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This paper summarises the requirement for a World-Wide Web consortium (W3C).
Background
The world-wide web is a universe of information.
The web's existence relies on global networks,
but users of the web are not aware of this.
The web allows human communication and cooperation by sharing knowledge,
and opens this to ordinary people who need no technical skill.
By pointing and clicking, anyone can find their way through,
and even contribute to,
a wonderland of multimedia and hypertext information.
First designed at CERN in1989, the web has spread exponentially,
doubling every few months.
During 1993 this explosions of available information broke into public
awareness.
Commercial, educational and government bodies are all rushing to get on board
an enabling technology.
Meanwhile, the designers at CERN,
and in the many laboratories around the world who develop web-related code in
informal collaboration, have been relying on CERN for coordination,
and steering of this project.
CERN's charter, however, is for particle physics research,
which precludes CERN funding technology of such wide application.
At the same time,
companies which are becoming increasingly committed to the web as a way of
working and doing business are calling for a central body to define the web,
ensure its stability and smooth progression through continued technological
innovation.
The creator of the World-Wide Web, CERN's Tim Berners-Lee,
therefore proposes the formation of a consortium to provide this function.
Aims
The aims of the consortium are as follows:
· To define the World-Wide Web-
· To act as a primary point of contact for those expressing interest in the
web
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· To coordinate the development of the communication standards (network
protocols, etc) on which the web is based;
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· To support,
develop and collect public domain software to act as reference implementation
of these protocols, etc;
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· To promote the use of the web in new domains, especially within education,
and interchange between governments, research, and industry.
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· To aid especially the less technically developed countries in using the web
for the rapid transfer of knowledge,
diffusion of culture and as an economic enabler;
Activities
In order to accomplish these aims,
the consortium shall manage and support (directly or through subcontract)
· Exchange information with the public,
the press and members about web-related activities.-
· Coordinate technological innovation.
Ensure that fragmentation of standards does not occur,
and that enhancements will have the required properties of compatability and
scalability, and will represent the leading edge of technology in the field.
Define compliance with standards. Liaise with general standard bodies.
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· Maintain registries of servers,
of organizations providing web-related services,
and of web-compatible products.
Technical design will be coordinated by the consortium,
but decisions will be taken by rough consensus among participants in open
discussions taking place over rthe networks and when deemed appropriate,
at physical meetings.
The board of the consortium and if necessary the president will rule in the
case of arbitrary decisisions, or impasse.
Tim BL