This entry not yet adequately updated. It reflects the status of the SGML Project in 1992. Subsequently (mid 1994), funding has been withdrawn, so that maintenance of the archived data and support of maining list(s) is uncertain.
See the entries for the SGML Project FTP server and mail server.
In November, 1990, a two-year project was awarded by the UK Information Systems Committee (formerly the Computer Board for Universities and Research Councils) to the University of Exeter to evaluate SGML products for use in UK Universities and Research Council establishments. The project staff are now located within the University's Computer Unit and the project is directed by Paul Ellison, a member of the relevant ISO working committee and a long-time proponent of SGML. The aims of the project are: (1) to investigate commercial products and review them for possible use in the UK Academia; (2) to investigate the current use of SGML within and without Academia; (3) to assess possible requirements for SGML systems in UK Academia; (4) to investigate the required utilities (e.g., editors, translators, formatters) and make recommendations concerning possible acquisition; (5) to define, in consultation with academic users, a vocabulary of element and entity names and develop general Document Type Definitions; (6) to maintain a library of DTDs; (7) to function as a center for information on the use of SGML; (8) to cooperate with AGOCG (the Advisory Board on Computer Graphics) in increasing the awareness of SGML in Academia.
The project was first proposed within the context of an AGOCG sponsored workshop on the use of SGML in UK universities, organized by Anne Mumford of Loughborough University. SGML was one of the standards chosen by the AGOCG for structuring and distribution of university-related information containing graphics (research documents, teaching aids, view graphs). A set of recommendations issued to the AGOCG and the UK academic community called for such an initiative as Paul Ellison now directs (information supplied by Anne Mumford and Paul Ellison).
The project welcomes donations of any materials related to SGML -- parsers, filters, translators, reports, DTDs, entity sets, test documents, HyTime, TEI, AAP, EWS, DSSSL, SDIF, SPDL, Davenport, SMDL, CALS etc. Good-faith endeavor will be made to make everything received (via electronic or paper) available to the public.
For academic and research sites within the UK, the SGML Project has been given funding to make visits to give lectures, to run workshops, or give advice on SGML implementation and use. This service is entirely free to such sites. The SGML Project has published notices in all the university and research institution site newsletters in the UK. Currently it has a mailing-list of 200+ contact names, and each will automatically receive any updates, reports and notices produced by the Project. Additional contact names are always welcome (any country).
To contact the SGML Project: Michael Popham; SGML Project; Computer Unit - Laver Building; North Park Road; University of Exeter; Exeter EX4 4QE; UNITED KINGDOM; TEL: +44 392 263946; TEL: +44 392 263939; FAX: +44 392 211630; Email: (JANET): sgml@exeter.ac.uk (Office); (JANET): M.G.Popham@exeter.ac.uk (Project Officer); Paul Ellison on (JANET): P.A.Ellison@exeter.ac.uk (Project Director).
Further references: (1) "The SGML Project." SGML Users' Group Newsletter 18 (November 1990) 13; (2) Advisory Group on Computer Graphics. Document Exchange: The Use of SGML in the UK Academic and Research Community. Workshop Proceedings 5-7 March 1990. Edited by Anne Mumford. See Mumford (ed.): the volume's front matter contains the recommendations proposed for the 'Exeter' SGML group.