In the case of XML, the most touted XML buzzwords are: Open—As a W3C standard, XML is on track to replace HTML on the web and will be used extensively in future web standards such as messaging ( SOAP— Simple Object Access Protocol), and graphics ( SVG—Scalable Vector Graphics). The open XML standard meshes well with the open design and philosophy of Jabber. Simple—One of XML’s primary design goals is to maximize the simplicity of creating and reading (parsing) XML formatted data. This simplicity trans- lates into simpler software making it easier to build and support software that uses XML data formats. Jabber exploits XML’s simplicity to make it eas- ier to write Jabber software. XML also allows the Jabber protocols to target a wider variety of platforms such as embedded systems. Flexible—XML is a generic data formatting language. It provides mecha- nisms like schemas, DTDs, and namespaces to allow users to create custom- ized definitions of XML documents for their own uses. Jabber heavily exploits DTDs and namespaces to harness this flexibility as well as preserve flexibility so users can further extend Jabber while staying compliant. Portable—XML documents are simple, marked-up text files that can be sent over the network and read on pretty much any platform. XML support tran- scends programming languages and operating systems. Most common pro- gramming environments such as Java, C/C++, Delphi/Pascal, Perl, and so forth support XML with standard libraries. This book focuses on Java Jabber programming. It is logical to ask if Java and XML are a good combination. The answer is a resounding “Yes!” In fact, a common joke among Java enthusiasts is that “ XML gives Java something to do,” referring to the fact that before XML many considered Java a solution in search of a problem. Sun Microsystems (www.sun.com)is aware of the use of Java and XML and cre- ated a standard Java XML library package with all Java XML technologies pack- aged together for easy use. XML parsing support is being added to the standard Java libraries in the 1.4 release of the Java Development Kit ( JDK). In fact, the buzz surrounding XML and Java is a stronger advantage for Jabber and its XML protocols than many of its other advantages. As with many software- related technologies, building a critical mass in the development community is more important than the technical merits of the technology itself. XML and Java is a perfect example of this. In the case of XML, the most touted XML buzzwords are: Open—As a W3C standard, XML is on track to replace HTML on the web and will be used extensively in future web standards such as messaging ( SOAP— Simple Object Access Protocol), and graphics ( SVG—Scalable Vector Graphics). The open XML standard meshes well with the open design and philosophy of Jabber. Simple—One of XML’s primary design goals is to maximize the simplicity of creating and reading (parsing) XML formatted data. This simplicity trans- lates into simpler software making it easier to build and support software that uses XML data formats. Jabber exploits XML’s simplicity to make it eas- ier to write Jabber software. XML also allows the Jabber protocols to target a wider variety of platforms such as embedded systems. Flexible—XML is a generic data formatting language. It provides mecha- nisms like schemas, DTDs, and namespaces to allow users to create custom- ized definitions of XML documents for their own uses. Jabber heavily exploits DTDs and namespaces to harness this flexibility as well as preserve flexibility so users can further extend Jabber while staying compliant. Portable—XML documents are simple, marked-up text files that can be sent over the network and read on pretty much any platform. XML support tran- scends programming languages and operating systems. Most common pro- gramming environments such as Java, C/C++, Delphi/Pascal, Perl, and so forth support XML with standard libraries. This book focuses on Java Jabber programming. It is logical to ask if Java and XML are a good combination. The answer is a resounding “Yes!” In fact, a common joke among Java enthusiasts is that “ XML gives Java something to do,” referring to the fact that before XML many considered Java a solution in search of a problem. Sun Microsystems (www.sun.com)is aware of the use of Java and XML and cre- ated a standard Java XML library package with all Java XML technologies pack- aged together for easy use. XML parsing support is being added to the standard Java libraries in the 1.4 release of the Java Development Kit ( JDK). In fact, the buzz surrounding XML and Java is a stronger advantage for Jabber and its XML protocols than many of its other advantages. As with many software- related technologies, building a critical mass in the development community is more important than the technical merits of the technology itself. XML and Java is a perfect example of this. Part II Protocols, code, and advanced IM I n this part of the book, we cover the core Jabber protocols in enough detail that you can implement Jabber-compliant software. We’ll build a Jabber server and client in Java to clearly illustrate the Jab- ber protocols and we’ll examine the tradeoffs facing Jabber develop- ers. The part ends by examining advanced Jabber features not included in the current Jabber standards. We’ll also explore how you can build applications that exploit these enterprise instant messaging frameworks to create next-generation, IM-based systems. . logical to ask if Java and XML are a good combination. The answer is a resounding “Yes!” In fact, a common joke among Java enthusiasts is that “ XML gives Java something to do,” referring to the fact. easy use. XML parsing support is being added to the standard Java libraries in the 1.4 release of the Java Development Kit ( JDK). In fact, the buzz surrounding XML and Java is a stronger. logical to ask if Java and XML are a good combination. The answer is a resounding “Yes!” In fact, a common joke among Java enthusiasts is that “ XML gives Java something to do,” referring to the fact