New OASIS Process Supports XML Industry Standards Development

[Carol Geyer <cgeyer7@home.com>]

New OASIS Process Supports XML Industry Standards Development

XML Consortium Adopts Bylaws to Foster Open XML Standards

Boston, MA USA and London, England; October 3, 2000—OASIS, the XML
interoperability consortium, has expanded its technical process for the
development of industrial XML standards. The Consortium recently expanded
its bylaws to implement a new model of technical committee organization
that, in essence, allows OASIS to become a home for industry-specific XML
application development. Instead of establishing separate governance and
infrastructure, vertical industry groups are now free to develop XML
standards within OASIS. The new OASIS development process is open,
accountable, democratic, language-neutral, flexible and scalable.

“XML is a framework for the development of industry data standards,” said
Jon Bosak of Sun Microsystems, who organized and led the working group that
created XML.  “Without a legally accountable, open development process, XML
standards are likely to be established by, and engineered to benefit, just a
few large corporate players, locking out small- to medium-size enterprises.
By establishing a framework for the open development of XML standards, OASIS
puts the present and future control over such standards firmly in the hands
of those who will use them. “

Bosak chaired the OASIS Process Advisory Committee (PAC), which drafted the
new bylaws.

“XML standards developed over the next few years will form an essential part
of the IT infrastructure for decades to come,” commented Laura Walker,
executive director of OASIS. “OASIS is widely recognized as the open forum
where industry leaders put aside competitive differences and come together
to solve business problems with XML. We have the critical mass to insure
standards developed within OASIS will be adopted by industries around the
world.”

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, eXcelon, Extensibility, Extricity Software, First Call,
IBM, InformIT, Informix, Infoteria, Interwoven, IPNet Solutions, ISOGEN,
ITEDO, JetForm, Keyfile, Logistics Management Institute, 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
+1.941.926.2322