Big names submit XMI standard

A group of software vendors led by IBM, Oracle, and Unisys wants to make it easier for development teams to work together on the Internet.

IBM and gang this week presented a proposal to the Object Management Group, an object technology standards body, to make their XML Metadata Interchange Format specification, or XMI, the standard method in which object data is exchanged over the Internet.

"XMI provides the basis for collaboratively developing and standardizing other information models," said Peter Thomas, product manager for repository technologies at Oracle. "Data warehousing is one example where a common warehouse model based on XMI would result in major benefits for organizations."

The standard is for storing and sharing object programming, or chunks of reusable code, and design information. It is meant to allow development teams using different tools from multiple vendors to share the objects and collaborate on applications.

But it isn't the only game in town. A slew of organizations have submitted standard specifications to the OMG for use. Many have since backed out, however, and the Big Blue, Oracle, and Unisys proposal is gaining momentum and backing.

Among the cosponsors and supporters are the Cooperative Research Center for Distributed Technology (DSTC), Platinum Technology, Fujitsu, Informatica, Boeing, and Daimler-Benz.