File Formats Blog

This just caught me by surprise -- rather inexcusably, considering where I work. As of January 1, 2007, the old 10-digit ISBN will be replaced with ISBN-13, which has (as you might guess) 13 digits. The transition could affect many different data containers. Old ISBNs can be mechanically converted to ISBN-13.

Publishers typically buy ISBNs in blocks, with substantial per-ISBN discounts for large blocks, so the range gets consumed fast. In addition, the new numbers are compatible with EAN.UCC standards.

# posted by Gary McGath @ 8:51 AM 0 comments

I need to be discreet in what I say about the Global Data Format Registry (GDFR), since it's work-related, even though it's not under non-disclosure like the contract with Goomph mmmph mmph. But:

Progress is being made on the technical specs.

There is a domain registered, gdfr.info. At the moment it has no Web content.

The thorny question of who's in charge hasn't been fully resolved.

Edit: Recently updated documents on the format and data models are available here.

Edit: The current home of GDFR is www.formatregistry.org.

Labels: GDFR

# posted by Gary McGath @ 7:16 AM 0 comments

Currently I'm battling with the problem of how to crunch complex metadata records (e.g., MODS) down to unqualified Dublin Core for an OAI/PMH data provider. This morning I was pointed at this site on OAI best practices, which looks quite useful.

# posted by Gary McGath @ 9:17 AM 0 comments

W3C announces:

W3C is pleased to announce the advancement of WebCGM 2.0 to Proposed Recommendation. Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM) is an ISO standard for the interchange of 2D vector and mixed vector/raster graphics. WebCGM is a profile of CGM, which adds Web linking and is optimized for Web applications in technical illustration, documentation, data visualization and similar fields. Version 2.0 adds DOM access to WebCGM objects, adds an XML Companion File (XCF) for external data, and extends graphical and intelligent content. Comments are welcome through 30 November.

# posted by Gary McGath @ 3:21 PM 0 comments

Open Archives Initiative (OAI) has announced a new project for interchanging information about digital repositories, called ORE for Object Reuse and Exchange (possibly punning on "data mining"):

Object Reuse and Exchange (ORE) is a new two-year effort by the Open Archives Initiative, began in October 2006. The work is funded by the generous support by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundationi. ORE is co-coordinated by Herbert Van de Sompel and Carl Lagoze.
 
ORE will develop specifications that allow distributed repositories to exchange information about their constituent digital objects. These specifications will include approaches for representing digital objects and repository services that facilitate access and ingest of these representations. The specifications will enable a new generation of cross-repository services that leverage the intrinsic value of digital objects beyond the borders of hosting repositories.

• OAI press release

# posted by Gary McGath @ 2:35 PM 0 comments