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N-1-3-20.23, "Euromath an all that - the General Setting", by
Flemming Topsoe*, <topsoe@euromath.dk>
Editorial Note 1: Readers are invited to contribute to this column
which is dedicated to matters of interest to mathematicians which are
in some way dependent on computer networks and networking services.
References to sources of more complete information or to purely
technical discussions will be appreciated. Your editor is involved in
the Euromath activities (read below), and will make sure that you are
kept informed about these efforts. However, to avoid any unhealthy
bias, I urge contributions on other matters.
Editorial Note 2: In a subsequent issue we will deal with Information
Systems exploiting the marvelous new network navigating tools (cf.
ISOC News 1.2). Anyone knowing about Information Services of
particular interest to mathematicians or of potential Information
Resources for mathematics, please send your comments/advice in good
time to me.
Euromath and all that - the General Setting
Many have heard about "Euromath", but are unsure what that really
covers. This is understandable as it can be given a number of
meanings.
Euromath arose as a set of ideas among European mathematicians, and is
directed at forming and implementing a research infrastructure for
mathematicians, based on Information Technology.
Formally, these ideas are now cultivated by a charity, the European
Mathematical Trust (EMT), a pan-European organisation registered in the
United Kingdom. Typically, the members of EMT are regional or national
mathematical societies in Europe.
From the European Commission (the Science Programme) EMT has obtained
a grant in support of the Euromath Project, during which a substantial
part of the overall Euromath ideas will be realized. A key component
of the project is the development of Euromath Software. This piece of
software is built on a structure driven editor, GRIF, which, so to
speak, has been taught mathematics. An import/export facility for TeX
(LaTeX in fact) will be provided as well as external calls facilities
enabling you to send mail, to access external databases or computer
algebra systems etc. The Euromath basic software and the interaction
it will provide with networked services constitute the Euromath
System.
As part of the Euromath Project, a Directory of Mathematicians (DM) in
Europe will be created and a publication, the Euromath Bulletin (EmB)
will be launched.
Another important aspect of Euromath activity is the creation of a
human network based on a number of National Coordinating Committees
(NCC's). The chairmen of the NCC's form the Euromath Advisory Board
(the AB). Through this board, the European mathematical community
influences the Euromath Project and feeds into it special user
requirements. Observers from Central and Eastern European countries
have been invited to meetings of the AB.
The Euromath System and the human network established together with the
interplay with the academic computer networks and services constitute
the Euromath Network, EmNet.
EMT liases or collaborates with a number of organisations in pursuit
of its goals. We mention the European Mathematical Society, the
American Mathematical Society, The International Standards
Organisation and the Euromath Center, Copenhagen. Of these, Euromath
Center (EmC) has been created as a result of the Euromath activity.
The centre follows and participates in the development of Euromath and
is responsible for Euromath User Support.
The Present Status of Euromath
Euromath Software, Euromath Version 0, has been released for
mathematical institutes in Europe, following a presentation and
demonstration at the first European Congress of Mathematicians in
Paris, July 1992. The system presently consists of the Euromath
structure editor. This includes the facility to edit mathematical
formulae WISYWIG on screen, includes a drawing program derived from
idraw, export to LaTeX and import of (restricted) LaTeX. An important
feature of the system is its full compatibility with SGML, the future
standard for publishing.
The first issue of EmB, the Euromath Bulletin, is just about to
appear.
For Further Information
It is hoped that a Euromath Information Service (based on Gopher) will
soon be set up. Until then, interested individuals or organisations
may write to me or to the following for fuller details:
EMT office: Ian R. Stone: irs1@ukc.ac.uk
Euromath Project: Helmut Lenzing helmut@uni-paderborn.de
Euromath Bulletin: Mika Seppala: ms@geom.helsinki.fi
Euromath Advisory Board: Jose Luis Vicente: euro@cica.es
EmC: emc@euromath.dk
*Professor, University of Copenhagen, Mathematical Institute, Denmark