Welcome to math-optimize-discuss

Hi:

Welcome to the OASIS math-optimize-discuss list. The purpose of the list 
is to prepare a charter for the formation of an OASIS Technical 
Committee (TC). The goal of the Technical Committee is to establish an 
XML based standard for representing instances of numerical optimization 
problems.

The discussion list is not a forum for
developing a standard, e.g. debating the specifics a schema. 
Establishing the actual standard is the goal of the TC. I think
the TC should begin by establishing a standard for linear programming. 
This is perhaps the most widely used optimization model and is a 
relatively easy starting place.  See 
http://gsbkip.uchicago.edu/fml/fml.html for a proposed standard.

After establishing a standard for linear programming, the TC could work 
on standards for specific kinds of optimization models, e.g. stochastic 
programs, network flows, constraint logic, etc.  Another direction for 
the TC is to address the representation of general nonlinear 
optimization problems. I think an important task of the TC will be to 
decide what to borrow from the Content MathML vocabulary.

I think it is important to restrict the task of the TC to establish 
standards for representing instances of numerical optimization problems 
as opposed to developing an XML based modeling language.

Opinions and suggestions are needed and welcome.

Thank you,

-- 
Kipp Martin
Professor of Operations Research
    and Computing Technology
University of Chicago
Graduate School of Business
1101 East 58 Street
Chicago IL 60637
773-702-7456