The World Wide Web: Recent developments, The Future and European Industrial Experience
The Great Room, Royal Society of the Arts
Tuesday, 8th December 1998
Overview: Josef Dietl (W3C)
Josef Dietl
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The Past
Joining W3C early on was "an act of faith"
Last year, the W3C Office in the United Kingdom was opened
Speakers from W3C only
Similar events, exhibitions in other European Countries
W3C has delivered key specifications for the evolution of the World Wide Web
Speakers from W3C Members talk about their applications of W3C's technologies
W3C Members are preferred suppliers or expert users
The World Wide Web Consortium
Leading the Web to its full potential
Since 1995
Directed by Tim Berners-Lee
301 Members
Four Domains:
Architecture
Technology & Society
User Interface
Web Accessibility
Three Hosts:
INRIA (Europa)
MIT (The Americas)
Keio Univ. (Asien)
Seven W3C Offices
~50 Team (and almost 15 Languages!)
Highlights in World Wide Web Technology in 1998
XML
Style Sheets
Universality: accessibility, access devices, (internationalization)
The Future
Other topics of the past year
W3C Recommendations
(see http://www.w3.org/TR/ )
Document Object Model Level (DOM) 1
Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL)
PICS signed label (DSig) 1.0
Mathematical Markup Language (MathML) 1.0
... plus maintenance of seven other W3C Recommendations
W3C Activities
(See http://www.w3.org/ )
Style Sheets
Document Object Model
Math
Graphics
Internationalization
Mobile Access
Amaya
Digital Signature Initiative
Metadata
PICS
Privacy [P3P]
Security
Policy
Electronic Commerce
HTTP
HTTP-NG
Web Characterization
Synchronized Multimedia
XML
Television and the Web
Jigsaw
Libwww
Web Accessibility Initiative
Acknowledged Submissions to W3C
(see http://www.w3.org/Submission/ )
20 so far this year
16 in 1997
3 in 1996
The stage for the speakers
XML
Style Sheets
Universality: accessibility, access devices
The Future
Jon Bosak
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Tony Stewart
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XML in News and Financial Information: Nic Fulton (Reuters)
Nic Fulton
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© UKRI Science and Technology Facilities Council
Any views expressed in this presentation are those of the presenter except where the presenter specifically
states them to be the views of Reuters Ltd.
Reuters News Operations
Reuters is the world's largest news and television agency:
2,000 journalists, photographers and camera operators
169 bureaux serving 163 countries
10,000 stories or 1.5 - 2.0 million words per day
25 different languages
93 countries use Reuters television news coverage
100 million pageviews per month via 140 Internet sites
Reuters Financial Information
Reuters operates the world's most extensive private communications network:
460,000 users in 60,000 organisations
data from 292 exchanges and markets
data from 5,000 banks and brokers
3,200 updates per second (peak)
50 million updates per day
Reuters Technology Aims
Reuters prides itself on using the latest technology
Reuters wants to use more off-the-shelf technology
Our customers want to use standards-based technology
Reuters Technology History
1849 - Carrier Pigeons
1923 - Pioneers use of radio for news
1980s - Satellite delivery
1987 - Integrated Data Network
1995 - Reuters Web
Reuters and XML - Why?
XML is the next evolutionary step
XML can be processed by machine
XML can be displayed using XSL or CSS
XML supports Unicode
XML is self-describing and portable
XML is supported by everyone
XML is not a hostage to vendor control
XML and Financial Information
Financial information is structured data
XML is great for structured data
XML is great for financial information
<Record xmlns="http://www.reuters.com" instrument="IBM.N" currency="USD" type="fullimage">
<Last wholePart="169" numerator="12" denominator="16"/>
<Bid wholePart="169" numerator="12" denominator="16"/>
<Ask wholePart="170" numerator="1" denominator="16"/> <PERatio value="23.42">
<Earnings value="24.00">
<ExDividendDate xmlns:dt="http://www.w3.org" dt:value="1998-11-06"/>
<Volume value="10634050"/>
...
</Record>
XML for structuring
Namespaces for structure 'ownership'
XSL or CSS for rendering to a display
XML and News
News stories are brief
Users filter or search the stories by topic e.g. foreign exchange, lifestyle
Stories often have embedded objects e.g. images, tables, graphs
Information may be associated using links
Using XML for News
XML for document syntax
RDF for metadata syntax
Dublin Core for metadata semantics
Reuters topic codes for dc:Subject
'Embed' a photo with XLink / XPointer
More stories via XLink / XQL / XPointer
Reuters and XML - Issues
Update format [XML Fragments]
Update / change events [DOM events]
Compression system [HTTP-NG]
Stylesheet complexities e.g. BID/ASK [XSL]
XML query language [XQL]
DTD, RDF Schemas, DCD, XML Schemas
Inheritance, data typing, enumeration
Elements vs. attributes vs. values
Summary
Financial Information is structured data
News is structured data
Reuters has LOTS of structured data
XML is THE off-the-shelf open standard for structured data
But there are issues.
RDF: The Resource Description Framework: Janne Saarela (W3C)
Janne Saarela
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Outline
History of RDF
Inside RDF
Outside RDF
XML vs. RDF
History of RDF
Different applications require different types of metadata
Platform for Internet Content Selection (PICS)
Electronic Commerce
Intellectual Property Rights
W3C's approach to define an infrastructure for all of them
Inside RDF
The metadata infrastructure defined in two specifications
RDF Model & Syntax specification:
http://www.w3.org/TR/WD-rdf-syntax
RDF Schema specification:
http://www.w3.org/TR/WD-rdf-schema
RDF Data model
Resource
Property
Value
subject
predicate
object
Statement
Data model - theory
multiple representations
directed acyclic labelled graph
3-tuples (triples)
XML transfer encoding
Data model - 3-tuples
binary relationships (Universal relation)
{ predicate, subject, object }
{ author, 'http://www.site.net/doc.html', node }
{ name, node, 'Janne Saarela' }
{ email, node, 'jsaarela@w3.org' }
Data model - XML syntax
Well-formed XML
Validation through RDF schemas
No XML/DTD type of validation
<RDF xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/WD-rdf-syntax/">
</RDF>
<RDF xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/WD-rdf-syntax#">
<Description about="http://www.site.net/doc.html">
</Description>
</RDF>
<RDF xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/WD-rdf-syntax#">
<Description about="http://www.site.net/doc.html">
<a:author xmlns:a="http://www.schema.org/">
Janne Saarela
</a.author>
</Description>
</RDF>
<RDF xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/WD-rdf-syntax#">
<Description about="http://www.site.net/doc.html">
<a:author xmlns:a="http://www.schema.org/">
<Description>
<a:name>Janne Saarela</a:name>
<a:email>jsaarela@w3.org</a:email>
</Description>
</a:author>
</Description>
</RDF>
Description block
RDF has the requirement of enabling embedding into legacy HTML
exposed element content avoided by flexible switch of elements into attributes
<RDF xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/WD-rdf-syntax#">
<Description about="http://www.site.net/doc.html"
a:author="Janne Saarela"
xmlns:a="http://www.schema.org" />
</RDF>
Implications of XML syntax
One RDF data model has multiple corresponding XML encodings
One XML encoding has one and only one corresponding RDF data model
Inside RDF - summary
Data model
graph, 3-tuple, XML representation
Syntactic sugar of RDF/XML and their implications
Higher-order statements
RDF schemas
User-defined types
Primitive data types to be defined by XML Schemas WG
Source of RDF predicates
Constraints on the use of predicates
Constructing RDF schemas
Types are defined as classes
a resource may have a specific "type" property
Predicates are defined as attributes of these classes
a resource of given type may have a given predicate (domain constraint)
a resource of given type may be the value of a given predicate (range constraint)
XML vs. RDF
Could we use plain XML instead of RDF?
Can XML encode a graph?
Use ID/IDREFs within one single document
Can XML support higher-order statements?
Establish naming and linking convention
Can XML support embedding in HTML?
Define interpretation of attributes
Ah, I just rewrote RDF specification
CSS and XSL: Hakon Lie (W3C)
Hakon Lie
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Why style sheets?
separate style from content
quicker downloads
device-independent document formats
accessibility
W3C Style Sheets Activity
94: Cascading Style Sheets proposed
94: W3C Founded
96: CSS1 Recommendation
97: Extensible Style sheets Language (XSL) proposed
98: CSS2 Recommendation
98: First XSL Working Draft
Sample CSS
h3 {
font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;
color: black;
background: white;
}
CSS Recommendations
CSS1
simple visual model
fonts, colors, layout
declarative
CSS2
downloadable fonts
aural properties
positioning
supports XML and HTML
media-specific style sheets
CSS Implementations
96: Microsoft IE 3
97: Netscape N 4, MS IE 4
98:
Netscape nglayout/GECKO
Microsoft IE 5 beta
Opera 3.5
Improving CSS implementations
post-recommendation activities
CSS1 Test suite
W3C Core Style Sheets
CSS Validator
http://www.w3.org/Style
www.webstandards.org
XSL
tree transformations
generates XML (+ CSS)
generates HTML (+ CSS)
set of XML formatting objects
all CSS1/CSS2 properties will be usable
focus on print
new functionality = CSS3?
W3C Formatting Model
XSL Recommendation: expected June 99
News example
Use CSS to:
select fonts/colors etc.
turn elements on/off
simple additions: (London)
text transformation: (LONDON)
Use XSL to:
perform transformations
rearrange elements
extract headlines
generate TOCs
W3C Formatting Model
several specifications expose formatting:
one common underlying model
various languages expose various parts
W3C Style Sheets
CSS conformance
XSL adds XML-XML transformations
common W3C formatting model
CSS for WAI: Daniel Dardailler (W3C)
Daniel Dardailler
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Context
WAI is W3C Domain dealing with:
Improving W3C technologies (HTML, CSS, XML, DOM, etc)
Producing Guidelines for best practice use of Technology
Content guidelines
User Agent guidelines
Authoring Tool guidelines
Coordination of Tools development
Evaluation
Repair
Transform
Education & Outreach
WAI helped the design of the CSS2 Recommendation
CSS End-user benefits
Separation of presentation from content means much easier to adapt
the presentation to the users' needs.
Greatly limit the use of pixel images for textual messages
Faster to download
Improve site presentation consistency
Searchable text
No more cumbersome author tricks that only some user agents understand.
Some Bad Tricks without Style
pre, LI or BLOCKQUOTE for indenting and positioning.
Spaces between letters which confuse non-visual users.
Spacer "invisible" images used for justification
Lots of "&nbsp;" to fill out empty table cells
Complex HTML Table for layout that interfere with logical reading order
CSS2 adds to CSS1
CSS1:
basic syntax, cascading model, classing & formatting
font, color, box/margin, border properties
CSS2:
user control of cascading
audio rendering
positioning
downloadable fonts
numbering and generated text
Better user control
Orientation and navigation
Aural CSS: ACSS (pronounced Access)
Attribute selectors
Conclusion
Some items dropped in favor of timeliness
- Grid unit, Tree transform, Footnote/Endnote
HTML4 + CSS2 provides overall better Media support
- braille, embossed, tty are now valid media types
WAI/CSS Success story of cooperation/coordination
Good Design
is Accessible Design
References
Vector Graphics on the Web: Chris Lilley (W3C)
Chris Lilley
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No set of slides provided
SMIL: Multimedia on the Web: Michael Wilson (RAL)
Michael Wilson
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Talk Outline
Example SMIL Presentation
The SMIL Language
SMIL Tools
SMIL take-up
Available Technologies
HTML/XML - no timing
DHTML (Java, CSS, DOM) - considerable programming effort, DOM standard
CD authoring tools - plug-in only
convert everything to video stream - RealVideo/MS NetShow
New W3C multimedia language - SMIL
SMIL Objectives
Support 5 Constructs
layout
content
control/links
timing/synchronisation
tailoring
Became W3C recommendation June 1998
SMIL Language
Defined as an XML DTD
declarative language like HTML, easier to learn and use than (DHTML: Java and DOM and CSS)
<smil> <head> ... </body></smil>
<layout>
<region id="V-Main" left="3%" top="44%" width="46%" height="40%"/>
</layout>
Media Content - http, rtsp, etc., local file
<video region="R1" src="video.avi"/>
<img src="http://image.jpg"/>,
<audio src="rtsp://sound.wav"/>,
<text src="text.html"/>,
<textstream /> e.g. tickers
<animation />
<ref /> - other media types
Media Timing/Synchronisation
<par>
<seq>
<img src="slide1.jpg" dur="10s" />
<img src="slide2.jpg" />
</seq>
<audio src="english.wav"/>
</par>
40+ attributes to set duration, synchronisation etc..
Control
WWW, therefore limited to hyperlink navigation
<a show="new" href="./file1.smil#1">
<video id="Anchor" region="V-Main" src="/mpeg/file2.avi"/>
</a>
also <anchor> statement for video anchors that are limited in both time and space
jump into or out of continuous media anchors
no anchor for audio - use scrolling text captions
Tailorability
<switch> statement and test attributes
<switch>
<audio src="french.wav" system-language="fr"/>
<audio src="english.wav" system-language="en"/>
</switch>
select media content for different user languages , screen size, screen colour depth, comms bitrate (e.g. GSM vs LAN)
optional captions for users with hearing difficulties
optional dubbing for users with visual difficulties
different layouts for screen size (e.g. GSM phone).
SMIL Tools
Browsers/Players
Editors/ Authoring Tools
SMIL Browsers
HPAS, Netscape Plug-in, Digital
research tool only
Helio, Java Applet player - very limited
Productivity Works, LP Player
Audio Only, DAISY compatible
Cresendo Forte - audio only- music
Real Networks G2 Player
Chameleon GRiNS Player
Authoring Tools
Tags - Allaire SMIL Integration Pack
Audio only - LP Studio
Template filling - RealMedia SMIL Presentation Wizard
SMIL compatible multimedia editors
G2 Objects for Macromedia Dreamweaver
Digital Renaissance T.A.G. Editor
Sausage Software, SMIL SuperTool
Veon V-Active
GRiNS Authoring Environment
The Veon V-Active Editor
The tool includes templates designed to facilitate the production of SMIL presentations.
V-Active will not only encode audio and video, it features an integrated timeline utility.
Produces <anchor> statements for video objects.
GRiNS Editor
5 views for 5 constructs
Layout
Hierarchy
Timeline
End User
Links
SMIL Advantages
Not a full programming language - DHTML
Declarative language - easy to learn
Easy to convert to/from other languages - e.g., HyTime
Controls whole player unlike CD-Rom tool plug-ins
Less bandwidth than digital video
don't stream whole image, only continuous parts
Commercial tools already exist
Over 50 major media users use SMIL including CNN, Fox OnLine News etc.
W3C Recommendation, not proprietary
Risks to SMIL Positioning
Are SMIL layout and linking sufficiently consistent with XML, CSS and HTML?
Should alternatives be addressed at a more general level than SMIL?
Is a declarative language enough, or is scripting required by experts?
Microsoft may promote HTML+TIME instead of SMIL, but RealPlayer G2 will ship with AOL V4.0
SMIL - The Future
SMIL SIG exists now to produce errata
SMIL WG is proposed from February 1999 to 2000
Extensions of SMIL 1.0
e.g. transition effects, external clock synchronisation, streamed events, anchor indication by cursor, integrating Xlink
Modularisation of SMIL 1.0
DOM for documents with SYMM
Integration of SYMM functionality and HTML
Conclusions
SMIL became W3C recommendation for synchronised media on WWW in June 1998
XML technology is a key component of SMIL
More efficient than alternative formats
SMIL is easy to learn and use
There are risks to the positioning of SMIL
Example browsers and editors available now
David Bradshaw
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The Future: Jean-Francois Abramatic (W3C)
Jeff Abramatic
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Why: Goals
Who: Actors & Roles
How: Process
What: Achievements
Next: Challenges
"Leading the Web to its full potential"
Provide the Infrastructure for the Global Information Society
Prevent Market fragmentation
Develop a powerful Architecture
Guarantee Accessibility
Develop best Practices
using Collective Design
W3C: Actors & Roles
Industry-driven: Members
Software & Systems suppliers
Communication suppliers
Content providers
Large end users
Research laboratories
Architecture-driven: Team
Roadmap by Tim Berners-Lee, Director
Identify & Manage Dependencies between Activities
Manage the Process to reach consensus
Promote the results
Society-driven: Public
General feedback on Societal issues
Continuous feedback on Deployment issues
Early feedback on Working Drafts
W3C: Hosts & Offices
Hosts
MIT: October 1994
INRIA: April 1995
Keio: August 1996
Provide
Management Team
Engineering Team
Communication Team
Web site
Events
Newsletter, Newswire
Press relations
Offices
Europe: UK, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, Italy (1Q99)
Asia: Hong Kong, Taiwan
Africa: Morocco, Tunisia (1Q 99)
Provide
Communication
New membership
Members contact
Mirroring & Translating Web site
Feedback from local needs
W3C: Process
Ideas & Issues
Submissions
Activity proposal
Scope
Dependencies
Organization
Working Groups & Interest Groups
Mailing list
Web area
Conference calls
Face-to-face meetings
Documents
Notes
Submissions
Working Drafts
Member-only
Public
Last Call
Recommendations
W3C: Achievements
HTML 3.2, HTML 4.0
HTTP 1.1
CSS1&2
XML 1.0
SMIL 1.0, MathML 1.0
PNG
DOM Level 1
PICS
....
W3C: from Achievements to Deployment
Sample code
Client: Amaya
Server: Jigsaw
Library: Libwww
Validation tools
Development Forum
Education & Outreach
W3C: Work in Progress
Metadata (RDF)
Digital Signatures (DSig)
Privacy (P3P)
Intellectual Property Rights
Structure (XML, HTML)
Graphics & Multimedia (SVG, SMIL)
Style (CSS, XSL)
Accessibility (WAI)
New Generation Protocols (HTTP-NG)
... from Member input
Convergence
Television and the Web
Workshop in Sophia-Antipolis (June1998)
Interest Group (September1998)
Web components: HTML, CSS, Addressing
Mobility and the Web
Workshop in Tokyo (April 1998)
Interest Group (June 1998)
Agreement with WAP Forum (Wireless Application Protocol)
Web components: HTTP, HTML, CSS
Thank you
More information at http://www.w3.org/
Feel free to join!