The Media Fragments Working Group has published a W3C Recommendation of Media Fragments URI 1.0 (basic). This document describes the Media Fragments 1.0 (basic) specification. It specifies the syntax for constructing media fragment URIs and explains how to handle them when used over the HTTP protocol. The syntax is based on the specification of particular name-value pairs that can be used in URI fragment and URI query requests to restrict a media resource to a certain fragment. Learn more about the Video in the Web Activity.

The RDB2RDF Working Group has published two W3C Recommendations today:

• R2RML: RDB to RDF Mapping Language. This document describes R2RML, a language for expressing customized mappings from relational databases to RDF datasets. Such mappings provide the ability to view existing relational data in the RDF data model, expressed in a structure and target vocabulary of the mapping author's choice. R2RML mappings are themselves RDF graphs and written down in Turtle syntax. R2RML enables different types of mapping implementations. Processors could, for example, offer a virtual SPARQL endpoint over the mapped relational data, or generate RDF dumps, or offer a Linked Data interface.
• A Direct Mapping of Relational Data to RDF. This document defines a direct mapping from relational data to RDF.

Learn more about the Semantic Web Activity.

The Web Applications Working Group has published a Proposed Edited Recommendation of Packaged Web Apps (Widgets) - Packaging and XML Configuration (Second Edition). This specification updates the Widget Packaging and XML Configuration, and addresses some errata found in the original recommendation. It also updates the name of the specification, to be more in vogue with industry trends towards the naming of this class of application. This specification standardizes a packaging format and metadata for a class of software known commonly as packaged apps or widgets. Unlike traditional user interface widgets (e.g., buttons, input boxes, toolbars, etc.), widgets as specified in this document are full-fledged client-side applications that are authored using technologies such as HTML and then packaged for distribution. Comments are welcome through 25 October. Learn more about the Rich Web Client Activity.

The Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) Working Group has published the First Public Working Draft of CSS Intrinsic & Extrinsic Sizing Module Level 3. This module extends the CSS sizing properties with keywords that represent content-based "intrinsic" sizes and context-based "extrinsic" sizes, allowing CSS to more easily describe boxes that fit their content or fit into a particular layout context. CSS is a language for describing the rendering of structured documents (such as HTML and XML) on screen, on paper, in speech, etc. Learn more about the Style Activity.

W3C announced today the renewal of the Audio Working Group, whose mission is to add advanced sound and music capabilities to the Open Web Platform. The new charter adds a new deliverable, the Web MIDI API, which will provide a bridge between the browser and MIDI capable devices, such as musical instruments and controllers, and has great interest from the MIDI Manufacturers Association. The charter also clarifies the Web Audio API deliverable and timeline. See the Audio Working Group Charter for more information, and read more about the Interaction Domain.