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Mr. Gates goes to Washington
Via Bob who links to this article in Computer World:
Gates spoke (YouTube video)
Wednesday in front of the U.S. House of Representatives' committee on
science and technology. Though most of his talk was devoted to his own predictions
concerning the future of IT, he answered a question from Washington
state congressman Brian Baird, who said he was "particularly interested
in the issue of Open XML and the broader question about standards." Gates answered
that Microsoft wants to see OOXML become an ISO standard, in part, "so
that families and researchers and archivists will be able to access
information from the past and use it to interact in the future. And
it's by mining data like this that I think a lot of the advances in
understanding how education is best done, or understanding what should
be in the medical field. So it's both an important thing for innovation
and an important thing for citizens to have access to information."
Baird, who represents Washington's capital, Olympia, and other towns
that are south of the Seattle metropolitan area where most of
Microsoft's employees live and work, replied that he "appreciated" and
"applauded Microsoft for its leadership in this area and the whole
issue of standards."
I don't know what to say. I'm all verklempt. They're doing it for the families!
Seriously.
Categories
: [ standards ]
Mar 19 2008, 07:35:51 AM EDT
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Department of Redundancy Department
Why is it that we are (almost) always asked for redundant information? For instance, when completing a form that includes your (snail) mailing address, you need to specify the city, state and zip (postal) code. Why all three? Being required to provide all three has always struck me as a complete waste of time (and frankly, annoying to boot). Someone goes to the trouble of providing a menu for the value of the state. Why not have an ajax call triggered by entering something in the zip code, that automatically completes the city and state (or at least narrows the choices)?
Here's a service (from the U.S. Postal Service) that can tell you the zip code for a given address. There's a derivative service that can tell you the zip for a given city and state, and there's even a related service that can narrow the city and state given a zip code.
I could understand asking for the redundant information if the form were to validate the city and state against the zip (and vice versa) as a means of helping to improve the integrity of the information. However, I seriously doubt that any such validation is performed in the vast majority of cases.Granted, the services I cited could be better designed for non-human consumption (and for human consumption, for that matter... seriously) but none-the-less, such services do exist, why not use them?
Mar 10 2008, 11:44:28 AM EDT
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WS-Policy 1.5 is a W3C Recommendation!
I am pleased to announce that the W3C has published Web Services Policy 1.5 - Frameworks and Attachments specifications as W3C Recommendations.
What a long, strange trip it has been! It has certainly been and honor and a distinct pleasure to work with the members of the WG, and with my co-chair, Paul Cotton. From start to finish (well, technically, we aren't done with the Primer and Guidelines) has been just over 15 months. Certainly much quicker than the 5+ years that WSDL2.0 took:-) Kudos to all of the WS-Policy WG members on this outstanding achievement.
Categories
: [ w3c | ws-policy ]
Sep 04 2007, 12:50:05 PM EDT
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Standards Quality
Bob Sutor wrote:
I’m going to tackle the issue of quality and standards organizations in a future entry, but let me say that
- Standards organizations are not all equal in quality, though it doesn’t seem that everyone knows that.
- A given standards organization can produce two standards of wildly divergent quality.
- In my opinion, the key measurement of a standards organization is
not the quantity of standards produced by the quality of standards
produced.
I couldn't agree with Bob's points more. His post follows on with a set of proposed criteria by which a standard can be measured. The comments also have a number of highly insightful observations and recommendations for additional criteria.
Within many of the standards organizations in which I participate, there has been a gradual, but steady progression towards producing higher quality specifications. At OASIS, there is a criteria for becoming an OASIS Standard that there be three statements from TC members that they were "using" the specification. The running joke was that the meaning of "use" could be that you were "using" the specification to raise a leg on your kitchen table so it didn't wobble. We've come a long way since those days. Unfortunately, the OASIS TC process hasn't improved this requirement (despite my constant rantings that they should:-). However, it is now typical that a TC will hold an interoperability event(s) to test multiple independent implementations of the specification(s) prior to advancing to OASIS Committee Specification status. It would be really nice if OASIS would make such interoperability testing a requirement, and change the requirement from a "Statement of Use" to something a bit more substantial, such as the requirements that the W3C imposes on specifications advancing to W3C Recommendation status.
Within the W3C there is a requirement for advancing a specification to W3C Recommendation, there must be (typically) a minimum of two or more interoperable implementations of each feature in the specification. Those features that the working group feels might not meet the requisite exit criteria for the CR phase (also known as the Call for Implementations phase), are marked as "at risk" and must be removed from the specification should they not achieve the stated exit criteria.
In the WS-I, the Board recently adopted a resolution that in order to advance to WS-I Final Material status, that a Profile had to have 5 independent interoperable implementations of the profile. Some have made a stink about this new requirement, but IMO, it is a "Good Thing(tm)" because for a Profile to improve interoperability, it needs to be broadly adopted/implemented.
But, I digress...
The addition of test cases/assertions, as suggested by Arnaud and others in comments to Bob's post, that can be used to measure conformance to the specification are, IMO a key to delivering a higher quiality standard. I'd like to see more of this across the standards landscape. This is something that I have been pushing for in WS-I Profiles, and something that will manifest itself when we publish the WS-I Basic Profile 2.0 draft (real soon now, I hope).
Categories
: [ quality ]
Aug 16 2007, 02:35:36 PM EDT
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IBM Pledges Free Access to Patents Involved in Implementing 150+ Software Standards
Here's some important news related to IBM's continuing drive to remove barriers to adoption and implementation of open software standards:
IBM (NYSE: IBM)
today announced that it is granting universal and perpetual access to
certain intellectual property that might be necessary to implement more
than 150 standards designed to make software interoperable. Full details of the pledge can be found here.
Categories
: [ IBM | IPR ]
Jul 11 2007, 10:54:24 AM EDT
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So much to say!
There's been quite a bit of recent activity in the W3C! First off, I am please to note that Web Services Policy 1.5 Framework and Attachments specifications have been published as W3C Proposed Recommendations. This is a significant milestone for the WS-Policy WG. My congratulations to the WG members on this outstanding achievement. The next step is W3C Recommendation!
The second bit of important news is that the W3C has published WSDL2.0 as a W3C Recommendation. Again, my congratulations to Jonathan and the members of the WSDL WG on finally finishing:-)
Finally, I am pleased to announce that the XML Protocol WG has published the SOAP1.2 Part 3 One-way MEP as a WG Note. My congratulations to the members of the XMLP WG. Finally, there is a formally documented MEP that describes this important MEP (after all, the SOAP specs come right out and say that SOAP is inherently a one-way protocol:-)
Categories
: [ soap | w3c | ws-policy | wsdl ]
Jul 10 2007, 09:42:50 AM EDT
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OASIS Approves WS-RM as an OASIS Standard
Yesterday, OASIS announced that it had approved Web Services Reliable Messaging 1.1, Web Services Reliable Messaging Policy 1.1 and Web Services Make Connection 1.0 as OASIS Standards. This is wonderful (if not long awaited) news from my perspective as it culminates a project that I have been working on for the past 4 1/2 years, since its inception.
Work was started last year in WS-I to incorporate these standards into a new profile, the WS-I Reliable Secure Profile 1.0 (RSP 1.0). Work on that profile is based on the IBM RAMP profile that I began and lead back in 2005, to build industry support for development of a new WS-I profile that would enable many important B2B use cases that required secure, reliable and asynchronous delivery of messages between business partners. Now that all of the specifications upon which the RSP profile is based have been adopted as standards by their respective development organizations, the RSP 1.0 profile development and interoperability testing will become the next key area of focus, as we work through the composition and interoperability aspects of the relevant standards.
As for product adoption of the new standards, IBM has shipped the WebSphere Application Server 6.1 Feature Pack for Web services which includes support for the WS-RM standards as well as the other standards related to the WS-I RSP1.0 profile. Other vendors have also begun shipping support for these stanards in their latest product offerings.
Certainly, I believe that this will open up a new wave of Web services adoption between business partners now that the key quality of service protocols like WS-RM, WS-Secure Conversation and WS-Addressing have all been formally adopted as OASIS Standard or W3C Recommendations.
Categories
: [ oasis | ws-rm ]
Jun 22 2007, 09:59:34 AM EDT
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SOAP1.2 Second Edition Published
I am pleased to announce that the W3C has published the SOAP1.2 Second Edition specifications. The announcement is here. My congratulations to the members of the XML Protocols WG!
Categories
: [ w3c | xmlp ]
Apr 27 2007, 03:45:22 PM EDT
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WS-Policy 1.5 goes to CR!
I am pleased to note that this past Wednesday, the Web Services Policy 1.5 - Framework and Attachment specifications transitioned to Candidate Recommendation status. This latest milestone for WS-Policy is right on schedule (amazingly enough) with the WG's charter. This puts us on track to reach Proposed Recommendation in July (also consistent with our chartered schedule) and Recommendation shortly there-after.
The Candidate Recommendation phase is also known in W3C circles as the "Call for Implementations" phase (CFI). We already have two published endpoints doing interoperability testing of the set of test scenarios that the WG has agreed upon as the exit criteria for the CFI phase. We will be holding an interop workshop, coincident with the up-coming WS-Policy WG face-to-face meeting later this month in Sunnyvale, Ca. and another in May in Ottawa. It should be noted that participation in this interoperability workshop is not limited to WG members, nor is it limited to W3C member companies. If you are interested in bringing an implementation to the interop, please don't hesitate to drop me a note and I can provide you with all the specifics.
Of course, there is still much to be done. The WG is working on the next drafts of its Primer and Assertion Author Guidelines documents as well as the WSDL1.1 Element Identifiers specification.
Categories
: [ w3c | ws-policy ]
Mar 02 2007, 08:51:44 AM EST
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SOAP1.2 PER Drafts Published!
The W3C XML Protocol WG has announced publication of the SOAP1.2 PER (Proposed Edited Recommendation) drafts for parts 0 (Primer), 1 (Framework) and 2 (Adjuncts) as well as the SOAP1.2 Test Collection. These drafts incorporate all of the errata to-date, as well as introduce a revision to the SOAP Request-Response MEP; rebranding it to the SOAP Request Optional Response MEP, to accomodate the ability to transfer oneway message exchanges over an inherently request-response transfer protocol such as HTTP.
In related news, the XMLP has also published the first public working draft (FPWD) of the SOAP1.2 One-way MEP.
Be sure to check them out! The review period for the SOAP1.2 PER drafts runs through the first week in February.
Categories
: [ w3c | xmlp ]
Dec 20 2006, 11:23:50 AM EST
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WS-Policy 1.5 in Last Call
In all the excitement of the holiday, I neglected to blog about the milestone that the W3C WS-Policy WG achieved just before the Thanksgiving break.
The W3C announced that the WS-Policy 1.5 - Framework and Attachments specifications have been published as Last Call Working Drafts. The Last Call period runs through January 12, 2007. So, get yer comments in before then so that we can be sure that they will be considered prior to entering into CR stage. The latest published versions of the specs, as well as the current editor's drafts can always be found off of the WS-Policy WG page.
Categories
: [ w3c | ws-policy ]
Nov 27 2006, 04:54:41 PM EST
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Kewl new stuff posted
I've been neglecting to post to the blog of late... too much to do, not enough time and all that.
However, I would like to point out that there have been a number of recent developments releveant to Web services that might be of interest.
First, the WS-I Basic Profile WG has published its first public draft of the WS-I Basic Profile 1.2. The WG is nearly done with this work, but we invite the public to comment on the initial draft. Those comments will, of course, be incorporated into the follow-on drafts. However, the WG is driving towards a WGAD (Working Group Approval Draft) later this month.
Secondly, the WS-Policy WG has pulished a draft of the WS-Policy 1.5 - Primer. The WG hopes that this document will help people understand what WS-Policy is, and how it is intended to be used. I should also note that the WG will be having a face-to-face meeting next week where we hope to squish all of the remaining issues with the WS-Policy 1.5 - Framework and Attachments specifications in anticipation of release of a Last Call WD later this month, in accordance with the WG charter.
Finally, IBM has delivered its beta release of the WAS 6.1 Feature Pack for Web services. If you are interested in kicking the tires on some of the advanced Web services technologies in the new WS-I profiles (BP1.2, 2.0 and RSP1.0) including WS-Addressing 1.0, WS-Reliable Messaging 1.1 and WS-Secure Conversation 1.3, then be sure to check this release out.
Nov 02 2006, 09:15:05 AM EST
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So long, and thanks for all the fish
Yesterday marked the end of my enslavement nearly four year stint as chair of the WS-I Basic Profiles WG. It is time for someone new to take the helm.
It has beena great experience for me personally, and I have enjoyed working with the BPWG members, some of the best in the business. The WG continues to make great progress towards delivering on the BP1.2 profile. We are still looking to get a published draft within the next month or so, and WGAD by October.
I'll still remain involved in the WS-I BPWG, but someone else (as yet to be determined) will be assuming the reins as chair.
Categories
: [ ws-i ]
Aug 16 2006, 08:40:04 AM EDT
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Service Modeling Language
IBM, BEA, BMC, Cisco, Dell, HP, Intel, Microsoft, and Sun have announced the first public draft of the Service Modeling Language (SML).
From the announcement:This specification defines the Service Modeling Language (SML) used to
model complex IT services and systems, including their structure,
constraints, policies, and best practices. SML is based on a profile on
XML Schema and Schematron.
Aug 01 2006, 01:51:57 PM EDT
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Industry Standards, XML and Web services, distributed computing, and interoperability
