Semantic Web takes a step forward

NetworkWorld published an interesting article in its latest issue on the W3C's (World Wide Web Consortium) publication of SPARQL (pronounced "sparkle") as a recommendation, the highest form a standard can take from the W3C. If you think of the Semantic Web as a bunch of databases of information, SPARQL is a standard by which users can query that huge database. Just another step forward, and an important one, in the evolution of the Semantic Web.

At the PSP Annual Meeting

Several Silverchair executives are attending the annual conference of the Professional/Scholarly Publishing division of the AAP in Washington, DC.

Some interesting sessions and discussions have highlighted a packed agenda, including a very interesting keynote address by Chris Willis, Vice President of Social Media at Footnote.com. Chris reviewed all the ways in which social aspects of the web (wikis, blogs, social networking sites, etc.) are impacting how publishers provide information.

But the highlight for Silverchair was the awards luncheon, where McGraw-Hill's AccessPharmacy won the award for Best Electronic Publication or Product for 2007. Silverchair collaborated with McGraw-Hill on the product, and it is built on Silverchair's SCM platform.

Pictured here are Helen Parr, McGraw-Hill's Executive Editor, Medical Online (right), and Holly Auten, Silverchair Project Manager, who worked on the award-winning project together.