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

[Simon Nicholson <simonn@eng.sun.com>]

All,
Thank you for all your feedback, and I have attempted to consolidate it 
into the following proposal for the abstract.  As for the title, I take 
your points about references to Clicks and Mortar, and on reflection, 
agree. There were a number of suggestions that we retain a theme about how 
ebXML enables businesses to talk/speak/communicate with each other, but 
avoid the word language - also I'm wondering if "framework" is now worn 
out, as an eye catcher?  Therefore, I've gone with an old idea!!!!
Thanks again,
Simon

Removing Babel - using ebXML for Global Business Communication

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 of 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, therefore, to enable 
interoperability amongst these services a common electronic business 
framework is needed. In November 1999, the UN CEFACT and OASIS 
organisations came together to form the ebXML initiative.  The objective is 
to ensure the empowerment of small and medium size businesses, through the 
development of an open, platform independent infrastructure for electronic 
business, based on public, proven standards. Participation at ebXML is 
freely open to all and represents the only 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, with a duration of 18 months, 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.


===========================================================================
Simon Nicholson
Snr. Market Strategist
XML Technology Centre
Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Tel:    +1 (650) 786 4238
Fax:    +1 (650) 786 5723
Email: simonn@eng.sun.com