Oasis uses XML in `War on Terror`

The Organisation for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (Oasis) last week announced the formation of a new technical committee to develop a universal global framework aimed at helping law enforcement agencies share criminal and terrorist evidence.

In a move targeted at helping those agencies involved in the US homeland defence effort, Oasis is putting its XML expertise to use for the cause of US national security. The new technical committee is called the Oasis LegalXML Lawful Intercept XML (LI-XML) Technical Committee. Oasis officials said the consortium formed the new committee in response to mandates in the US and Europe. [ExtremeTech]

A new Gartner report places HP as the top server seller in 2002, as the worldwide server market eked out a small gain in shipments.

The report shows that worldwide server unit sales increased by just over 4% to 4.6 million during the year, up from 4.4 million units in 2001. The results indicate that although the server market is improving slightly, it is still hampered by a tepid economy, the firm said.

HP, which shipped the most units during the year, moved nearly 1.4 million machines, giving it 30% of the total market. Dell Computer took second place, turning out 851 000 machines, for about 19% of the market. [ZDNet]

Sony officials say the company will phase out all of its 17-inch and 19-inch CRT monitors by 31 March, part of the industry`s shift away from cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) to LCD panels.

The company has also decided to phase out its 17-inch and 19-inch tube business, meaning OEM-branded Trinitron monitors in those categories will also cease production.

Sony`s decision comes as no surprise as it has been steadily moving away from CRT production to manufacturing LCDs. Likewise, Sharp, Matsushita and Hitachi have pulled out of the CRT tube business, and their display divisions have either purchased tubes from companies like Toshiba or exited the CRT monitor business altogether in favour of LCDs. [ExtremeTech]