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Sharing, Drilling Down Via XML and its Relatives
Snowed under by volumes of ever-multiplying Web-posted information? It’s challenging enough just to regularly find and grab data helpful data.
It also can be testy to keep information updated or exchanged accurately with others. Fortunately, three ubiquitous indispensable e-communication tools help ease frustrations and simplify information gathering and distribution: eXtensible markup language (XML) and two of its relatives, simple object access protocol (SOAP) and really simple syndication (RSS).
As the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C, www.w3c.org) emphasizes in its XML tutorial www.w3schools.com/xml/xml_whatis.asp), XML “was created to structure, store and to send information.” It describes data. It does not replace hypertext markup language (HTML), which Web browsers use to display data and graphics.
XML is a derivative of the International Organization for Standardization’s Standard Generalized Markup Language, or SGML. That’s a meta-language - a language used to make statements about object languages - in which end-users can define tags for documents. That ability to define differentiates HTML from XML. The hypertext language predefines format tags or labels such as to describe the entire document, or to identify the document’s content. But with the extensible language, end-users define the tags...
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» CONTROL SYSTEM SKILLS: Improving Human Effectiveness -
Born on May 25, 2007, the Center for Operator Performance (COP, www.operatorperformance.org) in Dayton, Ohio, provides a unique setting for operating companies and vendors to hold open discussions and focus on mutually beneficial research, states Duane Toavs, director of the Ease of Use Center of Excellence at process controls vendor Emerson Process Management www.emersonprocess.com, Austin, Texas.
Besides research, COP will provide continuing education and seminars on research topics, and also serve as a repository and clearinghouse for related data...
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» BUSINESS SKILLS: Strengthen Company, Minimize Risk -
When justifying automation investments, “if you look at justification methodologies that you have to take to upper management, ultimately you have only a few economic buckets in which you can claim benefits,” observes Pete Sharpe, principal consultant with the Advanced Applied Technology Group for process controls vendor Emerson Process Management www.emersonprocess.com, in Austin, Texas.
Whatever those buckets may be, though, the underlying motivation is increasing profits and minimizing risks. To do both, “you’ll either increase revenues or lower costs,” he emphasizes. Increasing revenues is a bucket on the positive side of the formula. That means “you have to increase sales of the more valuable product, or increase the yield of product,” Sharpe states. Cost-lowering considerations could involve maintenance, labor, energy, utilities or raw materials, among other areas...
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