Frequently Asked Questions about LotusXSL

Q. What is LotusXSL?

A. Lotus and IBM are making available an experimental implementation of an XSL processor. The XSL specification is being developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). XSL provides powerful facilities for formatting and transformation of XML documents. The LotusXSL processor is written in Java and conforms to the construction rules features of the draft XSL specification released by the W3C today. LotusXSL is packaged as a JavaBean for use in client or server applications, as an applet for use in Java-enabled web browsers, and as a command-line Java program.

Q. Why is this announcement significant?

A. The LotusXSL processor is designed to help our customers and others in the web community gain early experience with the very latest XSL technology. This announcement also highlights both Lotus' and IBM's active role in advancing openstandards such as W3C's XML and XSL.

Q. What problems is the LotusXSL processor designed to solve?

A. LotusXSL implements the "construction rules" features of the XSL specification. Using simple style sheets, users can specify rules for transforming an input XML file into some other form of XML. A common use of LotusXSL is to transform XML into HTML for display in web browsers.

Q. Are you going to turn LotusXSL into a product?

A. The W3C will not be releasing a final version of an XSL specification for several more months. We will consider releasing a processor in product form once the W3C arrives at a "recommended" version of an XSL specification.

Q. What are the terms of the license for LotusXSL on Alphaworks.

A. LotusXSL has a similar commercial source agreement as XML4J.

Q. What about future enhancements to LotusXSL?

A. Both Lotus and IBM continue to actively participate in the ongoing development of the XSL standard and expect over time to deliver a variety of offerings in support of those standards. Regarding LotusXSL in particular, we will consider further enhancement as revisions to the W3C specification become available.

Q. This processor is developed by Lotus, is IBM also endorsing this work?

A. IBM is making extensive use of LotusXSL internally, and is coordinating the public availability of this technology through Alphaworks. Like the XML4J parser, which is also available from Alphaworks, LotusXSL is IBM's showcase implementation of an emerging technology from the W3C.

Q. Why did IBM chose to release a Lotus-developed implementation of XSL?

A. Alphaworks is hosting the best XML technologies from IBM and affiliated laboratories around the world. 

Q. How is Lotus participating in the development of XSL?

A. Both Lotus and IBM maintain and fund memberships in the W3C, each has their own representatives in the associated standards committees, and each is investing directly in technologies such as XSL. This processor is a result of Lotus' work on XSL.

Q. Will Lotus be using XML its products?

A. Lotus already supports XML in a number of products, including Domino R5, eSuite and SmartSuite. Today's delivery of LotusXSL on Alphaworks is another example of Lotus' continuing investment in key XML technologies and standards activities. We have previously stated our intention to add features for moving XML in and out of Domino. Additional details will be provided at a future date.

Q. Will Lotus or IBM be using XSL in its products?

A. Neither Lotus nor IBM is not making any product announcement at this time.

Q. Are you releasing source code for LotusXSL?

A. Yes!

Q. The W3C draft also defines "flow objects" for XML formatting. Have you implemented these?

A. Not at this time. The construction rules features provided by LotusXSL are useful for transforming XML and for producing HTML. Implementation of the flow objects is a substantially separate effort which we may undertake at some point in the future.