W3C Aggregated Blogs

Tecnalia, in Spain, has provided a W3C Semantic Web Case Study on the Aquaring portal on aquatic resources. The portal offers a multilingual semantic search engine, a semantic tag cloud adapted to user context, map, exhibitions, etc. The initial aim was to offer a multilingual and unique access point to a heterogeneous and distributed collection of digital resources. This collection was provided by European expert organizations, keeping in mind the possible future integration into Europeana: the European Digital Library.

The CSS Working Group has just published a Last Call Working Draft of the CSS Multi-column Layout module Level 3. This module defines properties to flow content into multiple columns, a common layout feature in print publications such as newspapers. Major changes since the last publication include changes to the syntax of column-breaking controls and an example of text wrapping around floats in a later column.

The deadline for comments is 1 October 2009. This is an unusually-long Last Call period because we want to encourage a wider review of the module and to make sure implementors are ready for everything in the draft to be locked down for CR. Please send comments to www-style@w3.org with [css3-multicol] and your comment topic in the subject header. (And if you insist on posting your comments elsewhere, at least have someone forward them there. Seriously.)

W3C and XBRL International have announced the organization of a Workshop on “Improving Access to Financial Data on the Web”. From the Call for Paper:

The goal of this workshop is to identify opportunities and challenges for interactive access to financial data expressed in XBRL and related languages, and the broader opportunities for semantic technologies. What are the use cases? Who are the stakeholders? What are the potential roadblocks and how can they be addressed? How can new applications be created based upon integrating XBRL with other sources of information?

The main outcome of the workshop will be the publication of a report that will serve as a guide for further work in both W3C and XBRL International.

The Workshop will take place in Arlington, Virginia, on the 5-6 October, 2009. The Workshop is co-organized by W3C and XBRL International, and is hosted by FDIC.

The MW4D IG held its 20th teleconference on June 29th 2009.

The approved minutes are available at http://www.w3.org/2009/06/29-mw4d-minutes.html

Previous meeting minutes are available from the teleconference archives

Ian Jacobs (W3C Head of Communications) had the chance last week of testifying at a New York City Council hearing on opening up data and open source software use. The handouts at the hearing had a reference to the eGov IG's Improving Access to Government through Better Use of the Web Note. Ian has blogged about his participation. Thanks, Ian!