|
Abstract : |
The Open Archives Initiative (OAI) is an organization dedicated to solving problems of digital library interoperability by defining simple protocols, most recently for the exchange of metadata. The success of such an activity requires vigilance in specification of the protocol as well as standardization of implementation. The lack of standardized implementation is a substantial barrier to interoperability in many existing client/server protocols. To avoid this pitfall we developed the Repository Explorer, a tool that supports manual and automated protocol testing. This tool has a significant impact on simplifying development of interoperability interfaces and increasing the level of confidence of early adopters of the technology, thus exemplifying the positive impact of exhaustive testing and quality assurance on interoperability ventures., |
