OASIS INDUSTRY UPDATE: Today's announcement of latest X12/XML activities

[Laura Walker <laurawalker@earthlink.net>]

Please respond to Alan Kotok <akotok@disa.org>
To:   "XML/EDI Group" <xmledi-list@lists.bizserve.com>
cc:   cbaccari@disa.org, tcochran@disa.org, vday@disa.org, 
jkendrick@disa.org
Subject:  Today's announcement of latest X12/XML activities




FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ASC X12 Publishes Technical Report Representing X12 Semantics in XML 
Format
Rising interest in XML initiatives prompts X12 to form XML group & endorse
ebXML project

Alexandria, VA, October 18, 1999-The Accredited Standards Committee (ASC)
X12 embarked on an array of initiatives to express X12 semantics in
eXtensible markup language (XML) syntax. At the recent ASC X12 meeting in
Orlando, FL, October 3-8, 1999, X12's Communications and Controls
Subcommittee approved for publication a technical report designed to
provide an experimental representation of X12 semantics in XML syntax.

In an equally substantive move, X12 formed a steering committee task group
charged with drafting policies and procedures that relate to X12 and XML,
serving as a liaison to other XML groups and creating common approaches 
for
XML/electronic data interchange (EDI) development within X12.

Additionally, ASC X12 members endorsed the efforts of the ebXML work 
group,
formed by the United Nations Centre for the Facilitation of Procedures and
Practices for Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/CEFACT) and the
Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards
(OASIS). As a contribution to ebXML endeavors, X12 Committee
representatives submitted the technical report on XML and X12 to the newly
formed ebXML work group. Several X12 members plan to participate in ebXML
efforts to define the technical basis for standardizing the global
implementation of XML.

"The proliferating activity of X12-XML initiatives reflects the essential
foundation the X12 standard provides to a multitude of emerging e-commerce
technologies," said ASC X12 Chair Kendra L. Martin.

In concert with the recently published technical report, other X12
subcommittees are looking to experiment with mapping transaction sets to
XML. Knowledge gained from practical experimentation will provide
additional input to other XML efforts to reach a consensus on merging EDI
semantics with XML syntax. Additional work is planned to study schema
requirements and to continue work on the technical report to advance it to
standing as a full standard.

XML is a formal recommendation of the World Wide Web Consortium, W3C.
Additional XML-based tools are also in development, which will strengthen
the ability of XML parsers to assure compliance of EDI data represented in
XML syntax with the compliance rules of X12.

Data Interchange Standards Association, a Virginia-based not-for-profit
association, is the leading provider of educational and networking forums
on e-business. Representing e-commerce professionals from around the 
world,
DISA's affiliation with EC User Groups, ASC X12, and many others,
facilitates an interchange of e-commerce topics hitting the global market.
In other international arenas, DISA and ASC X12 serve as the entry point
for the United States into the United Nations/Electronic Data Interchange
for Administration, Commerce and Transport (UN/EDIFACT), an international
standard relating to the exchange of trade goods and services.
###

Carmella Baccari
Communications & Marketing Director

Data Interchange Standards Association   /   333 John Carlyle Street, 
Suite
600   /   Alexandria, Virginia 22314
703.548.7005, ext. 177   /   703.548.5738
fax   /   www.disa.org   /  cbaccari@disa.org


Alan Kotok
akotok@disa.org
+1 703-518-4174



==========================================
XML/EDI Group members-only discussion list
Homepage =  http://www.xmledi.com

Brought to you by: Online Technologies Corporation
                  Home of BizServe - www.bizserve.com

TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send email to <xmledi-list-request@lists.bizserve.com>
               Leave the subject blank, and
               In the body of the message, enter ONLY: unsubscribe

Questions/requests should be sent to: owner-xmledi-list@bizserve.com
To join the XML/EDI Group complete the form located at:
http://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/Floor/5815/mail1.htm