Getting the Internet
Ready for Mathematics
Benton Leong
Waterloo Maple Inc.
CANADA
blleong@maplesoft.on.ca
Abstract
Until recently, the Internet has been
dominated primarily by textually based
information. The quick defacto standardization
of universal graphics formats, such
as GIF, has transformed the Web almost
overnight, enriching the information
that we can see and use. The current
lack of a widely used standard for
embedding mathematics and transmitting
mathematical objects hinders better
use of the Internet for technical
communications, collaboration and
teaching. Recent attempts have been
made by the W3C community and by the
OpenMath consortium to build a language
for mathematics suitable for communications
on the Web and between products that
display, compute, and otherwise use
mathematics. Examples of current progress
in Web components for mathematics
and embedded math engines developed
by Waterloo Maple Inc. and others
will be demonstrated. These new technologies
will simplify the way in which mathematicians
and technical professionals can generate,
explore and share new information.
Web resources, such as Waterloo Maple's
CyberMath site, can also dramatically
change the way in which teachers create
and share educational materials across
the world.
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