XML is good news for Reuters

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is fast becoming the de facto standard for the manipulation of information over the Internet, according to Dr Nic Fulton, leader of XML design and architecture at media giant Reuters.

Fulton said: "XML is a very significant standard that has been emerging on the Internet for a number of years now, and it seems to have really reached a critical point. We've been in the business of information for 150 years, and always tried to adopt the latest technology, and XML is exactly that."

XML is a language that attempts to standardise the publishing of information on the Internet. Unlike its precursor, HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), it can describe data depending on its subject matter or type, making it easier for companies to sort and process information.

The development of XML has been encouraged by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that ensures it is kept an open standard. Fulton told Silicon.com that the open nature of XML allowed Reuters to save money, and save its customers money, as all their suppliers can use the same system.

Fulton says that Reuters' place at the W3C has helped the language stay international, despite the bias of new technology towards the US and English language. He said: "Reuters works in 23 languages worldwide, and we've gone a long way to ensuring that XML is compatible with that."

The full interview with Dr Nic Fulton is available on Silicon.com's Developer Channel (http://www.silicon.com/a36156 ).