Ben is currently prototyping HtDig, an open-source search engine. If such a product can be harnessed, we benefit not only from adapting it to our scheme but from saving money as well. If we cannot adapt such a product, the worst case is to have to construct our own search engine. However, this could be an ambitious endeavor. There are other open-source search engines beyond HtDig, and other commercial products may provide an open framework if neither UltraSeek or HtDig will work.
More research is needed.
My understanding of XML and how it will fit in to the overall framework is increasing rapidly. ADL discusses bailing out on applets and moving to Java client applications for various reasons, and I need to get more details from them. In either event, I see XML as the vehicle to transmit information between the various tiers described here. Security This has been a largely undiscussed topic and I'd like to elevate its position. PAGE is outside of the UCAR firewall, and we have been opening up our system resources to the world with the forums, list-serves and registration site.