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\documentclass[a4paper]{article}

\usepackage[latin1]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{ae}
%\usepackage{times}
%\usepackage{courier}

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\title{Bringing mathematical and physical manuscripts to the net}

\author{Dirk Wintergrün}

\date{version 0.1 of \today}



\begin{document}
\maketitle

\begin{abstract}
Proposal for a joint task force/project of the Dibner
Institute and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science.
\end{abstract}

\tableofcontents

\section{Starting point}
\label{sec:starting-point}

Both institutes aim to bring a.s.a.p. mathematical papers into the
net, i.e. Albert Einstein's Zurich Notebook by the MPIWG and
Manuscripts of Newton and contemporaries by the Dibner
Institute. Furthermore these projects shall be realized without
substantial external funding. Therefore a strategy for using already
existing technology has to be found which also includes an optimal
devision of labor. 

The problem of presenting images and (pure) text is to great extent
solved. But an open question is how to adequately represent formulae.
\section{Overall goal}
\label{sec:goals}

The overall goal of the project/task force to develop a.s.a p. an environment
for presenting mathematical and physical manuscripts in the net. In
particular a solution for the representation of formulae in the
historic context should be found. The developments shall base on
existing technologies already developed at the participating
institutes and otherwise available open source technologies. 

\section{Goals}
In detail in a first step (pragmatic) answers to the following
questions should be found:

\begin{itemize}
\item Which technologies exists for presenting formulae in the net?
\item Which standards for encoding formulae as XML exists and can they
      be used for representing formulae in historic papers in the net?
\item Which extensions of existing standards have to be made to
      represent the semantic meaning of formulae in historical documents?
\end{itemize}

The answers should be oriented on the need to find a solutions which
can on the one hand be realized very soon with existing standards and
which are on the other hand open enough for further developments and specifications.

A second step shall be the implementation of a first prototype.

\section{First concrete steps}
A (real) workshop should be held with a limited number of participants
(up to 10) dedicated to the above mentioned questions bringing to together: 


\begin{itemize}
\item experts on the manuscripts (George Smith, Jürgen Renn)
\item experts on representing (modern) mathematical papers (Living
      Review staff?)
\item experts on computer algebra (Mupad,  Maple or Mathematica staff,
      Bruno Buchberger? (risc))
\item experts for representing texts (Malcolm Hyman/ Mark Schiefsky (Harvard)).
\end{itemize}

At the end of the workshop a (pragmatic) working grammar for encoding
formulae should be defined and a list of requirements for the needed
developments should be made.

\section{Division of labor}
\label{sec:division-labor}

The MPIWG will further develop their existing presentation techniques
and text tools and
bring this in the cooperation and cooperate in the new developments.

The Dibner Institute will focus on the evaluation of representing the
mathematical parts of the papers. For the first step one
(engaged) student with background on history of science and IT may be sufficient.



\section{Timescale}
\label{sec:timescale}
Very preliminary timescale:
\begin{itemize}
\item First report on existing tools and standards in November
\item The Workshop should be held at least in January. 
\item Specification of the (preliminary) XML-Format shoud be finished in February
\item An alpha version - if necessary with a brute force solution concerning the formulae (MATHML-Presentation Mark Up + GIF Images for the browsers which do not understand MATHML) - finished in April (maybe quicker).
\end{itemize}


\end{document}