The purpose of the Symposium was to launch the new W3C Leveraging Action (W3C-LA) for Europe,
and was attended by 180 IT and Company Directors attending.
Jeff Abramatic, the Chairman of W3C, gave an overview of W3C followed by
Tim Berners-Lee giving his view of the future of the Web.
In the afternoon, Philipp Hoschka, Bert Bos and Josef Dietl gave detailed talks
on the Architecture, User Interface and Technology & Society Domains.
Overview of W3C: Jeff Abramatic
Realising the Full Potential of the Web: Tim Berners-Lee
HTML 4.0 / HTML 4.0 "Transitional" / HTML 4.0
"Frameset"
Better separation of
content and style
Style Activity (1)
Objectives
A simple, declarative language that represents document style
Separation between style and document content
Style is
specified at several levels (cascade)
Author Server Client
Reader
Style Activity (2)
Achievements and plans
CSS1 Recommendation (December 96)
CSS2 under
development:
internationalization
accessibility
positioning of HTML
elements
style properties for printing web documents
support for aural output
Demonstrator: CSS validator
Goals
Checks syntax of CSS
style sheets Finds common semantic errors Gives
hints for portability
Delivery
server ("servlet" module under Jigsaw)
stand-alone program
date: end of 1997
Document Object Model (1)
Active documents, "Dynamic
HTML"
Objectives
Define an API for accessing
and manipulating all aspects of a document:
structure
content
style
Interoperability and
language neutrality
Document Object Model (2)
Achievements and Plans
Requirements document (April 97)
Under development:
Event model for generic structured documents
Object model
for generic structured documents, CSS, and windows
HTML DOM
Level 0: current practice in existing browsers
Math Activity (1)
Objective
Enable mathematics to be served, received
and processed on the web
Develop a language for
describing mathematical expression structure
and
content
Math Activity (2)
The Mathematical Markup Language (MathML) is an XML application
Achievements and Plans
First MathML working draft
(May 97)
Proposed recommendation (end 97)
Implementation strategy: use of embedded elements like applets and
plug-ins.
Graphics Activity (1)
Objective
Support for
static 2D pictures on the web:
Portability across
platforms, resolution, color space, software products
A wider range
of graphics formats, with conversion
Content negotiation
Scalability
Quality
Graphics Activity (2)
Achievements and plans
Recommendation for Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
(October 96)
Development of interoperable methods of
integrating vector graphics (e.g.
CGM)
Work on
color in liaison with ICC
Internationalization Activity (1)
A concern that influences all W3C activities
Objective
Mixing languages,
scripts
Handling various character sets
Language negotiation,
user preferences
Layout, typography
URLs / web addresses
Internationalization Activity (2)
Achievements and plans
HTML 4.0 incorporates RFC
2070 "Internationalization of HTML"
CSS & Webfonts
allows to display various alphabets Proposals expected for additional
typographic effects
XML has adopted ISO-10646/Unicode
characters.
Fonts Activity (1)
Objective
Descriptors for downloadable fonts
Make fonts available on the web
Define a reference mechanism
Address Intellectual Property Rights issues
Fonts Activity (2)
Achievements and plans
Requirements and
specifications for a font solution for
the Web:
Improved typographic control
Downloadable fonts
Integrated into CSS2
Amaya Activity (1)
Objective
Develop a flexible platform
for
experimenting new specifications on the client side
A tool for intercreativity on the web:
browsing
and authoring.
Amaya Activity (2)
Achievements and plans
Version 1.0 source available
(Unix & Windows-NT)
Embedded Java virtual machine & API;
plug-ins
Experiments:
HTML - I18N, <OBJECT>
(RAL-CGM viewer)
CSS - editing style sheets
DOM - Java
API
XML - parser, editor: XML in HTML documents
Math -
implementing MathML
Working Groups
HTML
HTML, I18N
CSS&FP
Style, I18N, Graphics, Fonts
DOM
Document Object Model
Math
Math, Fonts
I18N (in
preparation)
Guidelines, Web language
model
HTML Coordination Group
Objective
Coordinate working groups: HTML, CSS&FP, DOM, Math, XML
Identify
overlapping activities
Address issues of common interest
UI Domain Relationships
ISO: discussions concerning
HTML and PNG
IETF: HTML 2.0, RFC 2070 (I18N)
ICC: color on
the web
Unicode: I18N
The UI Domain Team
Bert Bos - I18N, Style
Ramzi Guetari - Amaya
Arnaud Le Hors -
HTML, DOM
Ha;kon Lie -
Style
Chris Lilley - Graphics,
Fonts, Style
Vincent Quint -
domain leader
Dave Raggett -
(visiting from HP), HTML, Math
Janne
Saarela - Metadata
Irene Vatton -
Amaya
Understanding the social impact of the Web and reaching out to affected communities
ethical issues
legal issues
international perspective
Technology & Society - The People
Dr. James T. Miller
Joseph M. Reagle
Philip DesAutels
Ralph Swick
Josef Dietl
Technology & Society - What we do
changing (and adding to) technology
educating users about the technology's benefits, costs, and limits
Building user and consumer trust I
Topics of interest - interest groups
Security
Public Policy
Electronic Commerce
Building user and consumer trust II
Solutions - working groups
Content selection (PICS)
Privacy work (P3P)
Resource Integrity (DSig)
General Metadata (RDF)
Web accessibility (WAI)
PICS - Platform for Internet Content Selection
Separating responsibilities
Rating System: Vocabulary, Principles
Rating Service: Creating labels
Label Distribution
Filtering Software development
Filtering Software Settings
PICS - A Publishers Perspective
Choose rating system
Create label
Attach label to web page
PICS - A sample label
(PICS-1.1 "http://www.gcf.org/v2.5"
by "John Doe"
labels on "1994.11.05T08:15-0500"
until "1995.12.31T23:59-0000"
for "http://w3.org/PICS/Overview.html"
ratings (suds 0.5 density 0 color/hue 1)
for "http://w3.org/PICS/Underview.html"
by "Jane Doe"
ratings (subject 2 density 1 color/hue 1))
PICS - A Users Perspective
Accessing new web page
get label
if not labeled: WARN if applicable
if labeled:
check preferences - WARN if applicable
Display web page
PICS - Implementations
Microsoft's Internet Explorer 3+
Netscape Navigator announced
Netscape Proxy server
IBM Proxy Server
Microsystem's Cyber Patrol
...
PICS and W3C-LA
W3C-LA will provide a demonstrator with the following elements:
Third-Party PICS label bureau (based on jigsaw)
PICS Label editor with upload and sign capabilities (based on amaya)
PICS based blocking proxy (based on jigsaw)
Metadata - one solution to several problems
Re-use this concept in
P3P: Carry privacy information
DSig: Carry integrity information
WAI: Carry accessibility information
...
Consequence: Build general Resource Description Framework (RDF) to ease machine-readable information about information.
The future of metadata
PICS is available today to select content
PICS and RDF will be demonstrated in the near future
RDF will increase the efficiency of search engines
RDF will enable agents
RDF PICS, DSig and P3P support trust on the web
RDF and WAI will make the web easier to use for everyone
