 2003, at a meeting sponsored by Compuware Corporation. Members will work the organization's technology adoption process, attend tutorials, and view demonstrations of products implementing OMG specifications. Most notably, OMG's Unified Modeling Language (UML) specification, widely used and universally recognized in software modeling around the world, will undergo a major upgrade to Version 2.0. With member evaluations nearly complete, the Analysis and Design (AD) Platform Task Force (PTF) will vote in Orlando to recommend adoption of all four parts of the new standard: language infrastructure and superstructure, Object Constraint Language, and diagram interchange specification. The AD PTF will also vote to upgrade the MetaObject Facility core, IDL mapping, and XMI mapping to Version 2.0, and will review and comment on draft specifications for a UML Testing Profile and Web Services for the Common Warehouse Metamodel. Standardization work will start on a new UML profile for systems engineering. OMG's Middleware and Related Services PTF standardizes the infrastructure for distributed computing, frequently working with other task forces including the Telecommunications Domain Task Force (DTF) and the Realtime, Embedded, and Specialized Systems PTF. In Orlando, these task forces will vote to recommend a number of new standards. Two involve Web Services: One defines a mapping from Web Services Definition Language (WSDL) and SOAP to CORBA, complementing the reverse mapping from CORBA to WSDL/SOAP; the other standardizes a Web Services representation for Enterprise Collaboration. Additional new standards up for vote will define a mapping between CORBA and the telecommunications Stream Control Transmission Protocol, interworking between CORBA Notification and the Java Messaging Service (JMS), deployment and configuration of CORBA components, data distribution in realtime systems, and an extensible network transport framework for CORBA systems. The task forces will also kick off work on two new standards extending the CORBA Component Model: a stream data transport, and quality of service extensions. OMG's Domain Task Forces adopt specifications for enterprise architecture and in vertical markets. In Orlando, the Business Enterprise Integration DTF will evaluate draft specifications standardizing interfaces to such business processes as workflow, electronic commerce, and web services. Expressed as a platform-independent model, this standardizes the representation of these key processes in OMG's Model Driven Architecture (MDA). This task force will also start work on standardized UML support for business rules... All current OMG specifications may be downloaded without charge from the organization's website..."

  • [February 24, 2003] "Adobe Ships Updated Form Solution for Speeding Data Capture Processes. Enterprise Form Solution Brings Together XML, HTML and PDF for Moving Forms Processes Online with Improved Accuracy and Better Integration with Backend Systems." - "Adobe Systems Incorporated, leader in network publishing, today announced the immediate availability of Adobe Form Server and Form Designer software for improving data capture processes across the extended enterprise. Through the combination of XML, HTML and secure electronic forms in the Portable Document Format (PDF), the updated software enables businesses and governments to improve data capture processes beyond the firewall. Now organizations can reliably communicate, receive and process information from their customers, partners and suppliers. 'Our business partners can complete critical transactions online, such as issuing surety bonds for clients,' said Greg Davenport, assistant vice president and director of surety operations at SAFECO. 'Agents nationwide can enter client data directly into our online forms, and in minutes receive everything they need to issue a compliant surety bond. The Adobe Form Server software eliminates manual processes and prevents lost or incomplete data. There's also no need to waste resources re-keying information because forms can be completed and submitted electronically. These efficiencies add up to significant administrative savings for us, our business partners, and their customers.' Adobe Form Server 5.0 enables virtually anyone to receive and view the form by automatically converting an XML template to PDF and various forms of HTML, depending on the device that is targeted to receive it. From PCs to handheld and wireless devices, forms can be delivered to multiple channels without downloads or plug-ins. With improved Adobe PDF integration, the Form Server allows end users to fill out a form either on-line or off-line. Additionally, the software improves the quality of data captured by including embedded calculations and validations, which speeds data capture into backend databases and improves the accuracy of forms submissions. Adobe's enterprise form solution also includes Adobe Form Designer 5.0, a powerful tool for creating intelligent XML and PDF forms. An intuitive graphical interface allows for precision formatting and layout, while enabling connectivity to backend databases. The software automatically 'tags' the data within the PDF document, which enables companies to leverage XML data by incorporating critical data and documents into existing enterprise systems. The Form Designer enables designers to easily create forms for use with screen readers and accessibility software, helping them comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (requires that information offered by Federal agencies is accessible to employees and members of the public with disabilities). Adobe also shipped new versions of the company's products for document generation including Adobe Output Designer 5.5, Adobe Central Output Server 5.5 and Adobe Output Pak for mySAP.com 5.5. These new versions expand Adobe's family of server products that automate the document-intensive processes companies rely on to run their businesses. With the recent addition of Adobe Document Server and Adobe Document Server for Reader Extensions to Adobe's line of server products, Adobe's server solutions enable companies to integrate enterprise applications with document workflows throughout an organization, improving document generation, collaboration and process management across the enterprise..."

  • [February 24, 2003] "Documentum Delivers eRoom Enterprise. Best-in-Class Collaboration Technology Fully Integrated with Leading Enterprise Content Management Platform." - "Documentum, leading provider of enterprise content management (ECM) and extended enterprise collaboration (EEC), today announced the availability of Documentum eRoom Enterprise. This new offering, which integrates eRoom's market-leading collaboration product with the Documentum ECM platform, enables organizations to collaboratively create, share, manage, deliver, reuse and archive the content and best practices that drive business operations. From initial planning and discussion through design, production, marketing, sales, service and other related activities, eRoom Enterprise provides the ease of use and flexibility that brings people together in dynamic team environments, harnesses their collective knowledge and supports all of their collaborative requirements. eRoom Enterprise is the only enterprise-scalable, single-platform solution that offers unified content and collaboration services for all types of project work and all types of content, including documents, email, Web pages, records and rich media, both across and beyond the enterprise. To meet customer, partner and market demand, Documentum is delivering eRoom Enterprise within 90 days of acquiring eRoom Technology and its award-winning collaboration software and services... eRoom Enterprise extends the Documentum ECM platform, with a user-friendly work environment that can be quickly deployed, enabling content-centric and collaboration-centric processes and applications. Project teams can work together in virtual workspaces, and resulting collaborative content can be captured, stored, later referenced and integrated with other enterprise content and processes. With eRoom Enterprise, Documentum ECM customers can now collaborate as they create, manage, share distribute and archive content, and existing eRoom customers can take advantage of Documentum's powerful ECM capabilities, to search, review, share, reuse and archive content created and saved within all eRoom team environments..."

  • [February 21, 2003] "Microsoft Announces Windows Rights Management Services For Windows Server 2003. Rights Management Solution Will Give Organizations and Employees New Ways To Protect Information." - "Microsoft Corp. today announced plans for Windows Rights Management Services (RMS), a new technology for Windows Server 2003 that will give organizations advanced ways to help secure sensitive internal business information including financial reports and confidential planning documents. Windows Rights Management Services will work with applications to provide a platform-based approach to providing persistent policy rights for Web content and sensitive corporate documents of all types. Beta code for Windows Rights Management Services will be broadly available in the second quarter of 2003. 'Customers have told us they need better solutions to help safeguard their critical business information,' said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of the Security Business Unit at Microsoft. 'What's really compelling about Rights Management technology is that it enables businesses to protect the information they most worry might leak -- either deliberately or inadvertently -- by putting persistent protections in the documents themselves.' Using Windows Rights Management Services, applications such as information portals, word processors or e-mail clients can be built so that users will be able to easily designate both who can have access to specific content and what kinds of access rights they can have. Rights and policy are managed by the server, while clients running RMS-enabled applications allow users to apply rights with a click of a button. For example, Windows Rights Management Services can be used to control forwarding, copying and printing, as well as establishing time-based expiration rules. In addition, enterprises can enforce policy broadly and reliably by centrally delivering templates that automate the process -- for example, making the policy around what constitutes 'company confidential' uniform and easy to manage. Because Windows Rights Management Services technology is an ASP.NET Web service built on the Microsoft .NET Framework, it can more easily interoperate with business processes via Web services. RMS technology uses XrML (Extensible Rights Markup Language), an emerging standard for the expression of rights on digital content. Microsoft will release two software development kits in the second quarter of 2003 to enable developers to begin to build rights management capabilities into a broad range of intra-enterprise solutions and applications for Windows clients..." Related references: (1) "XML and Digital Rights Management (DRM)"; (2) "OASIS Rights Language"' (3) "Extensible Rights Markup Language (XrML)".

  • [February 21, 2003] "OGC Seeks Comment on Proposed Web Map Context Specification." - "The Open GIS Consortium, Inc. (OGC) announces a Request for Comment (RFC) on the proposed Web Map Context Documents Implementation Specification. This proposed specification describes a standardized approach to enable the capture and maintenance of the context - or state information - of a Web Map Server (WMS) request so that this information can be reused easily in the future user session. Those interested in this RFC are invited to comment on the document. Comments must be submitted to OGC no later than 21-March-2003. The 'context' aspect of this RFC refers to a process to capture and manage information transacted in WMS based requests and responses. Information typically includes: window size and placement, bounding box (in a common Earth coordinate reference system), URLs and other details that could be used by another client to access the same servers and recreate the same representation of overlaid map layers, or to support generation of a similar map representation based on modified parameters from the original request. This RFC is the result of Web Services work accomplished over the past few years as part of OGC's Interoperability Program of fast paced testbeds and pilot projects. This program has led to a foundation of web-based interoperability involving not only map display but also more sophisticated geoprocessing functions, as well as location based services, sensor and camera geolocation, web catalogs of spatial data and spatial web services, and other capabilities. GeoConnections / Natural Resources Canada, Ionic Software (Belgium), DM Solutions (Canada), Social Change Online (Australia), Syncline (United States) and US National Aeronautics and Space Administration submitted this specification to OGC as a Request For Comment (RFC). OGC is an international industry consortium of more than 250 companies, government agencies and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available interface specifications. OpenGIS Specifications support interoperable solutions that "geo-enable" the Web, wireless and location-based services, and mainstream IT. The specifications empower technology developers to make complex spatial information and services accessible and useful with all kinds of applications..." Other recent announcements: (1) "OGC Announces OpenGIS Geography Markup Language Implementation Specification (GML 3)"; (2) "OGC Working Group Issues Draft Specification for Sensor Model Language (SensorML)." General references in "Geography Markup Language (GML)."

  • [February 18, 2003] "Sun Microsystems Laboratories Contributes XACML Security Standard Implementation to Open Source Project. Language for Access Control Policies Simplifies Web Services and Improves Enterprise Security." - "Today, Sun Microsystems, Inc. announced the release of its implementation of the new XACML OASIS Open Standard for security under an open source license. XACML contributes to the simplification and cost reduction of developing and deploying secure web services -- or any application that requires secure access control. Today's news demonstrates Sun's leadership role in the development of open standards and underscores Sun's continuing investment in the security space. "Sun's XACML implementation heralds a necessary improvement in web services security and interoperability," said Larry Abrahams, Director, Identity Server and Liberty, Sun Microsystems, Inc. "We expect it to be very useful in creating an open source community around the technology and an important part in the development of future Sun products." Sun's XACML Implementation was developed by the Internet Security Research Group (ISRG) within Sun Microsystems Laboratories and could have far-reaching impact on enterprise security as well as developer productivity. As XACML replaces the current patchwork of proprietary access control policy languages, administrators will no longer need to learn these many languages and translate policies between them. Software developers won't have to invent their own languages and write custom code to support them as they do today. Both will save time and money. "Sun's decision to release an Open Source implementation of XACML 1.0 is both important and timely, and will certainly encourage rapid adoption of this standard," said Carlisle Adams, principal architect, advanced security, at Entrust, Inc. "Governments and businesses will benefit from the availability of this code because they will immediately be able to incorporate fully-compliant XACML 1.0 implementations into the comprehensive authorization architectures they deploy. Entrust is very pleased to have played a major role in the development of this standard." Sun's release of this code under an open source (modified BSD) license coincides with approval of the XACML standard by OASIS, the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards, and is aimed at jump-starting the adoption of this standard throughout the open source and commercial software development communities... XACML, Extensible Access Control Markup Language is a specification for expressing policies in XML for information access over the Internet. The XACML specification was developed by OASIS, which announced today that XACML has been approved as an OASIS Open Standard, the highest level of ratification. This language is expected to simplify and streamline enterprise access control..." See: (1) "Sun Microsystems Releases Open Source XACML Implementation for Access Control and Security."; (2) "XACML 1.0 Specification Set Approved as an OASIS Standard"

  • [February 18, 2003] "Roundtrip 1.0 Ships for Mac and Windows. Now XML Can Be Beautiful -- Single Source XML Publishing is Practical for the First Time in QuarkXPress." - "Easypress Technologies has released Atomik Roundtrip 1.0, for the first time enabling QuarkXPress to be fully included in an XML workflow. Atomik Roundtrip 1.0 is the only tool to bring full, bi-directional XML support to QuarkXPress. By preserving XML structure throughout the pagination process, Roundtrip redresses the balance between structure and creativity, taking the design flexibility of QuarkXPress and combining it with all the benefits of an XML pagination tool. This new product is expected to transform print publishing enabling a single source of XML content to be used for both print and Web... Another benefit of Atomik Roundtrip is that through XML, QuarkXPress can now be tightly integrated with content management systems, most of which have XML at their core. One of the leading companies in this field is Documentum, who have been working with Easypress Technologies to provide enhanced print publishing support in their systems by XML-enabling QuarkXPress with Atomik Roundtrip. 'Atomik Roundtrip represents a huge step forward for cross-media publishing,' said Mark Arbour, director of products and marketing for Documentum's Digital Asset Management business unit. 'Documentum's native XML support combined with Easypress Technologies' XML-enablement of QuarkXPress further enhances our ability to provide customers with an enterprise content management solution for cross-media and collaborative publishing, eliminating the challenges typically associated with publishing content to print and the Web.' This viewpoint is backed up by content management system integrators that have also struggled to provide this crucial link between print and Web publishing. 'Companies have invested heavily in content management systems that previously were unable to deliver content to print,' said Joseph Bachana, CEO of DPCI, a professional services company based in the United States. 'Atomik Roundtrip adds value to any CMS on the market by building QuarkXPress files directly from valid or well-formed XML. Nothing on the market comes remotely close'... Fully functional demonstration versions and full documentation for Atomik Roundtrip Mac and Windows are available for download. The only restriction in the demonstration version is that some of the XML content will be reversed when imported into QuarkXPress. Otherwise users can fully evaluate the product with their own XML files and QuarkXPress pages..."

  • [February 18, 2003] "XACML Access Control Markup Language Ratified as OASIS Open Standard. Universal Language for Authorization Policy Enables Secure Web Services." - "The OASIS interoperability consortium today announced that its members have approved the Extensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML) as an OASIS Open Standard, a status that signifies the highest level of ratification. XACML allows developers to express and enforce policies for information access over the Internet. 'XACML is designed to enable the interoperability of a broad range of administration and authorization products by providing a universal language for authorization policy. Its flexibility and features for supporting large scale, federated environments will literally set the standard for the next generation of authorization products,' explained Hal Lockhart of BEA Systems, co-chair of the OASIS XACML Technical Committee. 'Policies applied consistently across environments and across vendor products is the cornerstone of good security,' added Carlisle Adams of Entrust, co-chair of the OASIS XACML Technical Committee. 'Coupled with secure mechanisms for carrying requester attributes -- such as SAML assertions, Java permissions, or WS-Security tokens -- XACML is a key component in an authorization infrastructure that can span Web services, J2SE, and other e-business environments.' The OASIS XACML specification was developed by Entrust, IBM, OpenNetwork, Quadrasis, Sterling Commerce, Sun Microsystems, and other members of the OASIS Extensible Access Control Markup Language Technical Committee..." See: (1) the complete news story "XACML 1.0 Specification Set Approved as an OASIS Standard"; (2) general references in "Extensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML)."

  • [February 12, 2003] "Corel XMetaL 4 Now Available. The Corel XMetaL 4 Platform Extends the Reach of XML Authoring to the Web and Delivers on the Promise of Content Reuse." - "Corel Corporation today announced the availability of Corel XMetaL 4. Focusing on the specific needs of both developers and end users, Corel XMetaL 4 is a new platform that extends XML content editing to virtually any Windows application, including email and Web browsers. The Corel XMetaL 4 platform provides the only richly-customizable XML editing solutions that support dynamic validation for both DTDs and W3C Schemas. It is composed of four separate applications designed to meet the unique requirements of IT managers, developers, and end users. Corel XMetaL offers tight integration with leading content management systems and provides the ideal environment for enterprise-wide XML content creation. Maximizing content reuse, Corel XMetaL enables authors to create compound documents of valid XML data -- forming documents from reusable sections or 'chunks' that can be managed individually, dramatically improving the way organizations create and reuse their XML content... Corel XMetaL Author is a customizable XML editing environment that makes it easy to create valid and well-formed XML documents. Corel XMetaL for ActiveX is an editing interface that developers can embed into any ActiveX-compliant Windows application, including Web browsers. Corel XMetaL Developer is a centralized development environment for creating Corel XMetaL customizations and applications. Designed as a plug-in for Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, it enables developers to use familiar Web development skills such as scripting, COM and DOM to create customizations for both XMetaL Author and XMetaL for ActiveX. Corel XMetaL Central completes the platform by providing a server-based XML environment management tool that simplifies the deployment and maintenance of customized XML applications across an organization. Corel XMetaL Central enables IT managers to leverage the power of Web services to remotely manage and maintain enterprise customizations and takes advantage of Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) technology to provide easy access to the most up-to-date XML customization files, including style sheets, scripts, CSS and templates..."

  • [February 12, 2003] "Intalio Ships Intalio|n³ 2.0. New End-user Interactivity Combines with Productivity, Performance, Standards Enhancements to Reinforce Dominance of Company's BPMS." - "Intalio, Inc., the business process management company, today announced immediate availability of Intalio|n³ 2.0, the company's trailblazing Business Process Management System (BPMS). The move reinforces Intalio's leadership position in BPM arena by adding support for complex workflow interactions with end-users while enhancing Intalio|n³ 2.0 support for industry standards, amplifying its enterprise-class performance, and boosting user productivity. 'Intalio|n³ 2.0 benefits from more than three years of research and development as well as experience acquired through successful deployments by early adopters,' said Ismael Ghalimi, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Intalio. 'The groundbreaking architecture of Intalio|n³ 2.0 takes BPM to the next level as the only BPMS that can support any block-structured process modeling languages such as BPML and BPEL4WS. Perhaps more significant, Intalio|n³ 2.0 leverages organizations' existing IT assets and infrastructure, including application servers, message brokers, packaged applications, heritage systems and Web Services.' With Intalio|n³ 2.0, organizations now have the power to completely and seamlessly manage the entire life cycle of their business processes, from design to execution to optimization. Highlighting Intalio|n³ 2.0 is the introduction of a new platform component, Intalio|n³ Director, as well as standards support, enterprise-readiness, and productivity enhancements to established Intalio|n³ Server and Intalio|n³ Designer components. Intalio|n³ Director allows employees, customers, and partners to seamlessly direct the execution of business processes and perform business activity monitoring tasks through any existing workforce software, including groupware systems, workflow engines, and enterprise information portals. Key to Intalio|n³ Director is XPage, a new XML-based language developed by Intalio, for creating highly-interactive user interface components. XPage replaces the use of up to seven different languages that are required today for the development of interactive Web-based user interfaces (JSP, Java, JavaScript, XML, XSLT, HTML, CSS). In combination with BPML, XPage can reduce the development cost of end-to-end processes by up to 75 percent. Intalio|n³ Director's tight integration with Intalio|n³ Designer lets users visually bind UIs with processes thereby eliminating the need to manually code. Intalio|n³ Director also features an easily customizable BPML-based workflow engine for role-based task management and LDAP integration for user management. Intalio|n³ Director runs on any application server with a servlet engine..." See: (1) "Business Process Modeling Language (BPML)."; (2) "Business Process Execution Language for Web Services (BPEL4WS)."

  • [February 11, 2003] "BEA Announces Web Services Release of BEA Tuxedo. Integration with BEA Platform Extends Tuxedo's Service-Oriented Architecture to the Web and Leverages Best of J2EE." - "Continuing to offer customers the most robust infrastructure for the broadest range of development, BEA Systems, Inc., the world's leading application infrastructure software company, today announced BEA Tuxedo 8.1, the Web services-enabled release of the proven transaction processing platform for building mission-critical, large-scale and high-volume distributed enterprise applications. Leveraging improved integration with the BEA WebLogic Enterprise Platform, the new version of BEA Tuxedo can dramatically simplify Web services development and extends Tuxedo's service-oriented architecture to the Web. BEA Tuxedo, with its multi-language heritage, which includes C, C++, and COBOL, continues to be a key component of BEA's product portfolio and overall application infrastructure strategy. By leveraging Tuxedo's tighter integration with BEA WebLogic Server and BEA WebLogic Workshop, customers can extend their business-critical applications as standard Web services. In addition, tighter integration can also allow for improved BEA Tuxedo operations, administration and maintenance (OA&M), including new support for single sign on and centralized security administration... With thousands of blue-chip customers worldwide, such as ETRADE and FedEx, BEA is powering some of the world's highest-volume, transactional applications. BEA Tuxedo is the backbone behind many of the technologies that people touch every day -- when phone calls are made; credit cards processed; packages shipped; airline tickets purchased; and funds are wired between banks. Tuxedo can enable enterprises to focus on serving their customers through business applications, while BEA handles the underlying complexity of highly transactional, distributed applications that connect the world's businesses..."

  • [February 11, 2003] "Netegrity and Business Layers to Demonstrate Support for Service Provisioning Markup Language (SPML). Vendors Are First to Exhibit XML Based Solution for Identity Management." - "Netegrity, Inc., a leading provider of identity and access management solutions, and Business Layers, the eProvisioning Company, today announced the development of the first identity management solution to support the Service Provisioning Markup Language (SPML) standard. SPML provides companies with a standard way to automate, centralize, and manage the process of provisioning user access to corporate systems and data in order to maximize existing IT resources, reduce administrative costs, and enhance security. The OASIS Provisioning Services Technical Committee is meeting today to finalize the SPML specification. 'Creating a standard way in which to communicate user provisioning information between enterprises will greatly improve corporate efficiency, contribute to cost reduction and increase productivity,' said Roberta Witty, Research Director of Gartner, Inc. 'The adoption of open standards such as SPML provides market assurance that customers do not need to be dependent on their user provisioning solution vendor for proprietary customization which only adds to the cost of the user provisioning implementation.' The challenge of resource provisioning only becomes more complex as companies reach beyond organizational boundaries to conduct business. The move towards service-oriented architectures adds yet another layer of complexity as not only users, but also pieces of applications require access to corporate systems. For example, a large auto manufacturer may have multiple warehouses across the country, some of which are owned by the auto manufacturer and others owned by partners. In order to provide the appropriate parts to the manufacturing plant at the appropriate time, employees at the warehouse must have access to various applications. In order to provision these users to the appropriate applications in a cost effective and timely manner, the company could deploy a provisioning Web service that supports SPML. Using standards based solutions from Netegrity and Business Layers, the auto manufacturer could seamlessly authenticate and authorize the issuer of the provisioning request and perform the appropriate provisioning tasks..." See "XML-Based Provisioning Services."

  • [February 10, 2003] "Oblix Delivers Comprehensive SAML Integration to Provide Advanced Identity Management and Web Access Control. Oblix NetPoint 6.1 Enables Seamless User Authentication and Authorization Across Corporate Extranets Via Secure XML-Based Web Services Standard." - "Oblix, a leading developer of identity-based security solutions, today announced the shipping of the latest version of its identity management and access control solution, Oblix NetPoint 6.1 with comprehensive SAML integration. SAML, Security Assertion Markup Language, is an XML-based security standard for exchanging user authentication and authorization information. By combining SAML with Oblix NetPoint's identity management functionality, not only can companies securely and cost-effectively manage user identity information across corporate boundaries, they can now integrate their security systems as well. Oblix NetPoint's scalability to both internal and external users was one factor in Southwest Airlines' decision to choose Oblix NetPoint as a solution for identity management and Web access control... Oblix NetPoint's integration with SAML gives enterprises the ability to provide its users seamless access to business partners' online resources. For example, a company employee who has entered his or her user name and password into the corporate portal could have access to a Web-based application hosted by a partner's site without being required to enter his or her user credentials again. To achieve this seamless and secure user experience, Oblix NetPoint exchanges SAML assertions between the partners' security systems, in effect forwarding a SAML security assertion that automatically logs the employee into the remote system. Customers have already gained significant advantage from Web single sign-on combined with Oblix's unique identity management system, COREid, especially in large-scale deployments. By supporting SAML in Oblix NetPoint, customers now benefit from even tighter integration across disparate corporate extranets, further reducing the cost of doing business and increasing user satisfaction and productivity... Oblix has consistently focused on building interoperability and support for industry-wide standards into its products, and the incorporation of SAML into Oblix NetPoint furthers this strategy. In addition to its comprehensive SAML support, Oblix NetPoint also supports standards from key organizations, including OASIS, Web Services Interoperability (WS-I), Microsoft .NET and the Liberty Alliance. Because Oblix NetPoint is built to support existing and future standards for authentication and authorization, customers know that Oblix NetPoint will interoperate with their standard of choice. In addition to expanded SAML support, Oblix NetPoint now includes support for Critical Path InJoin Directory Server and a NetPoint Connector for WebSphere. The NetPoint Connector for WebSphere enables tight integration of Oblix NetPoint's single sign-on and identity management functionality with J2EE applications developed on the IBM WebSphere e-business platform..." General references in "Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)."

  • [February 10, 2003] "Netegrity Delivers SAML Affiliate Agent to Lower Cost and Complexity of Federated Security Across Partner Sites. Enables Companies to Securely Partner in Order to Provide Enhanced Services to Users." - "Netegrity, Inc., a leading provider of identity and access management solutions, today announced that it has delivered the Netegrity SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) Affiliate Agent. Companies, especially in today's economy, are leveraging the expertise and services of their partners in order to drive down costs while providing greater value and enhanced services to customers, employees, suppliers, and partners. Previously, there were barriers to enabling this online partnership including security concerns as well as the costs associated with development and interoperability. The Netegrity SAML Affiliate Agent is designed to address these challenges by providing an out of the box solution to enable companies to leverage SAML in order to securely exchange user identities across partner sites, regardless of the infrastructure in place. 'Harvard Pilgrim needed a way to securely exchange identity information with external companies that provide content and transactions for Harvard Pilgrim Online,' said Lawrence Rapisarda, CTO at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. 'The Netegrity SAML Affiliate Agent is going to enable us to provide a seamless user experience across these affiliates in a cost effective federated environment.' SAML, which became a standard within OASIS in October of 2002, provides a standard way to securely exchange user information across partner sites. Netegrity SiteMinder 5.5 currently supports the SAML specification, enabling a company to create a SAML based identity and share that SAML identity with a partner site. With the new Netegrity SAML Affiliate Agent, Netegrity is now enabling the partner to more easily recognize and authenticate the SAML identity. Now, for example, Company X can seamlessly and securely work with its 401k provider. An employee of Company X logs on to the Company's Intranet, which is protected by Netegrity SiteMinder technology, and then decides to change the funds within their 401K account. The Netegrity SAML Affiliate Agent is designed to allow Company X to securely pass the employee's credentials to the 401K provider without having the employee log in again. The notification capability in the Netegrity SAML Affiliate Agent is designed to allow the 401K provider to automatically send notification back to Company X to alert them of the modifications and adds this action to their audit logs. The Netegrity SAML Affiliate Agent enables single sign-on across partner sites and the sharing of pertinent user information to personalize the user's experience. In addition, the Netegrity SAML Affiliate Agent extends the SAML specification to meet the needs of its enterprise customers by adding: (1) Single Sign-Off: As the user travels from partner site to partner site, it is important to ensure that their session is terminated at each site once they logout, preventing unauthorized access; (2) Notification: The original site from which the user came may require that the partner site send a report back to the company when the user performs certain sensitive transactions. This is especially important in regulated industries such as healthcare and financial services, which require audit and reporting logs..." General references in "Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)."

  • [February 10, 2003] "Microsoft InfoPath (Formerly "XDocs") Supports Healthcare XML Data Standard. Microsoft's Information-Gathering Application to Be Featured in Upcoming Solution by Amicore." - "At the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's 2003 Conference and Exhibition (HIMSS), Microsoft Corp. will demonstrate how Microsoft InfoPath, the new Office family application formerly code-named 'XDocs,' supports Clinical Document Architecture (CDA), a national XML standard for the healthcare industry. Built from the ground up on industry-standard XML, Microsoft InfoPath streamlines the process of gathering information through rich, dynamic forms and ensures that customers can easily reuse information across their entire organization. Microsoft will also unveil the official name of its information-gathering application, Microsoft InfoPath, and highlight some of its potential applications in the healthcare industry. 'Microsoft InfoPath support for industry-standard XML schemas will be a productivity boon for a variety of vertical industries with distinct industry-specific data needs,' said Joe Eschbach, corporate vice president of the Information Worker Product Management Group at Microsoft. 'With Microsoft InfoPath, valuable digital information can be gathered more quickly and accurately and can be used to drive business processes more effectively. Imagine the impact on industries such as healthcare, financial services and insurance whose lifeblood is the effective gathering, sharing and application of information'... With InfoPath, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and HMOs can capture vital information about patients within an InfoPath form that they create, validate the information for accuracy, and save it in a CDA-compliant file, which can be read and used by other back-end systems, such as hospital information systems, document management software, portals or even other organizations. As a result, data entered into InfoPath can be shared and accessed by anyone within the organization as well as by external stakeholders. For example, a physician filling out a patient's diagnosis form could query an external knowledge base to identify the appropriate medication covered by the patient's insurance, check for potential interactions with the other medications in the patient's file, and submit the order to the patient's local drugstore for the pharmacy to fill -- all from within InfoPath... Built from the ground up on industry-standard XML, InfoPath enables users to create rich, dynamic forms that capture information that can be incorporated into business processes in industries ranging from healthcare to services to manufacturing, as well as functional areas such as human resources or sales. Featuring support for customer-defined XML schemas, InfoPath allows companies not only to capture data that previously would have been lost, but also to define and organize it to meet their unique needs..." See "Microsoft Office 11 and InfoPath."

  • [February 10, 2003] "OASIS Members Form Emergency Management Technical Committee. Consortium to Advance Incident Preparedness and Response." - "Members of the OASIS standards consortium have announced plans to collaborate on the development of XML-based standards for emergency management and incident preparedness and response. The new OASIS Emergency Management Technical Committee will define standards to enable vital information exchange between local, state and federal agencies including law enforcement, medical professionals, companies, and other responders to natural and man-made disasters and emergency situations. 'The OASIS Emergency Management Technical Committee is an important step in creating interoperability for the Responder Community. As an integral part of the Disaster Management e-Gov Initiative, it is a true partnership between industry and government. Most important, the effort is being led by the emergency management industry,' said Mark G. Zimmerman, Program Manager, Disaster Management E-Gov Initiative, Office of the CIO, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 'The output of this OASIS committee will be a critical component for the Federal Enterprise Architecture as well as the Disaster Management e-Gov Initiative. Developing these XML standards is in keeping with the spirit and intent of the President's Management Agenda e-Gov effort of using information tools to serve the citizen. It could not come at a more critical time in our Nation's history.' The scope of the OASIS activity will include unified incident identification, emergency GIS data accessibility and usage, notification methods and messages, situational reporting, source tasking, asset and resources management, monitoring and data acquisition systems, and organizational coordination. 'Studies conducted under the Homeland Security Act agree that the need for standards in this area is acute. Currently, emergency management is being handled by disparate systems using proprietary architectures and platforms that pose enormous technical challenges to coordinating activities and sharing information,' explained R. Allen Wyke of Blue292, chair of the OASIS Emergency Management Technical Committee. 'The efforts at OASIS will allow greater interoperability and open communication that ultimately will reduce both human and financial losses.' The OASIS effort is supported by the EM-XML Consortium, a group comprised of both industry and government to facilitate collaboration among all parties responsible for preparing, responding, and recovering from incidents and emergencies of any kind. 'There is a unanimity of positive response across industry and government for the development of emergency management standards to address the critical interoperability problems at the heart of homeland security,' said Matt Walton of E Team, chair of the EM-XML Consortium Steering Committee. 'This strong support not only validates the need for creating standards, but also shows that XML is the right technology and OASIS the appropriate place to solve these fundamental interoperability issues'..." See details in the news story "OASIS Members Form Emergency Management Technical Committee."

  • [February 05, 2003] "Interwoven MetaTagger 3.5 Dramatically Enhances Effectiveness of Enterprise Portals with Highly Relevant Content. Metadata Platform Now Integrates with Any Content Source to Enhance Key Portal Components Like Search and Personalization, Boosting Productivity and Lowering Support Costs." - "Interwoven Inc., a world leader in Enterprise Content Management (ECM), has released the Interwoven MetaTagger 3.5 platform, the latest version of its leading content intelligence software, dramatically enhancing the effectiveness of enterprise portals by providing targeted, relevant content to the right audience enterprise-wide. With today's MetaTagger 3.5 release, enterprises can now deliver an efficient and rich online experience through Internet-based enterprise applications such as portals, including search and customer self-service initiatives, boosting productivity and bringing down support costs... MetaTagger 3.5 now enables businesses, systems integrators, and channel partners to extend the benefit of metadata to any repository in the enterprise. Content management systems, document archives, file servers, and databases can all be processed through MetaTagger's out-of-box capabilities and robust API... Interwoven introduces the all-new MetaTagger Studio as part of the MetaTagger 3.5 platform. The Studio simplifies the development of enterprise taxonomies by providing a systematic, process-driven approach for discovering, editing, testing, refining, and promoting taxonomies and thesauri. Extensive import capabilities speed implementation time by reusing structure and terms that might already exist databases, folder structures, or any existing taxonomy or thesaurus. Powerful offline capabilities enable users test and refine taxonomy classification results, then synchronize changes once they are connected to the corporate network..." ['MetaTagger Extractor looks inside XML and HTML content to identify specific values like titles, author names, and other attributes to assign as metadata. Ultimately, extractor provides a fast and efficient way to extend your structured database of metadata on all your unstructured content...']

  • [February 05, 2003] "Computas Announces Major Enhancements to Its Metis Modeling Toolset for Building Enterprise Architecture Models in Federal Agencies. New Metis Version 3.3 Software Provides Web-enabled Modeling Solution for federal CIOs, Strategic Planners, and Systems Integrators Implementing e-Government Mandates." - "Computas North America, Inc. today announced major usability enhancements for its Metis Enterprise visual modeling toolset, which is increasingly being adopted by federal agencies as their preferred solution for complying with government mandates to build and maintain enterprise architectures. Metis, which is the only native XML visual modeling tool on the market, enables federal agencies to quickly implement enterprise architecture models that provide a comprehensive view of their business processes and Information Technology operations, and to use these models in their IT planning and management processes. This capability is essential for meeting key requirements of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 as well as recent Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directives for agencies to align their strategic agendas with their IT investments in order to receive funding for IT projects... As a native XML modeling tool, Metis uniquely leverages object-oriented technology to allow the creation of models that may be interfaced with applications that can support XML data exchanges. All Metis model elements are XML-tagged objects with globally unique IDs, allowing them to be referenced in other XML models. 'Metis supersedes other modeling tools that are fundamentally legacy database applications which try to achieve XML compliance using add-ons to map to their proprietary data structures,' [Bill] Wright said. 'Unlike the legacy EA tools based on relational database technology, Metis is built from the ground up on the latest XML metamodel-driven object-oriented technology. As such, Metis is optimal for data exchange with XML applications -- and soon for access to XML functionality in applications as well -- over the Internet and agency intranets. As a result, Metis ensures that federal agencies can always take advantage of new opportunities for e-Government offered by ever-evolving Internet technology.' [...] The new Version 3.3 of the Metis software provides state-of-the-art modeling technology for federal CIOs, strategic planners, and systems integrators charged with implementing e-government initiatives that improve operations within agencies; expand information sharing and collaboration across agencies; consolidate IT systems that support similar business operations throughout government; and increase accessibility and accountability to the general public..."

  • [February 04, 2003] "Sun Microsystems Drives Industry Towards Web Services Interoperability With Major Enhancements to Java Platform. Drives Innovation with Implementation of WS-I Specification Support in Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) Version 1.4." - Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced major new enhancements to the Java platform, including additional support for key Web services technologies in the upcoming release of Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) version 1.4. Building on Java technology's heritage of platform independence and portability by design, Sun is working through the Java Community Process (JCP) to make J2EE technology the standard for Java Web services development and interoperability. Specifically, Sun will include full support for the 'Basic Profile' specification that has been proposed by the Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I) to ensure that Web services component technologies work together. By adding support for WS-I Basic Profile to the existing support for Web services standards such as WSDL, SOAP, ebXML, and UDDI, J2EE technology provides both the Web services programming model and data model that enable developers to build end-to-end applications and services that can be used on any internet enabled device, anytime, anywhere and by anyone. As a result, developers can apply their programming knowledge broadly across computing environments to build portable Web applications or Web services that allow customers to save costs and increase revenues by bringing their information assets to the Web... 'For nearly a decade, Java technology has fostered innovation throughout the industry. By bringing Web services standards and interoperability together in the J2EE technology, we are evolving the Java Web services platform into the industry standard for developing and deploying interoperable Web services. This will help accelerate the next wave of innovations that ease development and create opportunity for businesses,' said Mark Bauhaus, vice president of Java Web services at Sun. 'With support for WS-I basic profile, J2EE v 1.4 demonstrates Sun's commitment to open standards. Sun is fully engaged in collaborative work with industry organizations such as WS-I in order to help ensure Web Services interoperability becomes pervasive.' For the estimated three million Java developers, J2EE v 1.4 enables a new level of abstraction of the platform that reduces development complexity and helps developers more quickly build and deliver innovative applications and Web services. Java's appeal to developers is in its cross platform portability, faster time to market through component reusability and platform neutrality. For businesses using Java technology, estimated at 70 percent of enterprises surveyed in a recent analyst study, it means being able to switch computing environments without the cost of reengineering, leverage infrastructure investments via simplified integration with applications and legacy systems, and compatibility testing to protect the portability of their applications and Web services. 'As an Executive Committee member of the Java Community Process (JCP) and Founding member of the WS-I, BEA is firmly behind J2EE 1.4 and the inclusion of the WS-I Basic Profile. BEA will continue to work with Sun and others to drive new innovations into these standards bodies, rapidly implement them and ensure that they are industrial strength, easy to use and fully interoperable in the BEA WebLogic Platform,' said Edward Cobb, Vice President, Architecture and Standards, BEA Systems, Inc..." See: (1) J2EE website; (2) "Web Services Interoperability Organization (WS-I)."

  • [February 04, 2003] "IBM Simplifies Management and Integration of Business Information With New Software. First-of-Its-Kind Data Management Product Enables Businesses to Improve Productivity and Reduce Costs." - IBM has "announced new software designed to help customers access, integrate and analyze all forms of information across and beyond the enterprise. Recognizing that most companies are faced with complex IT environments -- a number of different data sources, residing in various computer systems, in different locations and of multiple data types -- IBM is extending its data management portfolio by delivering DB2 Information Integrator software. The new software is in support of IBM's e-business On Demand initiatives, enabling organizations to build on their existing IT infrastructure and reduce the time and costs associated with integrating their diverse data environments. The new integration software offers the broadest support for open standards that allows businesses to access and integrate both structured and unstructured information, as if it were stored in one place, including XML, e-mail, multimedia, Web Services, Life Sciences and competitive data sources such as Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server databases... The new software offerings, the DB2 Information Integrator and DB2 Information Integrator for Content, are the first products available to customers based on IBM's Xperanto project -- an IBM Research and Development effort that is focused on addressing evolving data management needs. The new open standards software helps businesses leverage their IT investments and access and integrate diverse and distributed data in all formats. The new software introduces: (1) Increased productivity enabling developers to slash hand-coding requirements in half when integrating two or more relational databases; (2) The ability to access and support real-time information across all platforms including Linux, Unix and Windows and mainframe environments; (3) Advanced cost-based optimization enabling businesses to slash unnecessary run time on searches... IBM DB2 Information Integrator software also incorporates enhancements to the query optimizer technology, reducing the burden on IT staffs required for tuning distributed queries. Such enhancements also allow businesses to slash unnecessary run time on searches and increase developer productivity with less hand-coding requirements. IBM's leadership in query optimization is based on 25 years of query optimization research. According to internal tests for integrating multiple data sources, developers can slash coding time in half when integrating two relational databases and can experience even greater productivity with diverse data sources. DB2 Information Integrator software provides rich XML support both for accessing and integrating XML documents as data sources and generating XML documents as a query result. In addition, DB2 Information Integrator can be called as a Web Service or access other Web services to augment the data source access of built-in transformation capabilities. This fits well within emerging services oriented architectures and B2B strategies..."

  • [January 31, 2003] "OpenEAI Project Web Site, Software, and Documentation Available." - "The OpenEAI Software Foundation today made publicly available for the first time the OpenEAI Project web site at http://www.OpenEAI.org. This site describes in detail the OpenEAI open source project and the OpenEAI Software Foundation, and allows download of, under specified open source licenses, the first release of the project's core documentation suite, release 3.0 beta 2 of the OpenEAI foundational APIs and corresponding API documentation, example implementations of message-aware applications and application gateways, and reference implementations of OpenEAI messaging infrastructure applications. The OpenEAI Project is an open source Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) initiative that collaboratively develops standards-based integration technologies. The OpenEAI Project investigates and documents the controlling dynamics, principles and practices of enterprise application integration and presents, implements and promotes these findings. The OpenEAI Project presents findings in the form of the OpenEAI integration methodology and OpenEAI integration software and documentation. Java and XML are native to OpenEAI; many non-Java technologies can also be exposed or made message-aware using OpenEAI concepts and foundational APIs. The OpenEAI Project is characterized by: (1) collaborative research and development; (2) clear understanding and documentation of the principles of EAI; (3) creation of high-quality software that leads the way in the field; (4) open software licenses that allow embedding OpenEAI software in proprietary products. The OpenEAI Project is comprised of six distinct, closely-related departments, which address OpenEAI methodology, application foundation APIs, message object APIs, message definitions, reference implementations, and deployment and administration..."

  • [January 31, 2003] "OGC Demonstrates the Future of Interoperable Web Services." - "Sponsors, participants and invited guests joined the Open GIS Consortium (OGC) at Lockheed Martin recently to view the results of the OGC Web Services 1.2 Testbed initiative. The demonstration focused on three emergency response situations in a mock Department of Homeland Security Emergency Operations Center, showing how recent advances in OGC's interoperability architecture enable integration of geospatial information and geoprocessing software via the World Wide Web. Attendees saw the use of live sensors, the tasking of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the integration of data, services, and other elements hosted on servers worldwide. While the demonstration employed a variety of innovative software products and geospatial data drawn from local, state and federal agencies and the private sector, OGC Interoperability Program Executive Director Jeff Harrison made it clear at the outset that what was important was that all of the technology worked together through OGC interfaces. After the formal presentation, attendees visited with participants at an electronic poster session to learn more about their contributions. Some of the work in OWS 1.2 focused on enhancing existing OpenGIS Specifications such as Geography Markup Language and Web Feature Service while others defined new interfaces that may someday become specifications, including such technologies as image handling, Web-based sensor planning and collection, service registries, symbol/style management, and composite services (linking or chaining one service to another)... OGC Web Services 1.2 is part of OGC's Interoperability Program, a global, collaborative, hands-on engineering and testing program that rapidly delivers proven candidate specifications into OGC's Specification Program, where they are formalized for public release. In OGC's Interoperability Initiatives, international teams of technology providers work together to solve specific geoprocessing interoperability problems posed by the Initiative's sponsoring organizations..." See: (1) the 2003-01-31 news item "OGC Working Group Issues Draft Specification for Sensor Model Language (SensorML)"; (2) "Geography Markup Language (GML)."

  • [January 30, 2003] "Fourteen Software Products Certified eBusinessReady for ebXML Messaging Interoperability. Interoperability Certified Software Facilitates Implementation and Saves Costs." - "eBusinessReady, an industry-neutral software compliance and interoperability testing program under joint partnership of the Uniform Code Council, Inc. (UCC) and Drummond Group, Inc. (DGI), announced today that software products from 11 leading solution providers successfully completed the program's ebXML Messaging 2.0 interoperability testing. A total of 14 software products were certified eBusinessReady. Companies demonstrating interoperability among their products included bTrade, inc., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cyclone Commerce, Fujitsu, IPNet Solutions, Inc., Sonic Software, Sterling Commerce, Inc., Sun Microsystems, Sybase, Inc., TIBCO Software, Inc., and XML Global Technologies. Sun Microsystems funded testing scholarships for several of the participants. An eBusinessReady certified product enables vertical and horizontal interoperability across the supply chain and distribution channels. ebXML Messaging is a key standard that enables web services, providing secure and reliable messaging for B2B communications. The companies underwent testing to demonstrate that their ebXML messaging software products complied with a common level of interoperability, enabling them to effectively communicate with other eBusiness solutions, eliminating costly communication obstacles and facilitating efficient trading partner relationships. 'ebXML and ebXML messaging, continues to become an important business tool across industry as trading partners rely on Web solutions to communicate product and transaction information,' said Michael Di Yeso, executive vice president and COO of the UCC. 'An eBusinessReady certified product enables software users to save implementation costs and truly utilize open communication across their supply chain.' 'Interoperability is critical to ensure that all ebXML components can work together seamlessly,' said Rik Drummond, chief executive officer of DGI. 'It enables other vertical industry standards that have endorsed ebXML messaging to be successful within this framework and facilitates adoption of the standard, accelerating the development and delivery of interoperable solutions to the global user community.' The next round of ebXML Messaging 2.0 interoperability testing is set for June 2003. To participate in the June round, software products must either have successfully completed the testing announced today or must take part in the pre-requisite testing scheduled to begin in February 2003. ebXML, sponsored by UN/CEFACT and OASIS, is a modular suite of specifications that enables enterprises of any size and in any geographical location to conduct business over the Internet. Using ebXML, companies now have a standard method to exchange business messages, conduct trading relationships, communicate data in common terms and define and register business processes..." General references in "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)."

  • [January 29, 2003] "Global eXchange Services Offers Entry-Level Internet Trading Package for Suppliers to the High-Tech Industry. GXS's Solution for RosettaNet Basics Enables Mid-Tier Companies to Integrate RosettaNet XML Transactions Affordably with Their Back-Office Systems and Key Customers." - "Global eXchange Services, Inc. (GXS) today announced that it has introduced an entry-level business-to-business integration software solution for suppliers to the high-tech industry. The package is designed to enable companies to comply affordably with the RosettaNet trading requirements of high-tech manufacturers and other industry trading partners. GXS's package for RosettaNet Basics provides mid-tier companies with the software and services needed to affordably exchange eXtensible markup language (XML) documents such as purchase orders and invoices with manufacturers and other high-tech companies that require transactions to adhere to the RosettaNet XML format. The package is created around GXS's Application Integrator data transformation software, and facilitates RosettaNet-based document exchange with up to three trading partners... Features include: (1) Support for RosettaNet Implementation Framework (RNIF) versions 1.1 and 2.0; (2) 5 RosettaNet Partner Interface Processes (PIP), including purchase orders and advanced shipment notification (3) Automatic RosettaNet trading partner set-up; (4) Global help desk with local language support; (5) Double-byte character support [for] Asian languages... Available options for GXS solution for RosettaNet Basics includes on-site consulting and a variety of software adapters for the integration of documents into back-office systems such as accounting and enterprise resource planning (ERP). Additional information about the package can be found at www.gxs.com/rosettanetbasics..."

  • [January 29, 2003] "World Wide Web Consortium Issues VoiceXML 2.0 as a W3C Candidate Recommendation. Cornerstone to the W3C Speech Interface Framework is Ready for Implementors." - "Giving voice to the Web, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has published VoiceXML 2.0 as a W3C Candidate Recommendation. Advancement of a W3C Technical Report to Candidate Recommendation is an explicit, public call for implementation. The goal of VoiceXML 2.0 is to bring the advantages of Web-based development and content delivery to interactive voice response applications. Since 1999, W3C has been working on its Speech Interface Framework to expand access to the Web to allow people to interact via key pads, spoken commands, listening to prerecorded speech, synthetic speech and music. With the number of telephone lines and mobile phones exceeding one billion units worldwide, the specifications of W3C's Speech Interface Framework will allow an unprecedented number of people to use any telephone to access appropriately designed Web-based services... VoiceXML 2.0 allows developers to create audio dialogs that feature synthesized speech, digitized audio, recognition of spoken and DTMF (touch-tone) key input, recording of spoken input, telephony, and mixed-initiative conversations. 'VoiceXML 2.0 has the power to change the way phone-based information and customer services are developed. No longer will we have to press 'one' for this or 'two' for that. Instead, we will be able to make selections and provide information by speech,' explained Dave Raggett, W3C Voice Browser Activity Lead. 'In addition, VoiceXML 2.0 creates opportunities for people with visual impairments or those needing Web access while keeping their hands and eyes free for other things, such as getting directions while driving.' In the W3C Speech Interface Framework, VoiceXML controls how the application interacts with the user, while the Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML) is used for spoken prompts and the Speech Recognition Grammar Specification (SRGS) for guiding the speech recognizers via grammars that describe the expected user responses. Other specifications in the Framework include Voice Browser Call Control (CCXML), which provides telephony call control support for VoiceXML or other dialog systems, and Semantic Interpretation for Speech Recognition, which defines the syntax and semantics of the contents of tags in SRGS..." See references in the news item "W3C Advances VoiceXML Version 2.0 to Candidate Recommendation Status." [source]

  • [January 29, 2003] "BEA to Host 8th Annual eWorld Technology Conference March 2-5, 2003." - BEA Systems, Inc., leading application infrastructure software company, today announced that the industry's leading technology conference, BEA eWorld 2003, is scheduled for March 2-5, 2003, in Orlando, Fla. The conference, featuring "Converge" as its theme, is scheduled to highlight the convergence of building, integrating and extending software applications into a single, powerful framework. BEA eWorld 2003 presents experienced and new developers, end-users and IT executives the opportunity to examine convergence from a variety of perspectives through keynotes, tailored breakout sessions and informal events... Keynote speakers at BEA eWorld will include BEA Chief Architect, Adam Bosworth; Chief Technology Officer, Scott Dietzen, and Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Alfred Chuang; as well as Hewlett-Packard Chairman and CEO Carly Fiorina and other industry luminaries... Conference attendees can also get a firsthand look at new versions of the BEA WebLogic product line, exchange ideas with BEA customers and developers, and learn directly from partners about their work to further extend the BEA portfolio of products. The conference offers access to BEA technologists and executives, industry experts, customers, partners and developers with scheduled sessions such as "TechTalk Night", featuring informal discussions and book signings, as well as the BEA dev2dev "Hands-On Lab," where attendees can have the opportunity to use new BEA technologies. In addition, BEA eWorld 2003 is slated to feature a variety of breakout sessions led by key technologists on a diversity of software issues..."

  • [January 27, 2003] "BEA Systems Drives Convergence of Application Integration and Application Development with BEA XMLBeans. Technology Innovation Revolutionizes Java and XML Interoperability and Increases Productivity for Java Developers." - "BEA Systems, Inc., the world's leading application infrastructure software company, today introduced BEA XMLBeans, a revolutionary technology innovation designed to improve developer productivity and ease-of development by making it far easier to incorporate XML (Extensible Markup Language) data into Java. BEA is working to drive convergence within the enterprise by creating one common framework for business process modeling, application development and enterprise J2EE development. Developed in line with this goal, BEA XMLBeans simplifies the process of incorporating XML data into Java applications, enabling developers to focus their time and expertise on value-added development and decrease time-to-market of enterprise and Web services applications. With the dramatic growth of XML-based applications such as Web services, accessing and manipulating XML documents from Java applications has become increasingly critical to the enterprise. Customary approaches to incorporating XML data with Java, such as using traditional DOM or SAX, are difficult and time-consuming. Other approaches to connecting Java data models and XML often result in a loss of data due to the fundamental differences between the two languages. This requires developers to re-code information and create custom linkages. With BEA XMLBeans, developers no longer have to make these compromises. BEA XMLBeans gives developers a familiar and convenient Java object-based view of XML data. Unlike other Java "binding" solutions, BEA XMLBeans enable programmers to maintain the fidelity of raw XML data and still gain the productivity and flexibility benefits that Java provides... The technology preview of BEA XMLBeans is available immediately to all developers. BEA XMLBeans is available as a free, hosted service..."

  • [January 23, 2003] "eBusinessReady Program Certifies 35 Software Products in First Year. Program Launches Certification Seal and Website." - "eBusinessReady, an industry-neutral software compliance and interoperability testing program under joint partnership of the Uniform Code Council, Inc. (UCC) and Drummond Group, Inc. (DGI), announced today it has certified 35 products since its launch in November 2001. The products were certified to support AS1 and AS2 EDI/XML messaging over the Internet, VICS Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR), or ebXML messaging V2.0 standards. The UCC, a not-for-profit standards organization, is the founding sponsor of eBusinessReady, which provides the foundation for driving interoperability testing of multiple, standard compliant software products. DGI facilitates and manages the software testing for the eBusinessReady program. Enterprises and supply chains are increasingly demanding tested software solutions and the eBusinessReady program delivers a neutral third party to assess global interoperability. 'eBusinessReady has received an overwhelming response within the industry during its launch year,' said Michael Di Yeso, executive vice president and COO of the UCC. 'A certified product enables companies to more easily interface with the systems of their customers and partners and save the costs associated with implementing incompatible supply chain solutions. eBusinessReady helps software users simplify the procurement process and provides them with a selection of interoperable software products that meet their needs for price point and feature sets'... The program also unveiled the eBusinessReady certification seal and its website. The eBusinessReady seal informs software buyers that a solution has been tested and certified to ensure seamless interoperability across industries on a global scale. The program's website, located at www.ebusinessready.org, provides a comprehensive resource for software vendors and buyers, and features updated reports about the program and certification. An eBusinessReady certified product enables multiple software solutions to interact seamlessly for improved supply chain performance. The program brings together software vendors, exchanges, vertical industries and the standards community in a neutral, standards-based testing environment that simulates real-world operating conditions..." See: (1) "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)"; (2) "Uniform Code Council (UCC) XML Program"; (3) "VICS CPFR XML Messaging Standard."

  • [January 23, 2003] "OASIS Members to Create Framework for Global Sharing of Criminal and Terrorist Evidence. XML Specification Will Deliver Reliable Authentication and Auditing to Safeguard Privacy and Increase Effectiveness of Lawful Intercepts." - "The OASIS standards consortium today announced the formation of a new technical committee to develop a universal global framework for supporting rapid discovery and sharing of suspected criminal and terrorist evidence by law enforcement agencies. The OASIS LegalXML Lawful Intercept XML (LI-XML) Technical Committee was formed to meet critical needs emerging from several national and intergovernmental mandates around the world, including the recently passed United States Homeland Security Information Sharing Act of 2002, the new Lawful Intercept additional protocol of the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters, and e-Government mandates in Europe and the United States. 'As the ability for criminals and terrorists to access technology increases, the challenge for law enforcement to detect, comply with legal process, and implement evidence discovery tools also grows,' noted Anthony M. Rutkowski of VeriSign, chair of the OASIS LegalXML LI-XML Technical Committee. 'Government agencies as well as providers of electronic communication services worldwide will benefit from uniform XML schema that facilitates fully electronic receipt, authentication, and implementation of lawful process.' Rutkowski added that the enhanced precision, authentication, and audit features provided by LI-XML will result in greater public trust in the traditionally sensitive area of legal discovery..." See other details and references in the 2003-01-23 news story: "OASIS LegalXML Member Section Forms Lawful Intercept XML Technical Committee."

  • [January 23, 2003] "ADVANTYS Announces the Adoption of XPDL for its eFormGen Workflow Management System." - "By adopting the XPDL standard (XML Process Definition Language) provided by the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC), eFormGen from ADVANTYS becomes one of the first solutions using this technology. ADVANTYS specializes in the implementation of high added-value solutions in the field of corporate Inter-Intra-Extranets. Using its eFormGen Workflow Management System, ADVANTYS provides a quick and simple means of processing and disseminating eForms for enhanced workflow. 'Adoption of the XPDL standard enhances the availability, quality and timeliness of management information regardless of location and technology deployed,' said Jon Pyke, Chair of the WfMC and CTO Staffware Plc. 'In bringing this solution to their customers, ADVANTYS has demonstrated that WfMC standards support the needs of vendors seeking a competitive edge.' With XPDL, eFormGen users benefit from an upgradeable and open technical solution to store process definitions: (1) save the process definition as a file which can easily be read by a third party software program; (2) export/import the process definition to and from different eFormGen servers, even those running different versions; (3) ensure the long-term viability and upgradeability of process definitions by using a standard format adopted by other editors -- process design software and/or workflow engines... Combining eFormGen and Acrobat PDF-format documents means end-users can change any printed document or form (hardcopy or electronic) into an eForm, which can be processed directly with any web browser. No special development is required, and each eForm only takes a few minutes to build. Users view the forms online and enter and forward the content directly from their Internet, Intranet, or Extranet environment. All those involved in the workflow are informed in real time via e-mail of progress and any actionable items. Users can access their eForm account at any time to monitor on-going actions, or consult the completed process log. eFormGen is based around a practical technical solution integrating proven development standards, including ASP, XML and SQL. eFormGen's technical architecture and its ability to integrate additional development provides for integration with existing databases and applications..." See XML-Based Workflow and Process Management Standards: XPDL, Wf-XML."

  • [January 22, 2003] "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." - "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.' 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, ISOGEN International, and SAP."

  • [January 22, 2003] "Altova Simplifies XML Development Through Enhanced Support for Microsoft .NET, Oracle XML DB, Web Services and Document Publishing in XMLSPY 5 Release. New features further demonstrate XMLSPY 5 is the most comprehensive XML development environment for any XML-enabled software project." - "Altova Inc., producer of XMLSPY, the world's leading XML development tool with over a million registered users, today announced the availability of XMLSPY 5 Release 3. Presently, XML technologies today are being applied to solve a wide spectrum of enterprise computing challenges, including electronic commerce, document publishing, database integration, and web services applications. To maximize software developer productivity in implementing any XML-enabled solution, Altova has added enhanced developer support for various widely used enterprise technologies, thereby accelerating and simplifying XML development. The new version of XMLSPY is available immediately for free trial download. To meet the needs of enterprise developers, XMLSPY 5 builds on the success of previous award winning versions through the addition of several key new features: (1) Improved Support for building Microsoft .NET applications: The XMLSPY 5 Code Generator now supports Microsoft C# code generation to accelerate application development on the Microsoft .NET platform. Use XMLSPY to Model data elements in XML Schema, then XMLSPY can auto-generate C# class (data bindings) corresponding to elements defined in the data model. The generated code uses System.XML, the new Microsoft .NET Application Program Interface (API) for programmatically accessing XML documents. (2) Enhanced support for Oracle XML DB. XMLSPY's new features enable developers to easily perform common operations on data managed by XML DB including: List XML Schemas, Load a Schema from a list, Save New or Delete XML Schema to Oracle XML DB, Register an XML Schema with Oracle XML DB, Execute Query using Oracle9i's DBURI, Browse, Open, Edit and Save XML documents stored in Oracle XML DB via WebDAV. (3) Additional Web Services Support: A new Web Service Description Language (WSDL) Documentation generation utility makes it easier for a Web service developer to document and publish a Web service's interface to business partners, other developers, or to the public. (4) PDF support for Document Publishing: XMLSPY's stylesheet designer now supports visual editing and generation of eXtensible Stylesheet Language Formatting Object (XSL:FO) code, which enables XML content to be rendered into a PDF file. Now, with a single stylesheet design, developers can preview the output of a stylesheet transformation in either PDF or HTML. (5) Usability Enhancements for Stylesheet Designer: Improved drag/drop functionality in Stylesheet Designer. (6) New Java Integration Support: A new Java API enables easier customization and integration of the XMLSPY development environment for system integrators or Java-based product companies wanting to extend the functionality of XMLSPY. Now, programmers can control and use XMLSPY functionality from their Java-based programs. XMLSPY already supports integration via a COM based interface..." General references in "XML Schemas."

  • [January 22, 2003] "ASC X12 and HR-XML Collaborate to Develop Common Data Standards in XML Formats." - "The Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12 and the Human Resources XML (HR-XML) Consortium announced today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on data standards development for the human resources and insurance/health care industries. HR-XML brings a wealth of XML vocabulary expertise from all aspects of the human resources industry while ASC X12 is a cross-industry standards body with more than 300 plus EDI transactions sets implemented around the world. The first area of mutual interest HR-XML and ASC X12 will focus on is data standards development in the benefits enrollment arena. Together, they will work to develop an XML version of X12 transaction set 834 Benefit Enrollment and Maintenance and any other related EDI transaction sets. In addition to joint development of this XML message, HR-XML and ASC X12 will identify and exchange best practices as the industries the respective organizations represent often share trading partners and the goal to streamline information flow. 'We are delighted to join forces with the HR-XML to leverage our respective expertise and develop XML business message standards that can improve efficiencies across human resources and insurance industries,' said ASC X12 Chair David Barkley of Freddie Mac. 'This strategic relationship advances ASC X12's vision of collaborating with organizations to build the best of breed XML business message standards for the global marketplace'..." General references in (1) "HR-XML Consortium" and (2) "ANSI ASC X12/XML and DISA."

  • [January 22, 2003] "OGC Approves Important Spatial Catalog Specification." - "The Open GIS Consortium, Inc. (OGC) has announced industry approval of an expanded version of the OpenGIS Catalog Service Implementation Specification. The OpenGIS Catalog Service Specification version 1.1.1 documents industry consensus regarding an open, standard interface to online catalogs for geographic information and web-accessible geoprocessing services. Industry agreement on a common interface for publishing metadata and supporting discovery of geospatial data and services is an important step toward giving Web users and applications access to all types of 'where' information... Version 1.1.1 is more comprehensive than earlier OpenGIS Catalog Service Specification versions and proposals. It addresses the controlled enterprise environment where a-priori knowledge exists about the client and server, and it also addresses the global Internet case where no a-priori knowledge exists between client and server. It is consistent with existing and pending geomatics and metadata standards under the ISO Technical Committee 211, and it is consistent with XML data discovery and processing and with the emerging Web Services infrastructure. Catalog services support the ability to publish and search collections of descriptive information (metadata) for data, services, and related information objects. Metadata in catalogs represent properties of spatial data, such as geographic area of interest, that can be queried and presented for evaluation and further processing by both humans and software. Catalog services are required to support the discovery of registered information resources within and between collaborating communities that seek to share information efficiently. 'Communities' in the OGC context typically refer to communities who use similar naming schemas for geospatial features and phenomena such as roads, wetlands, land use zones, population density, etc... Doug Nebert of the US Federal Geographic Data Committee, who chairs the OGC Technical Committee Catalog Working Group, said, 'In government, business and academia, technical and semantic non-interoperability have long frustrated discovery and sharing of digital geographic information. This specification is the world's industry-approved design for a key part of all future internet-based solutions to these problems'..." Related references: (1) "Geography Markup Language (GML)"; (2) "OGC Announces Critical Infrastructure Protection Initiative Phase 2 Kickoff" (3) Open GIS Consortium Issues RFC for Web Coverage Service Implementation Specification.

  • [January 21, 2003] "Wattle Software Announces the Release of XMLwriter 2.0." - "Wattle Software today announced the release of XMLwriter 2.0, a new release of its popular XML editor for the Windows platform. XMLwriter 2.0 builds on the success of the previous version and remains competitively priced at $AUD 139 ($US 79) per license. This version contains many exciting new features designed to save time for XML authors. New intelligent entry helpers assist in rapidly composing valid XML documents. Customizable code snippets eliminate repetitive typing for often used text. Auto-completion of XML tag pairs saves time and users can auto-format messy XML files in a pretty-printed layout. Plus there are a host of new menu commands and other improvements to the user interface. Also new in version 2.0 is full support for W3C XML Schemas (also known as XSD) including validation, conversion to and from DTD and generating sample XML data from an XSD Schema. The new version includes improvements to usability, additional help for new XML users and user feature requests... XMLwriter is the favored XML editor of many universities and private colleges for use by students in their XML coursework. The intuitive user interface facilitates rapid learning for XML beginners and comprehensive on-line help incorporating an XML syntax guide is included. Experienced users will appreciate XMLwriter's comprehensive feature set and extensibility. Especially designed to manage projects, XMLwriter's Integrated Development Environment (IDE) provides useful project management features such as a structured Project View workspace, and batch processing of files. Intelligent entry helpers guide the creation of documents and customizable code snippets are available for often used text. TagBar provides a visual, interactive representation of a DTD or XML Schema enabling mouse-driven editing. XMLwriter provides a complete range of XML functionality such as: validation of XML documents against a DTD or XSD Schema and conversion of DTDs to the newer XSD Schema format or vice versa. XMLwriter can transform XML to HTML using XSLT stylesheets or users can combine CSS with XML for direct formatting of XML data. Power users can select third-party XML parsers, XSL engines, and other tools to process XML documents without leaving the XMLwriter environment. Other advanced editing features include: real-time color syntax highlighting of tags and keywords, extensive drag and drop support, unlimited undo/redo, find and replace, auto-indent, line numbering and bookmarking. The user interface, including toolbars, menus, keyboard shortcuts and the workspace environment are all fully customizable. A free, fully-functional thirty-day evaluation version of XMLwriter 2.0 is available..."

  • [January 21, 2003] "PayCircle Publishes Reference Implementation for PayCircle's WSDL Payment Specification 1.0. Implementation Includes Sample Payment System and Demo Clients." - "PayCircle announced today the availability of a Reference Implementation for PayCircle's Payment Web Service Specification 1.0. It includes: (1) A sample payment system. The payment system will allow merchant and customer configuration by maintaining internal accounts for them. Here accounts receivable or accounts payable are stored. Settlement through a bank will be simulated by a "billing" option. The payment system comes as a Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) enterprise archive (EAR) and is installed in an industry standard J2EE application server. The payment system is operated and maintained with a web browser through a Web GUI (Graphical User Interface). (2) A payment web service. This service actually publishes the payment transactions/services of the sample payment system. This will allow applications to access the sample payment system through HTTP and SOAP messages as defined in PayCircle's Payment Web Service specification. The payment web service is based on Apache Axis and installs in the J2EE application server along with the sample payment system. (3) A simple, command-line oriented demo client. This tool allows sending and receiving messages to/from the payment web service. This tool comes in Java source code to illustrate the usage of the payment web service. (4) A set of documentation, which explains how to install and use the software components of the Reference Implementation. The updated public draft of PayCircle's Payment Web Service Specification 1.0 is included in this zip file. This update specification reflects the feedback from major industry players to the first draft specification, which was made available for public review in October 2002... With this Reference Implementation PayCircle proved that mobile payment has become a reality for various business scenarios. The PayCircle scenarios outline actual mobile payment applications and services for electronic goods like MP3 files, video clips, subscription based online magazines, streaming video/radio channels or on-demand gaming, as well as for interaction with point of sale terminals or vending/ticketing machines. The PayCircle specification supports implementation of these applications on any Java enabled infrastructure utilized by the provider... PayCircle is a non-profit organization represents more than 30 companies, including CSG Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, Siemens and Sun Microsystems as PayCircle Board Members. Its main focus is to accelerate the use of payment technology and to develop or adopt open payment APIs (uniform Application Programming Interfaces) based on XML, SOAP, Java and other Internet languages. PayCircle membership is open to anyone who is active in the mobile payment market such as application developers, payment service providers, merchants, content providers, manufacturers of payment systems, suppliers for mobile infrastructure and mobile devices, network operators, banks, credit card companies, and others." See other details in the 2002-10-09 news item: "PayCircle Releases WSDL Specification Version 1.0 for Mobile Payment."

  • [January 21, 2003] "The Interactive Financial Exchange (IFX) Forum Releases for Public Review Version 1.4 of its Specification." - "The Interactive Financial eXchange (IFX) Forum released for public review today the latest version of the IFX specification, Version 1.4, which incorporates new features to support ATM, POS and other financial channels. This new version builds on IFX's multi-channel capabilities, such as enabling customers to deposit, withdraw and transfer funds, and allows financial institutions to exchange essential information with their customers, their service providers, and other financial institutions. 'We found the IFX Forum to be very receptive to our proposal to leverage IFX standards for ATM systems,' said Rick DuVall, ACI Worldwide Senior Product Manager and Vice-Chair of the IFX ATM/POS Working Group. 'The resulting message specification brings more openness and flexibility to the ATM industry, allowing financial institutions to apply a common message standard to support not only multi-vendor ATM environments but also other delivery channels. This simplifies operations for our customers and, through the use of XML technology, allows them to reduce time to market for new features and functions'... The public review period ends on Feb. 14, 2003. Visit http://www.ifxforum.org to view, download, and comment on v1.4. Members and nonmembers alike are invited to attend the next face-to-face IFX Forum Meeting February 4-6, 2003, in Denver where comments received on IFX v1.4 will be reviewed and work on the next version (1.5) will continue. IFX v1.5 is slated to include such functions as pre-paid phone recharge capabilities, person-to-person payments, and several check-related and money order purchase features..." See "Interactive Financial eXchange (IFX)."

  • [January 16, 2003] "The Open Applications Group Joins International Standards Alliance. OAGI Collaborates With IEC, ISO, ITU, and UN/ECE in Effort to Harmonize Worldwide eBusiness Standards." - "OAGI, the most experienced and widely implemented XML business language standards group in the world, recently joined the four International de jure Standards Organizations in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Electronic Business. Founding members of the MoU include the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE). As the newest member of the MoU, OAGI adds its resources to the efforts of these international standards-setting bodies to coordinate the development of global standards for electronic business. 'We welcome OAGI to the MoU on Electronic Business,' noted Cynthia L. Fuller, Chair of the MoU Management Group. 'The consortium's work with XML and their cooperation with UN/CEFACT on ebXML, the specifications that provide an infrastructure for e-business information exchange, are just a couple of examples of the many contributions OAGI continues to make towards interoperability. OAGI members span the globe in a united effort to promote convergence and collaboration, and we look forward to their involvement as active members of the MoU.' 'OAGI is pleased to participate in this MoU,' said David Connelly, President and CEO of OAGI. 'Our members look forward to working together with the worldwide standards community driving for increased harmonization and the resultant improved opportunities for all in the global community.' The Electronic Business MoU establishes a coordination mechanism under a unique cooperative model to produce mutually supportive standards required in business transactions (data interchange and interoperability), as well as product design and manufacturing to meet the urgent needs of both industry and end-users... The Open Applications Group Inc. is organized to promote interoperability among Business Software Applications and to create and/or endorse one or more standards for achieving dramatically easier interoperability of Business Software Applications..." See "Open Applications Group."

  • [January 16, 2003] "XML Global Introduces Security and Reliability for e-Business Web Services. GoXML Messaging leverages ebXML technologies to provide advanced reliability and security features for Web services deployments." - "XML Global Technologies, Inc., an XML middleware company, announced the release of GoXML Messaging 3.0. GoXML Messaging is a secure and reliable SOAP-based messaging system that supports the industry standard ebXML Messaging Specification 2.0. ebXML is a suite of e-business standards sponsored by OASIS and the UN/CEFACT. Gartner analyst Jess Thompson has stated that 'ebXML Messaging is the crown jewel of the ebXML specification suite.' GoXML Messaging 3.0 has been successfully certified in the current round of Drummond Group ebXML Messaging 2.0 interoperability tests sponsored by the Uniform Code Council, Inc. (UCC). GoXML Messaging 3.0 addresses the issue of Web services security, which Pacific Data Works analyst Andrew Binstock says is 'the biggest obstacle to exposing Web services to defined groups or the public'. In his recent Software Development Times article Binstock adds, '[The issue of] Security, of course, appears even with internal applications, such as intranets.' GoXML Messaging now empowers businesses to publish Web services that offer security guarantees for business documents such as invoices, health records and digital images... Unlike other messaging systems that typically require additional proprietary server software, GoXML Messaging is designed to operate as a lightweight web application or as a small-footprint embeddable software component. This enables existing applications to engage in secure and reliable document exchanges over intranets and the Internet. Key features of GoXML Messaging 3.0 include: (1) certified for ebXML Message Service 2.0 interoperability; (2) support for ebXML CPA 2.0 trading partner agreements; (3) persistent message storage to guarantee reliable messaging; (4) an easy-to-use Java API. With the release of GoXML Messaging 3.0 XML Global adds further depth to its suite of business integration components, which include GoXML Transform, a data transformation engine, and GoXML Registry, a metadata registry based on the ebXML specification..."

  • [January 14, 2003] "Sun Microsystems Delivers Industry's First Liberty-Enabled Web Single Sign-On Product. Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 Delivers Easy Access to Applications and Services Through Single User-Login, Reduces Administration Overhead and Provides Increased Revenue Opportunities." - "Delivering on its commitment to customers and the Liberty Alliance organization, Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced the general availability of the Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0, the industry's first open-standards based network identity solution. Increasingly, organizations require the ability to enable their employees, business partners and customers to easily and seamlessly access information and services via the Web in a secure, privacy-protected, non-proprietary, cost-effective manner. The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 provides a standards-based, future-proofed implementation that leverages Java technology, the Liberty Alliance, Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), and XML specifications. By providing a foundation based on SAML standards, Sun provides a complete identity and access management foundation that helps secure the delivery of business information today through open standards such as Liberty and provides organizations with the ability to adapt to changing business requirements. The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 is the first commercial-grade identity management solution that fully integrates access management, delegated administration, directory and federation services into a single product. A key component of Sun's overall identity management solution, it is built on top of the market-leading Sun ONE Directory Server and leverages the consolidation capabilities of the Sun ONE Meta Directory... A key capability of the Sun ONE Identity Server is the ability to federate identities, via either SAML or the Liberty Specification, both internal and external to the organization's firewall. Increasingly, customers are choosing Sun to provide them with a scalable, highly available solution that leverages existing directory and name space investments, while providing a path forward to new business ventures... The Sun ONE Identity Server 6.0 integrates the Sun ONE Directory Server and includes the following core services: (1) Access Management: Delivers single sign-on for Web-based resources and centrally controlled access services. Flexible authentication mechanisms including LDAP, RADIUS, X.509v3 certificates, SafeWord token cards, and UNIX platform authentication services. APIs in C, Java, and XML allow customization and easy integration for policy, authentication, auditing/reporting, and client interfaces. (2) Identity Administration: Provides centralized administration of identities, policies, and services. (3) Federation: These services enable shared authentication with affiliate organization Websites and are supported through the Liberty Alliance and SAML (Security Assertions Markup Language) specifications. These specifications will help establish an open, single sign-on standard with decentralized authentication and authorization. (4) Service Management: These capabilities help manage configuration data of external applications and services and provide a solution for customizing and registering management parameters for external applications, such as service-delivery via a portal or mail quota on an e-mail server..." See: (1) "Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML)"; (2) "Liberty Alliance Specifications for Federated Network Identification and Authorization."

  • [January 14, 2003] "CambridgeDocs Announces xDoc XML Converter. Interactive Tool Allows For Delivery of Content Into Multiple XML Formats and Enables Web Services." - "CambridgeDocs, a leader in the emerging market for XML-based content integration, today announced the xDoc Converter, a tool for migrating unstructured content from legacy sources, including Microsoft Word, HTML, and Adobe PDF documents into any XML schema (XSD) or DTD for improved searching and indexing across the enterprise. The xDoc Converter is the first dedicated platform and IDE specifically designed to help businesses transform pre-existing unstructured HTML and Microsoft Word documents into 'meaningful' XML, such as DocBook XML, LegalXML, NewsML, HR-XML, SCORM, and other customer-specific schemas. The resulting XML can be used for content management, multi-channel publishing, and syndication via Web Services. The xDoc Converter software application is available for immediate download. Unlike traditional approaches to converting content to semantic XML, however, which either require workers to manually retype thousands of documents, or require senior developers to write custom code or PERL scripts in a 'one-off' fashion, the xDoc Converter allows ordinary programmers or IT personnel to create a set of generic 'conversion' rules through the use of a point-and-click interface... The xDoc Converter is a Java 2 platform with a .NET interface, and it works on Windows 2000 and Windows XP. The xDoc Converter can import and convert content to any DTD or XML schema. In addition to its point-and-click interface, the xDoc Converter has a set of in-depth reference manuals and product tutorials, and example rules for converting documents into DocBook XML. CambridgeDocs is a leader in the emerging market for XML-based content integration. This market deals with the integration of legacy content with new XML-based systems (e.g., Content Management, Enterprise Information Portals, EAI, and Web Services) and standards (e.g., DocBook, HRXML, RIXML, IRXML, FPML, DAS-XML, NewsML, any custom XML schema/DTDs, etc.)..."

  • [January 14, 2003] "World Wide Web Consortium Issues Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.1 and Mobile SVG as W3C Recommendations. Open Graphics Format Extends Multimedia Beyond the Desktop to Cellphones and Pocket Computers." - "Leading the Web to its full potential, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has issued Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.1 and Mobile SVG Profiles as W3C Recommendations. SVG 1.1 separates SVG capabilities into reusable building blocks, and SVG Mobile re-combines them in a way optimized for mobile devices. Advancement of these documents to Recommendation indicates that these W3C-developed specifications are stable, contribute to Web interoperability, and have been reviewed by the W3C Membership, who favor their adoption by the industry... The graphical capabilities of SVG 1.1 are the same as those of the widely implemented SVG 1.0 , which has been a W3C Recommendation since 4 September 2001. What has changed is the way the language is defined. For SVG 1.0, the Document Type Definition (DTD) was a single, monolithic unit. In SVG 1.1, the DTD is divided up into smaller, more flexible functional building blocks that can be reassembled in different ways for different purposes. The SVG Working Group used the same proven modularization techniques pioneered by the HTML Working Group for XHTML modularization... There is an explosion of interest in handheld devices and mobile phones which have color screens, improved processing power and can deliver enhanced multimedia functionality. These still fall short of the capabilities of desktop and laptop machines, but are now capable of displaying Web standard technologies such as XHTML, SMIL and SVG. W3C has used the SVG 1.1 building blocks to make two profiles or subsets of full SVG; SVG Tiny, aimed at multimedia capable cellphones such as the recently announced 3G units, and SVG Basic for handheld and palmtop computers... Instead of sending text messages or canned, bitmap logos, SVG Tiny now makes it possible to send a colorful animated multimedia message. Instead of juggling a laptop or taking a static printout to the factory floor, construction site, hospital ward, or trading room, SVG Basic now enables the mobile professional to consult up to date, interactive, informative graphics on a convenient pocket computer which is dynamically updated over a wireless network connected to the XML information hub of the enterprise... Another way that W3C and others are making use of the modular SVG 1.1 building blocks is to combine them with building blocks from other W3C technologies to produce more powerful, integrated solutions. Examples include the combination of SVG and XForms to construct graphically rich, interactive input forms, or SVG and SMIL Basic to combine vector graphics with streaming audio and video, or XHTML, MathML and SVG for scientific and technical communication including text with headings, lists and tables; mathematical equations, and interactive graphs and diagrams..." See the 2003-01-14 news item "W3C Publishes Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.1 and Mobile SVG as Recommendations." General references in "W3C Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)."

  • [January 13, 2003] "Global eXchange Services Signs 'Preferred Partners in Sync' Agreement with UCCnet. GXS and UCCnet Will Enable Suppliers and Retailers to Save Costs and Speed Time to Market by Synchronizing Product Data in Accordance With UCC.EAN Guidelines." - UCCnet, a tax exempt industry-endorsed utility that provides standards-based item registration and data synchronization, and Global eXchange Services, Inc. (GXS) today announced that GXS has entered UCCnet's 'Preferred Partners In Sync' Alliance Program. GXS will interoperate with the UCCnet registry to provide trading partners with data synchronization services that allow them to save costs and speed time to market. The announcement was made at the NRF (National Retail Federation) 92nd Annual Convention and Exposition. Successful data synchronization between buyers and suppliers ensures that the right information for the right products is always available to a trading community in a secure environment. By registering data in the UCCnet registry through GXS's Global Product Catalogue service (comprising more than 60 million line items), buyers and suppliers will enhance their ability to maintain accurate and timely product information - leading to significantly improved efficiency and profit throughout their supply chain. As part of its new relationship with UCCnet, GXS will soon offer a UCCnet adapter for its Enterprise System integration broker and Application Integrator data transformation and mapping tool. 'Global data synchronization is the foundation for any collaborative e-commerce strategy that a retailer and supplier might want to implement,' said Steven Scala, vice president of marketing for GXS. 'We are excited to team with UCCnet to expand our delivery of tangible business benefits to the global retail industry.' GXS provides transaction management services to more than 60,000 retail trading partners, including 50% of Fortune 100 retailers. In addition, both GXS and UCCnet have broad experience in international data pool interoperability -- currently providing infrastructure to countrywide data pools in Australia (EANnet Australia) and Canada (ECCnet)... Partners In Sync enables alliance partners to provide integrated collaborative commerce solutions to the expanding UCCnet community. The program certifies partners to provide best-in-class knowledge, resources and tools that enable UCCnet subscribers to implement item registry and data synchronization quickly, efficiently and cost effectively..." See also: "Uniform Code Council (UCC) XML Program."

  • [January 13, 2003] "Microsoft BizTalk Server 2002 Supports UCCnet With New Toolkit for Retailers and Suppliers. Ocean Spray Improves Supply Chain With the BizTalk Toolkit for UCCnet." - "Microsoft Corp. [has] announced the Microsoft BizTalk Toolkit for UCCnet, which allows retailers and their suppliers to quickly and cost-effectively connect to UCCnet and bring them together with trading partners. Enterprises using the toolkit, which is built on the robust functionality of BizTalk Server 2002, can also utilize BizTalk Server's powerful Orchestration tool to automate integration of incoming data from UCCnet with legacy systems, increasing business productivity and enhancing business agility. The BizTalk Toolkit for UCCnet is a UCCnet-certified solution... 'UCCnet's mission is to enable collaboration that reduces complexities in the trading partner relationship between retailers and their suppliers by providing data registry and data synchronization services. The BizTalk Toolkit for UCCnet is a welcome solution to help us deliver on this mission,' said Fred Geiger, senior vice president at UCCnet. 'We are happy to have Microsoft as a Certified In Sync Alliance Partner and provide a UCCnet-certified solution. The company's participation with UCCnet, along with the new toolkit, shows a real commitment to the retail and consumer packaged-goods manufacturing industry.' Built on top of BizTalk Server 2002, the BizTalk Toolkit for UCCnet includes features such as these: (1) Prebuilt support for all 62 UCCnet item attributes; (2) An extensible solution architecture to easily support custom attributes for pricing and promotions; (3) A table driven, flexible architecture enabling rapid changes without additional coding; (4) Simple yet robust tools for rapid deployment and cost-effective ongoing maintenance..." General references in "Uniform Code Council (UCC) XML Program."

  • [January 10, 2003] "OGC Announces Critical Infrastructure Protection Initiative Phase 2 Kickoff." - "The Open GIS Consortium, Inc. (OGC) announced that Phase 2 of its Critical Infrastructure Protection Initiative (CIPI-2) has begun with a successful kick-off meeting recently. CIPI aims to test the application of interoperable technology to help national, state, provincial, and other local governments, commercial, and non-government organizations better manage emergency situations. The initiative does this by coordinating geospatial data and services to meet critical infrastructure protection needs. The Geography Division of the U.S. Census Bureau is sponsoring CIPI-2 and will use OGC's rapid-prototyping process to develop two prototype systems: an online system to update governmental unit boundary information for existing incorporated places, and a system based on OpenGIS Specifications for serving Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) data. Census will utilize the OGC Interoperability Program process to collaborate with industry participants Syncline, Galdos Systems, Northrop Grumman Information Technology, TASC, ESRI and Intergraph. Existing implementations of OpenGIS interface specifications, including Web Map Server (WMS), Styled Layer Descriptor (SLD), Web Feature Server (WFS), and Geography Markup Language (GML) will form the basis for the development of these two pilot applications. In addition, a collaborative Working Group, including Intergraph, ESRI, Galdos, Syncline and other OGC members will focus on developing aspects of a variety of OGC Interface Specifications to enhance the ability to create distributed GML Feature Collections. This work will be coordinated with the OGC Specification Program and will support development of shared features for Spatial Data Infrastructures. The resulting technology will be demonstrated in March 2003. Through the CIPI-2 cooperative endeavor, participants will extend the implementation of OGC Web Services in their existing software products to support the Census Bureau's effort to modernize geospatial systems with a standards-based and interoperable solution. Participants will combine elements of existing standards-based commerial-off-the-shelf products to test and establish an interoperable baseline for two prototype systems, called 'WebBAS' and 'WebTIGER'. The WebBAS system will allow Web-based update of geospatial features by state, county, local, municipal and/or tribal governments as a partial replacement for the current paper-based Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS). The BAS is currently a paper-based survey that consists of map sheets, 12 forms, 8 letters, 2 postcards, and 12 inserts. The WebTIGER system will use a standards-based Web server to serve TIGER data and map images over the Web. The Census Bureau is exploring replacing TIGER/Line files with a non-proprietary, standards-based, extensible and flexible encoding format, GML. The Census Bureau is exploring this approach to encourage public adoption of TIGER/GML as an open, standards based encoding for TIGER data... The Critical Infrastructure Protection Initiative is part of OGC's Interoperability Program, a global, collaborative, hands-on engineering and testing program that rapidly delivers proven candidate specifications into OGC's Specification Program, where they are formalized for public release." Related references: see "XML and Emergency Management."

  • [January 10, 2003] "Retail Vendors Stand Behind ARTS Standards. Collaborative Effort Demonstrates Cost-Saving Power of IXRetail and UnifiedPOS." - "The Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS) will demonstrate the interoperability benefits of IXRetail and UnifiedPOS at the National Retail Federation's 92nd Annual Convention & EXPO, January 12-15, 2003 in New York City. ARTS, a division of the NRF dedicated to creating a barrier-free retail technology environment, will host a pavilion in which retailers can see offerings from a mix of vendors who are dedicated to helping retailers reduce costs by adhering to retail technology standards. The pavilion will also feature other cooperating standards associations that have produced tangible benefits for retailers. The first implementation of POSlog, the standard TLOG for integrating POS to a myriad of related applications, will be previewed in the pavilion as well. ARTS has developed three standards embraced by the retail industry around the world: (1) Standard Retail Data Model, supporting all retail applications; (2) UnifiedPOS, a detailed, specification for point-of-sale device interfaces; and (3) IXRetail, which provides standard XML schemas to interface applications within the retail enterprise. These standards have been developed through the cooperative efforts of retailers and hardware and software solution providers to reduce the time and cost of implementing retail technology from multiple vendors... The newest IXRetail standard, the XML schema, POSlog, (standard TLOG), is the data captured at the point of service, including sales, returns, exchanges, deliveries and customer information. POSlog will reduce the time and cost of integrating POS systems with related applications, such as ERP, inventory, fraud analysis, customer purchase history, big ticket, etc. 'The point-of-sale is the most critical system in retail,' said Grant Anderson, director of store systems and networks at Garden Ridge. 'We feel strongly about POSlog because it will allow us to integrate POS data with our enterprise at a lower cost without jeopardizing accuracy or reliability.' Retailers will have the opportunity to see the ease of integrating with POSlog and learn how it can lower technology costs in the ARTS pavilion..." See "ARTS IXRetail."

  • [January 09, 2003] "Web Services Reliability Specification Published by Leading IT Vendors. Royalty-Free Specification Promotes Open, Reliable Messaging Standard for Web Services." - "A group of leading IT vendors, consisting of Fujitsu Limited, Hitachi, Ltd., NEC Corp, Oracle Corp., Sonic Software, and Sun Microsystems, today announced the publication of the Web Services Reliability (WS-Reliability) specification working draft. By providing a fundamentally more reliable transport infrastructure, WS-Reliability will help accelerate adoption of Web services, making them relevant for an even wider range of enterprise application and integration challenges. WS-Reliability is a specification for open, reliable Web services messaging-including guaranteed delivery, duplicate message elimination and message ordering-enabling reliable communication between Web services. The reliability features are based on extensions to the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), rather than being tied to the underlying transport protocol. The specification will allow a variety of systems to interoperate reliably in a platform- and vendor-neutral manner. Following collaboration on the specification draft, the companies plan to submit WS-Reliability to a standards body on a royalty-free basis. 'We are pleased to take this step toward standardizing one of the key technologies for Web Services, which will leverage our experience in providing high-reliability, mission critical enterprise systems,' said Yasushi Ishida, General Manager of Strategy and Technology Division, Software Group for Fujitsu Limited. 'We have been working to create and promote open, royalty-free standards for Reliable Messaging with the various standards bodies for years. This cooperative WS-Reliability effort is a significant step for Web Services standardization, and we are proud to be playing a leadership role through our donation of the early draft specification'..." See details in the 2003-01-09 news item "Web Services Vendors Publish Royalty-Free WS-Reliability Specification."

  • [January 08, 2003] "Uniform Code Council's U Connect Conference to Educate Supply Chain Professionals May 21-23, 2003. Humor Columnist Dave Barry to Speak." - "The Uniform Code Council (UCC), leaders in facilitating efficient international business, announced today that the organization will hold its annual U Connect Conference May 21-23, 2003, at Walt Disney World's Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Fla. The conference, which provides sessions aimed at supply chain technology users across a variety of industries, will also feature nationally syndicated humor columnist Dave Barry, as the keynote speaker. The three-day education and networking event will bring together a global audience of more than 1,000 supply chain professionals, including consultants, solution providers and technology executives. The conference, which was developed by the UCC and users of the EAN.UCC System of standards to educate supply chain technology users, focuses on how companies can employ the latest standards-based solutions, technologies, and business processes to manage their supply chain more efficiently. Sessions will deliver insight from industry professionals about practical applications and case studies on using the EAN.UCC System to improve business practices and solve supply chain challenges. The U Connect Conference will offer more than 70 informative sessions that cover business-critical topics such as electronic data interchange (EDI); how standards are developed through the Global Standards Management Process (GSMP); extensible markup language (XML) standards; collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR); data carrier updates including bar codes, RFID and RSS (Reduced Space Symbology); 2005 Sunrise initiative; and registry and data synchronization with UCCnet. This year, attendees will have the chance to network with solution providers on the U Connect exhibit floor. Two special pavilions will be featured next to the general exhibit area, the eBusinessReady Pavilion and the UCCnet Alliance Partner Pavilion for UCCnet. U Connect 2003 will also host a new, specialized track for the Alcohol Beverage Industry Electronic Commerce (ABI EC) Group..." See: "Uniform Code Council (UCC) XML Program."

  • [January 08, 2003] "OASIS Members Launch Effort to Establish Common Identification Scheme for Distributed Directory Services. Advanced Micro Devices, DataPower, EDS, Novell, Neustar, NRI Pacific, OneName, Visa International, and Others Collaborate to Define Extensible Resource Identifier." - "Members of the OASIS standards body are collaborating to address a key challenge in distributed directory services and data sharing -- establishing a common identification scheme that can be used across all domains, applications, and transport protocols. The OASIS Extensible Resource Identifier (XRI) Technical Committee will define a Uniform Resource Identifer (URI) scheme and a corresponding Uniform Resource (URN) namespace that meet these requirements, as well as basic mechanisms for resolving XRIs and exchanging data and metadata associated with XRI-identified resources. 'URIs are one of the three pillars of Web architecture, but most URI schemes were developed before the era of XML and Web services,' said Bill Washburn, President and Managing Director of the XNS Public Trust Organization (XNSORG), which intends to contribute the Extensible Name Service (XNS) specifications to seed the work of the OASIS committee. 'With its other initiatives related to XML, security, and directory services, we felt OASIS was the right forum to develop a URI syntax that meets the demands of identifying and sharing resources and data persistently across different organizations and applications.' Drummond Reed of OneName, co-chair of the OASIS XRI Technical Committee added, 'XRI syntax will be fully federated, the way DNS and IP addressing are today, yet will still address the problem of how to identify the same logical resource stored in different physical locations--for example, the same file stored on different file servers, or the same invoice stored in different accounting systems.' The syntax will allow for identifiers optimized for both human and machine readability, and will provide for internationalization in the same manner as XML..." See details in the news story of 2003-01-08: "OASIS Forms Extensible Resource Identifier (XRI) Technical Committee."

  • [January 08, 2003] "Xerox Makes New Programming Language for Document Transformations Available for 'Test Drive'. Early Adopters Can Try Out Promising Software, Provide Feedback On Emerging Technologies at Xerox-RIT Site." - "An experimental programming language now available for testing makes it easy to transform documents and data between specific formats so that documents can be read no matter what application or device is used. It is posted on www.alphaAve.com, a site that is jointly managed by Xerox Corporation and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for programmers and software developers who want to try out promising software from both commercial and academic research centers. This is among the most recent of eight emerging technologies that have been added to alphaAve.com, which celebrated its first anniversary in November. The site is designed to move research out of labs and into products faster. The new language, called Circus-DTE, is a research project developed at the Xerox Research Centre of Europe in Grenoble, France. Circus-DTE is designed for a world where document portals are everywhere and documents and data must move from one to another on the Web or in business processes, so-called 'document transformations.' Until now, there was no middle ground for document transformations between a general-purpose, low-level language that required lengthy development of complex algorithms and a high-level, but inflexible approach. Circus-DTE answers that need. A specialized programming language, it is particularly suited to data processing or the transformation of structured documents, and it automatically validates the results produced so that input into another application is sure to function properly. Circus-DTE instantly translates the document so it can be viewed from a PDA, mobile phone or laptop with a variety of applications. XRCE scientists believe that Circus-DTE could be especially useful when there are multiple document transformations, such as document content processing, Internet publishing, publishing on handheld devices and database-to-XML conversions. For example, processing a customer order requires a series of transformations -- data must be input into applications that check inventory and availability, that prepare shipping documentation, that generate an invoice, that process payments and perhaps even publish to the Web so a customer can track progress online..." See details in the 2003-01-08 news item "Xerox Announces Circus-DTE Programming Language for Document Transformation."

  • [January 07, 2003] "Liberty Alliance Reports Majority of Sponsor Members Polled Plan to Implement Liberty Specifications in 2003, Adoption Plans Span Industries. Alliance Also Introduces 22 New Members, Bringing Total Membership to 150." - "The Liberty Alliance Project, a business and technology consortium formed to develop open specifications for federated network identity, today reported that a majority of founder- and sponsor-level members polled said they plan to implement the Liberty version 1.1 specifications within the year. The Liberty Alliance also today announced 22 new members, bringing the total Alliance membership base to 150 organizations. In a recent internal poll of Alliance founder and sponsor members, more than 70 percent of all respondents planning to implement the specifications, regardless of the timeframe, said they expect to incorporate the specifications into products and/or services for their customers. Approximately 52 percent also placed high priority on using the specifications to benefit their employees. And 59 percent of respondents said they plan to implement the version 1.1 specifications within the next 12 months or have already implemented them... General Motors is currently evaluating ways in which the Liberty specifications could streamline internal processes and improve employee relations. For example, GM is currently testing use of the Liberty specifications within its employee intranet, called MySocrates. MySocrates provides access to many of the outsourced HR services that GM employees receive, such as health benefits and 401K plans... Niteo Partners, a strategic consulting subsidiary of NEC, is working with the largest U.S. cash management banks and the Financial Services Technology Consortium (FSTC), to construct a multi-bank services network for securely exchanging customer account, transaction, and credential data via a set of interoperable web services. The Liberty specifications and the SAML standard from OASIS will be included as key components of the overall security framework for this bank-to-bank network. In addition, NEC and Niteo have recently launched a project with The Bond Market Association (TBMA) to lead the development of an industry accessible data portal for servicing fixed income securities dealing, trading and settlement. This data portal, as proposed, will also support the Liberty specifications... 'Last year was very productive for the Alliance - we began our work in January 2002, launched the version 1.0 specifications in July, issued version 1.1 for public review in November and are moving forward toward releasing a draft of version 2.0 within the first half of this year,' said Michael Barrett, president of the Liberty Alliance Management Board..." See: "Liberty Alliance Specifications for Federated Network Identification and Authorization."

  • [January 07, 2003] "OASIS Members Form Technical Committee to Advance PKI Adoption for Secure Transactions. Baltimore Technologies, Computer Associates, Entrust, KPMG, Neucom, RSA Security, Sun Microsystems, VeriSign, Wells Fargo, and Others Work to Facilitate Interoperability of Foundational Security Standard." - "The OASIS standards consortium has organized a new technical committee to advance adoption of the Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI) for Web services and other applications. PKI serves as a foundation to enable secure e-business transactions. The new technical committee has been created within the OASIS PKI Member Section, a group formed as a result of the recent transition of the advocacy group, PKI Forum, to OASIS. The OASIS PKI Technical Committee will serve as a global information resource for PKI. It will work to increase awareness of digital certificates as an important component for managing access to network resources, delivering secured electronic messages and conducting electronic transactions. Deliverables from the committee will include white papers, implementation guidelines, and conformance tests to promote the adoption of the PKI technology. 'We want to address the issues behind the successful deployment of digital certificates to meet business and security requirements. Our collaboration will focus on overcoming technical and integration challenges and promoting greater interoperability,' explained Terry Leahy of Wells Fargo, chair of the new OASIS PKI Technical Committee. 'The OASIS PKI Technical Committee will serve as a community forum for exchanging information on using PKI and digital certificates in application-focused standards and projects, and as a mechanism for the creation of documents related to the implementation of PKI internationally'... PKI serves as a foundation for other Web services standards, and the new technical committee joins the growing body of security specifications being developed within OASIS, such as WS-Security, the Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), the XML Access Control Markup Language (XACML), the Rights Language, the Service Provisioning Markup Language (SPML) and XML Common Biometric Format (XCBF) and the Digital Signature Services (DSS) protocol. 'PKI and digital certificates have become key components of identity-related security services,' said John Sabo of Computer Associates, vice chair of the OASIS PKI Technical Committee. 'We expect the Technical Committee to cover a broad range of business and technical issues and address the practical use of PKI in support of high trust applications on the Web and in other networked environments.' Participation in the OASIS PKI Technical Committee remains open to all organizations and individuals. OASIS will host an open mail list for public comment, and completed work will be freely available to the public without licensing or other fees..." See the PKI TC website and the OASIS PKI Member Section. General references: XML and Security.

  • [January 07, 2003] "Chemicals Sector Launches Cyber-Security Practices, Standards and Technology Initiative under CIDX." - "The Chemical Industry Data Exchange (CIDX) and the Chemicals Sector Cyber-Security Information Sharing Forum today launched the Chemicals Sector Cyber-Security Practices, Standards and Technology Initiative. The Practices, Standards and Technology Initiative will be implemented by a newly formed business unit within CIDX focused specifically on cyber-security. Operating in parallel to the existing XML unit with a shared support and leadership structure, the cyber-security business unit will build on CIDX's strategic mission -- to improve the ease, speed and cost of transacting business electronically between chemical companies and their trading partners. The newly created business unit will be charged with identifying immediate opportunities to improve the base level of cyber-security performance within the industry. The cyber-security business unit assumes responsibility for two elements of the Chemicals Sector Cyber-Security Program: establishing sector practices and standards and encouraging acceleration of improved security technology and solutions development. Consisting of 10 chemical industry trade associations representing more than 2,000 companies, the Chemicals Sector Cyber-Security Information Sharing Forum was created in early 2002 to implement the industry-wide cyber-security Program... Success of the Practices, Standards and Technology Initiative depends heavily on the work of member volunteers. Membership is open to all participants in the global chemicals sector value chain. Some projects currently underway include: (1) Development of cyber-security guidance documentation; (2) Development of guidance for addressing cyber-security as part of an overall site vulnerability assessment; (3) Development of process control security practices and standards; (4) Implementation of a voluntary benchmarking of industry participants' current cyber-security management practices; (5) Development of a vendor partnership program with key cyber-security solution providers; (6) Implementation of a proactive industry outreach to generate awareness, understanding and participation in this global chemicals sector initiative... CIDX is a global trade association and standards body whose mission is to improve electronic connectivity between chemical companies and their trading partners and support the improvement of cyber-security within the global chemical sector. Through the collaborative effort of more than 80 chemical industry leaders from around the world including chemical producers, suppliers, marketplaces and industry consultants, CIDX built the XML-based Chem eStandards to carry out highly secure transactions with suppliers and customers over the Internet. The Chemical Industry Data Exchange uses the trademarks CIDX and Chem eStandards..." See also: (1) Chemicals Sector Cyber-Security Program; (2) "XML-Based 'Chem eStandard' for the Chemical Industry."

  • [January 07, 2003] "Open Network for Commerce Exchange Announces Web Services Project. Project Enabled by Next Generation Internet (NGI) Grant from CommerceNet and the State of California." - "The Open Network for Commerce Exchange (ONCE), the largest alliance of electronic trading networks in the world, today announced that the association has been awarded a Next Generation Internet (NGI) Program grant by the California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency's [TTCA] Division of Science, Technology and Innovation [DSTI] and CommerceNet for the development of a research-based project on the business implications of Web services. The project will be conducted in close cooperation with CommerceNet, a consortium that catalyzes, advocates, and invests in the next generation business Internet. The NGI Program enables projects that may have a widespread economic and societal impact. The NGI Program also helps stimulate California's economy by identifying, supporting, and funding companies and organizations dedicated to the development of business applications that drive the build-out of the next generation Internet. The goal of the NGI Program-sponsored ONCE Web services project is to evaluate Web services technology as a solution to some of today's business challenges in business-to-business (B2B) commerce including trading partner management and service syndication... The collaborative project includes two key phases with an investment of approximately $150,000 to complete. The first phase includes development and execution of a study highlighting important business issues and best practices surrounding trading partner management and the current state of the Web services applications and tools from existing and emerging vendors. The study will also profile key B2B process priorities, the services, if any, currently being used by companies and the planned capabilities of e-marketplaces (both public and private), technology vendors and service providers to use Web services to meet these priorities. The second phase will be to conduct a one-day Executive Summit in early March 2003 that will offer top business executives, academia, legislators and thought leaders the opportunity to engage in practical discussion and education on the business value of Web services for connecting to and promoting wide syndication of services between trading partners. Conference content will include roundtable discussions, user presentations and pilot demonstrations on 'Business Realities of Web Services.' A sample of discussion topics include: Web Services - Early Warning Signs, Are You Ready For Web Services?, Pioneering Applications Using Web Services, and Top Ten Business Needs. 'CommerceNet is pleased to collaborate with ONCE to identify real-world business solutions with Web Services technology,' said Marty Tenenbaum, founder and board chairman of CommerceNet. 'The Next Generation Internet (NGI) Program identifies opportunities to advance e-Business, and we saw this as a seamless match to our overarching goals to facilitate the advancement of business applications and business models that establish an interoperable electronic marketplace. Together with the State of California and ONCE, this project will uncover the impact that Web services can have on business, including easier integration, the potential for savings in time and cost, and the importance of increased capabilities'..."

  • [January 07, 2003] "Infomosaic Releases Java Support for SecureXML Digital Signature." - "Infomosaic Corporation today announced the release of Java Support for SecureXML Digital Signature, rounding its Digital Signature product offering and support for software developers utilizing the following programming languages and development environments: C, C++, Java, VB/ VB Script/ ASP, JavaScript/ Web, C#/ VB.NET/ ASP.NET and Cold Fusion. SecureXML makes it extremely easy for software developers and system integrators to add industry standard digital signature to their web and standalone applications. SecureXML provides functionality to sign web pages, forms, XML data and documents in Word, PDF and other formats. Manoj Srivastava, President and CEO of Infomosaic Corp., said, 'With the addition of support for Java (Sun JDK 1.4.1) in SecureXML, Java developers can now take full advantage of Windows native cryptography and XML Signature without having to reinvent everything'... As more and more companies transmit data across the Web and archive information electronically, the security of documents becomes increasingly important. Electronic Signatures on documents and data files are replacing the traditional hand written signatures on financial, legal, medical and business documents. Electronic Signatures assure (1) Integrity: The data/document isn't changed as it goes from the sender to the receiver; (2) Authenticity: The document actually came from the indicated sender; (3) Non Repudiation: The sender of the document cannot claim that they did not send it or that the content was altered; (4) Acceptance: The signing process establishes the agreement of the signer with what is being signed... Infomosaic Corporation is a leading provider of Digital Signature products and services. Its SecureXML product family was the first C-language implementation of the XML Digital Signature standard. It is highly optimized for high volume XML transaction applications, intended for digitally signing network data, web content and standalone documents. The software can be used in workflow and other e-business automation applications..." See: "Digital Signatures."

  • [January 02, 2003] "E Team First to Offer Interoperable Incident Management System for Homeland Security. Release 2 - Government Edition Enables All Players Critical to an Emergency Response to Collaborate in Real Time." - "E Team, the proven, market-leading provider of collaborative software for emergency and event management, announced today that its Release 2 Government Edition is now available. Release 2 solves the crucial problem of interoperability among government agencies with a collaborative information-sharing platform that enables first responders, emergency managers, public health agencies and executive management to create and immediately share the critical information needed to prepare for, respond to and recover from major incidents. Interoperability is a challenge that must be addressed for Homeland Security systems to be truly effective, as noted in the Hart-Rudman report titled 'America Still Unprepared' released by the Council on Foreign Relations. E Team is the first to address this challenge, both with its new Release 2 and its efforts to help create an industry consortium to foster open XML-based standards for emergency management systems... E Team's Release 2 enables public agencies to harness the power of teamwork by offering true agency to multi-agency interoperability as an essential element of its core functionality. With this advancement, which is based on XML open standards, the E Team solution enables all users to share data vertically as well as across agencies and jurisdictions; partition shared data by type and destination; and transfer control and ownership of any shared incident management document to another E Team system (for example, city to state, state to federal). This capability is crucial when responding to Homeland Security threats, as well as natural and manmade disasters and other emergencies. In addition to true interoperability, E Team's Release 2 offers significant new features including enhanced GIS mapping, Crystal Reports interface, RealTime Messaging, and enhanced personnel profiling. To further accelerate the implementation of interoperability in the industry, E Team has taken the lead in creating a standards body known as the Emergency XML (EM-XML) Consortium. The Consortium represents a cross section of companies providing emergency management solutions and is committed to creating an open XML-based standard for emergency management data exchange by the end of 2003..." See also : (1) "Leaders In The Emergency Management Industry Form EXML Consortium to Establish Interoperability Standards"; (2) "ComCARE Alliance Publishes XML-Based Emergency Incident Data Set Recommendation."

Earlier announcements from 2002 Q4

  • [December 30, 2002] "Dow Jones Newswires Launches Test Feed for Dow Jones NewsPlus. Thomson ONE Will Be the First Platform to Integrate Dow Jones' New XML Feed." - Dow Jones Newswires has announced "that a test feed for Dow Jones NewsPlus, a new XML feed that will provide an interactive, convenient interface for Newswires' market-leading news, commentary and analysis, is now available to market-data vendors to integrate into their products for financial professionals. Thomson Financial, a leading provider of information and technology solutions to the worldwide financial community, will be the first distributor to integrate Dow Jones NewsPlus into Thomson ONE, its open framework desktop application. The full Dow Jones NewsPlus XML feed is scheduled to be released by the end of the first quarter of 2003. The first release of Dow Jones NewsPlus will be a major enhancement for Dow Jones News Service subscribers, available first to Thomson ONE customers. Dow Jones editors will select and rank the most critical, market-moving stories for Dow Jones NewsPlus, with summaries on the home page and links to the complete story and related information such as press releases, industry news and fundamental company data. The home page will also provide stock and bond market updates, direct links to critical topics like politics and economic indicators. The interface also highlights select features, such as columns, analysts' comments and DJ Market Talk. Users of the Thomson ONE platform will be able to access Dow Jones NewsPlus directly... Dow Jones Newswires is working with other distributors on integrating the new XML feed into their platforms. Dow Jones NewsPlus will eventually be available on a Web site hosted by Dow Jones. The feed is also flexible enough to support versions for other Dow Jones Newswires' products, integrate into other sites, and to create custom versions for large users with links to users' proprietary information..."

  • [December 30, 2002] "OpenTravel Alliance Announces Publication of OTA Specification Version 2002B." - "The OpenTravel Alliance (OTA) is pleased to announce the publication of the 2002B Specification that provides the travel industry and travel related services the ability to deliver new features and enhanced capabilities to travelers, through enhanced XML transactions. The 2002B release enhances messages previously released, as well as, introduces new messages across all of the work groups. The Air, Car, Hotel and Travel Integration Work Groups have each provided an introduction to highlight new features and enhancements offered in the 2002B Specification. OTA would like to thank all its 120 member companies, project teams, working groups and committees that worked so diligently to provide a richer, more robust specification and further travel technology and XML development. Thanks to this effort, the OTA is one step closer to its goal to create a common and complete XML dialect for the travel industry. To view and download OTA's Version 2002B including informative text and XML specifications, please visit www.opentravel.org/2002b.cfm... The OpenTravel Alliance develops communications specifications to allow for the efficient and effective exchange of travel industry information via the Internet. With over 120 members representing influential names in all sectors of the travel industry, OTA is comprised of representatives from the airlines, car rental firms, hotels, leisure suppliers, service providers, tour operators, travel agencies, and trade associations. OTA working groups, together with an OTA interoperability committee to coordinate their efforts, develop open Internet-compatible messages using XML..." See: (1) "OpenTravel Alliance (OTA) Publishes XML Specification Version 2002B" [details for the public review draft]; (2) general references in "OpenTravel Alliance (OTA)."

  • [December 24, 2002] "OGC Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Web Coverage Service Specification." - "Open GIS Consortium, Inc. (OGC) Technical and Planning Committee meetings, the Coverage Working Group, the OGC Technical Committee, and the OGC Planning Committee voted to release the proposed Web Coverage Service (WCS) Implementation Specification, for public comment, as a Request for Comment (RFC). The RFC details draft interfaces that allow gridded and certain non-gridded geospatial data on a server to be accessed and used by client software as input into spatial model, local rendering and other uses... The Web Coverage Service (WCS) provides access to intact, raw data while WMS provides a static 'picture' of a map. WCS' three key operations, GetCapabilities, GetCoverage, and DescribeCoverageType are designed to work with coverages (imagery, TINS and other types of gridded and non-gridded intelligent data). The GetCapabilities operation returns an XML document from the server that describes the service and the data collections available. The GetCoverage operation of a Web Coverage Service returns values or properties of geographic locations, bundled in a well-known coverage format. Jeff Labonte, Director of the Canada's GeoConnections Program, stated that the Web Coverage Service is an important element that will further development of the Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure by promoting interoperability of important sources of information such as earth observation satellites and imagery... NASA is the lead submitter on WCS. The submission team also includes BAE Systems, PCI Geomatics, IONIC Software s.a, George Mason University, Polexis, Inc., Intergraph Mapping and Geospatial Solutions, Cubewerx, Inc., Natural Resources Canada, and German Aerospace Center DLR. Request for Comment is a key method to integrate public input into OGC's consensus process in the creation of its OpenGIS Specifications. After the Request for Comment period ends, and comments are assembled and addressed, the WCS RFC may be brought to a vote to become an Adopted OpenGIS Specification. OGC is an international industry consortium of more than 230 companies, government agencies and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly available interface specifications. OpenGIS Specifications support interoperable solutions that 'geo-enable' the Web, wireless and location-based services, and mainstream IT. The specifications empower technology developers to make complex spatial information and services accessible and useful with all kinds of applications..." See details in the news story "Open GIS Consortium Issues RFC for Web Coverage Service Implementation Specification."

  • [December 23, 2002] "XAware Announces RIXML Components for Financial Services Integration. Integration Building Blocks Enable Financial Services Firms, System Integrators and Software Vendors to Rapidly Adopt RIXML." - "XAware, Inc., a leader in XML-based information exchange and data integration, announces the availability of a suite of software components to help system integrators, corporate IT groups and software vendors implement RIXML for financial services applications. First launched in April 2001, RIXML (Research Information Exchange Markup Language) is an industry-standard dialect of XML that enables the assimilation and distribution of research information. The benefits of RIXML include increased efficiency of research distribution, more effective targeting, personalization and overall usability. XAware's RIXML Components are targeted to financial services firms such as brokerage houses, asset management companies, mutual fund managers and securities houses. XAware's 'building block' approach allows firms to rapidly connect within an existing framework, manage and integrate data and technology from multiple vendors, and progressively incorporate more data into the RIXML standard. The XAware solution enables common information models leveraging XML-based standards for interoperability, and is an engine for compliance with the RIXML standard. 'After successfully completing a RIXML integration project with OppenheimerFunds, XAware is leveraging this experience by packaging a set of RIXML-based integration components,' said Bill Miller, chief executive officer of XAware. 'These new building blocks reduce the complexities of adopting the RIXML standard, while allowing companies to migrate research data over time with an immediate ROI'..." See: (1) the White Paper "Challenges and Solutions for Leveraging RIXML. Application of XAware Technology."; (2) general references in "Research Information Exchange Markup Language (RIXML)."

  • [December 23, 2002] "ADL Releases the Technical Repository Investigation Report." - "The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative is preparing for a world where communication networks and personal information delivery devices are widespread, inexpensive and transparent to users in terms of ease of use, bandwidth and portability. ADL envisions the creation of repositories, or learning 'knowledge' libraries where learning objects may be accumulated and catalogued for broad distribution and use. These objects must be readily accessible across the World Wide Web or whatever forms our global information network takes in the future. There has recently been much effort to advance repository technologies. Current efforts in the development of repository standards and software are broad and varied, with players coming from nearly every major sector. This diversity of interest has resulted in an impressive number of competing standards and supporting technologies. ADL is aware of the important role repository systems play in facilitating content storage, delivery and reuse. Repository systems provide key infrastructure for the development, storage, management, discovery and delivery of all types of electronic content. SCORM content packaging, with its inclusion of mandatory self-descriptive meta-data, plays an important role enabling advanced functionality for repository systems. As such, SCORM packaging plays a key role in accomplishing ADL goals for e-learning interoperability and in advancing the repository state-of-the-art. Paul Jesukiewicz, Director of the ADL Co-Laboratory in Alexandria, has commented that: 'The ADL Repository Technical Investigation Report is the first step in a long process to get a handle on the various repository efforts that could contribute to a potential application profile for SCORM. We are in about the same place today with repositories as we were three years ago with LMSs. We look forward to continuing the investigation into repositories and hope to continue as a catalyst in bringing the various communities together.' The ADL Repository Technical Investigation Report summarizes a number of major specification and standards efforts that may affect future repository architectures and be useful for managing SCORM conformant content..." See: "Shareable Content Object Reference Model Initiative (SCORM)."

  • [December 18, 2002] "Liquent Announces Availability of Two New eCTD Solutions for eCTD Submissions and a Free eCTD Viewer. Products Quickly and Efficiently Produce, Manage, and View Compliant eCTD Submissions." - "Liquent, Inc., global leader in regulatory publishing, intelligence, and intellectual property solutions, today announced three new products to produce, manage, and view compliant electronic Common Technical Document (eCTD) submissions for multiple regions: Liquent eCTD Assistant 2.0, Liquent Submission Accelerator for eCTD, and the free Liquent eCTD Reviewer. These new products ensure that life sciences organizations will be well prepared to take advantage of the benefits of the eCTD, an XML-driven specification designed to simplify the creation and review of regulatory submissions. Liquent's new publishing solutions quickly and easily generate eCTD submissions compliant with International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) and regional specifications complete with the requisite XML backbones that can then be easily managed and updated throughout the submission lifecycle. eCTD Assistant 2.0 supports the final ICH Step 4 eCTD specifications and draft specifications from the FDA and EMEA to enable the assembly of submission-ready documents, create the appropriate file/folder structure, assign leaf document attributes, and then build the required XML backbone and regional XML required in eCTD submissions... Also compliant with ICH's Step 4 specifications, Submission Accelerator is a new module for Liquent's CoreDossier publishing software that enables automated eCTD publishing. Available immediately, it ships with a set of pre-defined eCTD templates that are updated as ICH and regional specifications change -- ensuring that submissions are always compliant with ICH standards and the regional specifications provided by regulatory authorities in the United States, Europe, and Japan. The eCTD Reviewer is a free tool that provides a comprehensive view of a submission as it is being built and after completion. The eCTD Reviewer is bundled for free with eCTD Assistant 2.0; an advanced version with editing capabilities and a conformity checker is included with Submission Accelerator..." See: "Electronic Common Technical Document (eCTD) for Pharmaceuticals."

  • [December 18, 2002] "BEA, IBM, Microsoft, RSA Security, SAP and VeriSign Deliver Advanced Specifications to Help Meet Security and Business Policy Needs of Companies Building and Implementing Web Services. New Group of Specifications to Build on Industry Work for Web Services." - Microsoft Corp. and IBM Corp., along with BEA Systems Inc., RSA Security Inc., SAP AG, and VeriSign Inc., today announced the publication of a new set of advanced Web services specifications to help businesses share information securely between applications and organizations in a standard way. Using broadly accepted standards and specifications around Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP), security, transactions and discovery, the new specifications represent the next step in delivering a comprehensive model of advanced Web services capabilities that integrate currently available technologies with the evolving requirements of emerging applications. IBM, Microsoft and industry partners are now delivering against a previously announced road map with six new specifications. Providing a framework that is extensible and flexible and maximizes existing investments in a Web services infrastructure, these new specifications make it easier to apply business policy and implement security for a wider range of applications. The specifications fall into two key groups. The first helps address key technical concerns in the area of security and build on the work outlined in Microsoft and IBM's co-authored road map, 'Security in a Web Services World.' The second group focuses on streamlining the implementation of business policies in a Web services environment..." See details in the 2002-12-18 news item: "Microsoft and IBM Publish Six New Web Services Security and Policy Specifications."

  • [December 17, 2002] "OpenHSF v8.0 Specification Released by the OpenHSF Advisory Council. First Membership-driven Extension for Document/Assembly Structure Included." - "The OpenHSF Initiative announced today the availability of v8.0 of the openly published HSF specification. This latest specification also includes the first open extension to the specification, which was proposed, reviewed and ratified by the OpenHSF Advisory Council (OAC). Thus it delivers on the OpenHSF Initiative's promise to not only establish a common format for visual interoperability but, through the cooperation of the membership, to "raise the bar of interoperability" beyond simple visual information. The OpenHSF Initiative was launched in Q4 2001 to establish an open, common visualization format for the efficient exchange of rich 2D/3D and meta-data between disparate applications and includes many leading engineering software and end-user organizations. The core HSF format contains 2D/3D & textual data for visualization, while the OpenHSF membership defines and implements open extensions that allow software developers to embed additional meta-data within their HSF files and exchange this information seamlessly with other HSF-compliant applications. The Document/Product Structure extension consists of XML tags, which describe the structure of assemblies, parts or drawings that may be embedded within an HSF file. These tags are fully associative with the graphical objects. This extension is of particular value to applications wishing to express how a particular assembly is structured and how sub-elements of the assembly and drawings relate to one another. In addition to the Document/Product Structure extension, highlights of the latest HSF specification include: (1) XML Tags to facilitate the embedding of XML data directly into an HSF file; (2) New PolyCylinder primitive, which is of particular value for applications that deal with many pipe-like objects such as power plants or factories; (3) Support for scale-independent lines, edges and marker-weights for embedding information into a scene, which maintains its size, independent of the scaling of other geometry in the scene; (4) Additional Transparency options; (5) Descriptions of compression algorithms for 2D and Raster data... The OpenHSF Initiative supplies the complete solution for engineering visualization interoperability. It is an industry-wide effort to establish a common, open and robust format for sharing visualization data between users of disparate engineering applications through the publishing of the HOOPS Stream Format (HSF) specification. With the publication of the OpenHSF Specification document, the entire industry now has complete access to the robust HOOPS Stream Format (HSF), which allows for the intelligent, stream-capable sharing of visualization data between disparate engineering applications. The OpenHSF Advisory Council has been established to ensure the OpenHSF Specification continues to address the needs of the OpenHSF community and remains open and available to all interested parties. OpenHSF Membership includes software vendors such as SolidWorks, Dassault Systems, PTC, MSC.Software, ANSYS, TranscenData, Actify, Informative Graphics, Hitachi Zosen, COADE, CADKEY and dozens of others. End users who help to drive requirements include Boeing and Daimler Chrysler, with input and support from others such as Intel, AMD and the Web3D Consortium..."

  • "World Wide Web Consortium Issues User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 as a W3C Recommendation. Third in Set of Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Guidelines Helps Developers Make Accessible Browsers and Multimedia Players." - "The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has issued the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (UAAG 1.0) as a W3C Recommendation, representing consensus among developers and the disability community on accessibility features needed in browsers and multimedia players used to access the Web... 'Web browsers and media players serve people as the front door to the Web. But when those tools aren't usable by people with disabilities, it's akin to locking the door and leaving no key,' noted Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director. 'For the past five years, the technical and disability experts in the Web Accessibility Initiative have provided definitive guidelines for making accessible Web content and designing authoring software that does the same, automatically. Today, with the announcement of the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines, developers have the specific guidance they need to make Web browsers and media players more useful to more people.' The Web is for Everyone -- Content, Authoring Tools, Browsers, and Multimedia Players Must Be Accessible The Web has created unprecedented opportunities for people around the world to learn, work, shop, play, and communicate with others; and even more so for people with disabilities, who have frequently been excluded from many of these activities. Access to the Web for people with disabilities, however, presumes that Web developers choose accessible design over inaccessible design; these guidelines explain how to make accessible design choices when developing browsers and media players. UAAG 1.0 is written for software developers, and addresses requirements such as accessibility of the user interface, rendering of accessibility information, and user choice in configuring browsers and media players. These guidelines also address interoperability of mainstream browsers and multimedia players with assistive technologies used by people with disabilities. UAAG 1.0 is third in a complementary set of Web accessibility guidelines which already include the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0) and the Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (ATAG 1.0)..." See other details in the 2002-12-17 news item "W3C Publishes User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 as a Recommendation."

  • [December 17, 2002] "OASIS Members to Develop Web Services Standard for Translation. DataPower, IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and Others Collaborate on Localization Specification." - "Members of the OASIS standards consortium have formed a technical committee to develop standards to automate the translation and localization process as a Web service. The effort brings together DataPower, IBM, the Localisation Research Centre, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and others in a collaboration that will use Web services as the backbone to a workflow linking the tasks that comprise a complex software localization project... The new OASIS Technical Committee will concentrate first on defining service types that are relevant to the software/content localization and translation industry. Their specification will drive the development of Web Services Definition Language (WSDL) documents that will ultimately be published in a Universal Description and Discover Integration (UDDI) registry and potentially also in an ebXML registry... The OASIS Translation Web Services Technical Committee joins another localization effort at OASIS -- one that works to develop an XML Localization Interchange File Format (XLIFF). The two groups plan to coordinate their efforts. Tony Jewtushenko of Oracle, chair of the OASIS XLIFF Technical Committee explained the relationship, 'The OASIS Translation Web Services Technical Committee will define standard interfaces between the disparate actors that work together in a distributed software localization process. As localizable data moves through the localization actors, XLIFF-aware tools can be used with minimal implementation cost. We expect our experience with XML-based localization technology will result in close relations and shared membership with the OASIS Translation Web Services Technical Committee'... 'The OASIS Translation Web Services Technical Committee is a clear example of how industry players can come together to jointly develop Web services standards for their critical business interactions,' stated Patrick Gannon, president and CEO of OASIS. 'Industries that conduct their Web services standards development within OASIS have the opportunity to interface directly with developers of key foundational Web services efforts, such as UDDI, WS-Security, SAML, and more than 45 others'..." See other details in the news item of 2002-11-26: "New OASIS Translation Web Services Technical Committee."

  • [December 17, 2002] "Creative Commons Unveils Machine-Readable Copyright Licenses." - "Creative Commons, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the creative reuse of intellectual works, launched its first product today: its machine-readable copyright licenses, available free of charge from creativecommons.org. The licenses allow copyright holders to easily inform others that their works are free for copying and other uses under specific conditions. These self-help tools offer new ways to distribute creative works on generous terms -- from copyright to the public domain -- and are available free of charge. 'People want to bridge the public domain with the realm of private copyrights,' said Stanford Law Professor and Creative Commons Chairman Lawrence Lessig. 'Our licenses build upon their creativity, taking the power of digital rights description to a new level. They deliver on our vision of promoting the innovative reuse of all types of intellectual works, unlocking the potential of sharing and transforming others' work'... After the copyright holder chooses their license or public domain dedication, it is expressed in three formats to easily notify others of the license terms: (1) Commons Deed: A simple, plain-language summary of the license, with corresponding icons; (2) Legal Code: The fine print needed to fine-tune your copyrights; (3) Digital Code: A machine-readable translation of the license that helps search engines and other applications identify your work by its terms of use... Various organizations and people have pledged their support for Creative Commons, including Byrds founder Roger McGuinn, DJ Spooky, iBiblio, the Internet Archive, MIT Open Courseware project, O'Reilly & Associates, People Like Us, the Prelinger Collection/Library of Congress, Rice University's Connexions project, Stanford Law School, and Sun Microsystems. Implementers include musicians, writers, teachers, scholars, scientists, photographers, filmmakers, publishers, graphic designers, Web hobbyists, as well as listeners, readers, and viewers..." See technical details on the use of RDF/Dublin Core in the 2002-12-16 news item: "Creative Commons Project Offers RDF-Based Licenses for Rights Expression."

  • [December 16, 2002] "Microsoft Delivers Latest Developer Tools for Building Advanced, More Secure Web Services. Web Services Enhancements 1.0 Available for Visual Studio .NET. Developers, With Support From Companies Such as F5 Networks, WestGlobal and WRQ." - "Highlighting industry demand for the latest Web services capabilities, Microsoft Corp. today announced key companies, including F5 Networks, WestGlobal and WRQ Inc., that are taking advantage of Web Services Enhancements 1.0 (WSE) for Microsoft .NET, which gives Visual Studio .NET developers support for the latest Web services specifications, such as WS-Security, WS-Routing and WS-Attachments. The news coincides with Microsoft's announcement of the release to Web (RTW) of WSE 1.0, following the technical preview delivered in August 2002. Available via download, WSE works with Visual Studio .NET and the .NET Framework so developers can quickly add a few lines of code to their Web services applications to keep pace with the latest industry advancements. In addition to its ability to quickly build new Web services solutions, WSE has been embraced by customers and industry partners as an important tool for connecting to existing systems... Since the introduction of the technical preview in August 2002, WSE has gone through rigorous testing and customer review to reach the milestone of RTW of WSE 1.0. WSE is built on existing XML Web Services standards such as XML and SOAP, while providing the following advanced capabilities: Security. It can help secure XML Web services across platforms and trust domains, including digital signing and encryption of SOAP messages that are compliant with the WS-Security specification, jointly introduced by Microsoft, IBM Corp. and VeriSign Inc. in April 2002 and submitted to OASIS in June 2002. Routing. It can route an XML Web service through intermediaries using the WS-Routing specification, which describes how to place message addresses in the SOAP message header and enables SOAP messages to travel serially to multiple destinations along a message path. The route a SOAP message takes to an XML Web service can be transparently delegated among Web servers. Attachments. Communication between XML Web services can contain attachments that are not serialized into XML. The WSDK provides the ability to add attachments to SOAP messages following the WS-Attachments specification. WS-Attachments was jointly submitted to the IETF by Microsoft and IBM. Extensible framework. WSE is an extensible pipeline for SOAP message processing. Developers can extend the built-in functionality of the system to customize its encryption and signing capabilities to support proprietary security infrastructures. Custom logic also can be incorporated into the pipeline to provide additional functionality such as auditing, logging, or store and forward..." See: (1) the main page Web Services Enhancements for Microsoft .NET; (2) Programming with Web Services Enhancements 1.0 for Microsoft .NET"; (3) "WS-Security Authentication and Digital Signatures with Web Services Enhancements," by Matt Powell; (4) Inside the Web Services Enhancements Pipeline.

  • [December 16, 2002] "PostX Announces Plan to Support and Integrate New Liberty Alliance v1.1 Specification for Federated Identity Management Standard. Leading Secure Messaging Company first to Embrace Powerful New Open Standard. Also Announces Support of SAML v1.0 (Security Assertion Markup Language)." - PostX has announced 'support and planned integration of the Liberty Alliance v1.1 specifications for federated network identity management. These standards will be integrated into the next generation of the PostX Enterprise secure messaging platform due for release in Q1 2003... PostX has also announced support of SAML in their upcoming release. SAML is the OASIS standard XML schema for security assertions and protocols. It enables security interoperability through the exchange of authentication and authorization information among disparate Web access management and security products. It addresses the need for secure single sign-on across diverse Web access management environments implemented across various organizations, applications, Web sites, and portals. The standard defines standardized exchanges of identity and access management (IAM) information, leveraging Web services standards such as XML and SOAP. 'Liberty Alliance, through its broad membership and high industry profile, has clearly established itself as an important group addressing Web services security through federated identity standards. Liberty is leveraging industry momentum surrounding the new OASIS standard, SAML 1.0, upon which the Alliance has built its specifications,' said James Kobielus, senior analyst at Burton Group. 'Concurrently, several industry vendors publicly announced commitments to implementing the Liberty Version 1.x specifications in their products over the coming year. PostX's support for Liberty Version 1.1 is encouraging, because it shows deepening vendor support for the standard throughout diverse product niches, such as secure messaging.' PostX is the only secure messaging company that plans to implement a federated authentication model based on the Liberty Alliance v1.1 specification. In PostX's implementation, users authenticate with their preferred authentication mechanism, which can be passed within a circle of 'trusted' entities. This allows the promise of single sign-on to be delivered to end users with no reduction in usability or security implementations; it is transparent to the sender and recipient... PostX was founded in 1996 with a mission to maximize ECommunications value for organizations by enabling secure electronic delivery of information vital to business and customer relationships. PostX delivers powerful, secure EStatements, EConfirms, EPaystubs, Ecustomer Service, and EMarketing direct to any computer desktop or wireless device, unleashing real value in the form of significant cost savings, powerful marketing opportunities, and deeper recipient loyalty..." See: "Liberty Alliance Specifications for Federated Network Identification and Authorization."

  • [December 16, 2002] "OSS Nokalva Announces XML Support." - "OSS Nokalva, Inc., the world's leading developer of ASN.1 software for building data communications applications, announced today the immediate availability of the OSS ASN.1 Tools for C and Java with XML support. A C++ beta version is also currently available. 'We are very excited because our new software allows ASN.1 application developers to effortlessly encode data in XML,' commented Bancroft Scott, President of OSS Nokalva. 'This creates an exciting opportunity for developers to maximize their return on investment in robust ASN.1 technology with the added benefits of XML. The addition of XML encoding enables XML to be used in places that are bandwidth constrained such as cell phones, PDAs and embedded systems. Developers can now view binary encoded data in human readable format using XML without sacrificing ASN.1's simple and efficient message description.' The OSS ASN.1 Tools support the XML addition to ASN.1 as described in ASN.1:2002. The tools generate fully XML-standards compliant XML encodings, giving developers a means of representing ASN.1 values using XML with the ASN.1 type definition as the schema. The generated XML is governed by the XML Encoding Rules (XER) and Canonical XML Encoding Rules (CXER), providing the user with control over the visual quality of the generated encoding. It also allows for the viewing and editing of the encoded data using any tools that recognize XML independent of ASN.1... The software completely shields the user from the intricacies of the encoding rules and complexities of manual coding and debugging. All software supports the full ASN.1 syntax as described by the ASN.1:1990, ASN.1:1997 and ASN.1:2002 standards and the following encoding rules: Basic Encoding Rules (BER), Packed Encoding Rules (PER) (aligned and unaligned), Distinguished Encoding Rules (DER), Canonical Encoding Rules (CER), Canonical XML Encoding Rules (CXER), and XML Encoding Rules (XER)..." See: (1) "ASN.1 Markup Language (AML)"; (2) "XML Encoding Rules for ASN.1 (XER)."

  • [December 12, 2002] Veridocs Announces Beta Release of XMLdocs at XML 2002. Small to Mid-sized Firms to Benefit from Affordable XML Content Management Solution. Beta Release Available Free Through January 2003." - "Veridocs, a provider of XML software, consulting and development services, today announced the upcoming availability of XMLdocs Beta Release. XMLdocs is a Web-based system for creating powerful, user-friendly XML content management solutions. The Beta Release will be available free at http://my.xmldocs.com. XMLdocs Version 1, slated for release in February 2003, will be available on a hosted basis, an important option for organizations seeking affordable XML content management. Veridocs made the announcement at the XML Conference and Exhibition 2002 in Baltimore, where Veridocs CEO Nat Dunn presented 'XMLdocs: Hosted XML Content Management' -- 'XML is ideal for most content management challenges. Yet to date, XML solutions have been far too expensive for many companies,' says Dunn. 'XMLdocs' subscription-based pricing model and easy-to-use interface makes XML content management affordable -- and useable -- for virtually any organization.' With XMLdocs, organizations can create XML document templates for everything from press releases and product descriptions to knowledge-based articles and help documents. Using these templates, non-technical users write and edit XML documents in XMLdoc's intuitive XML word processor. Documents can then be exported for publication on a Web site or elsewhere through a simple Web Service... Founded in January 2002, Veridocs provides the software and services organizations need to build and maintain XML-based Web sites and applications. The company's flagship product, XMLdocs, is a software service that allows content contributors to collaboratively author XML documents. In addition, Veridocs provides XML consulting and development services, and customized training workshops. Veridocs is a wholly owned subsidiary of Summit Software..."

  • [December 11, 2002] "Novell Adds Secure Identity Management to Key Web Services Standard." - "On December 11, 2002 Novell announced the availability to developers of a new Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) server that adds secure identity management to the UDDI standard. Novell Nsure UDDI Server is based on Novell's market-leading eDirectory software and is the first deliverable of the company's Destiny roadmap for eDirectory. Novell has extended its secure identity management expertise to a key Web services standard to help businesses more easily and confidently deploy Web services. The company today announced the availability to developers of a new Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) server that adds secure identity management to the UDDI standard, bolstering the security and simplifying the management of Web services registries. Novell Nsure UDDI Server is based on Novell's market-leading eDirectory software and is the first deliverable of the company's Destiny roadmap for eDirectory. Since its inception in 2000, adoption of the UDDI standard has been limited, partly because initial Web services deployments have been relatively small, but also because the standard lacks adequate provisions to ensure the security and management of registered services. With the delivery of a UDDI server based on eDirectory, Novell is attacking those limitations head on... Novell Nsure UDDI Server allows businesses to register Web services and make them available to internal or external users, while leveraging the security and management inherent in eDirectory. Users, whether publishing or consuming services, can be required to first authenticate to the directory and verify their identity. Equally important, those users, their access rights, and the registered Web services can be easily managed with eDirectory tools like Novell iManager, which are familiar to most network administrators... Novell Nsure UDDI Server will be available December 17, 2002 for free download..." See: "Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI)."

  • [December 11, 2002] "Vordel to Launch New XML Security Suite for Distributed Security and Management of Web Services." - "VordelSecure 2.0, high performance, enterprise-class security suite, uses new distributed architecture to protect Web Services using open standards Vordel, the Web services security company, today announced VordelSecure 2.0, the first enterprise-grade XML security suite to respond to the security needs of organizations that are taking advantage of XML for software integration. VordelSecure 2.0 provides organizations with a high performance, scalable security management solution to secure their XML communications. It provides both XML firewalling and XML access control, and does not rely on a monolithic architecture deployed at a single point. Instead, it may be distributed across all Web Services exposed by an organization, at multiple entry and exit points. Companies deploying Web Services are using VordelSecure to deliver highly secure and highly scalable security. British American Tobacco (BAT) is one company that has adopted Web Services technology as a key building block of its internal business process integration strategy. Kevin Poulter, Head of the Application Technology Group at BAT said, 'BAT chose Web Services technologies such as SOAP and WSDL to streamline integration of our business systems. Security is a key component of our integration architecture and requires the capabilities provided by a specialist XML security product. To ensure the integrity of our architecture it is important for us to maintain a distinction between the security application infrastructure and the enterprise business systems... Derek O'Carroll, CEO of Vordel, explained that VordelSecure is the result of more than three years of development and detailed customer interaction. 'We are offering companies greater flexibility and choice in the way they deploy security for their XML communications,' he said..." [From the VordelSecure 2.0 datasheet: "VordelSecure secures Web Services, filtering XML traffic based on content and identity. SOAP connections to certain Web Services can be blocked, or filtered. SAML, WS-Security, and X.509 digital signatures are used to protect XML traffic within and between organizations. VordelSecure authenticates a consumer using an X.509 certificate obtained from the SSL session or from within the SOAP message. The identity of the user can be established using local directories or XKMS trust services from vendors such as VeriSign and Entrust. SAML Authentication Assertions are also consumed by VordelSecure. VordelSecure performs authorization based on security tokens enclosed in SOAP messages using WS-Security, and also interfaces with LDAP directories and with website authorization systems..."]

  • [December 11, 2002] "Corel to Preview New Tools for Smart Content Creation at XML 2002. Company to Unveil New Technologies for Creating XML and SVG Applications." - "Corel Corporation today announced its plans for the XML Conference and Exposition 2002 in Baltimore, MD. Corel will preview two new technologies designed to power and simplify the creation of XML and SVG applications. 'XML 2002 is an extremely important event for Corel. We are pleased to be unveiling the evolution of Corel's XML solution set to this growing community,' said Derek Burney, president and CEO of Corel Corporation. 'Corel is on the cutting edge in delivering the essential tools that will drive the adoption of open standards for both text and graphical content.' Corel will offer technology previews of its upcoming SVG-based smart graphics studio and the soon-to-be-released upgrade to its award-winning XML editor, Corel XMetaL. Smart Graphics: Building on the strength of SVG, this new studio will enable enterprise customers to create dynamic, data-driven graphical applications. SVG-based smart graphics are the ideal solution for building powerful, enterprise-class visual interfaces for delivering the data and content generated by XML Web services... Corel XMetaL 4: Corel will preview Corel XMetaL 4, the evolution of XML content creation. Corel XMetaL 4 is a platform designed to simplify the implementation of customized XML applications and features tight integration with content management systems. This new platform continues to build upon the strengths of Corel XMetaL 3, enabling anyone to create valid XML content and streamlining the process of distributing information to the Web, print and other media. 'Corel is continuing the tradition of launching important technology at this conference. XMetaL 1 was launched here in 1998, and I'm sure many people will be excited to see the new features added to XMetaL 4. Conference attendees will be equally interested in Corel's smart graphics technologies that enable the creation of SVG-based data driven graphics,' said Lauren Wood, Conference Chair, XML 2002. 'Together, these products show how far XML has come as an enabling technology in supporting enterprise-wide solutions to address business needs'..." See also from the Corel Smart Graphics Solutions White Paper: "The adoption of XML has given text and data the ability to interact with each other. Until now, however, the promise of interactivity has not extended to graphics. To address this problem, Corel Corporation has developed smart graphics solutions. Smart graphics are based on Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), which is a standard for describing vector graphics in XML. Corel smart graphics solutions enable developers and designers to create personalized, interactive graphics for both print and the Web. Corel smart graphics solutions allow companies to bring together different content types into a common, seamless workflow. They make it easy to integrate text, graphics, data, and business processes from across the enterprise. They reduce content creation costs, increase productivity, and open up new revenue opportunities. Corel smart graphics solutions provide enterprises with the edge they need to maximize efficiency and meet the cross-media demands of the future..." On SVG, see: "W3C Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)."

  • [December 10, 2002] "WfMC Announces Release of Workflow Standard XML Process Definition Language (XPDL 1.0)." - "The Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC) is pleased to announce the release of the Workflow Standard -- XML Process Definition Language -- XPDL 1.0. Together with other WfMC standards, XPDL provides a framework for implementing business process management and workflow engines, and for designing, analyzing, and exchanging business processes. XPDL is the culmination of a 15-month effort by multiple vendors and users to provide a standard that satisfies the needs of diverse organizations... Edited and coordinated on behalf of the WfMC by Mike Marin (FileNET), Roberta Norin (Terrace Software), and Robert Shapiro (Cape Visions), XPDL 1.0 offers the following features: (1) XPDL is based on the WfMC workflow reference model, a recognized workflow standard; (2) It includes application integration and resource specification; (3) XPDL is extendable, allowing the addition of elements and attributes as well as the import of datatypes and operations that are defined in other specifications; (4) It provides a natural fit with graphical representations of business processes; (5) It offers continuity with earlier versions of the specification... XPDL 1.0 uses the popular XML language to describe a business process. A process defined in XPDL (a set of XML statements) can be imported into any workflow engine that supports XPDL. The related objects and attributes (data associated with the process) are now also included in the XPDL process definition. The XPDL process definition can be generated by workflow modeling and simulation tools, or can be manually coded, or can be exported from another XPDL-compliant workflow engine..." See details in the 2002-12-10 news item: "Workflow Management Coalition Publishes XML Process Definition Language (XPDL) Version 1.0."

  • [December 10, 2002] "VeriSign Offers Open Source WS-Security Implementation and Integration Toolkit to Help Developers Integrate Security Into Web Services. Effort Continues VeriSign's Commitment to Driving Trusted Web Services With Royalty-Free Implementation." - "Furthering its commitment to trusted Web services, VeriSign, Inc., the leading provider of digital trust services, announced today the royalty free availability of technology that will allow companies to integrate digital signatures and encryption into Web services. Based on the recently announced WS-Security specification and Addendum, which was co-written by IBM, Microsoft and VeriSign, this implementation provides enterprises, software developers and systems integrators with code they can use to achieve higher levels of trust and security when designing Web services applications and services. Offering this code as open source is intended to accelerate widespread adoption of Web services by making them even easier to secure. In addition, VeriSign announced that it has made available a version of its VeriSign Trust Service Integration Kit (TSIK) with security features for Web services, such as XML Signature, XML Encryption, and XML Key Management Services (XKMS). VeriSign TSIK is a Java-based developer toolkit for integrating security capabilities into Web services. 'Companies simply will not implement Web services until the industry adequately addresses the issues of trust and security,' said Dr. Phillip Hallam-Baker, VeriSign's Principal Scientist and Web Services Security Architect. 'We are helping to address those critical issues by taking a leadership role in providing customers and developers with some extremely useful code that they can implement in their Web services applications today to alleviate those concerns'... VeriSign will provide an open source implementation of WS-Security through its open source libraries, providing resources for building interoperable, trusted Web services using the proposed WS-Security standard. The VeriSign libraries can be deployed to provide protocol support for both client and server applications. In a typical situation, a Web service will rely on these libraries to add secure messaging to whatever business logic the Web service supports. The Trust Service Integration Kit includes three basic components: the messaging framework, the trust layer and XML resources. (1) The messaging framework brings together various VeriSign Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to provide a robust environment for developing secure, trusted, interoperable Web services. The Java libraries enable developers to create Java objects for sending and receiving XML messages in conjunction with a customer Web service API. (2) The trust layer provides APIs for security XML messages using public key infrastructure (PKI), and includes implementations of two key specifications, W3C XML Digital Signature and XML Encryption. These implementations emphasize ease-of-use over feature coverage... The Trust Verifier provides several mechanisms, including real-time XML Key Management Specification (XKMS) lookups, for establishing whether a public key or certificate chain is trusted. (3) The API also includes low-level resources for directly manipulating XML, building data types, navigating through document structures, validating the format of schemas and interfacing with parsers..." See: (1) "Web Services Security Specification (WS-Security)."; (2) "XML Digital Signature (Signed XML - IETF/W3C)."; (3) "XML and Encryption."; (4) "XML Key Management Specification (XKMS)." Other references at XML Security.

  • [December 10, 2002] "HP Expands Web Services Alliance with Microsoft. HP Provides Additional Support for Microsoft .NET and XML Web Services Development. Joins Visual Studio .NET Integration Program." - "Continuing its leading role in the development of manageable XML Web services, HP today announced that it has joined the Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Integration Program. Specifically, HP will build and integrate XML Web services developer tools and components into Visual Studio .NET, an industry-leading application development environment. As part of HP's overall strategy to increase the return on its customers' IT investments, the new offerings will be designed to enable developers to improve productivity, reduce development time, increase return on application and infrastructure investments, and deliver enhanced XML Web services applications on multiple platforms. HP's participation in the Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Integration Program expands the global initiative the two companies launched in September to accelerate the next generation of computing with .NET and Web services. This initiative builds upon the companies' longstanding relationship, combining HP's expertise in IT infrastructure technology and services with Microsoft's .NET development capabilities. As the first technology partner to be endorsed by Microsoft Corp. as a "worldwide prime integrator" for Microsoft .NET technologies, HP provides technology and expertise that can significantly improve the developer experience across the development lifecycle of applications as far ranging as XML Web services, enterprise and service provider infrastructure technologies, applications and services, and printing and imaging... For HP, the future of XML Web services application development lies at the intersection of Java and .NET interoperability -- where HP is working to support developers by integrating value-added technologies in the development environments they prefer. Combined with HP's support for Java-based initiatives, this integration with Microsoft Visual Studio .NET provides developers with a rich management fabric, expediting the design, development, deployment and support of XML solutions based on HP technology and services... By providing a range of enterprise platform offerings, such as tooling support for high-end, continuous-availability HP NonStop servers, HP enables customers to consolidate many existing application development activities. HP NonStop server customers and partners can leverage the HP Enterprise Toolkit (ETK)-NonStop Edition within the Microsoft Visual Studio .NET integrated development environment to edit, compile, build and deploy mission-critical applications for HP NonStop servers written in a variety of programming languages..."

  • [December 10, 2002] "OASIS TC Call For Participation: Extensible Resource Identifier Technical Committee (XRI TC)." - [Excerpted from the proposal:] "Increasingly, there is a demand for distributed directory services that enable the identification of resources (including people and organizations) and the sharing of data across domains, enterprises, and applications. There are currently no transport- and application-neutral identification schemes to support this infrastructure. The purpose of this committee is to define a URI scheme and a corresponding URN namespace that meet these requirements. This TC will also define basic mechanisms for resolving the identifiers in these schemes and for exchanging data associated with these identifiers. This work will enable the creation of Web-like collections of resources (including, but not limited to, data, systems, services, organizations, and people) that extend the WWW's current generalized addressing and linking capabilities. The URI scheme will conform to RFC 2396. It will also accommodate human-readable names as a subset of the compliant identifiers. The TC will also produce an interoperable URN namespace specification compliant with RFC 2141 and guided by the requirements in RFC 1737 for resources that need the ability to be persistently identified and linked. The TC will also define an XML schema to associate metadata with resources and a service to manipulate this metadata and data associated with the resources. Specifically, this service will reflect the simple transactional nature of the WWW, i.e., it will use a small set of REST (Representational State Transfer) or CRUD-like operators on an infinitely extensible set of XRI-addressable resources. This data exchange service will provide a platform for integration with directory-related specifications such as LDAP, DSML, and SPML. This TC's work will be influenced by the general architecture described in XNS and specifically by the XNS Addressing Specification. The XNS specifications published by the XNS Public Trust Organization (XNSORG) will be contributed to the TC for consideration in the committee's work. XNS is licensed under RF terms..." General references in "Extensible Name Service (XNS)."

  • [December 10, 2002] "Intel Conducts $5 Billion in RosettaNet e-Business, Web Services. e-Business Technology Provides Productivity Gains and Faster Supply Chain Throughput." - At the Beijing Intel RosettaNet Interoperability Fest, Intel Corporation "announced that it has achieved a significant e-Business milestone and that the computing industry has progressed to the third phase of e-Business, business-to-business integration. The industry first focused on establishing individual companies' web presences and selling products online. Intel has processed more than 10 percent of its revenues and supplier purchases this year using RosettaNet e-Business technology standards. Intel has transacted more than $3 billion in customer orders and $2 billion in supplier purchases on RosettaNet this year, increasing the amount of business processed by almost seven times in one year... Introduced in 1998, RosettaNet is a standard that enables electronics industry companies to conduct e-Business more efficiently and provide greater supply chain visibility. The extensible markup language-based (XML) standard enables suppliers and customers to easily automate supply chain tasks like collaborative demand forecasting, order management, shipping and receiving logistics, invoicing and payments. 'RosettaNet-enabled e-Business is a practical and robust example of web services at work across the enterprise,' said Intel Chief Information Officer Sandra Morris. 'The underlying XML-based technology is invisible to the company or person using it, but it vastly improves a company's business processes. For example, as a result of deploying RosettaNet with one of our direct materials suppliers, Intel will achieve savings this year by eliminating the auto-faxing of purchase orders and has decreased order transaction time from 24 hours to less than one hour. This translates into significant increases in operational efficiencies when multiplied across our supply chain.' Morris was speaking at the launch of the Intel RosettaNet Interoperability Fest (IOF) in Beijing, where Intel will host a three-day testing session among 28 companies operating in China. The IOF event is designed to accelerate the adoption of RosettaNet standards between IT, semiconductor and electronic component B2B trading partners in China... Intel conducts more than 30,000 RosettaNet-based transactions per month with more than 90 customers and suppliers who are based in 17 countries. More than half of Intel's RosettaNet-enabled business was conducted with companies in Asia. Intel's RosettaNet efforts play an important role in Intel's mission to be a worldwide, 100 percent e-Corporation. This five-year effort began with Intel selling products online, ramping to more than $1 billion in online sales per month within the first year. Since then, Intel has expanded this initiative, and using Web-based resources is the core way Intel operates and conducts business with its customers, suppliers and employees worldwide. The company has achieved significant operational improvements and cost savings, including improvements in sales processes, employee productivity and inventory management..." See also "Accelerating RosettaNet Implementation: Key learning from the Intel RosettaNet Interoperability Fest" (November 2001). General references in "RosettaNet."

  • [December 10, 2002] "Systinet Announces New Release of Web Services Platform with Support for Latest Standards and Proven Interoperability with Microsoft .NET. Systinet WASP Web services platform for Java & C/C++ includes enhanced security and Active Directory support for Microsoft .NET endpoints." - "Systinet has "announced a new release of its Java and C/C++ based Web services product suite with support for the latest standards, enabling seamless interoperability and security with Microsoft .NET. The new Systinet WASP (Web Applications and Services Platform) Version 4.5 is a direct response to strong market acceptance of the Microsoft .NET Framework. Through support of the latest Web services standards and rigorous interoperability testing, Systinet can ensure interoperability with Web services built using Microsoft .NET. WASP 4.5 includes numerous standards-based features to ensure seamless interoperability with .NET and to leverage Windows servers as the underlying security provider for all Web services-based applications. (1) Standards Support and Testing for Proven .NET Interoperability: WASP 4.5 includes new and unique features that allow for seamless translation of complex data types, such as collections, between Java and .NET environments. These standards-based features and Systinet's extensive interoperability testing make it easy for Java applications to seamlessly interoperate with .NET applications. (2) Support for SOAP Attachments over DIME: WASP 4.5 adds support for DIME (Direct Internet Message Encapsulation), an emerging standard that streamlines the processing of binary attachments in Web services. (3) Integration with Microsoft Active Directory and Kerberos via Web services: WASP 4.5 now provides unique support for Microsoft Active Directory, which enables WASP to authenticate users against Microsoft Active Directory. In addition, WASP 4.5 supports Kerberos, an essential security feature of Windows 2000 and Windows .NET Servers. Using Active Directory's Kerberos technology, a successful user logon to Windows can be securely and seamlessly reused by WASP - eliminating the need for additional logon actions for Web services applications. Systinet provides Web services infrastructure software. Systinet's products make it easy for enterprises to build, deploy, secure and manage Web services. The Systinet WASP suite of products is based on industry-standards such as XML, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI. WASP products are available for Java and C/C++, interoperate seamlessly with other Web services implementations such as Microsoft .NET, and are portable across a wide variety of platforms and servers..."

  • [December 10, 2002] "VeriSign Announces General Availability of Online Consumer Identity Verification Service. XML-Based Web Service Enables Enterprises to Conduct Real-Time, Identity Verification for Risk Management and Fraud Prevention." - "VeriSign, Inc., the leading provider of digital trust services, today announced general availability of its Consumer Authentication Service (CAS), the industry's first standard Web service for online identity verification and management. VeriSign's CAS provides e-businesses with automated, real-time, 24x7 access to multiple sources of consumer data as well as optimized scoring models that will enable enterprises to quickly and easily determine whether a potential buyer is who they claim to be. Verifying the identity of customers before beginning an online business relationship is critical for any e-business. According to the Federal Trade Commission, 42 percent of all consumer complaints in 2001 involved identity theft. And the risk of exposure to ID theft for companies increased 80 percent between 2000 and 2001. Some studies reveal that one out of every 50 consumers has suffered identity theft. VeriSign's CAS addresses these issues by offering customers, including eBay, Inc., a fully managed identity verification and management service that can be implemented quickly, seamlessly and cost-effectively into any legacy environment... CAS uses a predefined set of XML standards to connect to an enterprise's customer-facing Web application. The authentication data entered by the consumer is automatically routed using XML and encryption through VeriSign's services and checked against a wide variety of best of breed data sources to cross-verify and risk-rank consumer identity in real time. Verification of identity is then automatically communicated back to the enterprise application and to the consumer using underlying XML data. The communication between the enterprise, VeriSign and the data sources is secured with SSL encryption that already is built into standard Web servers and browsers..."

  • [December 09, 2002] "Design Science Announces MathFlow for Arbortext, Supports MathML 2.0 Markup. Supports Creating, Editing, Publishing of MathML-Based Equations Within Arbortext Products." - "Design Science, Inc., the developers of the Equation Editor in Microsoft Office, MathType, WebEQ and MathPlayer, today announced that its MathFlow for Arbortext software will be demonstrated in booth #537 at the XML Conference 2002, December 10-12 in Baltimore, Maryland. MathFlow for Arbortext provides organizations with a WYSIWYG environment where users can import, edit, maintain and publish MathML-based equations to multiple types of media, including print, PDF, HTML and HTML Help. MathML is the XML-based language for encoding mathematics developed by the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Math Working Group. MathML is quickly becoming the mathematical representation of choice for the scientific, engineering, pharmaceutical and aerospace industries, as well as the education community, and STM publishers (Science/Technical/Medical)... Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Long Beach, California, Design Science, Inc., develops software used by scientists, engineers and educators, including MathType, Equation Editor in Microsoft Office, WebEQ, MathPlayer, TeXaide and MathFlow for Arbortext, to communicate on the web and in print. Design Science has played a leading role in developing MathML and continues to be actively involved in the W3C Math Working Group...Arbortext is the only global provider of XML-based multichannel software that enables the creation, editing and publishing of information to multiple media types -- web, print, CD-ROM, wireless -- from a single source of content. Shipping since 1991, Arbortext's standards-based software supports technical publishing, reference publishing and business publishing applications that enable enterprises to provide more accurate, cost-efficient, complete, timely, consistent and usable information on all media..." See: "Mathematical Markup Language (MathML)."

  • [December 09, 2002] "OASIS Members Form Tax XML Technical Committee." - "Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, Inland Revenue of the United Kingdom, United States Internal Revenue Service, IBM, Oracle, Republica, SAP, Software AG, Vertex, and other OASIS Members Collaborate on Tax Information Exchange Standard. Members of the OASIS interoperability consortium have formed a technical committee to advance an open, international standard for the exchange of tax-related information. The new OASIS Tax XML Technical Committee brings together representatives from government agencies in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States, as well as global businesses and financial institutions, to develop a common vocabulary that will allow tax reporting and compliance information to be unambiguously identified and exchanged. 'Everyone stands to gain from Tax XML,' stated Gregory Carson of the United States Internal Revenue Service, chair of the OASIS Tax XML Technical Committee. 'Software vendors and tax agencies will no longer need to maintain jurisdictionally specific applications and interchange standards. CRM, payroll, and financial developers will be able to reduce their system integration costs. Even taxpayers will benefit from the increased services that will be made possible by more flexible Tax XML interchange formats.' The products of Tax XML will include a vocabulary of terms, a repository of artifacts including XML templates, documents exchanged for tax compliance, best practices, guidelines and recommendations for practical implementation. The OASIS Tax XML participants will evaluate and build their new specification on existing XML standards for business information, including the Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) and others. Participation in the OASIS Tax XML Technical Committee remains open to all organizations and individuals. OASIS will host an open mail list for public comment, and completed work will be freely available to the public without licensing or other fees. Information on joining OASIS can be found on the OASIS website. The first meeting of the OASIS Tax XML Technical Committee will be held at the IDEAlliance XML 2002 Conference in Baltimore on 12 December 2002..." See other details in: (1) "OASIS Members Form Tax XML Technical Committee"; (2) "XML Markup Languages for Tax Information."

  • [December 09, 2002] "Microsoft Empowers Developers to Build Smart Business Solutions With 'Office 11'. Developers Gain Enhanced XML Support and New 'Visual Studio Tools for Office'." - "Microsoft Corp. today announced a new set of technologies designed to enable developers to build business solutions based on the next version of Microsoft Office, code-named Office 11. Among the technologies is a new set of tools, code-named Visual Studio Tools for Office, which enable Visual Studio .NET developers to use Microsoft's premier professional application development tool to build solutions based on Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel documents, as well as several new XML development experiences. In addition, Microsoft will continue to support Visual Basic for Applications... Developers will have complete access to all the features of Visual Studio .NET 2003, including the powerful editor and debugging environment to write code that is robust, maintainable and less prone to errors. Developers also will benefit from easy-to-use designers for creating user interfaces, working with data and XML, and building server-side code and components. Built-in security features of the .NET Framework offer developers and network administrators greater control and flexibility to allow only trusted code to run in Word documents and Excel spreadsheets. The no-touch deployment feature of the .NET Framework also makes it easier for developers to deploy and maintain code running on servers or end-user systems... In October, Microsoft unveiled the first beta release of Office 11, which features enhanced support for XML, including improved object model programmability, the ability to use XML schemas, built-in support for XML Web services and a new smart document solution model... Word and Excel templates can be designed with an underlying customer-defined XML structure, based on corporate, departmental or industrywide schemas, enabling developers to build a document-based application with context-specific help and supporting information. This ensures that end users can enter and view valid data without having to understand or work directly with XML. Integrated support for XML Web services in Office 11, along with support for Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) and XPath, helps developers leverage their existing Office and Web development skills to build solutions that bring XML Web services data into the Office environment, enabling them to create new and more-productive user experiences. Companies can take advantage of industry-leading technologies that yield a competitive advantage through improved use of corporate information at the desktop. Other features of Office 11, such as smart documents and smart tags, ensure that applications will be built with rich user interfaces. Smart documents facilitate the creation of XML-based applications that provide end users with contextual data, help content and workflow, enhancing productivity by presenting information through a programmable task pane when a user needs it. Custom smart tags have been improved in Office 11 to better streamline cumbersome tasks for users, such as reviewing data from a back-end system, by providing content-specific actions or dynamically modifying a document's content. These advancements enable developers using Office 11 to build entirely new solutions or enhance existing solutions to take advantage of rich user interfaces..." See: "Microsoft Office 11 and XDocs."

  • [December 03, 2002] "IBM Advances Pervasive Computing Strategy With New Software. Voice Portal Technology and Tools Extend IBM Momentum With Device Manufacturers, Service Providers and Enterprises." - "Building on a continuing wave of pervasive computing customer deployments and industry alliances, IBM today announced new software products and tools that make it easier for developers to build and manage voice portals -- as well as extend enterprise applications, such as mobile databases, to new devices. Today's announcement underscores IBM's ongoing commitment to help customers extend computing to new devices using an infrastructure built on a foundation of open, integrated and scalable technologies. IBM has built momentum helping enterprises extend capabilities to their mobile workforce, assisting service providers find new ways to decrease costs and increase revenue streams, and enabling device manufacturers to provide intelligent access to the enterprise. 'Pervasive computing plays a significant role in the on-demand era,' said Rodney Adkins, General Manager, IBM Pervasive Computing Division. 'Over the past year, we've been aggressively laying the foundation that gives people the flexibility to access and interact with information when they want it, where they want it and how they want it. Today's announcement adds to what is quickly becoming an extensive portfolio of technology, hardware, software and services that span the pervasive computing ecosystem.' Adding to its portfolio, IBM unveiled the new WebSphere Voice Application Access product: middleware that simplifies building and managing voice portals and more easily extends web-based portals to voice. Leveraging the scalability, personalization and authentication features of IBM's WebSphere Portal, it enables mobile workers to more easily access information from multiple voice applications -- using a single telephone number. This new offering includes IBM's WebSphere Voice Server as well as ready-to-use email, personal information management (PIM) functions, and sample portlets. It also supports VoiceXML and Java -- including development tools based on Eclipse, the open-source, vendor-neutral platform for writing software -- and uses open-standard programming languages to create voice-enabled applications that will interoperate with a range of web servers and databases. In keeping with IBM's strategy to provide solutions across multiple platforms, IBM will be working to make WebSphere Voice Application Access interoperable with offerings from third party VoiceXML vendors, such as Nuance and Cisco. In addition, IBM is also working with independent solutions vendors including V-Enable, Voxsurf and Viecore to extend their current solutions..." For a beta version of the WebSphere Voice Application Access product, see alphaWorks Voice Portal.

  • [December 03, 2002] "Extended Systems' SyncML SDK Compliant with New SyncML Standard. Company Returns From SyncFest 9 With v1.1.1 Certification." - "Extended Systems, a leading provider of mobile information management solutions for the enterprise, today announced that the company's SyncML software development kit, which enables mobile device manufacturers to implement the SyncML client protocol into a wide range of devices including smart phones, cell phones and PDAs, has undergone SyncML Interoperability testing and is now certified compliant with SyncML v1.1.1. Extended Systems' XTNDAccess SyncML SDK underwent the rigorous SyncML Interoperability testing at SyncFest 9 in Sophia Antipolis, France. In addition to being compliant with v1.1.1, noted features of the software kit include portable source code, easy-to-use APIs and comprehensive, easy-to-follow documentation, all of which allow developers to reduce development costs and shorten time-to-market. Specifically designed for embedded client devices, Extended Systems' SyncML SDK also features small code size (less than 40k ROM) optimized for memory limited devices and includes support for large objects, allowing developers to use a smaller message buffer resulting in saved RAM space on the device. Extended Systems Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Don Baumgartner said maintaining SyncML compliance is an important initiative for Extended Systems because the standard, and the interoperability and testing processes that drive it, enable device manufacturers to accelerate the introduction of SyncML compliant products by dramatically increasing the number of data capable products in the market. 'In addition,' he said, 'our unique relationships with leading device manufacturers and standards organizations allow us to bring a greater level of knowledge and expertise to enterprise customers.' SyncML is the common language for synchronizing all devices and applications over any network. SyncML leverages Extensible Markup Language (XML), making SyncML a truly future-proof platform. With SyncML, networked information can be synchronized with any mobile device, and mobile information can be synchronized with any networked applications. With SyncML any personal information, such as email, calendars, to-do lists, contact information and other relevant data, will be consistent, accessible and up to date, no matter where the information is stored." According to a recent OMA announcement, "Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) has finalized the integration of the Location Interoperability Forum (LIF), the MMS Interoperability Group (MMS-IOP), the SyncML Initiative, and the Wireless Village Initiative." See "The SyncML Initiative" and the list of SyncML compliant products.

  • [December 03, 2002] "OMG Announces Integrate 2003. January 28-29 in Burlingame, CA, USA." - "The Object Management Group (OMG) announces Integrate 2003, an event that will focus on the business and technical aspects of application integration using many different infrastructure standards -- OMG's own and other key industry standards including Web Services, XML/SOAP, C#/.Net, Java, CORBA, and more. Sponsored by Rational Software's Power Pack Program, Integrate 2003 is the second event in a new series from OMG and will be held January 28 - 29, 2003 in Burlingame, CA. Attendees will learn how to maximize ROI from integration projects, hear about the latest integration tools and techniques -- what works and what doesn't -- and listen to first-hand accounts of what it takes to steer enterprise integration strategy in the right direction for smart, profitable results. Integrate 2003 targets senior level technical managers who address business and technical issues concerning application integration. A sampling of sessions includes: XML Web Services as an Information Architecture by Alan Nugent, Novell Corporation; Data Integration Issues for the Large Enterprise by Michael Lang, Metamatrix; Enterprise Integration for the 21st Century by Petter Graff, Inferdata Corporation; and a CIO Roundtable discussion. Integrate 2003 will be jointly located with the Burlingame OMG Technical Meeting... With well-established standards covering software from design and development, through deployment and maintenance, and extending to evolution to future platforms, the Object Management Group (OMG) supports a full-lifecycle approach to enterprise integration which maximizes ROI, the key to successful IT. Based on the Model Driven Architecture (MDA), OMG's standards cover multiple operating systems, programming languages, middleware and networking infrastructures, and software development environments. OMG's Modeling standards, the basis for the MDA, include the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and Common Warehouse Metamodel (CWM). CORBA, the Common Object Request Broker Architecture, is OMG's standard open platform with hundreds of millions of deployments running today. OMG's well-established CORBAservices and industry-specific standards are being re-issued under the MDA in many popular middleware environments. OMG domain (industry-specific) standards cover vertical markets including healthcare, telecommunications, biotechnology, transportation and a dozen other areas. The OMG is headquartered in Needham, MA, USA, with a U.S. government representative in Washington, DC, and international marketing offices in Japan, the UK, and Germany." See also OMG Integrate 2003 in the events calendar.

  • [December 02, 2002] "Adobe Ships Server Products to Automate Document Processes in the Enterprise. Based on Adobe Acrobat and Adobe PDF, New Server Products Enable Organizations to Reduce Document Production Costs." - "Adobe Systems Incorporated, leader in network publishing, today announced the immediate availability of its new server products designed to fully automate document and forms processes that companies rely on to run their businesses. Adobe Document Server and Adobe Document Server for Reader Extensions enable companies to integrate enterprise applications with document workflows throughout an organization, improving document generation, collaboration and process management across the enterprise... Adobe Document Server and Document Server for Reader Extensions utilize Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) technologies to address the growing need for global enterprises and government agencies to extend their business processes. The server products, combined with nearly half-a-billion copies of the free Acrobat Reader distributed by Adobe, give companies a platform to collaborate with their customers and partners via secured documents in on-line and off-line environments. Adobe Document Server lets customers dynamically assemble customized Adobe PDF files from a variety of data sources to create documents such as technical manuals, electronic forms, contracts, business reports and invoices. The software enables enterprises to tap into existing ERP, CRM and CMS systems, document management systems, and industry-standard databases to instantly generate custom one-to-one business communications in PDF. Adobe Document Server also accepts XML commands, and supports Extensible Style Language Formatting Objects (XSL-FO), an industry standard for describing how an XML document should be formatted for a variety of media. Adobe Document Server for Reader Extensions offers businesses and government agencies the ability to assign usage rights to Adobe PDF documents and forms. Once these rights have been assigned, users of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader version 5.1 software will be able to save, fill and route PDF forms, add electronic sticky notes for comments or questions, and digitally sign completed forms. These features were previously available only with the full Adobe Acrobat 5.0 software. Companies and government agencies can then easily integrate completed Adobe PDF forms and data in XML with back-end systems for round-trip transactional workflows... Adobe server products are available direct from Adobe, through Adobe-authorized corporate licensing centers and authorized VARs and System Integrators... Acrobat Reader 5.1 is available free-of-charge in English for Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 5 or 6, Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional and Home, and Mac OS 9.1 and 10.1..." See "Enhanced Adobe Document Servers Support XML-Based Workflow and Digital Signature Facilities."

  • [December 02, 2002] "ebXML Collaboration Protocol Profile and Agreement Ratified as OASIS Open Standard. New Version of OASIS UN/CEFACT Work Enables E-Business Collaboration." - "The OASIS interoperability consortium today announced that its members have approved the ebXML Collaboration Protocol Profile and Agreement (CPPA) v2.0 as an OASIS Open Standard, a status that signifies the highest level of ratification. ebXML CPPA defines business partners' technical capabilities and documents agreements between partners, enabling organizations to securely engage in electronic business collaboration... 'ebXML CPPA ensures interoperability between two parties, even organizations that use software from different sources. The CPP defines a party's message-exchange capabilities and the business collaborations that it supports. The CPA defines the way two business parties will interact in performing the chosen business collaborations,' explained Dale Moberg of Cyclone Commerce, chair of the OASIS ebXML CPPA Technical Committee. 'The OASIS Open Standard also facilitates the migration of both traditional EDI-based applications and other legacy applications to ebXML-based platforms.' ebXML CPPA was developed by Commerce One, Cyclone Commerce, E2open, Hewlett-Packard Company, IBM, Intel, IONA, Mercator, SAP, SeeBeyond, Sterling Commerce, Sun Microsystems, Sybase, TIBCO, Vitria, webMethods, and other members of the OASIS ebXML Collaboration Protocol Profile and Agreement Technical Committee... In related news, the ebXML OASIS UN/CEFACT Joint Marketing Team published version 1.0 of the ebXML Adoption Update, a listing of ebXML implementations, projects, products, and industry initiatives from around the world..." See: (1) OASIS ebXML Collaboration Protocol Profile and Agreement TC; (2) "The Significance of CPPA v2," by Jon Bosak; (3) "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)."

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