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Last modified: April 12, 2000
XML Industry News

XML News

This XML Industry News section consists mainly of links to company press releases announcing support for XML/XSL/XLink, beginning with January 2000. An effort has been made to include representative items, but the collection is not exhaustive. 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

  • [June 28, 2001] "Epicentric and Industry Leaders to Define First User Interface Standard for Web Services. Documentum, Intraspect, Jamcracker, NewsEdge, Securant, and Yellowbrix Join Forces to Develop Web Services User Interface (WSUI) Standard." - "Epicentric Inc., the leading provider of Business Portal solutions, today announced it is joining with a group of industry leaders to create the first vendor-neutral standard for delivering and displaying Web services to end users as Web applications. The Web Services User Interface Standard, or WSUI Standard, allows end users to access and interact with XML and SOAP based Web services as Web applications, regardless of the underlying Web platform or vendor-specific application format. The WSUI initiative offers vendors, customers and developers the ability to develop and dynamically share Web applications without the time and labor of creating multiple vendor-specific connectors written to different Web languages such as Java, COM/.Net, and Perl. As the first standard user interface of its kind, the WSUI specification is intended to accelerate the deployment of Web services for use in portals. By exposing their applications as WSUI components, application vendors can dynamically plug their application into any portal platform running a WSUI container, decreasing vendor lock-in and increasing customer choice." See the discussion and references.

  • [June 27, 2001] "World Wide Web Consortium Issues XML Base and XML Linking Language as W3C Recommendations. XLink and XML Base Provide Foundation for Extended Linking Power in XML." - "The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) announced the publication of two W3C Recommendations: XML Base and XML Linking Language (XLink). XLink is a way to allow elements to be inserted into XML documents in order to create and describe links between resources, whether internal or external to the original document. XML Base provides a way to indicate the URI base for linking in XML documents. XML application developers are eager to have both the basic hyperlinking capabilities of HTML, and a range of further capabilities appropriate to XML documents, including links that can point to multiple resources, collections of links separate from the resources they connect, and an attribute-based link declaration syntax which doesn't interfere with users' decisions about XML document vocabulary. XLink supports not only traditional, or simple, links familiar from HTML, but also extended links. Extended links may be used to connect two or more resources via a single link, which need not be contained within any of them. This makes it possible to associate metadata or other supplemental information with resources without editing them. XLink also supports richer information about link types and the roles of each resource that an XLink connects. One of the requirements of XLink was to support the way HTML 4 provides linking capabilities in a more portable way. The HTML "base" element allows authors to identify the base URI of a document, thus making it possible for an author to make use of relative URIs for external images, applets, style sheets, and other resources, without compromising portability. XML Base provides that same functionality for XML applications, including XLink. As it has been written as a module, it may be reused or referenced by other applications. Together, XLink and XML Base bring the functionality necessary for robust, rich XML applications spread across multiple documents. W3C's current work in Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) relies on XLink to be able to reference and display other XML languages, such as XHTML or MathML. W3C continues its work in developing the specifications which are core to an extensible, stable Web architecture. Other Working Groups within W3C are developing XML technologies that deliver graphics, multimedia, document transformation, and other essential formats and functions. Both XLink and XML Base enhance and extend these XML applications and lay the foundation for future work."

  • [June 27, 2001] "Infoteria Corporation Launches Asteria Platform For Rosettanet-Based Trading Networks Native XML Platform Enables Supply-Chain Automation for Companies of All Sizes. Delivers RosettaNet Basics Offering for B2B Integration with Small- and Medium-Sized Trading Partners." - "Infoteria Corporation today announced the Asteria Platform for RosettaNet, a powerful XML solution for RosettaNet supply-chain automation. The Asteria Platform is designed to accelerate and optimize the formation, expansion and management of secure RosettaNet trading networks to enable supply-chain partners of all sizes to benefit from automation of their commercial relationships. The Asteria Platform for RosettaNet consists of the Asteria Server, Asteria Planet and Asteria Components. Asteria Server delivers a complete solution for organizations looking to integrate their current operational systems, both front- and back-office, into the expanding trading community adopting RosettaNet standards. Asteria Planet offers trading partners of any size an affordable solution to connect a limited number of key trading partners. Asteria Components provide all the discrete tools necessary for specific projects in business process automation, including tools for efficient XML creation, adapters for traditional database systems and a utility to automate sending and receiving XML documents via Internet infrastructure. Platform: (1) Asteria Server for RosettaNet is a flexible enterprise solution for organizations that want to automate relationships with those supply chain partners not already automated through legacy systems. (2) Asteria Planet for RosettaNet provides a cost-effective solution for both supply chain leaders seeking to engage and automate trading partners, and for smaller organizations looking to connect to the standards-based trading community for the first time. Cost-effective automation of mid-tier and smaller trading partners has long been a major challenge in successful supply-chain management because Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and other resource-intensive supply-chain solutions are not a practical solution. (3) Asteria Components: Infoteria offers native XML components for specific projects in business process automation: The family of tools includes: iCONNECTOR, for bi-directional transfer of data from operational databases (e.g., Oracle, DB2, SQL, Notes / Domino); iXSLT, an XSLT processor to accelerate distribution of XML document information to browsers and mobile computing devices; iPEX, a high-performance XML processing engine that enables XML document integration into application development environments; iMESSENGER, for the management of XML document distribution and receipt via Internet e-mail infrastructure; and iMAKER, which automates the creation of XML documents from the familiar spreadsheet..." See "RosettaNet."

  • [June 21, 2001] "CIDX and PIDX to Partner in Developing XML Standards for the Petroleum and Chemical Industries." - "The Chemical Industry Data Exchange (CIDX) and the American Petroleum Institute's Petroleum Industry Data Exchange (PIDX) have announced plans to cooperate in the development and support of standards for XML-based electronic business transactions within and between their global industries. With combined annual sales of more than $2 trillion, the chemical and petroleum industries represent an enormous potential market for business-to-business transactions. XML (eXtensible Mark-up Language) is a robust electronic commerce language that is being widely used worldwide to define structures for data exchange among companies in all industries. XML is straightforward and easy to learn, use and read... PIDX initially will explore adopting Chem eStandards, the body of XML-based standards jointly developed by nearly 60 chemical industry participants over the last 12 months. 'Chem eStandards provides an excellent potential starting point for PIDX development,' said Kendra Martin, executive director of API's PIDX. 'Building on the work of CIDX would allow us to rapidly meet the emerging needs of the oil and natural gas industry,' Martin said. The two organizations, CIDX and PIDX, will explore cooperation in several additional areas of mutual interest, including development and enhancement of standards to meet the needs of their respective industries, using a common set of guidelines and design rules, and participation in cross-industry standards groups involved in continuing the ebXML efforts (OASIS and UN/CEFACT). CIDX and PIDX also will host joint industry sessions on XML at the annual American Petroleum Institute E-Business Conference to be held October 15-16 in Denver, Colorado... CIDX, founded in 1985, is a non-profit trade association whose mission is to improve the ease, speed and cost of conducting business electronically between chemical companies and their trading partners. CIDX manages the development and maintenance of electronic standards for the chemical industry and uses the trademarks CIDX and Chem eStandards. PIDX, API's Electronic Commerce Committee, the Petroleum Industry Data Exchange (PIDX), was formed in 1987 to develop and promote the implementation of electronic standards for the oil and natural gas industry." See: "XML-Based 'Chem eStandard' for the Chemical Industry."

  • [June 19, 2001] "ActiveState Announces Visual Perl, Visual Python, and Visual XSLT. Additional language support for Microsoft Visual Studio.NET." - "ActiveState, a leader in open source programming tools, announced the first release of Visual Perl, Visual Python and Visual XSLT for Beta 2 of Microsoft Visual Studio.NET at Microsoft Tech Ed 2001. These solutions allow developers to edit, debug and run programs written in Perl, Python and XSLT in the Visual Studio.NET IDE. 'Our participation in the Visual Studio Integration Program enables us to bring the advanced editing and testing environment of Visual Studio .NET to our customers,' said Dick Hardt, Founder & CEO, ActiveState. 'A chief benefit of this integration for customers is in productivity advances. For example, moving from a text editor to a visual environment in programming is akin to the advances of moving from Notepad to Word in word processing.' Features: (1) Editor: code completion, syntax-based colorizing, syntax error detection, language-aware auto-indenting, code folding, and keyword tips (2) Integrated online help: connect to ASPN and search and retrieve online resources (3) Graphical debugger: manage breakpoints, control flow, view variables, lists, and complex objects, and for Perl debug remote processes (4) Project manager: manage groups or related files, data files, and for XSLT remote URL handling. Visual Perl also includes ActiveState's unique regular expression debugger, which enables programmers to easily step through Perl regular expressions one step at a time. The debugger helps determine where and why regular expression matches fail and provides a user interface with easy to understand descriptions for generating regular expression syntax. Visual XSLT also contains ActiveState's one-of-a-kind XSLT debugger, which synchronizes input and code while debugging in real time. It also displays XSLT variables and parameters and allows programmers to enter arbitrary XPath expressions in the debugger Watch window while debugging. Visual Python and Visual XSLT are currently available in beta and can be freely downloaded from www.ActiveState.com/ASPN."

  • [June 19, 2001] "Borland Delivers on Web Services Promises With Delphi 6. Latest Release of Borland Flagship RAD Platform Now Available." - "Borland Software Corporation, a leading provider in e-business implementation platforms, today announced the immediate availability of Borland Delphi 6, the new version of its rapid application development (RAD) environment for the Windows operating system. As the first RAD environment to help developers easily use and create emerging industry standard Web Services, Delphi 6 enables the rapid development and deployment of applications using XML- and SOAP-based Web Services technologies. Delphi 6 Web Services technologies speed e-business by enabling companies to automate the secure sharing and exchange of business information over the Internet. Delphi 6 is the only RAD environment that supports emerging industry standards: XML, SOAP, WSDL and XSL. Delphi 6 also supports emerging Web Services-based vendor platforms .Net and Biztalk from Microsoft, and ONE from Sun Microsystems, while providing the scalability and reliability that enterprise and Web developers require. Borland designed the new Delphi framework, including BizSnap, WebSnap and DataSnap, to enable faster time-to-market by simplifying business-to-business integration. Delphi 6 helps users build server-side and client-side applications that support Web Services specifications through a fully integrated set of Web Service enabled visual tools, advanced compiler technology and re-usable software components... Borland Delphi 6 new product features include: (1) BizSnap Web Services RAD development platform simplifies business-to-business integration by easily creating XML/SOAP Web Services and connections. (2) WebSnap is a component-based Web application development framework that supports leading Web Application Servers, including Apache, Netscape and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS). (3) DataSnap enables customers to build high-performance, Web Service-enabled middleware that allows any client application or service to easily connect with any Enterprise-class RDBMS, such as Oracle, MS-SQL Server, Informix, IBM DB2, Sybase and Borland InterBase, through emerging Web Services including XML, DCOM, or CORBA."

  • [June 19, 2001] "Leaders of the DISA Registry Initiative Issue Call for Participation." - "The Data Interchange Standards Association (DISA) released [June 02, 2001] a call for individuals and companies to take part in the DISA Registry Initiative (DRIve). DRIve will seek contributions of software, systems, and technical expertise to create the architecture for and operations of a registry of data objects developed by standards organizations affiliated with DISA. These organizations include: (1) Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) X12; (2) OpenTravel Alliance (OTA); (3) Interactive Financial eXchange (IFX) Forum; (4) Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO); (5) Open Philanthropy eXchange (OPX) Forum; (6) Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA)... The DRIve registry will meet the requirements of the Electronic Business Extensible Markup Language (ebXML) registry/repository specifications, which include the Registry Services Specification, version 1.0, and the Registry Information Model, version 1.0, approved on May 11. DRIve will also follow other approved ebXML specifications and technical reports affecting the operation of the registry... DRIve will include the basic functions of ebXML registries and its interactions with a DISA repository, as spelled out in the relevant specifications... 'This initiative is very important to the ManTech Enterprise Integration Center (e-IC),' said Robert S. Kidwell, Vice President and Senior Technical Director for ManTech e-IC. 'The e-IC team has embraced XML in all of its leading electronic commerce and electronic data interchange applications such as the U.S. DoD customs clearance project, which involves the shipment of military cargo within eleven foreign countries, and the U.S. DoD Medical E-CAT system, which is a distributed Web application for DoD procurement of key medical supplies. We feel that the DISA initiative will provide the initial foundation for migrating the traditional X12 EDI semantics into a framework that is consistent with that of the ebXML distributed registry and repository vision'." See also (1) "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)"; (2) "XML Registry and Repository." [source]

  • [June 19, 2001] "Altova Launches Beta of New Product Line of XML Tools." - "Altova today announced the beta version of XML Spy 4.0, a new product line built on the success of prior XML Spy products. Version 4.0 will be the first complete solution for XML Schema driven document and content editing for both developers and users in virtually all environments. The XML Spy 4.0 Integrated Development Environment (IDE) adds expanded database access functionality, enhanced user interface customization, as well as support for the final XML Schema Recommendation and continues to strengthen XML Spy's position as the No.1 choice of the world's leading Fortune 500 and Global 1,000 companies for their e-Commerce and B2B solution development. In addition, the new 4.0 product line will include the XSLT Generator, a tool for creating Stylesheets in a graphical environment, and the Document Framework, which supports free-flow editing of XML document content, form-based data input, and real-time validation - all available in a user-friendly interface that is well-suited for non-technical users... Beta Testing begins with the 4.0 IDE today and is restricted to current licensed users and selected industry experts. Altova's customers will be able to download the trial version of XML Spy 4.0 release at no charge in July; fees are applicable for licensed user versions." See also from 2001-06-14: "Altova's XML Spy 4.0 Beta Supports W3C XML Schema Recommendation."

  • [June 19, 2001] "Microsoft Announces Shared Development Process for Cooperation On Key Technology Initiatives. Company Issues Call to Industry to Join in Definition and Development of 'HailStorm' Services." - "Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates today announced the Microsoft Shared Development Process (SDP), a broad framework for industry participation, cooperation and feedback on key technology development initiatives at Microsoft and across the industry. During a keynote delivered today to software developers at the TechEd conference, Gates revealed that the first SDP project will be the definition of an extended set of 'HailStorm' Web services and issued a call for industry participation in the process... The SDP would provide Microsoft and industry partners with a reusable process that can be initiated and adapted easily and quickly as the need arises for cooperation on a new or existing computing challenge. The framework will provide procedural, technical and legal tools companies can use to work together to achieve a solution that benefits everyone. The SDP is designed with enough flexibility to tailor the process structure to a particular project or challenge, which ensures an easy working environment that can be created quickly, and simplifies participation for partner companies. Examples include the development of XML schemas for the consistent sharing of information across multiple applications and devices within a particular industry, the development of more advanced, next-generation XML Web services built on top of the 'HailStorm' platform, and industry events such as software design previews and reviews that enable industry partners to get an early look at and provide Microsoft with feedback on key technologies... SDP as a Vehicle for Industrywide XML Schema: After its test phase, the SDP will be available to serve as a vehicle for industries to come together for the purpose of creating XML conventions relevant to their industries. In many cases, the collaboration and development of these XML schemas will not require direct involvement with Microsoft. Rather, the SDP will simply serve as a framework for participation and a tool set for collaboration with the goal of driving adoption of XML Web services forward for the entire industry... The Microsoft SDP provides structure, including the following, for the development or extended 'HailStorm' services: (1) Call for proposals for new 'HailStorm' extended services; (2) Creation of SDP working groups; (3) Definition and testing of extended 'HailStorm' services; (4) Certification of extended 'HailStorm' services; (5) Deployment of new services. The SDP process for developing 'HailStorm' services will undergo a test period this summer, with the establishment of a limited number of new working groups. Microsoft is currently talking to industry partners and accepting input to determine which services will participate in the SDP beta process. In addition to the beta process for extended 'HailStorm' services, Microsoft has already initiated a SDP process around the dozen core 'HailStorm' services announced in March 2001. A design preview on these services has already been shared with more than 200 partners who have been providing feedback for 'HailStorm' development since before it was publicly announced." See also: (1) "The Microsoft Shared Development Process" [ white paper], and (2) "Microsoft Hailstorm."

  • [June 18, 2001] "Microsoft Drives XML Web Services Integration Through .NET Enterprise Servers. Company Announces Availability of Mobile Information Server, Demonstrates Content Management Server and Takes SQL Server Past 1 Billion Dollars." - "At TechEd 2001, Microsoft Corp. today took its enterprise strategy to the next level with the release of Microsoft Mobile Information 2001 Server, the first public demonstration of Content Management Server, and the announcement that the Microsoft SQL Server business has now surpassed $1 billion in annual revenue. In addition, in his keynote address, Paul Flessner, senior vice president of the .NET Enterprise Server Division at Microsoft, showed a sold out audience of developers a host of enterprise customer wins highlighting the business value of Microsoft .NET Enterprise Servers and XML Web services deployed today on the .NET platform... During his keynote, Flessner announced several customer wins, clearly highlighting the business value of the .NET Enterprise Servers and XML Web services deployed on the .NET Platform: (1) Dollar Rent-A-Car is reaping technical and business benefit through XML Web services today by leveraging the .NET Enterprise Servers. The company is using XML Web services to facilitate direct programmatic access by an airline partner's system to the Dollar reservation system, which it projects will generate an incremental $10 million in annual revenue. The Microsoft platform enabled Dollar Rent-A-Car to shorten its development time from eight months to two months and has become a strategic methodology for integration across the company. (2) eSkye Solutions, a service network and technology solutions provider for the global beverage industry, is using XML Web services and the .NET Enterprise Servers as the foundation for a solution connecting the beverage industry supply chain end-to-end. Because of the diverse range of heterogeneous technology employed by its customers, eSkye is relying on XML Web services as its strategic integration architecture to rapidly and cost-effectively its deliver solutions... During his keynote, Flessner also called out the tremendous momentum generated by the 11 products that make up the .NET Enterprise Servers since they were first launched last September."

  • [June 15, 2001] "Interwoven Announces TeamXML. Next-Generation Object Store to Accelerate Adoption of XML Across the Enterprise. Interwoven Extends XML Leadership with Architecture based on Native XML-Object Model." - "Interwoven, Inc., a leading provider of Content Infrastructure, today announced the release of TeamXML software, its groundbreaking XML repository. TeamXML responds to the pressing market need for a product that accelerates XML adoption across all enterprise Web properties. By leveraging TeamSite's hybrid-architecture customers can now realize the benefits of XML without the drawbacks of content retrofit. Key product attributes include: (1) Architectural Flexibility - Incremental XML adoption permits controlled migration; (2) Parametric Search - Hierarchical discovery model provides unprecedented ease-of-use; (3) Native Object Model - Infrastructure scalability permits ubiquitous XML adoption... Interwoven's hybrid architecture and new TeamXML provides a clear means for companies to reap the benefits of componentization and reuse that XML brings, and will drive XML as a key component of enterprise IT infrastructures... Until now the "all-or-nothing quality" of first-generation XML architectures meant a daunting content retrofit challenge, made inevitable by crippling implementation delays. Benefits were potentially realized very late in a costly, time consuming transition or sometimes not at all. Now with TeamXML, customers can realize content re-use benefits immediately. TeamXML allows customers to migrate individual Web assets, or even components of assets, to XML as circumstances dictate. This managed adoption maximizes upfront benefits and minimizes upfront costs... Another common limitation of ePublishing-centric XML systems is inadequate search. Unable to locate existing content, contributors are often forced to recreate that content, which not only hurts the team's productivity but also impairs all-important content consistency between the various enterprise Web properties. Addressing this challenge head-on, TeamXML offers a discovery model based on parametric search that provides unprecedented ease-of-access to reusable content components... Finally, enterprises are often frustrated in their plans to scale XML use because the prevailing ePublishing architectures do not permit storage of XML objects in native form. With the introduction of TeamXML, customers can now store all XML content natively. This important attribute boosts performance and increases scalability."

  • [June 15, 2001] Interwoven Announces OpenSyndicate. Business Managers To Take Direct Control of Content Distribution. Interwoven Pioneers Intelligent Content Distribution." - "Interwoven, Inc., a leading provider of Content Infrastructure, today announced the release of Interwoven OpenSyndicate, the latest addition to its content distribution product suite. For the first time business managers can take direct control of the distribution of content to a network of subscribers inside or beyond the four walls of the enterprise. Key product attributes include: (1) Content Packages - Controlled assembly of Web assets based on intelligent business rules; (2) Targeted Delivery - Audience profiling for precise targeting, irrespective of format; (3) Secure Distribution - Guaranteed content delivery with a comprehensive audit trail. With metadata-driven business rules, business managers control the assembly of content packages comprised of sets of individual components segmented for audience preference. With easy-to-use subscriber management and group-profiling, non-technical contributors match content packages with target constituencies, whether its XML, PDF, WAP or any other output format. Guaranteed delivery and asset tracking is essential for distributing content across enterprise boundaries. This breakthrough functionality enables the enterprise to begin using the Web to leverage intellectual capital across its extended enterprise. 'For our customers, flexibility and scalability in distribution is a must,' said Kevin Cochrane, vice president of product management for Interwoven. 'In order to make this a reality, we built comprehensive distribution functionality throughout our product lines to componentize any content using TeamXML, transform that content for any channel with OpenChannel software and distribute to any touchpoint with Interwoven OpenSyndicate. It is this combination of attributes that allows enterprises to leverage the full diversity of their Web assets across a multiplicity of Web properties.' Interwoven OpenSyndicate software works in conjunction with Interwoven TeamSite software and TeamXML software, also announced today. TeamXML is an XML repository that allows content to be created and stored as a collection of component objects that can be re-used for multiple initiatives."

  • [June 15, 2001] "Microsoft and RealNames Announce Registration And Navigation Services for UDDI Initiative. Businesses Publish UDDI Records and Receive Worldwide Exposure Through Internet Explorer Browser When Registering Keywords." - "Microsoft Corp. and RealNames Corp., the extended naming services company, today announced the integration of RealNames Keyword technology and naming services with the Microsoft Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) registry site. As a universal directory for e-commerce and other Web services, UDDI allows businesses and their products and services to be discovered and facilitates the efficient exchange of electronic information between them. Microsoft has enabled RealNames Keywords as a UDDI identifier for companies and their products and services throughout its UDDI registry site. RealNames also provides a one-click registration service for UDDI via its channel of Keyword Registries and Registrars. When a company registers a Keyword, it can automatically publish its business information through the Microsoft UDDI registry site. In addition, RealNames and Microsoft have enabled UDDI search through a human-friendly Keyword interface directly from the address bar of the Internet Explorer browser, making Internet Explorer the first major discovery and distribution channel for UDDI data available from every desktop." References in "Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI)."

  • [June 15, 2001] "Microsoft Furthers Adoption of Directory Standards." - "Microsoft Corp. continued its commitment to directory leadership and its support of industry standards with the submission this week of a Directory Service Markup Language (DSML) 2.0 proposal to the DSML.org forum. Widely supported by leading industry vendors, DSML 1.0, of which Microsoft was a key contributor, offers a way to represent directory data using XML. DSML 2.0, which is yet to be ratified, will extend DSML to support common directory access operations such as queries and updates. Microsoft's unique approach is designed to enable all vendors of existing LDAP V3-compliant directory services to quickly develop a DSML 2.0 implementation. Microsoft expects that, with a widely supported and comprehensive way to access directory data using XML, directory services will become a powerful enabler of e-business solutions. Microsoft also expects that DSML 2.0 will enable directory access for a wider range of application developers than are enabled by current LDAP implementations.." See the text in "Microsoft's Proposal for Directory Services Markup Language v2.0."

  • [June 12, 2001] "Sun Microsystems Announces Early Access Program for Forte for Java, Release 3.0. IDE Based on Open Standards [Java Technology and XML] Accelerates Delivery of Smart Web Services." - "Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced the availability of Forte for Java, release 3.0 under the Forte for Java Early Access Program (EAP). This new release is one of the first services-centric integrated development environments (IDEs) based on open standards, including Java technology and XML. Forte for Java, release 3.0 fully supports the building and deployment of Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) applications, such as Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) components, to leading application servers, including the iPlanet Application Server 6.0. Building Web services requires a new generation of tools and programs that is unified by a common, standards-based architecture. Forte for Java, release 3.0 supports the Sun Open Net Environment (Sun ONE) software architecture, making it easier for developers to build, assemble and deploy enterprise business applications as Web services. This architecture readily supports the implementation of client-side applications using an array of technologies, such as Web browsers, mobile phones and PDAs. To support developers who are starting to build Web services-based applications, Sun's Forte Tools group plans to integrate its products with the Web Services Pack. Highlights of Forte for Java, release 3.0 include wizards that enable Java language developers to generate XML services from new or existing Java technology components, without programming; wizards that enable HTML developers to leverage Web services with no knowledge of the Java language or XML; the ability to publish Web services to public or private registries; tighter integration with the iPlanet Application Server; and the ability to capture data in a relational database and convert it to an EJB component with an XML interface. The Forte for Java product is based on a fully modular architecture, supporting entry-level to enterprise developers. New features, open source contributions and third-party products are generally made available as Forte for Java modules. These modules can be developed and implemented directly to the product's open application programming interface (API). New modules can be dynamically downloaded via the Internet into the development environment, enabling users to step up to progressively more powerful features of the product as their needs evolve. New product capabilities available in release 3.0 simplify creating, publishing and subscribing to Web services, and include: (1) A Web services module provides automatic binding of Java technology and XML through intuitive wizards, generates Java code that supports run-time access and execution of services and supports Web-based publishing to a services registry. (2) Forte for Java Enterprise Service Presentation (ESP) plug-ins for Macromedia Dreamweaver and Adobe GoLive make it easier for developers using these leading HTML design tools to access and leverage XML-based services. In addition, the plug-in enables designers to use wizards to generate custom JavaServer Pages (JSP) tags so that they can access Web services within their HTML pages. (3) A J2EE Building Blocks module facilitates the creation, assembly, packaging and deployment of J2EE applications.. (4) Other new modules include an enhanced CORBA wizard, a new JAR packager, support for Apache's Ant scriptable build tool, a CVS module, a new JDBC wizard, a VCS module and others..."

  • [June 09, 2001] "New Breeze XML Studio Release 2.5 Available. Beta Release Adds W3C XML Schema Support to Leading Data Binding Solution." - "The Breeze Factor, a company focused on providing solutions that simplify e-business using XML, today announced the latest release of its XML to Java data binding product: Breeze XML Studio Release 2.5. The release adds direct support for XML Schema, which was recently issued as a standard recommendation by the World Wide Web Consortium. Breeze XML Studio 2.5 is a substantial upgrade over previous releases and now can import structure in four formats: XML Schema (XSD), XML DTD, XML document (schema by example), and relational DBMS structure via JDBC/ODBC. With Breeze XML Studio 2.5, developers can take an XML schema and convert it directly to a set of Java classes that model the schema and encapsulate the parsing and validating of XML files conformant with that schema... While Breeze XML Studio can be used to design simple structures in its internal IDE, many customers will utilize a tool such as Tibco Extensibility's XML Authority for design and editing of complex structures. 'XSD is ideally suited to expressing business semantics. With its early support of XSD, The Breeze Factor is enabling users to bring that power to the application layer,' Lee Buck, VP, chief scientist XML Technologies, Tibco Extensibility. In addition to XML Schema support, the newest release includes improvements to the generated code when the schema has complex content models. 'It is one thing to parse an XML structure and understand the relationships between structure elements,' said Gregory Messner, CTO at The Breeze Factor. 'It is quite another to generate clean, readable and programmer-friendly component interfaces which make instances of that structure easy to use. The 2.5 release includes enhanced interfaces which make working with complex content very straightforward.' Breeze is licensed on a developer seat and OEM deployment basis. Developer seat licenses are sold for $495 with discounts for volume purchases. The Breeze Factor simplifies e-business using XML. The company accelerates e-business efforts by generating frameworks for XML and XML-based protocols making it easier for developers to work with and extend the newest language of the Internet. The company's products include Breeze XML Studio, a visual development environment that binds XML data to Java classes and provides an alternative to the DOM for working with XML for application programming. The Breeze Factor has offices in Encinitas, Calif. and Park City, Utah." See "XML Schemas."

  • [June 05, 2001] "OASIS Unites TREX and RELAX to Create Lightweight XML Language Validation Specification." - "Members of the OASIS TREX Technical Committee announced their decision to integrate TREX (Tree Regular Expressions for XML) and RELAX (REgular LAnguage description for XML) in order to collaborate on a unified lightweight specification for validating XML-based languages. They renamed their work RELAX NG. RELAX was initially developed at the Information Technology Research and Standardization Centre (INSTAC) in Japan, which advances Japanese national standards for XML under the auspices of the Japanese Standard Association (JSA). TREX was created by James Clark, widely regarded as one of the most prolific contributors to the field of structured information standards. Clark decided to continue development of his schema language at the OASIS XML interoperability consortium in March 2001. 'RELAX and TREX both focus on simplicity,' said James Clark, chair of what is now the OASIS RELAX NG Technical Committee. 'RELAX NG will remain straightforward and easy to use, incorporating the best of TREX and RELAX.' 'It is important to note that RELAX NG isn't intended to replace the W3C XML Schema Recommendation. Instead, it represents a lightweight alternative to Schema,' explained Murata Makoto, one of the original developers of RELAX. 'We believe that users are likely to adopt multiple schema languages, and many will find RELAX NG fills a very important need.' According to the OASIS technical committee, the specification offers a middle ground that will make RELAX NG a useful tool for many developers. The team is interested in facilitating conversion among DTDs, XML Schema and RELAX NG. 'RELAX NG fits in well with the W3C XML Schema Formal Description,' added Clark. 'Our hope is that RELAX NG will be a constructive influence on the future development of XML Schema'..." See the discussion. [source]

  • [June 05, 2001] "FRx Forecaster 4.0 Supports New XML, XBRL Industry Standards." - "FRx Software Corporation has announced [2001-05-28] that version 4.0 of its FRx Forecaster product is now available. FRx Forecaster was most recently known as ebudgets, a product that FRx Software acquired through its acquisition of ebudgets.com in March 2001. The new release of FRx Forecaster, which is immediately available to current customers, supports the extensible markup language (XML) and extensible business reporting language (XBRL) standards for streamlining the exchange of data. These standards greatly facilitate the exchange of information between best-of-breed solutions that include systems from multiple vendors. The use of XML and XBRL helps users shorten implementation times, alleviates errors and the rekeying of information imported from multiple sources, and eliminates the need for customized interchange mechanisms. FRx Forecaster is the first budgeting software solution to support these industry standards, which are endorsed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), among others. FRx Forecaster 4.0 also includes enhancements to the system's administrative, setup, input and reporting features -- widening the gap in capabilities between FRx Forecaster and competing products. The XBRL standard was developed by a committee of global financial, accounting and software organizations to provide common data structures for the transfer of information between back-office systems, such as those for budgeting, financial reporting, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and procurement. The standard describes the type of data an output file contains, turning output from one system into a database in which data can be exchanged with other systems. The standard greatly facilitates the exchange of information between best-of-breed solutions that include systems from multiple vendors..." See: "Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL)." [alt URL]

  • [June 04, 2001] "Industry Effort to Define Native Web Services Support in J2EE. Industry Leaders Band Together Using Java Community Process." - "Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced that, based on input from industry partners and Java Community Process[sm] (JCP) members, it will propose that support for web services be the key component of the next version of the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE). The new version of J2EE will be targeted to provide a complete and integrated enterprise platform for building scalable web services, while maintaining the freedom of choice, faster time to market and simplified connectivity that are the hallmarks of J2EE... Several different working groups in the Java Community Process are currently defining individual extensions to the Java platform that support web services. Sun and other members of the JCP plan to submit a Java Specification Request (JSR) and form an expert group, following the rules of the Java Community Process, to create a new J2EE specification, reference implementation and compatibility test suite that incorporate these web services technologies. The group plans to build upon previous versions of J2EE to create a fully compatible upgrade, so that software companies and enterprises can rapidly address the business opportunities created by web services using familiar Java technologies and with no loss to their existing J2EE investment. Sun has heard demand for incorporation of the following web services technologies into a new version of J2EE: (1) Support for XML to provide platform-neutral, portable data that complements the Java technology's portable logic; (2) Directory/lookup services to discover and communicate with network-based buyers and sellers through UDDI and ebXML; (3) Access protocols like SOAP for inter-application communication. To fulfill this demand, the proposed J2EE expert group, working through the Java Community Process, will leverage several web services related technology projects now underway in the JCP, including 'Implementing Enterprise Web Services', 'Java APIs for XML Messaging', and 'Java APIs for XML RPC'. This will give the industry an open, compatible development and delivery platform for web services and applications."

  • [June 04, 2001] "Web Services Pack to Simplify Building Java-Based Web Services. Major Vendors to Integrate Open Technologies in Java Web Services Tools." - "Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced plans to make available Web Services Pack, an all-in-one download containing key technologies to simplify building of web services using the Java 2 Platform. The announcement also lays out the roadmap for incorporation of the technologies into integrated development environments (IDEs) from key software development tools suppliers. Leading software development tool vendors, including Borland Software Corporation, Oracle Corp. and WebGain, Inc., as well as Sun's Forte Tools group, plan to integrate the technologies into their Java IDEs, further simplifying their use by developers. Together, these technologies make it simpler and easier than ever for developers to build today web services based on the Java 2 Platform... A variety of open standards have emerged to define web services. These standards include: (1) The Java 2 Platform to deliver a rich development environment, platform-neutral logic and deployment platform; (2) XML for platform-neutral, portable data; (3) Directory/lookup services to discover and communicate with network-based buyers and sellers, such as the Universal Description and Discovery Initiative (UDDI) and ebXML registries and repositories; (4) Object access protocols, such as SOAP. Today's announcement summarizes how the Java 2 Platform is integrating these emerging standards to facilitate the creation and deployment of web services. Java and XML are very complementary technologies, a natural match for the creation of applications that run on multiple platforms and communicate with many different kinds of clients. Web Services Pack is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) and architectures developed by Sun and the other members of the Java Community that provide support in the Java technology for important web services features. Current plans call for the Web Services Pack to include: (1) JavaServer Faces, which is under development in the Java Community Process (SM), establishes a standard API for creating Java Web application graphical user interfaces (GUIs), eliminating the burden on developers to create and maintain the GUI infrastructure from scratch. (2) Tomcat, a free, open-source implementation of JavaServer Pages and Java Servlet technologies developed under the Jakarta project at the Apache Software Foundation. JavaServer Pages technology separates the user interface from content generation enabling designers to change the overall page layout without altering the content. Java Servlet technology provides web developers with a simple, consistent mechanism for extending the functionality of a web server and for accessing existing business systems. (3) JAX Pack, a collection of XML-based Java APIs."

  • [June 04, 2001] "Sun Releases The First Java Technology-Based Implementation of eBXML Registry and Repository for Web Services." - "Sun Microsystems, Inc. today announced the industry's first implementation of the Electronic Business XML (ebXML) Registry/Repository specification, based on Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) technology. Distributed, scalable registries and repositories for business processes and transaction characteristics are essential to the growth of Web services. The ebXML specifications, which were developed through the joint efforts of OASIS and UN/CEFACT, were finalized last month. The ebXML Registry/Repository Specification provides a registry for advertising and discovering Web services, like a phone book. This specification also includes a repository for the elements needed to conduct Web services, such as business process models, schemas and documents, and trading information. 'With the publication of this reference implementation to developers using J2EE technology, Sun is helping the Java technology development community to harness the power of Web services by continuing to provide timely support for key enabling standards, such as ebXML,' said Bill Smith, Director of Technology Development, Sun Microsystems, Inc. 'Web services registries are going to be an important component of any Web services solution. By using Sun's reference implementation of the ebXML registry, developers can significantly reduce the time required to develop and deploy Web services.' Any developer using the Java platform who needs a registry to submit, store, and retrieve XML resources can use this freely available reference implementation from Sun to build a complete and robust cross-platform solution. 'You can pretty much take this implementation as-is and plug it into any J2EE platform-enabled application server, link it to a database, and you're ready to go,' said Smith. The Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) specification is for Web services, but was not designed to act as a repository. The ebXML registry is extremely complementary to UDDI. It expands the capabilities of UDDI, providing registry service application programming interfaces (APIs), a database abstraction layer and a security model. The registry can be downloaded at http://www.sun.com/xml, with availability in early July [2001]." See: "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)."

  • [June 01, 2001] "World Wide Web Consortium Issues XHTML 1.1 and Ruby Annotation as W3C Recommendations. Two New Specifications Deliver Enhanced Modularity and Internationalization Support." - "The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has announced the publication of two W3C Recommendations: XHTML 1.1 and Ruby Annotation. XHTML 1.1 defines a new XHTML document type that is based upon the modularization framework and modules defined in Modularization of XHTML, and serves as the basis for future extended XHTML 'family' document types. Ruby Annotation provides an XHTML module for expressing short runs of text alongside base text, typically used in East Asian documents to indicate pronunciation or to provide a short annotation. A W3C Recommendation indicates that a specification is stable, contributes to Web interoperability, and has been reviewed by the W3C Membership, who are in favor of supporting its adoption by academic, industry, and research communities. XHTML 1.1 is the latest development in a series of W3C work to ensure the universality of content formats for the Web. The first step was to reformulate HTML 4 in Extensible Markup Language (XML), resulting in XHTML 1.0. Like HTML 4, the reformulation carried three variants: Strict; Frameset; and Transitional. These gave content developers, often not accustomed to producing valid markup, choices in markup, though not choices that could be supported by all devices. The next step was to modularize the elements and attributes into convenient collections for use in documents that combine XHTML with other tagsets. The modules are defined in Modularization of XHTML. XHTML Basic is an example of fairly minimal build of these modules and is targeted at mobile applications. XHTML 1.1 is an example of a larger build of the modules, avoiding many of the presentation features. XHTML 1.1 defines a new XHTML document type that is based upon the framework and modules defined in Modularization of XHTML. This document type is designed to be portable to a broad collection of client devices, and applicable to the majority of Internet content. Content developers who base their content upon XHTML 1.1 can trust that it will be consistently portable across user agents which support XHTML... Providing the underlying technologies that support the Web as a universal information space starts with XML, but goes beyond using markup in a valid way. For example, in Japanese and Chinese, it is common practice to put annotations in a very small font next to printed text to aid readers in pronunciation of rarer ideographic characters. These annotations are called 'ruby,' from the name British printers used to describe a 5.5 point type face. Ruby annotations regularly appear in Japanese magazines, as well as Chinese and Japanese textbooks. While many international typography needs can be fulfilled through the use of style sheet languages such as CSS or XSL, additional markup is needed to define the relationship between the base text and its annotation. Ruby Annotation delivers this functionality to the Web in the form of an XHTML module, thus allowing ruby to be correctly rendered along with the basic text without using special workarounds or graphics. XHTML 1.1 includes the Ruby Annotation module, enhancing XHTML 1.1's power and extensibility..." See references in (1) "Module-based XHTML Published as a W3C Recommendation" and (2) "W3C Publishes Specifications for Ruby Annotation."

  • [June 01, 2001] "InfoWorld Announces 2001 Readers' Choice Awards. XML Selected As Standard of The Year." - "InfoWorld Media Group, a leading provider of in-depth analysis of enterprise technology and strategies combined to provide insight into vital business solutions through its integrated online, print, events, and research channels, will announce the winners of its annual Readers' Choice Awards in the June 4 issue of InfoWorld magazine. In an online survey InfoWorld readers selected the winners from a group of finalists nominated by InfoWorld editors, writers and analysts in categories including server hardware, e-commerce, outsourcing, integration and CRM. InfoWorld readers selected XML as standard of the year, Alan Greenspan as person of the year and Verio as ASP of the year. IBM was at the top of multiple categories with WebSphere taking the honors as application integration tool, enterprise application, and e-commerce product of the year. IBM's Global Services division was picked as the year's best outsourcer and consulting service. For the full results of this year's Readers' Choice Awards, please visit www.infoworld.com. 'The results of this poll are in line with what has been important to InfoWorld over the past year: Remaining very clear and concrete about the value of the best technological solutions despite the rapidly changing business climate,' said Michael Vizard, editor in chief, InfoWorld, InfoWorld Online and CTO Magazine. 'There's a real synergy between InfoWorld and its readers, and we're delighted to see that reflected in the 2001 Readers' Choice Awards.'" See "InfoWorld Readers' Choice Awards."

  • [May 31, 2001] "UN/CEFACT and OASIS Introduce ebXML-DEV Mail List." - "UN/CEFACT and OASIS has announced the formation of ebXML-DEV, a mail list for the ebXML development community. Hosted by OASIS, ebXML-DEV provides an open forum for serious ebXML developers and those interested in implementing ebXML to share information and experiences. Today's announcement follows the recent ratification of the ebXML specifications, which facilitate open trade between organizations regardless of size by enabling XML to be used in a consistent manner to exchange electronic business data. 'Now that we've reached our milestone of developing ebXML, we want to support those involved in implementing the specifications,' said Klaus-Dieter Naujok of IONA, member of the UN/CEFACT Steering Committee. 'The ebXML-DEV mail list fosters the productive discussion of ebXML topics and provides a valuable resource for those seeking practical information.' 'ebXML-DEV is a self-moderated forum for the open exchange of ideas,' explained Karl Best, OASIS director of technical operations. 'OASIS will host the list as a service to the community, but the content of the discussions will be driven by the participants themselves.' Individuals may subscribe to ebXML-DEV online at http://www.ebxml.org. 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. UN/CEFACT is the United Nations body whose mandate covers worldwide policy and technical development in the area of trade facilitation and electronic business. Headquartered in Geneva, it has developed and promoted many tools for the facilitation of global business processes including UN/EDIFACT, the international EDI standard. Its current work programme includes such topics as Simpl-edi and Object Oriented EDI and it strongly supports the development and implementation of open, interoperable global standards and specifications for electronic business." See: "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)."

  • [May 31, 2001] "Market Leader BEA Systems To Showcase the BEA WebLogic E-Business Platform Advancements, New Partners and Customers at JavaOne. Developer Conference BEA CEO Bill Coleman to Deliver JavaOne Keynote Address on June 7, 2001." - "... BEA, maker of the world's #1 Java application server, will showcase its technology advancements in Web Services, integration, application server and portal technology. Key product demonstrations will showcase the expanded capabilities of the BEA WebLogic E-Business Platform, providing more power, usability and flexibility than ever to developers and customers, as well as highlighting BEA's continued support of Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) standards... BEA is proud to be a Platinum Sponsor of this year's JavaOne Developer Conference. BEA will make a number of important announcements to mark the occasion, and will take part in a range of informative activities. Attendees will gain a clear understanding of new BEA advancements in integration, application server, Web Services, and portal technology; experience BEA's new products first-hand through demos in the BEA booth; and hear BEA executives elucidate BEA's technology strategies and vision for business in educational and Birds-of-a-Feather sessions. One highlight of the conference will be the keynote speech by Bill Coleman, BEA's Founder, Chairman and CEO, on Thursday, June 7. He will describe his vision of a world in which technology grows more transparent and instinctive as it becomes ever more empowering. And he'll explain how BEA is redefining the application server and helping to evolve Java, integration and Web Services technologies to unlock the as-yet-unrealized potential of the Internet as a universal field of business, rather than the current state of loosely linked sites. He will evangelize the critical role of open standards in achieving this vision, and explain how the gating factor for the coming world of pervasive computing is something he calls 'pervasive integration.' . . . [BEA's booth #815] Java developers can get 'revved up' about BEA's new advancements in open standards, such as J2EE, XML, and Web Services. Attendees can test drive BEA's latest extensions to the BEA WebLogic E-Business Platform which, built on the world's #1 Java application server, continues to evolve with cutting-edge integration, portal, and application server features. Several BEA partners will be featured in the booth including WebGain and AltoWeb, and developers will be able to check out their BEA compatible tools. Finally, attendees will have the chance to talk "shop" with BEA engineers, some of the best and brightest product developers in the world who are helping to set the agenda for the next rev of e-business..." See "BEA Next Up to Outline Web Services Strategy."

  • [May 22, 2001] "Interbind, Inc. Helps Companies Quickly and Easily Create, Deploy And Manage Web Services With Launch of IBX 1.0. Fast, Cost-Effective, Scalable XML-Based Solution Helps Companies Leverage Investments in Existing Technology Infrastructure." - "Interbind, Inc., an integrated solutions provider of fast, cost-effective and scalable creation, deployment and management of Web Services, has announced the release of IBX version 1.0. IBX 1.0 is pure Java software that supports Web Services applications in an innovative lightweight architecture. IBX 1.0 is a lightweight, pure Java server for sending, receiving, routing and transforming XML messages over a distributed network. It employs a service-oriented, peer-to-peer architecture to connect to remote Web Services and to expose local resources as Web Services. IBX is an extensible, programmable, high performance communications platform especially suited for distributed applications. Interbind's IBX enables companies to leverage Web Services to support fully-automated relationships across multiple enterprises. This capability marks a significant step forward from the current reliance on disconnected internal systems and manually connected person-browser-system Web applications. IBX delivers on the promise of Web Services quickly and cost-effectively by implementing a proprietary combination of messaging protocols, Web Services integration, data exchange, security and support for open standards. Companies using IBX can easily expose local resources as Web Services and connect to remote Web Services. In addition, IBX supports a pluggable protocol architecture allowing companies to implement their choice of communications and messaging protocols through the simple modification of XML templates."

  • [May 22, 2001] "Johns Hopkins and Leading Medical Societies Announce Technology Consortium for Education and Collaboration." - "Johns Hopkins has joined with many leading professional medical societies to create the MedBiquitous Consortium, a group dedicated to creating technology standards and software for education and collaboration in online medical communities. Fifteen organizations representing over 400,000 physicians have already joined the Consortium, including the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American College of Radiology, the American Heart Association, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, CTSNet (Cardiothoracic Surgery Network), the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, the International Council of Ophthalmology, and the Society for Vascular Surgery. Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium and UNITAR, a virtual university in Malaysia, have joined the Consortium as university members. The Consortium will create XML (Extensible Markup Language) specifications for areas of common interest to professional medical societies. The use of XML, a Web standard, provides a consistent and common language for medical societies and other organizations, permitting them more easily to exchange structured data over the Web. Using a standardized computer language, such as XML, allows a wide and diverse group of individuals or organizations to "talk" to each other, which greatly facilitates information gathering and online transactions. The Consortium also creates for its membership a suite of software tools based on the XML standards. The tools and standards combined will allow societies to provide a wealth of resources to their membership, including personalized scientific content, online courses and examinations, ongoing mechanisms to document competency, and clinical registries that track medical outcomes and errors..." See the discussion and references.

  • [May 21, 2001] Microsoft Unveils Visual Studio.NET Enterprise Tools. Visual Studio.NET Enterprise Architect and Enterprise Developer to Lead Corporations Into New Age of XML Web Services." - "Microsoft Corporation today unveiled the development tools to guide enterprise customers into the new era of XML Web services. Microsoft Visual Studio.NET Enterprise Architect (VSEA) is a new tool for architects, and Visual Studio.NET Enterprise Developer (VSED) is a new version of the popular Visual Studio Enterprise Edition development system. The new versions include a series of powerful features that facilitate migration of development teams to the next generation of Web-based computing. VSEA and VSED will enable companies to leverage proven enterprise life-cycle design methods to efficiently build XML Web services, applications made available over the Web via Internet-standard XML, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI, on the .NET platform. In addition, the new versions will provide architects and developers with core reference applications, modeling features and testing capabilities to deliver improved results. This also builds on the Visual Studio.NET Open Tools Platform for third-party independent software vendors (ISVs) that want to plug directly into the Visual Studio.NET development environment... Based on today's announcement and the recently announced Visual Studio.NET Open Tools Platform, Rational Software, a premier member of the Visual Studio.NET Integration Program (VSIP), today announced that it will provide rich support for VSEA and VSED by leveraging the enterprise frameworks and templates to augment the Rational Unified Process (RUP). To speed development, Rational is leveraging the enterprise framework and templates by equipping enterprise tools and augmenting the Rational Unified Process (RUP) with tailored .NET content, as part of the [RUP] e-Development Accelerators initiative. [The accelerators enable development teams to jumpstart their application development process through reuse standards, reusable frameworks and enhanced automation.] Visual Studio.NET is Microsoft's rapid application development (RAD) tool for building next-generation Web applications and XML Web services. Visual Studio.NET empowers developers to rapidly design broad-reach Web applications for any device and any platform. In addition, Visual Studio.NET is fully integrated with the .NET Framework, providing support for multiple programming languages and automatically handling many common programming tasks, freeing developers to rapidly create Web applications using their language of choice. Visual Studio.NET includes a single IDE with RAD features for building Web applications and middle-tier business logic, and RAD XML designers for working with data..."

  • [May 21, 2001] "Rational Announces Full Support for Visual Studio.NET Across Life-Cycle Solution. Rational Supports Microsoft's Enterprise Frameworks And Templates Announced Today With The Open Tools Platform." - "As a premier member of the Microsoft Visual Studio Integration Program, Rational Software announced today it is working with Microsoft Corp. to achieve new levels of integration between the Microsoft Visual Studio.NET Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and Rational's complete life-cycle set of development tools, including requirements analysis, visual modeling, change and configuration management and testing. Rational plans to make all of its products available to run inside the Visual Studio.NET IDE. This support includes taking advantage of the enterprise frameworks and templates, announced today by Microsoft, and the Open Tools Platform... Through its ongoing strategic relationship with Microsoft, Rational is fully integrating its complete lifecycle solution with Visual Studio.NET. In addition, today Rational Quantify, and Rational PureCoverage offer reliability and code coverage, testing, and performance profiling for the beta version of Visual Studio.NET and will run inside the IDE in future releases. Rational also announced today support for Microsoft SQL Server 2000 in the data modeling capability of Rational Rose and Rational Suite DevelopmentStudio. As part of the efforts to fully support Microsoft .NET, it will continue to develop support for Microsoft .NET Enterprise Servers..."

  • [May 21, 2001] "DCH Releases BlueBridge Object Painter Developer Tool. Graphical Tool Combines UML, XML and Java to Accelerate Software Development." - "DCH Systems, Inc., an enterprise infrastructure software company based in Plano, Texas, announced today the release of their software design and development tool, BlueBridge Object Painter, facilitating the transformation of solution design into object oriented implementation. Object Painter is a unique, easy to use graphical tool that combines UML design standards, XML Schema Definition (XSD), and automated Java code generation. The impact to large software development projects is the simplification of Java development and bridging the gap between object oriented design and software development. 'Object Painter is a one-of-kind tool that fills a painful gap in today's Java development projects,' said Chris Blackley, DCH President and CEO. 'We've seen an exponential impact on productivity, reusability and quality through Object Painter.' Object Painter allows business users and application designers to graphically capture business knowledge, and then turn that knowledge into software. The model is created using industry accepted UML design standards, and is then stored as XML Schema Definition (XSD) files. The Java code which is used to build and manipulate this model in applications is then automatically generated and made available to the developer and other applications. Some of the more unique features of Object Painter include user-defined model views and the ability to define and capture relationships, inheritance, and field-level data constraints. These definitions are captured in the model and related XML schema, and enforced throughout the implementation. Object Painter is a component of the DCH BlueBridge product suite, is compatible with other standards-based tools, and is available for download from DCH's Web site. Support and future enhancements to Object Painter are available for a license fee of $125 per user. DCH is a leader in the research and development of enterprise infrastructure software. DCH's vision is one in which the technology infrastructure supports the execution of business decisions in an environment defined by an accelerating rate of change. This vision is one in which the use of information and the ability to quickly apply it to actionable decisions provides a competitive advantage."

  • [May 21, 2001] "Bayer Corporation Adds XML Capability to List Of Ebusiness Options For Polymers And Chemicals Customers." - "Bayer Corporation announced 2001-05-09 that it has expanded the list of eBusiness options available to customers of the company's polymers and chemicals businesses to include eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML) transmissions for receiving and processing customer purchase orders. XML capabilities offer numerous benefits to Bayer and its customers, according to Bill Gaughan, Vice President, eBusiness and Information Technology for Bayer's Polymers and Chemicals Divisions. First, it responds to the needs of customers that want to establish a direct business-to-business link to Bayer. Second, XML capability enables Bayer to integrate its supply chain systems with its customers' order data. Third, customers utilizing the XML capability will still have access to all of the customizable functions of the BayerONE online eBusiness tool, such as order history, shipment track and trace and product safety data. BayerONE is an online, private exchange that customers access via the Internet at www.bayerone.com to access and manage their accounts with Bayer's polymers and chemicals businesses. 'The addition of XML capability to receive and process purchase orders enhances our flagship BayerONE eBusiness tool, and it enables Bayer to further streamline customers' business with our coatings and colorants, industrial chemicals, plastics, polyurethanes and rubber businesses,' said Gaughan. As a supporting member of the Chemical Industry Data Exchange (CIDX), Bayer established its XML standards in accordance with the CIDX standards and will follow those standards as it adds new XML offerings... Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Bayer Corporation had sales of $10.1 billion in 2000 and is one of Fortune magazine's Most Admired Companies. The company employs 23,200 people. It is a member of the worldwide Bayer Group, a $29 billion international health care and chemicals group based in Leverkusen, Germany." See: "XML-Based 'Chem eStandard' for the Chemical Industry."

  • [May 15, 2001] "Infoteria Corporation Delivers Version 2.0 of iMESSENGER. Businesses Capitalize on Universal XML Technology to Compete in the Global Marketplace." - "Infoteria Corporation today announced the shipment of iMESSENGER for Windows Version 2.0. iMESSENGER is an XML workflow automation tool that utilizes standard messaging protocols. The new version of iMESSENGER now includes secure e-mail and digital signature features that provide increased security while continuing to allow end users to receive data from trading partners in XML format. Using Infoteria's iCONNECTOR product, the data is automatically processed into the end users' internal systems such as EAI, ERP, SAP, or backend enterprise database systems. Traditionally, end users have had difficulties sending and retrieving XML data across networks. iMESSENGER Version 2.0 enables users to receive XML documents within the body of an email message or as an attachment and, in turn, process that document or send the data as an outbound e-mail message. This is accomplished by channeling the data through a central process (iMESSENGER) that separates the XML data from the e-mail to ensure effective document interpretation. iMESSENGER is also a powerful application for sending and receiving XML documents over both the Internet and an Intranet. Using XML processing applications, such as Infoteria's iCONNECTOR or iXSLT, users can write or retrieve XML documents from a designated network repository. In addition to the new features, iMESSENGER 2.0 includes new extension elements to make transmitting data easier than ever before. The new extension elements include: (1) System Support - iMESSENGER 2.0 versions support Windows NT and Windows 2000; (2) Encrypted Email Support - iMESSENGER 2.0 handles the sending and receiving of encrypted e-mails in unencrypted; digital signature; encrypted and encrypted with digital signature formats; (3) iSECURE Tool - manages public and private keys necessary to transmit secure emails as well as importing and exporting private and public keys. By using iMESSENGER for Windows Version 2.0, companies can capitalize on the value of XML and easily exchange information between offices, or automate ordering systems on Web sites. Each system package is coupled with the iSECURE tool for increased information security and is offered with flexible licensing depending on business needs... Infoteria Corporation is a leading software design and development company focused on building and selling XML-based B2B solutions that intelligently and profitably connect buyers and sellers. The corporation offers a wide range of XML software tools, components and products, as well as the services and training necessary to implement end-to-end XML-based customer solutions. Infoteria partners include IBM, Microsoft, Toshiba, Oracle, Sun, Softbank, Hitachi and others."

  • [May 10, 2001] "The ADL Co-Laboratory Announces the Availability of the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) Version 1.1 Conformance Test Suite for Plugfest 4." - "The Advanced Distributed Learning Co-Laboratory (ADL Co-Lab) has released the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) Version 1.1 Conformance Test Suite Version 1.1 (Self Test). The Conformance Test Suite provides organizations with the ability to perform self-testing on Learning Management Systems (LMSs), Sharable Content Objects, Content Structure Format XML documents and Meta-data XML documents to determine their conformance to the SCORM Version 1.1. SCORM Version 1.1 was released on January 16 after extensive interaction and agreement among international standards groups. The SCORM is the sine qua non enabler of an open-architecture specification and the foundation for large-scale development and implementation of ADL tools and content to meet the ADL fundamental requirements of interoperability, durability, accessibility, affordability and reusability. The ADL Co-Lab in Alexandria, Virginia will be sponsoring Plugfest 4 from May 30 to June 1, 2001 at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) in Alexandria, Virginia. This will provide an opportunity for participants who have tested their products with the Conformance Test Suite to share experiences and contribute to the future developments of the SCORM. In a continuing effort to provide partners and others an opportunity to synchronize their products with SCORM, ADL provides an open invitation to those wishing to participate in Plugfest 4. This Plugfest will be the latest in a continuing series designed to synchronize development of commercial authoring tools, learning management systems and Web-based courses with the evolution of the SCORM open-architecture specifications. The ADL initiative is a collaborative effort between government, industry and academia to establish a common framework that permits the interoperability of learning tools and content on a global scale. The Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Department of Labor and the National Guard have established the ADL Co-Lab as a forum for cooperative research, development and assessment of new learning technology prototypes, guidelines and specifications. After extensive cooperation with the IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc., the Institute of Electrical And Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the Aviation Industry Computer-Based Training (CBT) Committee (AICC), and the Alliance of Remote Instructional Authoring and Distribution Networks for Europe (ARIADNE), ADL released in January 2000 SCORM Version 1.0. Over the past year, ADL has conducted several Plugfests with industry, academia, the military services and international standards groups to assess the viability of the initial SCORM specifications." See: "Shareable Courseware Object Reference Model Initiative (SCORM)."

  • [May 09, 2001] "ActiveState releases PerlEx 2.0: Now with Support for Web Services." - "ActiveState, a leader in open source programming, announces the release of PerlEx 2.0. A plug-in for NT Webservers, PerlEx 2.0 enables programmers to easily create and deploy Web services. PerlEx allows Perl to function more efficiently on a Windows based web server by lowering web page delivery times and decreasing CPU load. 'The impact of Web services is similar to that of Perl CGI scripting in the early days of the Internet,' stated Dick Hardt, Founder & CEO, ActiveState. 'PerlEx will be helpful even to programmers with only minimal knowledge of the new Web services standards. They can create and deploy new services by simply writing the Perl code that embodies that service and then deploying it to PerlEx, which generates WSDL on-the-fly for them.' Key Benefits of PerlEx 2.0: (1) Web services support. Easily build & deploy Web services that utilize SOAP. (2) Fast. Building on earlier versions it can speed up Perl CGI programs by as much as 50x. (3) Script Caching. Eliminate startup time in your Perl CGI programs. (4) Persistent data connections. Allows you to keep data connections open, dramatically improving performance speed in web applications. (5) Instrumentation tools. With the Windows NT Performance Monitor, you can monitor system resource usage and performance. 'PerlEx 2.0 brings deploying Web services into the realm of the trivial,' said Gurusamy Sarathy, PerlEx Project Lead. 'PerlEx helps web developers publish existing modules as Web services and efficiently dispatch SOAP and XML-RPC requests.' 'Systems should be kept as simple as possible and with PerlEx we can do any integration. From PerlEx we connect to the database, make socket connections to proprietary apps and shell out command line apps. The beauty of this is that we can do it from one language, relatively simply and efficiently thus lowering development cost and time,' said Douglas Anderson, CTO at a US trading firm. PerlEx 2.0 is $395/CPU. Upgrading to PerlEx 2.0 is free for registered users of earlier versions of PerlEx. PerlEx 2.0 is compatible with Windows NT and Windows 2000. ActiveState is the leading provider of open source based programming products and services for cross-platform development. ActiveState's key technologies are Perl, the Internet's most popular programming language; Python and Tcl, user-friendly scripting languages; PHP, the dynamic Web programming language; and XSLT, the XML transformation language. The ActiveState Programmer Network (ASPN) offers these technologies with the latest information and productivity tools, empowering programmers with the freedom to work with their preferred language and development environment."

  • [May 09, 2001] "Borland Unveils Industry's First RAD Web Services Development Platform. Borland Delphi 6 Introduces New RAD Platform for the Rapid Creation Of Web Services Using Latest Industry Standards." - "Borland Software Corporation, a leader in e-business implementation platforms, today announced the availability of Borland Delphi 6, the new version of its rapid application development (RAD) environment for Windows. As the first RAD tool to help developers easily use and create industry standard Web Services, Delphi 6 enables the rapid development and deployment of applications using XML- and SOAP-based Web Services technologies. Delphi 6 Web Services and XML technologies speed e-business by allowing companies to share and exchange application data, such as information about a business, transaction or supplier, over the Internet with minimal human intervention. Delphi 6 is the only RAD environment that fully supports all major emerging industry standards: XML, SOAP, WSDL, and XSL; in turn, supporting emerging Web Services based vendor platforms such as Microsoft .Net and BizTalk, and from Sun Microsystems ONE, while providing the scalability and reliability that enterprise and Web developers require... The new Delphi framework includes BizSnap, WebSnap and DataSnap, which will help users build server-side and client-side applications that support Web Services specifications through a fully integrated set of Web Service enabled visuals tool, advanced compiler technology and re-usable software components. Delphi 6 is designed to enable faster time-to-market by simplifying business-to-business integration... Borland Delphi 6 new product features include: (1) BizSnap Web Services RAD development platform simplifies business-to-business integration by easily creating XML/SOAP Web Services and connections. (2) WebSnap is a component-based Web application development framework that supports leading Web Application Servers, including Apache, Netscape and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS). (3) DataSnap allows customers to build high-performance, Web Service-enabled middleware that enables any client application or service to easily connect with any major database, such as Oracle, MS-SQL Server, Informix, IBM DB2, Sybase and InterBase, through industry standard Web Services and XML, DCOM, or CORBA. In addition, when paired with Borland Kylix, the first native RAD environment for the Linux operating system (OS), Delphi 6 users can build single-source applications for both Windows and Linux, which opens new opportunities and increases the potential return on development investments. Delphi 6 is scheduled to be available this month in three editions: Enterprise, Professional and Personal."

  • [May 08, 2001] "UN/CEFACT and OASIS Meeting Showcases ebXML for Healthcare and B2B." - "The final meeting of the 18-month ebXML initiative, sponsored by UN/CEFACT and OASIS, will feature the most extensive ebXML proof-of-concept yet demonstrated and the first to showcase ebXML's security specification. In Vienna on 9 May 2001, international standards groups, Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), Health Level Seven (HL7), Open Applications Group (OAG), RosettaNet, SWIFT and EDI X12, will team with 28 vendors from around the world to implement the ebXML specifications and demonstrate how ebXML can be used to meet the needs of electronic business today. The demonstration will be part of a week-long ebXML meeting, during which participants are expected to ratify the ebXML specifications and begin the next phase of continued development, implementation and maintenance. The healthcare track of the POC will use HL7 messages and documents as payloads within ebXML transport and routing envelopes. The demo scenario will begin with a patient visit to a physician's office. The office will send a registration message pre-admitting the patient to a hospital for testing. At the hospital, the patient will be examined and lab work will be ordered, the order being transmitted via ebXML to a remote lab. The record of the original patient encounter in the physician's office, plus the registration message, lab order and lab results will be sent to two clinical information portals where the virtual patient record can be collected and accessed. The ebXML POC electronic business track simulates a complete end-to-end B2B transaction, using messages from RosettaNet, OAG, EDI X12, SWIFT and ebXML Core Components. ebXML vendors play the roles of buyer, supplier, registry, marketplace, credit authorization agency and financial institution. The scenario begins with the buyer discovering the seller through the ebXML registry. It then highlights a seller catalogue update through the e-marketplace, followed by the buyer's purchase order request. A request for credit is sent by the e-marketplace to the authorization agency, which responds with an invoice. Following an advance shipment notification, the credit agency transmits messages to the banks of both the buyer and the seller to reflect the completion of the end-to-end business scenario. 'The ability of these 28 vendors to demonstrate ebXML on this scale is a remarkable achievement,' observed Sid Askary of Intalio, ebXML Proof Of Concept Project Team Leader. 'Execution of these complex business and healthcare scenarios and interoperability among so many early adopters is a sign of success for ebXML.' ebXML (www.ebXML.org) is an International Initiative established by UN/CEFACT and OASIS in late 1999 with a mandate to undertake an 18-month program of work to research and identify the technical basis upon which the global implementation of XML (Extensible Markup Language) can be standardized. The goal of ebXML is to facilitate open trade between organizations regardless of size by enabling XML to be used in a consistent manner to exchange electronic business data." See: "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)."

  • [May 08, 2001] "Ipedo Unveils XML Database Breakthrough. First Main-Memory, Native-XML Database Offers Performance Advantage for Leading-Edge Internet and Wireless Applications." - "Ipedo, Inc., a leading provider of software products that ensure rapid delivery of dynamic content over the Internet, today introduced the Ipedo XML Database, a breakthrough product that is the first to combine native-XML information storage and processing with ultra-fast main-memory performance. Used standalone or in conjunction with existing databases and file systems, the Ipedo XML Database can deliver the performance levels required by the new generation of XML-intensive Web services, B2B marketplaces and wireless applications. The Ipedo XML Database simplifies XML content management, enabling e-businesses to achieve the flexibility of a dynamic and reusable XML content infrastructure without sacrificing performance. Specialized XML handling features and core performance allow companies to improve search relevance and style management for large Web sites, enable dynamic B2B portal content assembly and accelerate content customization for wireless devices. The Ipedo XML Database stores XML data natively in its structured hierarchical form, which eliminates the complex process of mapping the XML data tree structure to two-dimensional tables, substantially improving overall performance. Utilizing the W3C's XML query standard XPath, XML document collections can be queried directly in XML syntax. The Ipedo XML Database also contains an XSLT transformation engine that combines data access and transformation in a single step. The all-Java design integrates easily with the leading application servers to speed the development of next generation e-business applications. SOAP, DOM and XPath APIs address the needs of systems integrators, application developers and database administrators. At the core of the Ipedo XML Database is Ipedo's Active Edge architecture, a combination of sophisticated network caching and intelligent main-memory data processing techniques. Optimized for 64-bit systems, large amounts of memory can be directly utilized for processing, resulting in more than a ten-times performance boost with excellent ROI. The Ipedo XML Database is available now for Windows 2000, Windows NT, Sun Solaris and Red Hat Linux. Pricing on a per server basis starts at $50,000." See also (1) "Ipedo Inc. Announces the Ipedo XML Database. Industry's First Dynamic XML Database Accelerates Performance of Web and Wireless Applications", and (2) "XML and Databases."

  • [May 08, 2001] "DataChannel Breaks Through EAI Barrier To Enable a Single Point of Access To Enterprise Applications. New DCS Extension Kit for EAI Unlocks Enterprise Data to Empower Global 2000 Companies to Work Smarter and More Efficiently; Translates Corporate Data into Usable, Accessible Information." - "DataChannel today announced DCS Extension Kit for EAI, an extension to DataChannel Server (DCS) 4.1, that provides organizations the tools for enabling a single point of access to critical enterprise applications and data stores. DCS is an advanced, extensible, open standards-based platform providing a growing cross-section of the world's leading corporations easy access to corporate information from any web-enabled device. According to industry analysts, organizations evaluating portal software should limit their scope to vendors partnering with EAI vendors. With the DCS Extension Kit for EAI, DataChannel provides a unique capability that leverages the strength of existing EAI applications with the personalization and presentation capabilities of the DCS portal platform... The DCS Extension Kit for EAI is a valuable component of DataChannel's open and extensible integration architecture, which is designed to support the integration of DCS with new EAI technologies as they arise. This architecture enables DCS to integrate with any and all platforms that support asynchronous messaging using the publish-subscribe model... DataChannel was the first enterprise portal vendor to leverage XML as a central part of its DataChannel Server's (DCS) open architecture, allowing companies to extend their existing IT investments." See: "Slicing the Enterprise Pie. Portal Developers Partnering With Integration Vendors to Make Software More Transaction-Oriented."

  • [May 08, 2001] "Octopus Ushers in New Class of Solutions for the Extended Enterprise: Revolutionary Meta Applications Multiply Enterprise Application ROI. Meta Applications solve rapidly changing information challenges beyond the scope of enterprise applications and Web services." - "Octopus, Inc., today unveiled its extensible platform for building Meta Applications, a revolutionary new class of applications that meets today's business challenge of quickly garnering relevant, fine-grained data from disparate enterprise applications, legacy systems, data marts, intranets and Internet sources. The Octopus Platform features a flexible interface that non-technical users can employ to intuitively build, customize and share 'Views' of essential information for specific business processes and tasks. Octopus intelligently integrates data on the fly, based on the user's requirements. Knowledge workers can instantly personalize their Octopus Views to access previously unavailable combinations of information at the point of need, making them more insightful, more responsive and better prepared to capitalize on changing market conditions. By extracting latent value from existing technology, Octopus vastly multiplies the return on investments companies have already made in their applications and systems. Through innovative use of standards such as XML and J2EE, the patent-pending Octopus smart-client, smart-server architecture is highly secure and scales to more than one billion transactions per day. Octopus features a unique, non-invasive design that runs a level above the existing, hard-wired enterprise software infrastructure. It deploys quickly and cost-effectively into enterprise environments, avoiding costly back-end integration work and maintaining the security of mission-critical systems. And Octopus' ability to seamlessly incorporate other standards, such as SOAP and UDDI, make it an ideal platform for leveraging the burgeoning portfolio of available Web services...The Octopus Platform launches with pre-built adapters that provide access to enterprise applications-such as Siebel 2000, Microsoft Exchange 2000 and SAP-as well as more than 500 Web-based information sources-such as Moreover and CNET. Octopus adapters link Meta Applications to a wide variety of data sources, such as CRM solutions, ERP applications, financial systems, data marts, EAI solutions, legacy systems and Web resources. Octopus and its Integration Partners can quickly build additional adapters for less common data sources, such as legacy systems and less popular commercial applications." See: "Slicing the Enterprise Pie. Portal Developers Partnering With Integration Vendors to Make Software More Transaction-Oriented."

  • [May 08, 2001] "Education and Tech Leaders Join Forces to SetEducation IT Standards. JES & Co., Intel, Dell, Microsoft, OneNet, SAP Public Services, Inc., EdVISION And Riverdeep Announce Managed Learning System Research and Development Program." - "Leading education and technology organizations today announced their support of the Managed Learning System Research and Development Lab, part of a new vendor-neutral program to set the standards for technology in education. While initially funded by Intel, Dell, Microsoft, OneNet, SAP Public Services, Inc., EdVISION and Riverdeep, the lab is now open to sponsorship and use by other education providers and vendors to ensure interoperability. The Managed Learning System (MLS) is a program of JES & Co., the leading non-profit developer of education technology solutions and integration. 'Schools spend nearly $6 billion a year on information technology and spending is rising dramatically as schools strive to meet new goals of accountability and reporting,' said Diny Golder-Dardis, MLS Program developer and executive director of JES & Co. 'Unfortunately, schools' efforts are often stalled due to the complexity of the systems. The Managed Learning System provides a standards-based framework so that all elements of an educational IT system can communicate and interoperate -- making the entire education system more efficient.' The MLS Program is the only educator-driven initiative to facilitate interoperable IT solutions, independent of vendor, integrator or platform. The educator-run MLS Steering Committee, representing the United States Department of Education, State Departments of Education, higher education, and K-12, will guide development of these standards to address the needs of education. Version 1.0 of the MLS spec is the result of more than three years of integration and prototype development, including the deployment of a fully operational system for the state of Oklahoma. With version 1.0 operating in Oklahoma, the MLS Program will focus on soliciting participation from additional technology and education leaders, revising the current specification and publishing a 2.0 version in 2002. Sponsors and members of the MLS Program have access to the specification while it's in development. The MLS Program includes a hosted Research and Development Lab in Tucson, Arizona; bi-annual member meetings and ongoing Steering Committee and workgroup meetings. The lab is available for sponsors to test and demonstrate their products for interoperability relative to the MLS specification." See the additional information on MLS and XML.

  • [May 08, 2001] "Adoption of IMS Specifications Powers Global Reach of E-learning. IMS 'Content Packaging' specification provides an industry standard platform to expand function, capability of e-learning products." - "IMS, a global consortium of more than 300 educational institutions, commercial entities and government agencies today announced the release of the IMS Content Packaging 1.1 specification that forms the core standard for exchanging e-learning content. 'The specification is important because it represents a single, strong consensus among a large number of organizations for how to package and move many types of learning content,' said Philip Dodds, Chief Architect for the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Co-Laboratory. 'ADL's Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) will include so-called 'applications profiles' for packaging assets, sharable content objects, and content aggregations (courses) in the next release of SCORM. These application profiles are based directly on IMS Content Packaging 1.1. We plan to extend the application of this specification to content repositories later this year,' he said. IMS Content Packaging 1.1 provides the basis for interoperability of learning content across learning management systems and platforms. It is one component of a set of IMS infrastructure specifications that also includes Enterprise, Meta-data, Question and Test Interoperability, Content Management, Competency, and Learner Information Packaging. In development are specifications for Learning Design, Accessibility and Digital Repositories. The Content Packaging specification was developed by a Working Group drawn from the following organizations: ADL, Blackboard, Carnegie Mellon University, Click2Learn.com, Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), Eduprise, Fretwell-Downing, IBM, Microsoft, NETg, the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, Sun Microsystems, and SCT Inc. The IMS Content Packaging specification provides an industry standard platform to expand the function and capability of e-learning products. The IMS Global Learning Consortium develops open technical specifications to support distributed learning. Its mission is to facilitate the delivery of Internet-based distributed learning to all users and all use environments worldwide. All specifications developed by IMS are available free of charge through the IMS web site. IMS is supported by consortium of more than 40 Contributing Members, over 250 '"Developers Network' subscribers, and a worldwide community. Membership in IMS is open to organizations located anywhere in the world who are making a substantial and continuing commitment to the development, evolution and/or use of advanced distributed learning environments. The Contributing Members of IMS include academic, corporate, non-profit, and government organizations... IMS uses XML as its current binding, and XML-Schema as its primary XML control document language. The IMS XML Bindings and the list of IMS specifications are available for download. Some IMS bindings use parts of other IMS XML bindings. For example, the Content Packaging specification uses the IMS Meta-Data. The IMS specifications may also be extended. Both inclusion and extension use namespaces in the XML bindings." See Educom Instructional Management Systems Project (IMS) Metadata Specification.

  • [May 08, 2001] "Vordel's TalkXML to support Trust Infrastructure management standard - XKMS." - "Vordel, a leading provider of solutions for secure business communications today announced that future releases of its TalkXML product will support the XML key management specification (XKMS). Vordel is the leader in the development of secure xml-based applications that interoperate with all of the leading public key infrastructures worldwide. XKMS is designed to simplify application development by providing an XML-based framework for digital certificate verification. This framework is suitable for use in a web services architecture in which digital certificate processing is performed on a server optimized for cryptography, and accessed through the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) protocol. Chief Technology Officer at Vordel, Mark O'Neill, explained. 'Vordel has pioneered the development of secure XML-based data transactions and this latest advancement simplifies the integration of security solutions. Because TalkXML is standards based and supports all of the leading PKI solutions our product will be able to interoperate with certificates from any vendor and thus provide customers with a complete solution for the verification and management of certificates from any of their trading partners,' continued O'Neill. XKMS provides a sound framework for the verification of a user's digital certificate identity, according to Derek O'Carroll, VP of Business Development at Vordel. 'Providing this framework for trust will facilitate the provision of interoperable, trusted, Web-based products and services that are based on XML,' O'Carroll said. 'The ability for different companies to communicate securely over the Internet with or without human intervention is the key to successful inter-enterprise integration.' The TalkXML suite from Vordel easily facilitates secure data transmission using digital certificates over public or private networks, and between new and existing systems. TalkXML immediately raises the bottom line of any business by allowing existing systems and people to communicate securely using XML. TalkXML secures business communications, and extracts additional value from existing IT infrastructures by allowing inter-enterprise integration." See also from 2001-04-30: "Vordel announces world first for secure wireless XML transactions." On XKMS, see: "XML Key Management Specification (XKMS)."

  • [May 03, 2001] "UDDI Business Registry Goes Live. Hewlett-Packard to Become Registry Operator." - "The Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) project today announced that its global Business Registry is fully operational, marking the successful completion of live beta testing. Now supporting production-class operations, the UDDI public Business Registry is a cornerstone of Web services architecture because it enables businesses to register and discover Web services via the Internet. The launch is a milestone for the fast-growing UDDI project, which has expanded from an initial 36 companies in September 2000 to more than 260 community members today. The UDDI Business Registry is a global, public, online directory that gives businesses a uniform way to describe their services, discover other companies' services, and understand the methods necessary to conduct e-business with a particular company. A key element of the infrastructure that makes Web services a reality, the UDDI Business Registry is an implementation of the UDDI version 1 specification. Building on the UDDI momentum, Hewlett-Packard Co. has signed an agreement to become a UDDI Business Registry operator, along with IBM Corp. and Microsoft Corp. The existence of multiple operators helps ensure that global registry information is always available and accessible to all users everywhere. Hewlett-Packard expects to go live as an operator by the end of the year [2001]... The UDDI Community continues to work on enhanced versions of the UDDI specification. The version 2 specification is nearing completion: It is in review by the UDDI Community and should be made public within the next 60 days. The growth of the UDDI Community benefits the scope and maturity of the UDDI specifications. UDDI is a community of more than 260 business and technology leaders committed to the acceleration and broadening of business-to-business (B2B) integration and commerce through the Internet. The UDDI specification uses XML to provide businesses with a uniform way to describe their services, discover other companies' services, and understand the methods necessary to conduct e-business with a particular company. The UDDI Community expects to turn the UDDI specification over to a standards organization after the next two versions are released." See "Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI)." [Announcement from Microsoft]

  • [May 03, 2001] "OASIS Forms Technical Committee to Standardize Election Services Using XML. International XML Interoperability Consortium Begins Work on Election Markup Language (EML)." - "OASIS, the XML interoperability consortium, announced the formation of a new technical committee to standardize the exchange of election and voter services information using XML. The new OASIS technical committee will develop the Election Markup Language (EML), an XML specification for the structured interchange of data among hardware, software and service vendors who provide election or voter services to public or private organizations... Government elections are just one aspect of EML. The OASIS specification will also support private elections, such as those held by publicly traded corporations, trade associations, labor unions, pension funds, credit unions and not-for-profit organizations. Accenture, election.com and Microsoft represent founding sponsor members of the new OASIS Election and Voter Services Technical Committee. The Office of the e-Envoy, UK Government; the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES); and the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) in the United States, among other governmental and non-governmental organizations around the world, will also participate, providing expert input and analysis on election technology and procedures. The committee plans to address a wide range of functionality in the EML specification. The development work will include voter registration, dues collection, change of address tracking, citizen/membership credentialing, redistricting, requests for absentee/expatriate ballots, election calendaring, polling place management, election notification, ballot delivery and tabulation, election results reporting and demographics." See the earlier call for participation, and in general: "XML and Voting (Ballots, Elections, Polls).".

  • [May 03, 2001] "World Wide Web Consortium Issues XML Schema as a W3C Recommendation. Two Years of Development Produces Comprehensive Solution for XML Vocabularies." - The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has issued XML Schema as a W3C Recommendation. "XML Schemas define shared markup vocabularies, the structure of XML documents which use those vocabularies, and provide hooks to associate semantics with them. A W3C Recommendation indicates that a specification is stable, contributes to Web interoperability, and has been reviewed by the W3C Membership, who are in favor of supporting its adoption by academic, industry, and research communities. By bringing datatypes to XML, XML Schema increases XML's power and utility to the developers of electronic commerce systems, database authors and anyone interested in using and manipulating large volumes of data on the Web. By providing better integration with XML Namespaces, it makes it easier than it has ever been to define the elements and attributes in a namespace, and to validate documents which use multiple namespaces defined by different schemas. XML Schema introduces new levels of flexibility that may accelerate the adoption of XML for significant industrial use. For example, a schema author can build a schema that borrows from a previous schema, but overrides it where new unique features are needed. This principle, called inheritance, is similar to the behavior of Cascading Style Sheets, and allows the user to develop XML Schemas that best suit their needs, without buidling an entirely new vocabulary from scratch. XML Schema allows the author to determine which parts of a document may be validated, or identify parts of a document where a schema may apply. XML Schema also provides a way for users of ecommerce systems to choose which XML Schema they use to validate elements in a given namespace, thus providing better assurance in ecommerce transactions and greater security against unauthorized changes to validation rules. Further, as XML Schema are XML documents themselves, they may be managed by XML authoring tools, or through XSLT. W3C, with the University of Edinburgh has co-developed XSV, the XML Schema Validator. The validator has been revised at each stage of XML Schema development and now provides validation against the XML Schema Recommendation. In addition, W3C invites developers to send in sample schemas for a test suite library, to be reviewed and managed by the W3C XML Schema Working Group. The working group roster reads as a who's who of information technology leaders in research and industry. The members include: Academia Sinica; Altova GmbH; ArborText, Inc; Bootstrap Alliance and LSU; Calico Commerce; Commerce One; Contivo; Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA); Defense Logistics Information Service; DevelopMentor; Distributed Systems Technology Centre (DSTC Pty Ltd); Graphic Communications Association; Health Level Seven; Hewlett Packard Company; IBM; Informix; Intel; Lexica LLC; Lotus Development Corporation; Microsoft Corporation; Microstar; MITRE; Mozquito Technology; NCR; Oracle Corp.; Progress Software; Rational Software; SAP AG; Software AG; Sun Microsystems; TIBCO Software; University of Edinburgh; webMethods, Inc; Xerox; and XMLSolutions. Many are committed to current and future product support for the XML Schema Recommendation." See details in the discussion.

  • [April 28, 2001] "Industry Leaders Join Forces to Build the Wireless Village initiative. The Mobile Instant Messaging and Presence Services Initiative Founded by Ericsson, Motorola, and Nokia." - "Ericsson, Motorola, and Nokia announced today they have established Wireless Village, the Mobile Instant Messaging and Presence (IMPS) initiative, to define and promote a set of universal specifications for mobile instant messaging and presence services and create a community of supporters. The specifications will be used for exchanging messages and presence information between mobile devices, mobile services and Internet-based instant messaging services. The protocol will be optimized for the requirements of mobile devices and wireless networks. The Wireless Village initiative is open to participation from industry supporters interested in providing early comments on and building interoperable implementations of these specifications. User participation in the use of chat and other instant messaging services with mobile devices (e.g., phones, pagers, PDAs) is limited by the lack of a common and interoperable solution for the mobile world. Providing a mobile solution requires addressing the many challenging requirements such as the widely varying capabilities of mobile devices. Instant message delivery services enable users to send various types of messages that are delivered in real time. Instant messaging is rapidly evolving to include rich multimedia content, such as audio and video clips and images with traditional text messaging. Presence services provide a system for sharing personal information about the user's status, (e.g., on-line, off-line, busy), location (home, work), and the moods of their friends and colleagues (happy, angry). Presence services will allow users to subscribe to presence such as listings of which friends and colleagues are currently online. In addition, these services will allow users to participate in private or public chat rooms with search capabilities. Ultimately network operators will be able to provide meeting and conferencing type of services with shared content. The Wireless Village initiative will deliver an architectural specification, protocol specifications, as well as test specifications and tools for mobile IMPS. The initiative will also define procedures and tools for testing conformance and interoperability of mobile instant messaging and presence services. The instant messaging specification will be based on prevalent bearer protocols and other well-adapted standards, such as SMS (Short Messaging Services), MMS (Multimedia Messaging Services), WAP (Wireless Application Protocol), SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), and XML (Extensible Markup Language). This service will include security capabilities for user authentication, secure message transfer and access control. Operators will find these specifications applicable to both existing 2G, new 2.5G (e.g., GPRS), as well as emerging 3G wireless network technologies." See the larger discussion. On XML (Instant) Messaging, see also [1] Common Profile for Instant Messaging (CPIM); [2] Jabber XML Protocol; [3] WAP Wireless Markup Language Specification; [4] "MessageML"; [5] "XML Messaging Specification (XMSG)". [source]

  • [April 25, 2001] "Sun Unveils Project JXTA. Internet Visionary Bill Joy Gives Next Generation Network Computing Technology to Open Source Community." - "In a Webcast today [April 25, 2001], Sun Microsystems unveiled Project JXTA as a prototype, next-generation network computing research project that will enable easy access to peers and resources on the rapidly emerging, multi-dimensional, 'expanded Web.' Sun also launched jxta.org, an Open Source project where developers can collaborate to evolve Project JXTA and create innovative, distributed services and applications that allow users to naturally and quickly find, get, and use information. As more and more content and resources migrate to the Web, it's getting difficult and time consuming to naturally access information stored on multiple networks and across disparate platforms. The initial release of Project JXTA is a cross-platform Java technology-based implementation, and Sun has initiated a community project to develop a C implementation. 'Project JXTA fulfills a vision I've had for 25 years," said Bill Joy, Sun's chief scientist and co-founder. "I wanted a computing model based on the systems approach from UNIX platforms, the object-oriented, portable code capabilities from Java technology, and the universal syntax for describing portable data from XML. So, we started Project JXTA, which has become a platform independent, language agnostic, Open Source technology to enable new and innovative distributed applications.'..." See the Technical Specification for some XML implementation details.

  • [April 25, 2001] "RosettaNet Enables UDDI Universal Business Registry for Trading Partners in the High-Technology Industry. Consortium Registers Partner Interface Processes(PIPs) to Facilitate Discovery and Management of Online Relationships." - "RosettaNet today announced the registration of 83 RosettaNet business process standards within the UDDI Universal Business Registry, making RosettaNet one of the largest contributors of e-business process standards to UDDI thus far. This registration effort seeks to simplify the registration and discovery of e-business processes by and between companies using RosettaNet standards to transact business across the supply chain. An e-business registry specification serves an important function and is most commonly referred to as an electronic version of the Yellow, Green and White Pages. A universal registry structure allows companies to register the attributes of their e-business environment: who they are, how to find them and the types of electronic business relationships they can support. It is a focused way to discover partners and determine their capabilities, regardless of industry or geography. Assuming both partners are speaking the same language, they can also choose to begin a 'plug and play' e-business relationship... This announcement is among the first in a series of cross-industry XML standards initiatives from RosettaNet, the leader in global e-business process standards for the Information Technology (IT), Electronic Components (EC), and Semiconductor Manufacturing (SM) industries. A coalition of 260 plus business and technology leaders are facilitating the development and deployment of an open, Internet-based Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) specification. UDDI is an important building block in enabling businesses to quickly, easily and dynamically find and transact business with one another using the electronic business processes they support... RosettaNet views the UDDI initiative as a complementary enabler to RosettaNet's business process standards in the high-technology industry. Part of the information captured during the registration process includes the specific business processes and protocols supported by each participating company. By registering as a RosettaNet-capable trading partner, along with the specific RosettaNet PIP versions supported, UDDI can be used as a convenient way for companies in the IT, EC and SM supply chain to discover each other and their capabilities. RosettaNet is encouraging its partners to register with UDDI to speed connectivity between RosettaNet-enabled trading partners, lower the cost of e-business discovery and integration, and facilitate and simplify the set-up of supply chain relationships, especially with small- and mid-size trading partners..." See (1) "Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI)" and (2) "RosettaNet."

  • [April 25, 2001] "RosettaNet to Support Messaging Services Specification Developed by ebXML Initiative. Universal Messaging Service Complements RosettaNet's Vertical e-Business Process Standards." - "RosettaNet today announced its intent to support the ebXML Messaging Service Specification for the secure transfer, routing and packaging (TRP) of electronic information. Future releases of RosettaNet's Implementation Framework (RNIF), which serves as a guide for e-business process development and implementation, will include support for the ebXML Messaging Service Specification, in an effort to achieve interoperability goals across industries. A messaging service standard typically specifies how information or an e-business transaction is physically packaged, transferred and routed securely via the Internet. As an underlying communication protocol, a single messaging service standard can be used universally, regardless of industry or geography, to transport electronic information between trading partners. This announcement is among the first in a series of cross-industry XML standards cross-industry initiatives from RosettaNet, the leader in global e-business process standards for the Information Technology (IT), Electronic Components (EC) and Semiconductor Manufacturing (SM) industries. ebXML was established by UN/CEFACT, a United Nations body tasked with facilitating international trade and developing technical solutions for electronic business. OASIS, an international not-for- profit consortium promotes the open, collaborative development of interoperability specifications based on XML. In support of convergence at the messaging service level, RosettaNet has formed an architecture team, headed by Dr. Arvola Chan, a principal architect on loan to RosettaNet by TIBCO Software Inc., a RosettaNet partner... RosettaNet has surveyed the XML-related standards space and, as a service to the industry, has developed a conceptual model that not only defines the components required for B2B business connectivity, but also enables the comparison of horizontal and vertical XML standards efforts using nine distinct layers. RosettaNet's presentation, XML Standards Components and Convergence: A RosettaNet Perspective and supporting documentation is available on its Web site." See (1) "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)" and (2) "RosettaNet."

  • [April 25, 2001] "XML Completes First Proof-of-Concept Demo for Draft Enrollment Schema. Breakthrough for Employers, Insurance Carriers and Plan Administrators." - "The HR-XML Consortium successfully completed the first 'proof-of-concept' demonstration using the Consortium's draft employee benefits enrollment schema. The Consortium's enrollment schema is a full-featured specification capable of supporting enrollment in a comprehensive range of benefit programs, including health and retirement plans, flexible spending accounts, and dental and vision plans. The demonstration showed the ease and flexibility of using industry-standard XML to transmit HRIS-sourced enrollment data to insurance carriers. The Consortium's Benefits Enrollment Workgroup presented the demonstration at the 2001 Conference of the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI). HR-XML members participating in the demonstration included representatives of Employease, Hewitt Associates, BenefitsXML, and eBenX. 'Today, insurance carriers and third-party benefits administrators often have their own specifications for accepting employee enrollment from external systems or they use EDI formats,' said Elizabeth O'Neal, Director of Professional Services at Employease, Inc., and leader of the HR-XML Benefits Enrollment Group. 'The proof-of-concept demonstration shows that the Consortium's enrollment specification can provide a robust, but easy-to-implement means of connecting employers and third-party administrators with insurance carriers and other benefit plan providers,' according to O'Neal. The 'proof-of-concept' demonstration illustrated how industry-standard XML can be leveraged to bring HRIS-sourced data in conformance with the EDI transaction sets mandated under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The data output from the demonstration was certified as HIPAA-compliant using the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission's (EHNAC's) Standard Transaction Format Compliance System. The HR-XML Consortium is now among the organizations recognized by EHNAC as capable of producing HIPAA-compliant transactions. 'Although the Consortium's enrollment schema provides a ready path to the HIPAA-mandated EDI transaction sets, that is only one of the advantages of the specification,' explained Lon Pilot, a Systems Consultant with Watson Wyatt Worldwide, and the Chairman of the HR-XML Consortium. 'The HR-XML enrollment specification's 'single view' of enrollment data will provide employers and third-party administrators a new level of power and flexibility in managing benefit programs,' according to Pilot. The Consortium expects to release the approved version of the enrollment specification in October 2001." See: "HR-XML Consortium."

  • [April 24, 2001] "RosettaNet Provides Industry Perspective on XML Standards Components and Convergence." - "RosettaNet, a leader in global e-business process standards for the information technology (IT), electronic components (EC) and semiconductor manufacturing (SM) industries, today made public its industry perspective on both horizontal and vertical XML initiatives, including standards components and convergence. In its continuing leadership role, RosettaNet has attempted to clearly define the current state of e-business standards development and provide a context for the various industry efforts underway. Although many of the XML initiatives today are complementary, the sheer number of XML standards efforts is leading to confusion amongst implementers and key decision makers alike. To provide a clearer understanding in the industry, RosettaNet has developed a conceptual model for defining the layers of XML standards required to support B2B integration between trading partners across supply chains. To strengthen RosettaNet's perspective, the conceptual model was developed using input from a diverse group of respected business and technology leaders, both inside and outside the RosettaNet community. In support of its ongoing convergence goals, RosettaNet has also highlighted a number of horizontal XML standards and identified the specific layers that the respective standards efforts are focused on. Using the conceptual model and snapshot of various XML initiatives, it becomes easier to identify efforts that are complementary as well as areas where possible overlap -- and thus convergence opportunities -- exist. RosettaNet's presentation, XML Standards Components and Convergence: A RosettaNet Perspective and supporting documentation are available on its Web site. As a follow up to RosettaNet's discussion on standards components and convergence, the consortium plans to make several announcements on related activities later in the week. RosettaNet is an independent, non-profit consortium dedicated to the collaborative development and rapid deployment of open Internet-based business standards that align processes within the global high-technology trading network. More than 400 companies representing more than $1 trillion in annual information technology, electronic components and semiconductor manufacturing revenues currently participate in RosettaNet's standards development, strategy and implementation activities." See "RosettaNet."

  • [April 24, 2001] "OASIS Forms Technical Committee to Standardize Security Access Control with XML. Interoperability Consortium to Develop XACML." - "OASIS, the XML interoperability consortium, announced the formation of a new technical committee to standardize security access control using XML. The new OASIS eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML) Technical Committee will define an XML specification for expressing policies for information access over the Internet. XACML will define the representation for rules that specify the who, what, when and how of information access, explained Simon Y. Blackwell of Psoom, chair of the OASIS XACML Technical Committee. Access control, which is often called "rights management" or "entitlement management," determines who can look at something, what they can do with it, the type of device they can look at it on, etc.' Said Karl Best, OASIS director of technical operations: 'Security is a very broad area for XML development -- there are many aspects of security that interrelate. This new OASIS XACML Technical Committee will work in parallel with the existing OASIS Security Services group, which is concerned primarily with authorization and authentication issues. Both technical committees are committed to coordinating their efforts with each other and with other security initiatives in progress.' Global and inclusive in scope, XACML will bring together and build on access control specification work already under way worldwide, including XACL from IBM in Japan and XML-AC from the Department of Information Technology at the University of Milan, Italy. Initial members of the OASIS XACML Technical Committee include OASIS sponsors, Baltimore Technologies, CrossLogix, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Jamcracker, Oblix, Reuters, Sun Microsystems and webMethods. Other companies and individuals are encouraged to participate in the XACML work by joining OASIS." See the OASIS TC Call for Participation and the topic "XML Access Control Language (XACL)."

  • [April 19, 2001] "Printing Industries of America (PIA) Board Agrees to Graphic Communications Association (GCA) Spin Off. David J. Steinhardt New Chief Operating Officer of GCA." - "The Printing Industries of America (PIA), Incorporated Board of Directors has agreed to spin off its Special Industry Group, the Graphic Communications Association (GCA), as an independent association, effective on June 30. This decision sets in motion the process to allow GCA to establish itself as a separate 501(C) 6 association with the transfer of assets into the organization's own accounts, from under the umbrella of PIA authority. The transfer of funds will take place June 30. For the immediate future, GCA will continue to lease office space in the PIA headquarters building in Alexandria, VA. As an independent entity, GCA will continue its core mission of cross-industry coordination and communication, representing print media publishers and vendors, and expand its role in information technology and the need for information interoperability and standards in print and electronic mediums. This amicable spin off further allows GCA to enhance its representation of traditional print media industries, and to further develop its representation of information technology industries, particularly as it relates to the Extensible Markup Language (XML). GCA and PIA will continue to cooperate in many areas, including commercial standards and eCommerce. 'In recent years, GCA has become the dominant provider of programs dealing with XML. This has changed GCA's traditional focus from print media to electronic media,' said Randy Camp, PIA Chairman and President of Walton Graphics Media of Monroe, Georgia. 'PIA has determined it will be in the best interest of both organizations to form a new relationship which will give GCA greater flexibility in serving its markets while preserving access by PIA members to GCA's print-media programs on a preferential basis'." Note: the Printing Industries of America web site has become part of the Graphic Arts Information Network (GAIN).

  • [April 19, 2001] "Financial Products Markup Language Readies for Cross-Firm Deployment. OTC Derivatives Trading Standard Reduces Costs, Broadens Markets." - "Financial products Markup Language, the e-commerce standard supporting OTC trading of financial derivatives, will be used across firms by the middle of the year, delegates to the FpML Spring Forum were told today. In the keynote address, Tim Fredrickson, UBS Warburg's Managing Director and Global Head of Fixed Income Derivatives said, 'using FpML to support trading between institutions represents a major step in the standard's evolution. Ultimately it will allow electronic integration of a range of services from electronic trading and confirmation to portfolio specification for risk analysis. 'Each OTC instrument is a unique document,' Mr. Fredrickson said. 'Each one must be checked and counterchecked, and the cost of processing them is estimated at $1 billion annually. This high cost effectively shuts smaller firms out of the market,' he said. 'By dramatically reducing the processing costs, FpML will open the market to new players, increase competition and become part of the everyday management of financial and trading institutions.' The first firm expected to deploy FpML externally is SwapsWire, a collaborative venture within the interest rate derivatives community. The company, an active participant in the non-profit FpML consortium, recently stated that the XML-based FpML standard is seen as a vehicle supporting its business objectives. The FpML Spring Forum includes updates on the standard and presentations on its use and future direction. Breakout sessions cover proprietary vs. industry financial standards, solutions for straight-through processing, XML tools and details on FpML activities regarding interest rate derivatives products and equity derivatives/FX products. FpML.org is a consortium comprised of financial, technology and consulting firms. The standard is freely licensed and is intended to automate the flow of information across the entire derivatives partner network, independent of the underlying software or hardware infrastructure supporting activities related to these transactions Organizations actively participating in the FpML standard include: Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Citigroup, Credit Suisse First Boston, Deutsche Bank, Mizuho Capital Markets Corporation, Goldman Sachs, International Business Machines, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Reuters, SunGard Trading and Risk Systems, SwapsWire, S.W.I.F.T., and UBS Warburg." See "Financial Products Markup Language (FpML)."

  • [April 17, 2001] "Microsoft BizTalk Server 2000 to Support RosettaNet XML Standard. ASUS Speeds Deployment of Supply Chain Integration Through BizTalk Server Accelerator for RosettaNet." - "Today at the RosettaNet Partner Conference in Anaheim, Calif., Microsoft Corp., one of the founding members of the RosettaNet consortium, announced the Microsoft BizTalk Server Accelerator for RosettaNet. The second accelerator for BizTalk Server 2000 that Microsoft has announced in the past two months, it will provide the software adapters and server platform needed to rapidly implement RosettaNet solutions that will integrate applications and supply chain partners and enable the orchestration of complex, collaborative business processes. 'Alleviating the integration problems of the high-tech industry's value chain is our primary objective, and the BizTalk Server Accelerator for RosettaNet is a welcome solution in helping bring that vision to fruition,' said Jennifer Hamilton, CEO of RosettaNet. 'This solution demonstrates Microsoft's continued leadership role in helping develop and drive XML-based standards such as RosettaNet and implementing solutions that will empower businesses across industries.' The BizTalk Server Accelerator for RosettaNet is a set of tools and technical resources that augments the functionality of BizTalk Server 2000 to significantly reduce the amount of time and resources required to build, deploy and manage RosettaNet solutions. The BizTalk Server Accelerator for RosettaNet includes the following: (1) RosettaNet Implementation Framework (RNIF) 1.1 parser for BizTalk Server 2000. This allows BizTalk Server 2000 to 'speak' RosettaNet. (2) Prebuilt Partner Interface Processes (PIP). A collection of the most commonly used Partner Interface Processes prebuilt for BizTalk Server 2000 allows developers and IT professionals to quickly integrate their applications and trading partners into a RosettaNet solution. (3) PIP tools. A template-based resource for building any of the over 80 PIPs allows developers and IT professionals to very easily build any of the PIPs they need for their RosettaNet solution. (4) PIP unit tester. This allows developers and IT professionals to easily test their RosettaNet implementations. (5) Comprehensive documentation and samples. These shorten the learning curve for developers and IT professionals building RosettaNet solutions. The BizTalk Server Accelerator for RosettaNet will be available this summer [2001]. Pricing and licensing details have not yet been released. More information on BizTalk Server 2000 and the additional BizTalk Server accelerators can be found online."

  • [April 17, 2001] "World Wide Web Consortium Grows to Over 500 Members. Organizations from 34 Countries Lead the Web to its Full Potential." - "The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) today announced that it now has over 500 member organizations, representing industry, research, government, citizens groups, and other organizations committed to the development of the Web and its universality, from over 30 countries. Nearly six and one-half years ago, W3C was formed by Tim Berners-Lee as the place for both the design and standardization of components of Web architecture. At that time, in 1994, the Web was in danger of fragmentation; it was at W3C that competing interests met, discussed, and had to work together. Now, every Web developer knows about HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS); it is at W3C that these and many core Web technologies came to be. As of today, over 500 organizations have committed to membership in the W3C. This is in addition to the countless Invited Experts who have given time and lent their expertise to the development of 26 W3C Recommendations. They come to W3C because it is the place where the work is done, and the Web of the future is being built today, including work on the Semantic Web, XML Protocol, and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)... One of W3C's primary goals is to make these benefits available to all people, whatever their hardware, software, network infrastructure, native language, culture, geographical location, or physical or mental ability. To this end, W3C's efforts in Internationalization, Device Independence, Voice Browser, and its Web Accessibility Initiative all illustrate our commitment to universal access. W3C has three hosts, each of which has technical experts who lead or oversee the work done in 22 W3C's Activities. These hosts are, in order of their joining: MIT in the USA, INRIA in France, and Keio University in Japan. Over 65 people work for W3C worldwide; this makes W3C unique amongst standards bodies, in that these are largely technical staff. In addition, a number of countries have established W3C Offices in order to promote international involvement in Web development and in W3C. These local points of contact help ensure that W3C and its specifications are known in those countries. Each Office works with its regional Web community to develop participation in W3C Activities." See the W3C Member List.

  • [April 11, 2001] "JDF Specification, Version 1.0 Officially Released by CIP4 and Immediately Available on the CIP4 Web Site. JDF Defines New Paradigm for Increased Automation and Integrated Supply Chain Workflow." - "The International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) today [04/10] announced the release of version 1.0 of the Job Definition Format (JDF) specification. JDF, an emerging standard for the graphic arts market, administered by CIP4, is an XML-based print workflow specification. As an open standard, JDF will benefit print buyers and print service providers by simplifying the job specification process, by ensuring cross-vendor system communication, and by automating many of today's manual production processes with a flexible, universal Job Ticket (JDF). The specification is available immediately. Collaborative support for JDF by technology vendors, hardware manufacturers, eCommerce vendors, print production companies, and others involved in printed communication is expected to enable efficient end-to-end print supply chain workflow. JDF promises to integrate authoring, production, management, manufacturing, delivery and MIS control. This will allowing system and software developers to extend existing high performance systems, to develop new, highly-configurable systems and to create a new level of process integration in the industry. eCommerce companies will be able to directly integrate this production workflow into print management systems, accessible via online web sites. End users can look forward to more cost-effective workflow automation. "This collaborative effort on JDF brings together key players in the printing industry and validates the role of open, robust workflow standards towards realizing new supply chain efficiencies," said George Cacioppo, Vice President of Internet Printing, Adobe Systems Incorporated..." See the discussion.

  • [April 04, 2001] "XML DevCon Features ebXML Proof-of-Concept. BEA Systems, Bowstreet, Commerce One, Contivo, Documentum, Fujitsu, IBM, Killdara, Netfish/Iona, Schemantix, Sun Microsystems, TIE and XML Global Implement Latest ebXML Specifications in Proof-of-Concept Demo." - "Software vendors from around the world will come together to demonstrate ebXML at the XML DevCon conference in New York City on 10-April-2001. BEA Systems, Bowstreet, Commerce One, Contivo, Documentum, Fujitsu, IBM, Killdara, Netfish/Iona, Schemantix, Sun Microsystems, TIE and XML Global will together simulate a global, electronic business trading network using publicly available ebXML specifications for Messaging, Trading Partner Agreements and Registry Repository. UN/CEFACT and OASIS, sponsors of ebXML, point to this demonstration as proof of the stability of the ebXML specifications, all of which are now in the quality review process for final ratification in May 2001. 'XML DevCon will be a great opportunity for anyone involved in electronic commerce to witness ebXML in action,' stated Klaus-Dieter Naujok of Netfish Technologies, chair of ebXML and member of the UN/CEFACT Steering Group. 'These 13 vendors represent the thousands of participants from companies and organizations worldwide who have put so much effort into developing the ebXML specifications.' 'As we near completion of our 18-month initiative, we're seeing a tremendous response from the community for ebXML-compliant products,' said Bill Smith of Sun Microsystems, member of the ebXML executive committee and a president of the OASIS Board of Directors. 'ebXML vendors appreciate that the demand is there, and this demonstration is an important milestone on the road to delivery.' Attendees of XML DevCon will take a step-by-step tour of how ebXML can be used to dynamically formulate trading partnerships through a registry service and exchange electronic business transactions with a consistent XML-based messaging infrastructure. The ebXML demonstration in New York will feature actual payloads from the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) -- although ebXML can be used to exchange any type of business transactions. In addition to the 13 vendors participating in the XML One conference, Interwoven and Cisco provided software for the ebXML demonstration. NTT Communications, Savvion, Sterling Commerce, Viquity and XMLSolutions also were instrumental in the proof-of-concept development." See "Electronic Business XML Initiative (ebXML)."

  • [April 04, 2001] "OpenGIS (OGC) Reaches Key Milestone in Development of a Geography Markup Language Specification to Enable Interoperable Web Mapping. OGC Releases GML, a Key Milestone in Interoperable Web Mapping " - "OGC (Open GIS Consortium) announces the release of Geography Markup Language version 2.0 (GML), a significant milestone in the development of interoperable architectures for the use of spatial information between commercial applications. The progress of GML 2.0 is an example of the growing momentum for the acceptance and use of OGC specifications around the world. GML represents one of the most visible steps taken by the geospatial community towards the vision of widespread spatial interoperability. The GML specification defines the features and syntax needed to encode geographic information in XML. The XML encoding described in the GML specification is intended to enable the transport and storage of geographic information, including both properties and geometry of geographic features. The GML specification was collaboratively developed by OGC members from the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. The OGC membership is excited by the speed at which this XML-based encoding standard has moved from its beginnings in Web Mapping Testbed I, to a recommendation paper, and finally to a version that was ready for review by the OGC membership. The OGC Technical Committee voted unanimously to approve version 2 of the GML specification. By their vote, GML 2.0 will now be adopted as an implementation specification for public access. Even with the specification still awaiting final approval, GML 2.0 has been accepted widely by commercial and government organizations... The United Kingdom's Ordnance Survey has shown great interest in GML and notes on their website: 'Following extensive consultation we can confirm that it is our intention to produce all DNF data in GML format.' In addition, the Netherlands Society for Earth Observation and Geo-informatics (KvAG) have organized a 'GML Relay' in June to explore the movement of GML data through several vendor's software implementations. OGC is confident that other data focused organizations will follow suit, greatly enhancing the data directly useable to researchers, scientists, students and the general public... OGC, an international consortium of more than 200 corporations, agencies and universities, coordinates collaborative development of OpenGIS Specifications and collaborative business development to support full integration of geospatial data and geoprocessing resources into mainstream computing." See "Geography Markup Language (GML)."

  • [April 04, 2001] "OGC Releases a Request for Technology for a Major Web Services Initiative." - "OGC, Inc. (the Open GIS Consortium) today [March 28, 2001] announced the release of a Request for Technology (RFT) for a major OGC Web Services Initiative. The RFT is available at http://ip.opengis.org/ows/index.html. Responses to this RFT, along with financial commitments from sponsor organizations will help determine the focus areas that are undertaken as part of this initiative scheduled to commence in September 2001. OGC Web Services are envisioned as an evolutionary, standards-based framework that will enable seamless integration of a variety of online geoprocessing and location services. OGC Web Services will allow distributed geoprocessing systems to communicate with each other using technologies such as XML and HTTP. OGC Web Services will provide a vendor-neutral interoperable framework for web-based discovery, access, integration, analysis, exploitation and visualization of multiple online geodata sources, sensor-derived information, and geoprocessing and location capabilities... The OGC Web Services Initiative RFT provides details on several proposed focus areas, [including] (1) 3D / 4D - will extend OGC's [XML-based] Geographic Markup Language (GML), Simple Feature Access, and Web Feature Server specifications, with the goal of bringing time, topology, and more complex geometric representation capabilities into these OGC data access and manipulation services; (2) Sensor Web - will produce open specifications for information gathering from distributed, heterogeneous, dynamic information sensors, and Web resources through common gateways and interfaces ('Ask it, task it, see it'). Sensor Web will result in common interfaces (and an XML-based Sensor Markup Language) for managing sensor information and metadata independent of application. One goal is transparent integration of data from earth imaging platforms and ground collection systems (e.g., water quality monitoring, space-based imaging, GPS correction stations, etc.)..." Also in PDF format. See "Geography Markup Language (GML)."

  • [April 04, 2001] "SoftQuad Software Releases XMetaL 2.1 With Support For Unicode." - "SoftQuad Software, Ltd., an internationally recognized developer of XML-enabling technologies and e-commerce solutions, today announced the availability of SoftQuad XMetaL 2.1, which adds transparent Unicode-conformant editing and display capabilities to the award-winning XML content creation solution. With Unicode support, companies can now develop XMetaL authoring applications that allow users to easily create XML content in any left-to-right language. In addition, those with multilingual content requirements can now share XML documents internationally, ensuring the accuracy of the information exchanged between systems using different languages, such as German, Russian and Japanese. 'Unicode is an international standard that has been adopted by industry leaders, such as IBM, Microsoft and Oracle,' said Roberto Drassinower, CEO of SoftQuad. 'SoftQuad's implementation of Unicode underscores our commitment to global e-business, providing the functionality required by our multinational customers for enterprise-wide deployments. This release substantially increases new market opportunities for XMetaL around the world.' SoftQuad XMetaL is an advanced content creation platform that enables developers to quickly design intuitive interfaces that allow any person within an organization to create and work with XML content directly, thus eliminating the cost associated with document conversion. XMetaL can be seamlessly integrated into content management and other e-business applications. XMetaL 2.1 provides the following Unicode support and features: (1) Transparent Unicode-conformant display and editing behaviors, (2) UTF-8 and UTF-16 encoding in conformance with Unicode 3.0 for all left-to-right languages, (3) Unicode support in both the main document window and in the customizable interface elements - menu items, toolbar names, etc. - as well as the macro script editing interface." See also the FAQ document.

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