We have launched a prototype of a Help-style interface to key OASIS and other DITA documents at http://www.ditainfocenter.com.

A help interface means it has the classic two panes with table of contents (TOC), index, and search views in the left pane and topics in the right.

The new DITA Infocenter is a demonstration of end-to-end DITA publishing. All the DITA source files for the Architecture Specification and the Language Specification were built as Eclipse Help and are serving from an Eclipse server at DITAUsers.org.

An open discussion list has been created to explore interest in forming an OASIS Document Standards Interoperability Technical Committee. The proposed TC is intended to address the development and documentation of scenarios for cross-standard content sharing; a specification for  an interoperability framework, including mappings from participating standard formats to the framework; and requirements on participating standards to improve interoperability.

The new discussion list is open to members and non-members and may last up to 90 days.

by Russell Kay, Computerworld

DITA uses XML as the basis for designing, writing, managing and publishing many kinds of information, both in print and on the Web. DITA includes a set of design principles for creating “information-typed” modules covering specific topics. The adoption of DITA principles facilitates adapting this type of content for a wide variety of delivery vehicles and uses, including integrated help systems, technical documentation, Web-based product-support portals and instructions.