I just recently joined Microsoft as a Program Manager for XML Standards in the XML WebData team.  For the last 5 years I worked for Software AG, mostly  helping to support and promote their XML DBMS and web services middleware technology.   You can find some of my previous efforts online in a java.net weblog and  a  column (whichI will probably continue to write) in CIOUpdate. 

I got my start in the XML world at Arbortext from 1996-1999.  That company launched me on my shadow career on World Wide Web Consortium working groups:  I was closely involved in the development of the Document Object Model Level 1 and Level 2 Core Recommendations, somewhat peripherally involved in the SOAP 1.2 and WSDL 2.0 working groups, and I co-chaired the Web Services Architecture group. Looking ahead, I will help represent Microsoft on the XML Query working group.

The focus of my job at MS (as I understand it -- I'm still new!)  is to help the WebData team track XML technologies and specifications as they emerge, mature, and are standardized, and to be a source for information needed to decide which specs to support in what timeframes.  One of the first things I learned in my new job is that even Microsoft does not have the resources to do everything that could plausibly done in the XML area, and hard choices have to be made about priorities and resource allocations.  Furthermore, it is not at all clear that MS should support all the purported standards even if we had the resources.   We need to find those specs that address real customer needs, and avoid those which are likley to create more confusion and complication than actual benefit.  This is not going to be easy, and is sure to create controversy. 

One big reason for members of the XML WebData team to write both individual and group weblogs is so that we can throw out ideas for discussion and critique. Not all the posts here will be about matters directly related to my work at MS, and some may not be all that related to XML.   But whatever the topic,  I really REALLY want to hear your responses and suggestions.  Please feel free to add comments to posts, or the contact link to send an offline message.