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OASIS
standards, interoperability and conformance for
XML
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Abstract
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No abstract was provided for this paper.
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Contents
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XML opens the door for flexible publishing and information reuse and
for collaborative distributed network computing over the Internet. But the
rapid emergence of XML schemas and vocabularies presents new challenges. Issues
of resource identification, classification, cataloging, conformance and delivery
threaten to hinder XML reuse and interoperability.
That is why it is so important for the XML community to have an unbiased
resource to track the issues, to provide a forum for discussing and addressing
them and to advocate the development of industry- and world-wide XML standards.
Application standards begin with OASIS
OASIS (http://www.oasis-open.org) is a non-profit,
international consortium dedicated solely to product-independent data and
content interchange. OASIS provides neutral ground for fostering XML adoption
and standardization.
OASIS has been providing open solutions for electronic data interchange
since 1993. Dedicated from its inception to structured information standards,
OASIS is the world's largest independent, vendor-neutral organization committed
to the standardization of XML applications in electronic business. The primary
mission of OASIS and its members is to identify and resolve interoperability
issues that exist between XML applications and technologies.
OASIS strives to facilitate interoperability. The Consortium continually
seeks to engender participation from across the industry, often bringing together
competitors and overlapping standards bodies. Through open discussion and
debate, OASIS reconciles sometimes opposing perspectives in order to create
specifications that are representative of the industry as a whole, not of
any one vendor or collection of vendors.
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Table of Contents
The technical work of OASIS
Members of OASIS advance XML interoperability through their work on
Consortium technical committees. Frequently, OASIS members form new technical
committees to address specific goals.
Over the course of the last months, OASIS has seen a tremendous influx
of new ideas. Existing groups have finished their work and many new groups
got started. A variety of deliverables have been produced which are readily
available for download at the OASIS website. Updated Docbook DTDs, a specification
for XML based tables markup, a registry and repository draft specification
and an XML conformance test-suite (a result of OASIS' work with NIST), just
to name a few.
At the Standards Update Session at the XML Europe Conference, the OASIS
CTO will present the latest status of OASIS technical work, what has been
achieved over the last few months and what new groups have been established.
Too dynamic and fast paced is OASIS' standards work to put it down into a
paper many weeks before the conference. That's why we are looking forward
to seeing you at the Standards Update Session at the show to get a live update.
XML.ORG
OASIS hosts XML.ORG, an open community for advancing XML industry standardization.
XML.ORG serves as a clearinghouse for XML specifications such as vocabularies,
DTDs, schemas and namespaces. It provides effective, unbiased administration,
forestalling unnecessary overlap, competition, confusion and duplication of
effort while promoting the adoption of XML worldwide. Through XML.ORG, users
learn about the standard, developers access resources, organizations publish
their work and the XML community-at-large shares information and ideas, all
in the open systems approach.
ebXML
ebXML is a joint initiative of the United Nations body for Trade Facilitation
and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) and OASIS to develop a technical framework
that will enable XML to be used in a consistent manner for the exchange of
all electronic business data. Industry groups and corporations around the
world have joined to participate in the 18-month project. The success of ebXML
will lower the barrier-of-entry to electronic business and facilitate trade,
particularly with respect to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and
developing nations.
OASIS membership
OASIS provides a membership structure that allows all interested parties
to participate in XML specifications development. Individuals are welcome
as full participants in the technical work of OASIS. Organizations join the
Consortium as Sponsors or Contributors. Both categories of membership offer
full participation in determining OASIS policies and procedures. Contributors
are organizations whose primary interest is in the technical work of the consortium.
Sponsors benefit from added visibility within in the market for their support
and involvement in the consortium.
OASIS sponsors include Adobe Systems, Aerospatiale, AND-USA, Arbortext,
Bentley Systems, Boeing, Bowstreet, Bridge, Chrystal Software, Cohesia, Commerce
One, CommerceNet, CompTIA, Corel, DataChannel, DMSi, Documentum, Dun &
Bradstreet, eCredit.com, Enigma, eXcelon, Extricity Software, GCA, Health
Level Seven, IBM, InformIT, Informix, InterCAP, Interleaf, Interwoven, ISOGEN,
ITEDO, JetForm, Keyfile, Mercator Software, Microsoft, NextPage, NII Enterprise
Promotion Association, Nimble.com, NIST, Object Management Group (OMG), Open
Applications Group, Pick Systems, POET Software, ProNet Technology Partners,
Reed Technology, Reuters, Sabre, SAP, Sequoia Software, SoftQuad, Software
AG, STEP, StreamServe, Sun Microsystems, Synthbank, Visa, Wavo, Webb Interactive
Services, webMethods, Whitehill Technologies, Xerox, XMLSolutions and XyEnterprise.
Acknowledgements
The work of OASIS technical committees, depends on the volunteer contributions
(time, effort) of its members. I would like to thank all the members of OASIS
that are contributing to its undertakings and especially the chairpeople of
TCs who continue to motivate the troops, collect feedback and drive things
forward.