The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has issued Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.0 as a W3C Recommendation, representing cross-industry agreement on an XML-based language that allows authors to create two dimensional vector graphics. A W3C Recommendation indicates that a specification is stable, contributes to Web interoperability, and has been reviewed by the W3C Membership, who favor its widespread adoption. Web designers have requirements for graphics formats which display well on a range of different devices, screen sizes, and printer resolutions. They need rich graphical capabilities, good internationalization, responsive animation and interactive behavior in a way that takes advantage of the growing XML infrastructure used in e-commerce, publishing, and business to business communication. SVG 1.0 builds on other W3C specifications such as the Document Object Model (DOM), which allows for easy server-side generation and dynamic, client-side modification of graphics and text. SVG 1.0 also benefits from W3C technologies such as CSS and XSL style sheets, RDF metadata, XML Linking, and SMIL Animation, which has also advanced to Recommendation. SVG implementations are not limited to static tools. Database-driven, dynamically created graphics are a natural fit for SVG. www.w3.org/
Day: September 4, 2001
Factiva announced its sponsorship of an international research project conducted by TFPL. The research project will seek to identify how organisations are using taxonomies to construct their “Information Architecture”. TFPL defines “Information Architecture” as a coherent set of strategies and plans for information access and delivery inside organisations. The research – based on case studies of organizations, and vendor questionnaires and interviews – will examine the balance between software and human intervention related to the application of taxonomies within content management systems, and whether customer needs are being met by vendor offerings. Any companies or organisations wishing to be involved in this research through offering case studies or sharing their experience on taxonomies/information architecture are invited to contact TFPL. www.tfpl.com, www.factiva.com
Stellent, Inc. (formerly IntraNet Solutions), announced the release of Outside In XML Export 2.1. The product automatically converts more than 225 file formats to XML, enabling easy access to business information stored in legacy files, proprietary office applications and graphics. Version XML Export 2.1 includes support for a wide range of new and updated file formats, including Microsoft Office XP; Corel WordPerfect Office 2002; Lotus SmartSuite Millennium Edition 9.6; Sun StarOffice Write 5.2; Microsoft Visio 2002; Adobe Acrobat 5.0; and Adobe FrameMaker MIF 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0. XML Export integrates into applications, such as indexing, search systems and content management. XML Export preserves and exposes the content, structure and format of native business documents during the conversion to XML, enabling customers to further transform the documents for other applications or into presentation formats such as HTML and Wireless Markup Language (WML). XML Export 2.1 is currently shipping.
www.stellent.com
iMarkup Solutions Inc. announced the general availability of Version 2.0 of its iMarkup Workgroup Server. Developed to address the needs of enterprise users collaborating on the Web, iMarkup Workgroup Server 2.0 provides new enhancements to its core product. PDF support enables groups of users to apply annotations, free form drawings and sticky notes to all documents saved in PDF format without having to purchase Adobe Acrobat to run on every workstation. Voice annotations allow collaborators to explain information verbally when it is too difficult to communicate the level and type of changes required in writing alone. All annotations, including PDF and voice, are stored separately from original documents so that data is never corrupted; annotations are, instead, overlaid on documents, with administrators configuring the permissions and security associated with the annotations. Support for Oracle 8i or higher has been included in Version 2.0. In addition, the newest version conforms to SOAP/XML and COM and provides the ability to run and modify reports based on Crystal Decision technology. The iMarkup Workgroup Server runs on Windows NT/2000 running IIS and Windows 98 running the Personal Web Server. The product is priced based on the number of Workgroup users. Five concurrent user licenses are $2,445 and 100 user licenses cost $12,395. The CBO is available as an add-on module and provides various client and server configuration options, server-side interfaces and APIs, and client-side JavaScript APIs. Pricing starts at $1,795. Additionally, OEM pricing is available from the iMarkup Sales organization. www.imarkup.com
