Applications Working Group: IG->WG and Charter

[Mark Allen]

Hi everyone,

The IVOA executive has approved a proposal that the Applications
Interest Group extend its mandate to become a Working Group.

The change to a WG means that the group can develop standards within
the framework of the IVOA standards process - i.e. to submit 'Proposed
Recommendations' to the IVOA executive.

This change is in part motivated by the need for standards for
messaging between VO applications. There has been good progress
in this area, and an IVOA applications Working Group appears
to be the best forum to pursue a VO Applications Messaging standard.

A charter for the Applications Working Group is included at the
end of this message. Comments are of course welcome, and the
wiki page will also be updated shortly.

-Mark.


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CHARTER : IVOA Applications Working Group


The IVOA Applications Working Group is concerned primarily with the software
tools that Astronomers use to access VO data and services for doing
Astronomy.

The VO is enabling new ways of doing Astronomy. Interoperability between
Astronomy data, services and software empowers astronomers to combine
these for scientific discovery and analysis. VO Applications may
take many forms such as GUI desktop applications, software libraries,
web interfaces to services, or other innovative 'portals' to the VO.
Legacy Astronomy software is becoming VO enabled and new and novel
VO applications are being created. The IVOA Applications Working Group provides
a means for VO Applications development and implementation to be closely
linked to the standards development in the IVOA, and where necessary to
propose and develop standards for VO Applications to interoperate.


The role of the Applications Working Group is to:

* Provide a forum for announcement and discussion of VO Applications

* Provide feedback to IVOA on the implementation of interoperability
standards in VO applications

* Identify missing or desirable technical capabilities for VO applications

* Identify missing or desirable components in terms of scientific usability

* Propose and develop standards specific to VO Astronomy-user-Applications


Organisation
------------

The Applications Working Group is overseen by a chair and deputy chair approved
by the IVOA executive. The chairs organise the interop meeting
sessions, and fulfil the normal responsibilities of a WG chair for
publishing proposed recommendations.

Standards proposed for development within the Applications Working Group
are to be considered within the wider context of the IVOA, and care should
be taken to interface appropriately with other working groups. Development
of Applications Working Group standards is ideally done by
small teams. These teams are required to make a mission plan and to report
regularly to the group.


Interop Meetings
-----------------

Applications sessions at Interop meeting will be organised for

* General discussion, announcement and demonstration of VO applications.

* Technical development of interoperability standards for VO applications.









-- 
Mark G. ALLEN
Observatoire de Strasbourg
+33 3 90 24 24 87