Re: Urgent - Need review of presentation abstract by COB Monday

[AlanKotok@cs.com]

Simon, et al

Good job.  Your abstract -- and I assume the presentation it represents -- 
touches all the right points.  I did a little editing to add a lead sentence, 
break up into paragraphs for easier reading, and use a little more active 
rather than passive voice, but keep your ideas intact.  See below; keep or 
toss as you wish.  Best regards.

Alan Kotok
AlanKotok@cs.com
http://myfreeoffice.com/techjournalist/

p.s. Internet is a formal name and thus capitalized (or capitalised if you 
prefer ....)

=================

ebXML: The new language of electronic business

The Electronic Business XML or ebXML initiative combines the best of the new 
Web technology with previous experience of electronic transactions, and 
promises to extend the benefits of business data exchange to companies of all 
sizes anywhere in the world.

Over the last 25 years most of the world's larger enterprises have exchanged 
electronic transactions with their customers and suppliers in volumes that 
today are measured in billions of dollars. However, only those organisations 
with the deepest pockets and large support resources could afford the 
development, software, and networks needed to make it work. Now, with the 
availability of the Internet, organisations worldwide and in all sizes are 
looking to do business electronically with each other, in ways which remove 
dependencies on their trading partners and specific technology vendors. 

The last year has seen an explosion in initiatives to provide the 
infrastructure that enables small, medium and large organisations to conduct 
business electronically using the Internet. Many of the initiatives share 
common requirements in core infrastructure and to reduce reinvention and the 
risks of incompatibility.  In November 1999, the UN CEFACT and OASIS 
organisations came together to form the ebXML  initiative to develop a global 
infrastructure for electronic business, based on public, proven standards, 
and being freely open to all.  It represents the only global initiative of 
its type in the industry today. As a result it now has the global backing and 
participation of large and small vendors, key industry groups from both the 
EDI and XML worlds, and end-users.

The first phase of this 18-month work is now nearing completion and is 
defining the framework by which all enterprises, irrespective of size, 
location and implementation will interact and do business. This presentation 
provides an insight into the ongoing work of ebXML and will discuss the 
architecture defining the framework and how the specifications for transport, 
business process, registry and repository and core components fit together.