| Historical BSR Project (last update 1999) |
There are many initiatives (see below) searching for a common language for Electronic Commerce and "Information Society". They are developing new "data registers" (or redefining old ones) and in the process raising many problems. The confusion that can, and does, arise in electronic communication needs to be addressed in an international, multilingual and global manner so that the quality and meaning of the communication can be guaranteed between partners involved. The answer to this problem must therefore lie in an international, multilingual and global approach conducted in a partnership manner between the potential suppliers of such a solution. This will require a broad international effort in coordinating the various projects. ISO, as the foremost international standards body, has been addressing the problem with the Basic Semantics Register which is now moving into the development of its operating system. This project has also recognized the need for the active participation of all the major players involved in proposing solutions and ISO is ready and willing to play a coordinating role in bringing the players together in an upgraded proposal which is called: The BSR (Basic Semantics Register). Initiated with three languages, English, French and German, plus Spanish within a couple of years, the BSR will welcome self developments in other languages like Arabic, Russian, Northern and Central European languages, Asian languages etc. |
Initiatives for a common language for Electronic Commerce and "Information Society"
The active participation of organizations developing both the structure for data specification and content is key for the success of the BSR. Organizations that will be approached to participate include those in the list below. It should be noted that the ISO TCs and CEN are already fully committed to the project and that close collaboration is in place with the XML community.
| W3C | Semantic Web
Initiative Namespaces XML/EDI group: (European CEN/ISSS XML/EDI workshop, US XML/EDI forum) |
| ISO various subgroups including | TC154/UNTDED,
TC184/STEP, and sectorial groups such as healthcare TC 251, TC 68 |
| ISO/EC JTC1 SC32 | Data specification and standardisation of data elements |
| UN/CEFACT | ebXML
ITPWG UN/ECE rec 1- UN Layout Key MADRAS data element renaming project EWG T8/Simpl-EDI EWG D6 – Finance EWG D9 – Insurance – 4 separate groups in different areas of insurance |
| EAN | MIST and TRANSCORE projects |
| Software Organisation Initiatives | ebXML
CommerceOne CBL 2.0 Microsoft BizTALK Rosettanet Object Management Group (including UML, Object Oriented, etc.) OASIS |
| European Initiatives | Proposed CEN/ISSS ‘defining and managing semantic datatypes for European EC’ workshop |
| National Projects | UK ECP data
harmonisation project SITPRO ElecTra project |