XML and Web Services In The News - 02 June 2004

Web Services and the Mainframe
Richard Adhikari, Application Development Trends
The idea of using platform-independent Web services technology to provide access to back-end mainframe applications is picking up speed. Software vendors with experience in the Web services market are working to provide links to the mainframe, either in their products or through tie-ins with vendors that have mainframe experience; meanwhile, hardware/software vendors such as IBM and Unisys are promoting Web services on the mainframe. However, implementing Web service access to back-end applications on mainframes is not a simple task. A discriminating eye is required, as not all back-end applications benefit from being opened up. The key is to first select the applications that can benefit from being given front-end Web services access, and to then cherry-pick those that will give the most bang for the buck.

Complex Passwords Foil Hacks
Staff, Wired News
As more websites demand passwords, scammers are getting cleverer about stealing them -- hence, the need for such "passwords-plus" systems. To access her bank account online, Marie Jubran opens a web browser and types in her Swedish national ID number along with a four-digit password. For additional security, she then pulls out a card that has 50 scratch-off codes. Jubran uses the codes, one by one, each time she logs on or performs a transaction. Her bank, Nordea PLC, automatically sends a new card when she's about to run out. Scandinavian countries are among the leaders as many online businesses abandon static passwords in favor of so-called two-factor authentication Nordea and other Scandinavian banks already have partnered with government agencies and utilities, and an identity-management coalition called the Liberty Alliance Project has begun to explore standards.
See also: Liberty Alliance Project

Mozilla, Opera Join Forces for New W3C Proposal
Sean Michael Kerner, InternetNews.com
Two of Microsoft's rivals in the browser space have joined forces on a standards proposal slated to be presented to a W3C workshop. The Mozilla Foundation and Opera Software collaborated on the document, which represents their "consensus" opinion in the context of standards for Web Applications, and Compound Documents. The working document of the draft specification is titled Web Forms 2.0 which is in its essence an extension of the way forms are defined in the existing HTML 4.01 forms chapter, though it will apply equally to XHTML user agents as well. The proposed specifications include new attributes, DOM interfaces and events for validation and dependency tracking as well as XML form submission and initialization. The specification also aims to document existing practices in the forms area that have not yet been officially standardized.
See also: a draft version

Opera CEO: Browser Ready for Its Next Act
Matt Hicks, eWEEK
For browser maker Opera Software ASA, 2004 has been a busy year. The Norwegian company went public on the Oslo Stock Exchange, synced up its Web browsers with its Version 7.50 release and made more inroads onto mobile devices. Its biggest challenge may be yet to come: grabbing share from Microsoft Corp., whose Internet Explorer dominates the browser market. Opera CEO Jon von Tetzchner says he is optimistic about the opportunity, particularly as mobile devices become the prevalent way for people to connect to the Internet. Von Tetzchner, while visiting San Francisco recently, sat down with eWEEK.com Senior Writer Matt Hicks to discuss Opera's plans and the future of the Web browser.
See also: the eWEEK review

Sun to Open Source Solaris
Robert McMillan, InfoWorld
After months of hinting about its intentions, Sun Microsystems Inc. on Wednesday confirmed that it intends to release source code from its Solaris operating system under an open source licence. released a number of open source software products to date, including the OpenOffice productivity suite, components of the Gnome desktop, and the Tomcat servlet container. However, the company has, until now, declined to release its most important software assets (Solaris and the Java platform) under an open source license. While the central kernel of the Solaris operating system includes some interesting technology, an open source Solaris will need to materialize within the next few months if it is to be of any interest to developers, said Eric Raymond, founder of the Open Source Initiative, a nonprofit corporation created to help companies develop open source software licenses.

Email Spoofing Targeted in IETF Draft on MTA Authentication Records in DNS.
XML Cover Pages
An updated IETF Internet Draft has been published for "Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) Authentication Records in DNS," representing one of several current proposals aimed at design of mechanisms to reduce spoofing of email headers and delivery of (virus-bearing) spam. This specification relies upon XML infoset data items for a client authorization function, and an Email Policy Document. Similar solutions are presented in IETF Intenet Drafts for Sender Policy Framework (SPF), Caller ID, and 'RMX'.