Glossary

The O.K.I. OSIDs are especially well suited to codebases that use a service oriented architecture (SOA)….

The measure of ease of integration between two systems or software components to achieve a functional goal. A highly interoperable integration is one that can be easily achieved by the individual who requires the result.

See Redefining Interoperability in the Conversations section of this site.

Web Services Description Language…

The act of making two systems work together to achieve a functional goal, regardless of how difficult or expensive that task might be.

See Redefining Interoperability in the Conversations section of this site.

O.K.I. uses the term Open Service Interface Definition (OSID) to differentiate its service based specifications from the broader class of application programming interfaces. The O.K.I. architecture exposes a carefully selected collection of services. The definition of these services enforces a programming model that maintains a sharply delineated boundary between O.K.I. compliant applications and O.K.I. service implementations.

For more information see the OSIDs section of this site.

The Open Knowledge Initiative (O.K.I.) develops and promotes specifications that describe how the components of a software environment communicate with each other and with other enterprise systems. O.K.I. specifications enable sustainable interoperability and integration by defining standards for Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Through this work O.K.I. seeks to open new market opportunities across a wide range of software application domains.

The O.K.I. project was initially launched in 2001 through a generous grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and in collaboration with a number of like minded organizations.  Today the O.K.I. Phase II project is housed at the Office of Educational Innovation and Technology, a part of MIT’s Dean of Undergraduate Education Office.