@(#)REFERENCES	1.2 95/11/08

REFERENCES
==========
Most of the relevant references here are to OMG documents, however there
are a few external references of some note:

    *	http://www.uci.agh.edu.pl/research/cs/TOCOOS/COPERNICUS.html


OMG REFERENCES
--------------
As of this writing, OMG is in the process of publishing new versions of the
base CORBA specifications, merging specifications as needed into single
documents and splitting out the C mapping from the CORBA/CORE specification.

This software has made every effort to track both the base documents and the
agreed corrections and revisions.  Since those documents have not yet been
published, there will inevitably be areas in which it does not reflect the
versions yet to be published.  See the "DIFFERENCES" file for information
about where this software differs from these current base documents:

* CORBA 2.0/Interoperability:  Universal Networked Objects (UNO), OMG
  TC Document 95-3-10.  This includes the mandatory IIOP and bridging
  support, as well as the optional DCE-CIOP protocol.

* CORBA 1.2 specification, OMG TC Document 93-12-43.  This is the
  base document on which the CORBA 2.0 CORE specifications build.

* Universal Networked Objects (UNO), OMG TC Document 94-9-32.  Until
  the CORBA 2.0/CORE document is published, replacing the CORBA 1.2,
  initialisation, and IFR specifications, you must use this earlier
  version of UNO to see (only!) the specification for DSI and several
  other CORBA CORE extensions (for bridging) adopted by the OMG.
  [ NOTE: use the IIOP specification in 95-3-10, not the one here;
  95-3-10 has changes required by the IFR specification, 95-11-7. ]

* Initialisation, OMG TC Document 94-10-24.  This defines the portable
  APIs for initialising ORBs.

* Interface Repository, OMG TC Document 94-11-7.  This updates the
  CORBA specifications above and is referenced by the UNO document.

* IDL C++ Language Mapping Specification, OMG TC Document 94-9-14.
  This defines the mapping of CORBA 1.2, including OMG-IDL, onto C++.

There are a few inconsistencies between these documents, which are in the
process of being resolved.  The inconsistencies arose because different
groups worked on different parts of the system, at different times and
with some different goals.  Contact the various revision committees to
find out how these differences are being resolved:

    - interop@omg.org ... the interop revision task force (RTF)
    - cxx_revision@omg.org ... the C++ RTF
    - orb_revision@omg.org ... the general ORB RTF

Also, note that these ORB specifications correspond to only the lowest levels
of OMG's Object Management Architecture.  In particular, the "Object Services"
define object interfaces for naming, events, persistence, relationships,
lifecycle, externalization, transactions, and concurrency control.  Also,
"Common Facilities" objects will address such things as compound document
architecture.  If you intend to develop software based on ORBs, these
specifications are likely to be of interest.  The OMA is available in
technical bookstores:
    
    Richard Soley (ed.), Object Management Architecture Guide,
    Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1992.


ACQUIRING REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
-----------------------------
To acquire those reference documents, use the OMG document server through
Internet email.  Send a message to "server@omg.org", with content lines
such as

    send help

to get directions about how to use the server, or 

    send docs/95-3-10.ps

to get a PostScript copy of any particular document.  (OMG specifications
are available only in PostScript.)

The OMG document server is maintained for use by OMG members, but is also
available for general Internet access.  Only members will be supported in
the case of problems.

To find out more about the OMG, send email to "omg@omg.org", or look
at the Web page at "http://www.omg.org".

