*************************************************************** ****************** WELCOME TO SGML NEWSWIRE ******************* *************************************************************** * * * To subscribe, send mail to sgmlinfo@avalanche.com * * * * (Please pass along to interested colleagues) * * * *************************************************************** SGML OPEN ========= Widespread Industry Support as SGML Open Launches Industry Consortium to Bring Document Data Standard to Commercial Markets Contact: Barbara Ewen McGlinchey & Paul (617) 862 4514 Boston, MA -- April 13, 1993-- SGML Open, a consortium of computer software, hardware and service companies, was launched today at the Seybold Seminars with widespread industry support. The consortium aims at increasing the acceptance of SGML as the international standard for the electronic interchange of documents and data. Virtually all the major SGML vendors have already agreed to join SGML Open, including: Advanced Information Systems, ArborText, ATLIS Consulting Group, Avalanche Development Company, Computer Task Group, Database Publishing Systems, Data Conversion Laboratories, Electronic Book Technologies, Exoterica, Fujitsu, Frame Technology, Fulcrum, InContext, InfoDesign Corporation, Information Dimensions, Inc., Information Mapping, InterCAP Graphics, Intergraph, Interleaf, Novell, Object Design, Officesmith/CTMG, Open Text, Oracle, O'Reilly & Associates, Recording for the Blind, SoftQuad, Synergy Group, Texcel, Wang KEYOPS, Westinghouse, XSoft, and Xyvision. Also announced today was the Board of Industry Advisors: Esther Dyson (publisher of Release 1.0), Frank Gilbane (president of Publishing Technologies Management), Charles Goldfarb (inventor of the SGML language) and Jonathan Seybold (president of the Seybold Seminars). Government agencies and industries such as automotive, telecommunications and aircraft manufacturing have been adopting SGML (Standard Generalized Markup Language) because it has the potential to do for document-based information what SQL did for proprietary databases: it allows organizations to structure and manage information in a cross-platform, application-independent way. The benefits to organizations include the reusability of information, lower costs and faster time to market. At the press briefing, SGML Open's acting executive committee also announced: A set of marketing programs to inform commercial markets about the benefits of the SGML standard and to help organizations implement the standard. Included are plans for a beginner's kit, case studies, a "branded" logo, vendor newsletter, continuing public relations efforts, and an imprinted line of books. A set of technical committees to address interoperability issues beginning with formulating an independent definition of "interoperability" itself. Other goals for the next twelve months are to provide guidelines for proposal writers specifying SGML systems, and agreement on vendor-neutral ways to identify for interchanging the constituent parts (e.g., text files, graphics, and video) of compound documents. The organizational structure of the consortium includes an executive committee and boards of industry advisors, directors, and customers. Membership fees were announced (US$2,500 $25,000, depending on organizational revenues). In addition voting and subscriber options were detailed. According to Esther Dyson: "SGML does for documents and rich information what object orientation will do for code. It allows data to be created once and reused in different forms and applications. Through SGML, today's data management techniques can be applied to the rich, complex, textured information humans are used to." Speaking at the Seybold conference as a user, Jon Bosak, Information Architect for Novell, Inc., said: "Novell is committed to SGML as the open systems solution for structured documentation. We support SGML Open in its efforts to fully realize the potential of this standard for document exchange." The acting officers are Yuri Rubinsky, Chairman (President, SoftQuad), Larry Bohn, President (Sr. VP, Interleaf) and Haviland Wright, Chief Technologist (President, Avalanche Development Company). Elections for permanent officers were announced for June of this year. ************************************************************** * SGML NEWSWIRE LIST MANAGER * * * * Linda Turner * * Corporate Communications * * Avalanche * * 947 Walnut Street * * Boulder, CO 80302 * * sgmlinfo@avalanche.com * * linda@avalanche.com * * Vox: (303) 449-5032 * * Fax: (303) 449-3246 * **************************************************************