FYI, the OpenOffice groupware project [1] has started an effort to define a standard address book schema. Jabberites and others are welcome to join.
Peter [1] http://groupware.openoffice.org/ ----- Forwarded message from Edward Buck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ----- From: Edward Buck <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Defining a "standard" address book schema Hi all, Thanks for your interest in participating in a working group to define a standard schema for address books. I apologize for the delay in getting the group started but I wanted to get as much feedback as possible on the merits of this working group. Based on the input I've received, we're ready to move forward. All the feedback has confirmed what we already know and that is the need for standardization and agreement on a common schema for handling address book data in groupware solutions. To support the efforts of this group, we've created a sub-project within OpenOffice.org's groupware project to be the primary source for information and news on this initiative. The OpenOffice.org groupware project website is: http://groupware.openoffice.org Although the project pages have not been created yet, we do have a mailing list. The mailing list for this working group is "[EMAIL PROTECTED]". I will be adding each of you to this mailing list (please let me know if you DO NOT want to be added) so you should not have to do anything to subscribe. I believe this initiative is an extremely important one for the "maturation" of open source groupware solutions. So, it is exciting for me to be taking part in this group. I hope you feel the same way. Since there are no "legacy" considerations here, I want to officially open this forum for your ideas and thoughts on how best to proceed. The goals of this project in a nutshell are to define an address book schema that is: (edited from original text by Colm Smyth) - GLOBAL (supports locale-specific data) - INTEROPERABLE (defines bi-directional mappings to other important schemas) - CURRENT (supports the latest Internet protocols and standards) - INDEPENDENT (does not use names or identifiers that imply an association with any specific software) - WEB-AWARE (uses URL's to reference sophisticated or "large" contact-related information outside of the addressbook schema) I'm sure these goals will get updated as we go along. One of my tasks over the next few weeks will be to get more projects and communities involved in this working group. Ultimately, to make this group successful, we need to create consensus from a diverse group supporting a diverse set of needs and wants. So, the group should grow over time. But I think we have enough people/projects represented here to get started. Please feel free to invite others to participate. As a way of starting some discussion on this topic, I'd like to get a sense of what people think should go into a "standard" address book schema. Yes, the question is intentionally vague because I think we all have different ideas of what can be accomplished in this working group. Since I haven't subscribed everyone to the list yet, you may want to "reply all" for the time being. Doing so will automatically send a copy to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks. Best regards, Edward Buck ----- End forwarded message ----- _______________________________________________ jdev mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mailman.jabber.org/listinfo/jdev
