KM World 2001

XML Show & Tell

Eddie O’Brien Ringtail Solutions

www.ringtailsolutions.com

Eddie O'Brien Ringtail Solutions www.ringtail.com.au

1. What is XML? – It is a method for putting structured data in a text file. Using XML as a framework we can build specific and consistant standards for COP. For "structured data" in the legal environment think of:

–Electronic Court Filings –Transcripts, Depositions,–Judgements, Citations–Legal Contracts, –Legislation,–other Legal Documents –and Information exchange…

Recap on XML

Extended Markup Language.

Eddie O'Brien Ringtail Solutions www.ringtail.com.au

2. What else is XML?• a set of rules, guidelines or conventions for designing text formats for data, (generated & read by a computer),• an unambiguous definition that improves common pitfalls, such as extensibility and data globalization,

computer and operating system independence,• a more expressive mark-up language than HTML,• a powerful data exchange format.

Recap on XML Extended Markup Language.

Eddie O'Brien Ringtail Solutions www.ringtail.com.au

3. XML is new, but not that new•Development of XML started in 1996 •It has been a W3C standard since February 1998•Before XML there was SGML, developed in the early '80s, an ISO standard since 1986 and HTML, whose development started in 1990. •The designers of XML took the best parts of SGML and using the experiences with HTML, produced something that is as powerful as SGML, but much simpler to use.

“XML looks a bit like HTML but isn't HTML”

Recap on XML

Eddie O'Brien Ringtail Solutions www.ringtail.com.au

4. XML is a family of technologies

XML is the specification that defines tags and attributes but around XML there is a growing set of optional modules:

–XSL (Extensible Stylesheet Language),–SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language),–SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), –XLINK (XML Linking Language),–XML-Signature (Authentication),– XPath, XPointer, etc.

Recap on XML

Eddie O'Brien Ringtail Solutions www.ringtail.com.au

5. XML is license-free, platform-independent and well-supported:•Using XML is similar to choosing SQL for databases: we still have to build our own database but there are many tools available and many people that can help us,•As a W3C standard XML is license-free, •The large and growing support means that we are not tied to a single vendor.

Recap on XML

Inside Companies

Foundations

Informal Groups

Industry GroupsGovernment

Academic and Learning Bodies

Independent Industry Organizations

Where does the work happen?

Which Communities of Practice are developing XML Vocabularies?

• Legal and Justice• Finance • Education• Insurance• Accounting• IP Rights• Travel• Banking• Government

• News • Real Estate• Web Applications• Healthcare• Open Content

Syndication• Scientific Research EDI• Many E-Commerce

projects

“XML will revolutionize the access, exchange and availability of information in all almost all

computer based systems.

What does XML mean to the Knowledge Industry?

XML takes the setting of vertical industry standards out of the hands of software vendors

and into the hands of the relevant industry COP.”

Eddie O’Brien – President - www.ringtailsolutions.com