W3C Compound Document WG

[Gary Edwards <garyedwards@yahoo.com>]

Hi guys,

Recently i contacted the W3C Compound Document TC, and Scott Hayman 
(shayman@rim.com <mailto:shayman@rim.com>) wrote back to me requesting a 
recent copy of  the OASIS Open Office file format specification to 
review.  What is the OASIS policy on sharing the spec with non members?  
Or members of other open standards groups we might consider coordinating 
with?  

Having read through some of their on line material, i'm wondering if it 
would it be a good idea to coordinate with a group that could care less 
about the OASIS work?  The total lack of awareness of the OASIS spec is 
troublesome.  These guys were not born yesterday.  And as i page through 
their on line disclosures, there is that wiff of not invented here 
determination.  It also seems they blew off a letter from the OASIS DiTA 
Group asking for a consideration about the use of the term "compound 
document".

Basically i wanted to know what was the purpose of the Compound Document 
TC, and how their specification would be different from ours.   I was 
looking to see what it was that the OASIS file format lacked that they 
really felt was necessary to meet their mobile device oriented 
approach.  The web site describes the "Compound Document" effort as one 
where basic XML specifications for XForms, XHTML, SMiL, and SVG would be 
mixed and combined into one document format.

<CDF>" A Compound Document is the W3C term for a document that combines 
multiple formats, such as XHTML <http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/>, SVG 
<http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/>, SMIL <http://www.w3.org/AudioVideo/> 
and XForms <http://www.w3.org/XForms/>. The W3C Compound Document 
Formats (CDF) Working Group will specify the behavior of some format 
combinations, addressing the needs for an extensible and inter operable 
Web .</>

The membership is interesting.  It includes Microsoft, RIM, Nokia, 
Adobe, SONY, SAP, Opera, and HP among others.  Definitely mobile device 
oriented.

Michael, do you recall why Nokia withdrew from the OASIS TC after the 
fact to face meetings?  I thought it was because they were satisfied 
with the XML flat file transformations, and saw no need to 
participate.   I also thought that the most important issue for Nokia 
was the ability to synchronize with desktop applications through the 
OASIS file format.  Oh well.

Anyway, what does the group think about sending them the specification 
for review and consideration?  And is that legit?

~ge~