News Release: World Wide Web Consortium Issues DOM Level 2 As a W3C Recommendation

World Wide Web Consortium Issues DOM Level 2 As a
W3C Recommendation

DOM Level 2 Delivers Standard API and Dynamism to XML

Contact America and Europe -- 
       Janet Daly, <janet@w3.org>, +1.617.253.5884 or +1.617.253.2613 
Contact Asia -- 
       Kazuhiro Kitagawa <kaz@w3.org>, +81.466.49.1170 


Web Resources for DOM Level 2

Press Release: 
http://www.w3.org/2000/11/dom-level2-pressrelease

Testimonials from IBM, Netscape, Nexgenix, Oracle, and SoftQuad Software Inc.:
http://www.w3.org/2000/11/dom-level2-testimonial

DOM Overview:
http://www.w3.org/DOM/Activity

DOM Specifications:

	Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Core Specification
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-DOM-Level-2-Core-20001113/

	Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Style Specification
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-DOM-Level-2-Style-20001113/

	Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Events Specification
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-DOM-Level-2-Events-20001113/

	Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Views Specification
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-DOM-Level-2-Views-20001113/

	Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Traversal and Range
	Specification
	http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/REC-DOM-Level-2-Traversal-Range-20001113/


http://www.w3.org/ -- 13 November 2000 -- Leading the Web to its full
potential, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) today released the
Document Object Model Level 2 specification as a W3C Recommendation. The
specification reflects cross-industry agreement on a standard API
(Applications Programming Interface) for manipulating documents and data
through a programming language (such as Java or ECMAScript). A W3C
Recommendation indicates that a specification is stable, contributes to
Web interoperability, and has been reviewed by the W3C Membership, who
favor its adoption by the industry.

DOM Level 2 Brings Platform-Neutral Dynamic Content to the Web

Created and developed by the W3C Document Object Model (DOM) Working
Group, this specification extends the platform- and language-neutral
interface to access and update dynamically a document's content,
structure, and style first described by the DOM Level 1 Recommendation.
The DOM Level 2 provides a standard set of objects for representing
Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents and data, including namespace
support, a style sheet platform which adds support for CSS 1 and 2, a
standard model of how these objects may be combined, and a standard
interface for accessing and manipulating them.

"The DOM Level 2 Recommendation builds on the solid work done in DOM
Level 1, and gives Web authors the power to move to XML for dynamic
content," says Lauren Wood of SoftQuad Software Inc., and Chair of the
W3C DOM Working Group. "The DOM also provides developers with the
interoperability and integration ability they need. There are now
several implementations of the DOM, in different programming languages,
which provide the basis of powerful systems meeting the business needs
of several large organizations."

DOM Level 2 Delivers Interoperable Software for XML Documents with
Namespace Support

DOM Level 1 was designed for HTML 4.0 and XML 1.0. With DOM Level 2,
authors can take further advantage of the extensibility of XML. Simply
put, anywhere you use XML, you can now use the DOM to manipulate it.

The standard DOM interface makes it possible to write software (similar
to plug-ins) for processing customized tag-sets in a language- and
platform-independent way. A standard API makes it easier to develop
modules that can be re-used in different applications. DOM Level 2
provides support for XML namespaces, extending and improving the XML
platform. As more sites move to XML for content delivery, DOM Level 2
emerges as a critical tool for developing dynamic Web content.

DOM Level 2 Extends the Dynamic, Device Independent Web

The DOM defines a standard API that allows authors to write programs
that work without changes across tools and browsers from different
vendors. But beyond this, it provides a uniform way to produce programs
that work across a variety of different devices, so all may benefit from
dynamically generated content..

The DOM Level 2 Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) API makes it possible for a
script author to access and manipulate style information associated with
contents, while preserving accessibility. DOM Level 2 also includes an
Events API to provide interactivity anywhere someone uses XML - in
documents, in data, or in B2B applications.

Current Implementations, Advanced Work in Progress

Key industry players bring their expertise to the W3C DOM Working Group
including Arbortext, IBM, Intel, JavaSoft, Macromedia, Microsoft,
Netscape, Nexgenix, Oracle, SoftQuad Software Inc., Software AG, and Sun
Microsystems. Many are already providing support, as indicated in the testimonials.

Other W3C Working Groups are currently at work in extending further the
DOM Level 2 platform for Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) and Mathematical
Markup Language (MathML). The DOM Working Group is currently at work
developing DOM Level 3, the next layer of functionality for DOM.

About the World Wide Web Consortium [W3C]

The W3C was created to lead the Web to its full potential by developing
common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its
interoperability. It is an international industry consortium jointly run
by the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science (MIT LCS) in the USA, the
National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA)
in France and Keio University in Japan. Services provided by the
Consortium include: a repository of information about the World Wide Web
for developers and users, and various prototype and sample applications
to demonstrate use of new technology. To date, over 470 organizations
are Members of the Consortium. For more information see http://www.w3.org/

###

Testimonials


IBM | Netscape Communications Corporation | Nexgenix | Oracle
Corporation | SoftQuad Software Inc. 


IBM is delighted to see the Document Object Model Level 2 become an
official W3C Recommendation. This new version includes important new
features, such as Namespaces, which will enable programmers to better
exploit XML for e-business applications. IBM feels it is very important
to ensure that there are high quality, open source reference
implementations of the DOM standard available. We have made significant
contributions to the Apache Xerces parser which already supports DOM
Level 2. IBM will continue to contribute to the DOM activity in the W3C
as it evolves. 
 -- Bob Sutor, Director for e-business Standards Strategy, IBM

Netscape is strongly committed to supporting the W3C DOM Level 2 and
other web standards because they are the foundation for next-generation
web applications. The DOM Level 2 Core support for advanced XML features
such as namespaces sets the stage for supporting emerging XML-based
technologies. The CSS Interfaces will enable applications to dynamically
reformat content from scripting languages such as JavaScript, and the
event model enables the creation of web applications with user
interfaces that are as rich and interactive as native applications but
that run across platforms and devices.
Netscape will continue to work within the W3C to define innovative
standards such as the DOM Level 2 and through the open source
development initiative at mozilla.org to support these standards in the
Mozilla browser and products based upon it such as Netscape 6. 
-- Jim Hamerly, Vice-President of Client Product Development, Netscape
Communications Corporation

Nexgenix is delighted to contribute to the DOM development. DOM helps
developers to create Web applications that take advantage of the wealth
of components and data available on the Web by providing a standard
interface that enables many hardware and software platforms to talk to
each other smoothly. 
-- Dr. Shlomit Ritz Finkelstein, Director of Research, Nexgenix, Inc. 

With DOM Level 2, internet developers can now use the flexibility of XML
to make web content fully interoperable across multiple platforms and
multiple languages. The support of DOM Level 2 in the Oracle XML
Developer's Kit for Java is essential for delivering the new generation
of web sites where content has to be dynamic and exchangeable.
-- Chuck Rozwat, Executive Vice President, Server Technologies, Oracle Corporation

The DOM is an extremely important W3C Recommendation, and Level 2 adds
to the basic functionality defined in Level 1. XMetaL 2.0, our
award-winning XML editor, supports the Level 1 XML DOM and we have found
it to be very useful in allowing the integration with other
DOM-supporting products, such as repositories, databases, and B2B
systems. We intend to implement DOM Level 2 functionality in our
products in the future.
-- Lauren Wood, Director of Product Technology, SoftQuad Software Inc.

Received on Monday, 13 November 2000 10:40:54 UTC