W3C

The Verifiable Credentials Working Group has published a First Public Working Draft of BBS Cryptosuite v2023. This specification describes the BBS+ Signature Suite created in 2023 for the Data Integrity specification. The Signature Suite utilizes BBS+ signatures to provide the capability of zero knowledge proof disclosures.

The RDF-star Working Group has published the following 16 First Public Working Drafts, which represent the first milestone in the update of the RDF and SPARQL families of specification towards version 1.2:

1. RDF 1.2 Concepts and Abstract Syntax defines an abstract syntax (a data model) for the Resource Description Framework (RDF), which serves to link all RDF-based languages and specifications.
2. RDF 1.2 XML Syntax defines an XML syntax for RDF called RDF/XML in terms of Namespaces in XML, the XML Information Set and XML Base.
3. RDF 1.2 Turtle defines a textual syntax for RDF called Turtle that allows an RDF graph to be completely written in a compact and natural text form, with abbreviations for common usage patterns and datatypes.
4. RDF 1.2 N-Triples defines a line-based, plain text format for encoding an RDF graph.
5. RDF 1.2 N-Quads defines is a line-based, plain text format for encoding an RDF dataset.
6. RDF 1.2 TriG defines a textual syntax for RDF called TriG that allows an RDF dataset to be completely written in a compact and natural text form, with abbreviations for common usage patterns and datatypes. TriG is an extension of the Turtle format.
7. RDF 1.2 Schema defines a data-modelling vocabulary for RDF data. RDF Schema is an extension of the basic RDF vocabulary.
8. SPARQL 1.2 Query Language defines the syntax and semantics of the SPARQL query language for RDF. SPARQL can be used to express queries across diverse data sources, whether the data is stored natively as RDF or viewed as RDF via middleware.
9. SPARQL 1.2 Update describes SPARQL 1.2 Update, an update language for RDF graphs. It uses a syntax derived from the SPARQL Query Language for RDF.
10. SPARQL 1.2 Protocol specifies the SPARQL Protocol; it describes a means for conveying SPARQL queries and updates to a SPARQL processing service and returning the results via HTTP to the entity that requested them.
11. SPARQL 1.2 Query Results XML Format describes an XML format for the variable binding and boolean results formats provided by the SPARQL query language for RDF.
12. SPARQL 1.2 Query Results JSON Format describes the representation of SELECT and ASK query results using JSON.
13. SPARQL 1.2 Query Results CSV and TSV Formats describes the use of the formats CSV [RFC4180] (comma separated values) and TSV [IANA-TSV] (tab separated values) for expressing SPARQL query results from SELECT queries.
14. SPARQL 1.2 Service Description describes SPARQL service description, a method for discovering, and vocabulary for describing SPARQL services made available via the SPARQL 1.2 Protocol.
15. SPARQL 1.2 Federated Query defines the syntax and semantics of SPARQL 1.1 Federated Query extension for executing queries distributed over different SPARQL endpoints.
16. SPARQL 1.2 Graph Store Protocol describes the use of HTTP operations for the purpose of managing a collection of RDF graphs. This interface is an alternative to SPARQL 1.2 Protocol.

The Verifiable Credentials Working Group has published the following two First Public Working Drafts:

• Verifiable Credentials Status List v2021: This specification describes a privacy-preserving, space-efficient, and high-performance mechanism for publishing status information such as suspension or revocation of Verifiable Credentials.
• Securing Verifiable Credentials using JSON Web Tokens: This specification defines how Verifiable Credentials can be represented as JSON Web Tokens (JWT) [RFC7519] and secured using JSON Web Signatures (JWS) [RFC7515].

The Timed Text Working Group has published a First Public Working Draft of Dubbing and Audio description Profiles of TTML2. This specification defines DAPT, a TTML-based file format for the exchange of timed text content in dubbing and audio description workflows as typically applied when localizing or making accessible versions of videos.

Those workflows begin with transcription, allow for translation and fine tuning, known as adaptation, to result in scripts that can be used to generate audio renderings, either by recording a human voice or by using text to speech.

Those audio recordings can be associated with the scripts directly, as can mixing instructions so that an alternative audio track incorporating the recordings can be generated, either prior to distribution or in the player directly.

If the scripts are distributed to players they can be used to provide an alternative, non-audio, representation, for example on a Braille display.

DAPT is intended to meet the requirements defined in DAPT-REQS and builds on work done initially in the Audio Description Community Group.

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is working with leading international executive search firm Perrett Laver to find qualified candidates from around the world to be our CEO.

W3C began 2023 by forming a new public-interest incorporated not-for-profit organization. We are now seeking our next leader at this exciting time in our evolution.

The new organization preserves the core process and mission of the Web Consortium to shepherd the Web, by developing open web standards as a single global organization with contributions from W3C Members, staff, and the international community. The new W3C entity preserves our member-driven approach and existing worldwide outreach and cooperation.

W3C is a unique organization at a crucial transition point in its existence. Reporting to the newly formed Board of Directors, the CEO will be responsible for the success of W3C in line with our mission. The CEO must be an experienced and collaborative leader who appreciates the strong assets of W3C —its expert staff, engaged members, committed Board and fantastic reputation— and has the capacity to effectively leverage these to transform the organization and ensure a bright future and further impact.

The next CEO of W3C will be a strategic, collaborative, and motivating leader. They will have a global mindset and the ability to effectively engage with a diverse range of stakeholders. They will be a person of integrity who is forward thinking and supportive of staff. Most importantly, they will have an affinity for, and understanding of, the work, mission, and values of W3C.

W3C invites applications from qualified CEO candidates from across several continents. Please refer to the Perrett Laver site. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 12th, 2023.

The Distributed Tracing Working Group invites implementations of the Trace Context Level 2 Candidate Recommendation Snapshot. This specification defines standard HTTP headers and a value format to propagate context information that enables distributed tracing scenarios. The specification standardizes how context information is sent and modified between services. Context information uniquely identifies individual requests in a distributed system and also defines a means to add and propagate provider-specific context information.

Comments are welcome via the GitHub issues by 18 July 2023.

W3C invites public feedback on a beta release of the W3C website redesign. The new site features a cleaner and more modern look, a simplified information architecture, improved accessibility, and more integration throughout the site. Once the beta of the English site has concluded, we will offer sites in Japanese and Chinese.

The scope of the redesign is limited to most of our public pages, but we will gradually work to include the rest of the site.

You can read a bit more on the beta and its context in the W3C blog post, and about the redesign work and process in Studio 24’s blog post. We look forward to your feedback.