The SHORE FAQ

What is SHORE?

SHORE (Semantic Hypertext Object Repository) is a hypertext repository that provides a consistent view of content from a diverse set of tools, like other repositories, text documents, program source code etc.

The repository stores a semantic net of objects defined by the various documents. Documents (or the content of repositories) are converted to XML and enhanced with specific markup, which denotes objects and the relationship between objects. The converted documents can then be accessed in a variety of ways, including using browsers, using queries on the content of SHORE's object structure by creating report documents from SHORE or simply by dumping the content into text files for further processing. The documents, objects and relationships are specified using SHORE's own simple meta model specification language.

Who developed SHORE?

SHORE was developed by Capgemini sd&m as a repository for their software development projects. SHORE is used in some of it’s largest development projects and by some of it’s customers.

Is SHORE a product?

No, SHORE is not a product. In the past SHORE was only available as part of a customization package or when sd&m participated in the project using it. In 2003 sd&m assigned SHORE with an open source license to allow a wider use of the tool and development in areas that are not in sd&m’s primary focus (e.g. support for XML topic maps).

What is openSHORE.org?

openSHORE.org is a group of current and former sd&m employees and other people interested in the tool. www.openshore.org is their home for the development of SHORE as an open source project. The development activities are hosted by SourceForge.net.

Is Capgemini sd&m a member of openSHORE.org?

No, Capgemini sd&m itself is not member of openSHORE.org. Capgemini sd&m projects may contribute to the open source development, but Capgemini sd&m does not influence it’s development as an open source project.

Under which license is SHORE available?

SHORE as an open source software is available under the Common Public License that is also used for the Eclipse project.

How is SHORE supported?

If you use SHORE as an open source software you can get support from the members of openSHORE.org by a mailing list. But be aware that the development takes place in their free time and not as part of their work. Within sd&m SHORE is maintained and supported by the projects themselves, so if you are using SHORE as a tool in a sd&m software development project, support is provided by the sd&m project.

How can I participate?

If you're a Java or C++ developer interested in cutting-edge knowledge-processing technology, you might make an excellent addition to the development team. That's not the half of it, though. The team can certainly always use people who beat on new releases and get bugs into the bug tracking system, write documentation and much more.

How do I join the development team?

If you want to join the development effort, please make yourself heard on the developers mailing list and tell us who you are and how you would like to help. If you would like to actually become a member of the development team, with privileges to commit changes to the CVS repository, you should have first been noted as an active developer - this can be by providing patches for bugs or by expressing an interest in taking on one of the unmanaged areas of interest for the project.