Press Release

OASIS Expands Technical Programs for XML Application Standards Development

Consortium Forms New Technical Committees to Develop XML Standards for Managing Customer Information and Entity Resolution

London, England; October 19, 2000 – OASIS, the XML interoperability consortium, introduced two new technical committees (TCs), as part of its expanded process for the development of industrial XML standards. The Consortium added the OASIS Customer Information Quality TC for customer profile management and the OASIS Entity Resolution TC for XML tools development. These TCs are expected to be the first in a series of new OASIS technical programs to develop XML application standards both for ubiquitous business functions as well as for specific industries. “OASIS is the best forum available for developing cross-industry XML application standards,” said Norbert Mikula of DataChannel, chief technical officer of OASIS. “The Consortium brings together the best minds in the XML community in a non-competitive arena to advance the state of the industry at large. It has the resources and the expertise to develop standards for solving critical business problems with XML.” Lauren Wood of SoftQuad Software, chair of the new OASIS Entity Resolution TC, agreed, “Members of OASIS recognize the importance of having forums for the discussion, development, and promotion of XML-related standards. The Entity Resolution TC is a good example, since it will update the successful and widely implemented OASIS catalog mechanism that was developed for SGML, and apply it to XML.” While these new OASIS TCs address broad applications of XML and are intended for use across many industries, the Consortium’s expanded technical agenda also focuses on specific business segments. “Under the Consortium’ s new model of technical committee organization, vertical industry groups are now free to develop XML standards within OASIS,” said Karl Best, director of technical operations at OASIS. “We invite those interested in developing XML industry standards to discover the benefits of working within the Consortium.” About OASIS OASIS (http://www.oasis-open.org) is the world’s largest independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the standardization of XML applications. In addition to its technical work on areas as varied as XML conformance and XML repository standards, OASIS hosts several independent initiatives. ebXML (http://www.ebxml.org) is a joint effort of the United Nations CEFACT and OASIS to establish a global framework that will enable XML to be used in a consistent manner for the exchange of all electronic business data. CGM Open (http://www.cgmopen.org), is a consortium within OASIS dedicated to advancing CGM and other web graphics standards. The XML Cover Pages (http://www.oasis-open.org/cover) is widely regarded as the most comprehensive online reference work for XML and other structured information standards. OASIS also hosts the XML.ORG Registry (http://xml.org/registry), the open community clearinghouse of XML application schemas. OASIS sponsors include Adobe Systems, Aerospatiale, AND Data Solutions, Arbortext, Auto-trol Technology, B-Bop Associates, BEA Systems, Bentley Systems, Boeing, Bowstreet, Bridge, BroadVision, Chrystal Software, Cohesia, Commerce One, DataChannel, Dataloom, Deutsche Post AG, DMSi, Documentum, eCredit.com, Enigma, Excelergy, eXcelon, Extensibility, Extricity Software, First Call, IBM, InformIT, Informix, Infoteria, Interwoven, IPNet Solutions, ISOGEN, ITEDO, JetForm, Keyfile, Logistics Management Institute, Mediaplex, Mercator Software, Micrografx, Microsoft, Netfish, NextPage, NII Enterprise Promotion Association, Nimble Technology, NIST, ObjectSpace, Oracle Corporation, Pick Systems, ProNet Technology, Reuters, Sabre, SAP, Sequoia Software, SoftQuad, Software AG, STEP, StreamServe, Sun Microsystems, Synth-Bank, Visa, Wavo, Webb Interactive Services, webMethods, Whitehill Technologies, Xerox, XML Global, XMLSolutions and XyEnterprise. For more information: Carol Geyer Media Relations Consultant OASIS carol.geyer@oasis-open.org +1 978.667.5115 x209 ###