Welcome to the first 1996 issue of the SGML Users' Group Newsletter. As you can see, we have made some minor adjustments to the format of the Newsletter. I hope that this will add to the Newsletter's readability. We have a new publication schedule for the Newsletter as well. While we will continue to be a quarterly publication, the issues will be published during the first month of each quarter, rather than the last. So, you should be receiving the Newsletter in January, April, July, and October. In addition to a new format and new schedule, we have lots of content for you this quarter as well.
Our opening article discusses the evolution of the international Group's focus on geographic Chapter development. As the Group grows, it becomes more obvious that the best way for the Group to return value to its members is to assist local Chapters to better meet their members' needs. To this end, we have put together a new assistance program to help foster the development and ongoing growth of Chapters worldwide. See page 3 for more on this.
We also have a new administrator to help the Group with its day-to-day work, Kirsten Pymer. Kirsten will devote two days a week to the Group's administration. Please feel free to contact her directly or to copy her on any correspondence to me as she will make sure that all runs smoothly. Kirsten can be reached at the editorial address or by email at kp@dpsl.co.uk.
During the week of 4 December 1995, the Graphic Communications Association (GCA) hosted their annual North American SGML conference, SGML '95 at the Sheraton Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). The record-breaking attendance topped 850. From my informal polling of those I met in the hall, delegates were pleased with the content of the presentations, the quality of the speakers, and the venue. This year, for the first time, there was a formal vendor Expo which also proved very popular. This issue's Products and Services column has been replaced by a stroll down the aisles of the Expo. The column briefly discusses each vendor and their products or services. A number of companies made announcements at the show, and these are also highlighted. This year differed from past years in a significant way. For the past few years, Yuri Rubinsky (Conference Chair) has prepared and presented the SGML Year in Review at the Keynote Plenary. This year, however, as Yuri said, the adoption of SGML by a particular company is no longer headline news. Companies are moving to SGML in record numbers. Instead, Yuri and his co-chair Tommie Usdin commented on the state of SGML in the world in their keynote address "In one era, and out the other."
Other keynote speakers included Dr. James Mason, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Dr. Charles F. Goldfarb, Information Management Consulting.
Another new feature at this year's conference was an audio taping service. As is always the frustration with a multi-track conference - you always wonder what was said in the other track. The recording company did a brisk trade. If you are interested in getting copies of any of the sessions, please contact the GCA (see page 11). [Trivia note: Sharon Adler's and Anders Berlund's "ABC's of DSSSL" was the best selling session.]
Other important news includes the GCA's distribution of their Draft Registration Process for Public Text Owner Identifiers. The document, available from the GCA, specifies the procedures the GCA shall follow as a registrar for public text owner identifiers. Although owner identifiers may be registered or unregistered, it is possible that two owners could select the same unregistered owner identifier. Registered owner identifiers are unambiguous, based on ISO/IEC 9070:1991(E) and can be constructed from existing identifiers recognized within ISO, such as the designation and number of an ISO publication, an ISBN prefix, and an organization code assigned in accordance with ISO 6523. The ISO Council has designated the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to act as the registration authority. The GCA has applied to ANSI to be designated as a registrar that enacts the registration procedures. The GCA's objective as the registrar is to provide a repository and locator service of SGML public text for use by the members of the SGML community.
As always we welcome the opportunity to hear from you and actively solicit articles, product and service notes, or snippets for each issue. We are also glad to receive any suggestions for improvement on the Newsletter or our other member services.
As we start a New Year, I wish all of you a healthy, peaceful, and prosperous 1996 and I look forward to hearing from you throughout the year.
Pamela Gennusa
Contact Robin Cover with corrections and updates, or to submit contributions to the ISUG online document database.
