April RNYSUG Meeting April 28, 1999

RNYS(X)UG Meeting - April 28, 1999

Meeting Date: 4/28/1999

Time: 5:00 - 7:00

Location: West Group Rochester, 50 Broad Street East

Minutes

Initial Thoughts:

Chris Lada opened the meeting.

There were no participants from previous users group in Rochester.

The main intent of reviving the group is to get discussions about XML going

What are the expectations?

Overview:

Introductions

Logistics

Push Participation

No one or two individuals driving this

Intent is to start planning the next few meetings

Introductions:

Name: Chris Lada

Organization: Data Architecture, West Group

Job Function: Develop XML models for the Unity Project - formulate data architecture approach for unity

Expectations: Open sharing of information - sharing new technologies, approaches, etc.

Name: Bob Farney

Organization: DMSi

Job Function: Applications specialist - jack of all trades - Omnimark, Frame+SGML, whatever tool happens to be at the client

Expectations: What other tools are out there - sharing information - Perl, Python

Name: Elaine Feith

Organization: Tabular Composition Team - West Group

Job Function: Tabular coding and forms coding

Expectations: Be a fly on the wall and learn from us - pick up technical awareness

Name: Zack Kuvizik

Organization: Tables team, West Group

Job Function: Tables coding

Expectations: XML, SGML wants to learn some things pick up some things

Name: Jill Fien

Organization: Product Analysis, West Group

Job Function: Conversion of products

Expectations: To see how other companies are using SGML/XML

Name: Dave Wong

Organization: Product Analysis, West Group

Job Function: Conversion of products

Expectations: To see how other companies are using SGML/XML

Name: Don Capuano

Organization: Product Analysis, West Group

Job Function: Team Coordinator

Expectations: To see how other companies are using SGML/XML - gain greater knowledge of tools and languages being used.

Name: Mike Chudnick

Organization: Product Analysis, West Group

Job Function: Conversion of products - works with rules files

Expectations: To see how other companies are using SGML/XML - gain other insight and knowledge - very much interested in tools, Perl, python, and Omnimark, Adept and FrameMaker

Name: Jim Laragy

Organization: Composition Development, West Group

Job Function: Programs that convert SGML to Xyvision coding

Expectations: Learn about new tools and what other companies are doing - lately working on loose-leaf - learning more about XML

Name: Anne DuFour

Organization: Secondary Development

Job Function: Involved with Unity and support the DOW system

Expectations: Looking for greater information on XML and learn more about SGML

Name: Randy Burrell

Organization: Unity Prototyping, West Group

Job Function: Heavily involved in data conversion

Expectations: Tools conversion - using the tools for greater conversion productivity

Name: Jean Gramlich

Organization: Composition, West Group

Job Function: Composition production needs

Expectations: Learn more about SGML as West Group works with the DOW products.

Name of the Group

Rochester New York SGML/XML Users Group - name should reflect scope and goals of the group

Current name : Rochester NY SGML Users Group (RNYSUG)

New name : Rochester NY SGML/XML Users Group (RNYSXUG)

Participation

Only way to succeed and go forward is by full participation from everyone

People willing to share their experience.

Tutorials - all the new technologies coming out.

Technical presentations.

Share stumbling blocks.

Attendance at meetings - try to get other organizations involved.

Need to have open discussions - input on change venue, approach of the group

Scope and Mission Statement

The group reviewed the first draft of the scope/mission statement and made some revisions. The following is the result of that effort:

The Rochester NY SGML/XML User's Group is a nonprofit organization, which promotes the effective use of SGML, XML and related technologies (e.g. CSS, DSSSL, XSL, XLINK, Editing Environments, Programming Languages, etc.) through education, and the open exchange of information. RNYSXUG also provides members with a forum in which to work with other developers, users, and vendors of SGML/XML solutions.

Sponsorship

They couldn't get that many people in to speak. Vendors are usually not a problem. They have no problem coming in. Experts in the field tend to be a problem. Midwest SGML forum asks individuals to pay for membership. Dues used to bring in speakers for smaller organizations to put on a meal for the people. A lot of the users groups are affiliated with international or national groups. Prices to join. Chris Lada to look into the logistics of joining one of those organizations.

Web Site - get people for advertising.

Professor at RIT (Frank Cost)- a real good presentation on XML.

Leadership Roles

Board of Directors

Chairperson

Coordinator Secretary

Voting

Suggestion: Alternating among the groups within the different companies. Alternating sponsorship within the group.

Don Capuano will be heading up the next meeting.

Timing and Sponsorship, of future meetings

Everyone agreed that the 5:00pm-7:00pm timeframe is good.

Third Wednesday of every month

Next Meeting:

Room 202/204 - the next meeting will be held here at West Group.

Don will try to get this room.

General Format of Meetings

The group discussed the general format of the meetings based on the following proposal:

Introductions - for new members/attendees
Business from last meeting - i.e. status of Website development
Implementation presentation, new technology presentation, tutorials, or vendor presentations

Web Site

It was suggested that we start looking into developing a Web site for the group to ensure open communication:

Team members: Randi Barrell(WG), Don Capuano(WG), Bob Farney (DMSi)

Content: list of members, meeting minutes, cool SGML/XML links, upcoming meetings, SGML/XML events

Design/Creation: Bob Farney is going to develop a high level prototype of the web site and distribute to the rest of the website team for review. The team will also present the initial prototype to the group at the next meeting

Sponsorship: Don Capuano to contact the internal West Group web administrators about getting Internet server access for a web page. The team will also look into some 'free' web site companies like Yahoo and Homestead.

Future Meetings

Possible Tutorials: The group was very interested in having tutorials as part of the meeting. The following are some suggested topics:

Omnimark
SGML Development/Using SGML
XML/XSL
Python
Perl
FM+SGML
Adept
General Tools - Mike Chudnick volunteered to talk about tools being used at West Group
To expand the possibilities of tutorials and vendor demonstrations, Elaine Feith will investigate charging the video conferencing - and what sites are available

Vendor Presentations: There was also a high level of interest from the group to have some vendors come in and demonstrate their SGML/XML Solutions. Chris will check his previous RNYSUG vendor list. The following were vendors suggested for demonstrations:

Adept
Documentum
Belise
Data Channel
DMSi
SGML Smart Object Management Systems:
Chrystal Astoria
Texcel
Others?

Bob Farney will check with Lou Iuppa on Xyvision contacts

Technical Discussions and Implementation Presentations: It was also suggested that we could have open forums to discuss new technologies, and specific applications of SGML and XML:

Discuss new technologies.
Informal discussions - problems or issues encountered with SGML or XML.
Talk about HTML - use it as a comparative tool - topic for a presentation or tutorial.
One other possibility is to get other Thomson companies involved in the discussions and presentations - Carswell, RIAG, etc.

Jill Fien and Dave Wong SGML Implementation presentation.

Miscellaneous: other possible discussion topics:

Documentation
Source Control
Careers in SGML/XML Development
Development Methodology
Techniques in Information/Document Analysis

Miscellaneous

Meeting Schedules and Topics: Don and Chris will meet to discuss future meetings and try to schedule vendor, and technical presentations, and tutorials.

Next Meeting

West Group

May 19, 1999. 5pm-7pm