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XTM Leadership Changes
First Version of XTM Released in December 2000
On December 4, at the XML 2000 Conference, TopicMaps.org announced the availability of 3 related
specifications that make up the first version of XTM (XML Topic Maps). TopicMaps.org is an
independent, international consortium that focuses on the advancement of
Topic Maps. The purpose of TopicMaps.org "shall be to engage in technical, educational,
and marketing activities to facilitate the creation and use of Topic Maps,
focusing on but not limited to applications on the Web. This will include
leveraging the XML family of specifications as required."
The three specifications that made up this premier
version XTM, or XML
Topic Maps, included:
- XML Topic Maps (XTM) 1.0 Core Deliverables
[XTM-Core]
represents "portions of the XTM 1.0 Specification that are not subject
to any future change that would invalidate any XTM document or XTM
application that conforms to the syntactic and other constraints [...] are
intended to impose in order to guarantee reliable interchange of Web-based
topic map information in XML." This includes the XTM 1.0 DTD, the XTM
1.0 Published Subject Indicators (an XTM topic map), and the XTM 1.0
Conformance clause.
- XML Topic Maps (XTM) 1.0 [XTM] describes
version 1.0 of XML Topic Maps, an XML grammar for interchanging Web-based
topic maps. This document is in the Authoring Group Review phase of
development. Except for specific parts that appear in Core Deliverables,
"the contents of this document represent portions of the XTM 1.0
Specification that are subject to changes made in the course of an Authoring
Group (AG) Review process."
- XML Topic Maps (XTM) Processing Model 1.0 [XTMP] describes
version 1.0 of XML Topic Maps (XTM) Processing Model 1.0, a processing model
for XTM. This document is in the Authoring Group Review phase of
development. Except for specific parts that appear in Core Deliverables,
"the contents of this document represent portions of the XTM 1.0
Specification that are subject to changes made in the course of an Authoring
Group (AG) Review process."
Founding Editors of the initial version of the XTM
specifications
were Michel Biezunski (InfoLoom,
Inc.) and Steven R. Newcomb, both editors of ISO/IEC 13250 Topic Maps.
Associate Editors for this initial effort were Murray Althiem (Sun Microsystems) and Sam Hunting (EComXML).
New XTM Leadership for 2001
At the January meeting of the XTM Working Group in Paris, a change in
leadership occurred. With the ground work for XTM complete, the founding
co-editors are shifting their focus toward new horizons. TopicMaps.org now has
two new
co-editors, Steve Pepper (Ontopia) and Graham Moore (empolis), who
will complete the spec as delivered in December.
According to a press release issued by the group, "Bringing Graham and
Steve in as the new editors reflects the stage that XTM is now at: We needed to
streamline and prioritize our workload, the better to accelerate the pace of
adoption in the web community."
And what do Steve Newcomb and Michel Biezunski think of this change in
leadership? According to Steve Newcomb, the outgoing co-chair
of the XTM editorial team. "Michel and I are happy that they have picked up
the baton. We are confident that they will successfully bring XTM through the
final stages of delivery to the market place." Michel Biesunski
added, "Working with Steve Newcomb, Murray Altheim and Sam Hunting, has
been a wonderful experience. This has been a very productive and exciting
period."
According to the press release from TopicMaps.org, "Steve Newcomb and Michel Biezunski have
been the undisputed "Mister and Monsieur" (respectively) of topic
mapping since its conception almost a decade ago. TopicMaps.Org would like to
take this opportunity to thank them both for the enormity of their contribution over
the years. "Steve and Michel really deserve the credit for XTM. Without
them, it would not be what it is today. We are looking forward to their
continued support as we prepare to release the complete specification in the
next few weeks."
TopicMaps.org is an
independent, international consortium that focuses on the advancement of
Topic Maps. The purpose of TopicMaps.org "shall be to engage in technical, educational,
and marketing activities to facilitate the creation and use of Topic Maps,
focusing on but not limited to applications on the Web. This will include
leveraging the XML family of specifications as required."
You can learn more about TopicMaps.org at their
web site www.topicmaps.org. You can
join the discussion about XTM at www.yahoogroups.com/xtm-wg.
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