OASIS Charter Submission Discuss

Proposed Charter for OASIS Search Web Services TC

  • 1.  Proposed Charter for OASIS Search Web Services TC

    Posted 05-15-2007 17:37
    To OASIS Members:
    
      A draft TC charter has been submitted to establish the OASIS Search Web
    Services Technical Committee. In accordance with the OASIS TC Process Policy
    section 2.2: 
    (http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/process.php#2.2) the proposed charter is
    hereby submitted for comment. The comment period shall remain open until 11:45
    pm ET on 29 May 2007. 
    
      OASIS maintains a mailing list for the purpose of submitting comments on
    proposed charters. Any OASIS member may post to this list by sending email to:
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      A telephone conference will be held among the Convener, the OASIS TC
    Administrator, and those proposers who wish to attend within four days of the
    close of the comment period. The announcement and call-in information will be
    noted on the OASIS Charter Discuss Group Calendar.
    
      We encourage member comment and ask that you note the name of the proposed TC
    (search-ws) in the subject line of your email message. 
    
    Regards,
    
    Mary
     
    ---------------------------------------------------
    Mary P McRae
    Manager of TC Administration, OASIS
    email: mary.mcrae@oasis-open.org  
    web: www.oasis-open.org
    phone: 603.232.9090
    
    ===========
    PROPOSED CHARTER FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT
    
    1. Charter
    
    a. Name of the Technical Committee
    OASIS Search Web Services Technical Committee
    
    b. Purpose
    
    To define Search and Retrieval Web Services, combining various current and
    ongoing web service activities.
    
    Within recent years there has been a growth in activity in the development of
    web service definitions for search and retrieval applications. These include
    SRU, a web service based in part on the NISO/ISO Search and Retrieval standards;
    the Amazon OpenSearch, which defines a means of describing and automating search
    web forms; as well as many proprietary definitions (e.g. the Google and MSN
    Search APIs). There are also a number of activities for defining abstract search
    APIs that can be mapped onto multiple implementations either within native code
    or onto remote procedural calls and web services, such as ZOOM (Z39.50 Object
    Oriented Model); SQI (Simple Query Interface), an IEEE standard developed for
    searching and retrieval in the IMS (Instructional Management Systems) space; and
    OSIDs from the Open Knowledge Initiative. While abstract APIs would be out of
    scope, these would inform the work to increase interoperability and
    compatibility.
    
    c. Scope of the Work
    
    The development of a web service interface specification covering:
       *  Search/Retrieve
       *  Query
       *  Sorting
       *  Record Retrieval
       *  Index Browsing
    
    This will include the development or identification of an abstract query
    language incorporating an extensible framework, plus one or more application
    profiles.
    
    The work will also involve semantic description of search services but will
    build upon existing work (e.g. NISO Z39.92) rather than define new descriptions.
    
    The work will seek input from abstract API initiatives such as OKI, ZOOM, and
    SQI.
    
    Out of Scope:  Although as mentioned the work will seek input from abstract API
    initiatives, the development or standardisation of Abstract APIs is out of
    scope.
    
    Specific Contribution of Existing Work as a Starting Point:  The following works
    are available to the technical committee for further development:
    
         *  SRU http://www.loc.gov:8081/standards/sru/ or
    http://www.loc.gov/standards/sru/
    
         *  CQL http://www.loc.gov:8081/standards/sru/specs/cql.html or
    http://www.loc.gov/standards/sru/specs/cql.html
    
    Additional contributions from other TC members also are welcome.
    
    How it is to be Determined when the Work of the TC has been Completed:
    The work will be considered completed when (a) an OASIS standard is approved
    that embodies the functionality provided by the two specifications listed above
    plus any additional contributions, plus or minus functions agreed upon by the
    TC; and (b) any errata, extension or further versioning of the specification
    that this TC then wishes to create has been completed.
    
    d. Deliverables
    
       *  Service definition(s)
       *  XML Schemas
       *  Web Service interface specifications including HTTP POST, HTTP GET, and a
    SOAP binding.
       *  Query language definition
       *  Community defined profiles:
          -  bibliographic community
          -  others
       *  User best practice documentation
       *  Implementer best practice documentation (including ZOOM, OSID, SQI
    mappings).
    
    Completion Dates:  The target completion date is February 2008. An itemized list
    of dates for each of the above items will be developed by the TC.
    
    e. IPR Mode
    
    Royalty Free on Limited Terms
    
    f. Anticipated Audience/Users
    
    Those involved in the design, development, implementation, or use of elements
    listed above in "Scope of the Work".  This includes search service providers,
    prospective users of search services exposed as XML, information architects and
    bibliographic, metadata, and content providers.
    
    g. The language in which the TC shall conduct business
    
    English.
    
    ----
    2. Additional non-normative material relating to the TC's start-up
    
    a. Similar or applicable work (OASIS and elsewhere)
    
    The following standards and projects may be relevant to the TC's planned work,
    although none currently provide the functionality anticipated by this
    committee's deliverables:
    
    NISO Z39.50/ISO23950
    NISO Z39.92
    SRU
    CQL
    Opensearch
    Google API
    SQI
    MSN Search API
    OSIDs
    ZOOM
    
    The TC intends to seek and if possible maintain liaison with each of the
    organizations maintaining the above works.
    
    b. Details of the first meeting
    
    The first meeting of the of the committee will be held by telephone conference
    call on 28 June 2007. Call-in information will be provided to the TC's e-mail
    list in advance of the meeting.
    
    Note to members:  This is a preliminary proposal; the meeting date may change in
    the final Call for Participation.
    
    c. Projected on-going meeting schedule
    The work of the committee will be carried out primarily by email and conference
    calls, possibly every two weeks, with face-to-face meetings perhaps once or
    twice a year.
    
    Following the first several calls, an initial face-to-face meeting, perhaps two
    days, or one and a half, is planned. The TC will determine its own schedule once
    organized.
    
    d. Supporters of the Proposal
    
    The following people support this proposal and are committed to the Charter and
    projected meeting schedule.
    
    Kerry Blinco,(DEST Australia)