What is Bento(tm)?
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Bento is the document storage and interchange format used in the OpenDoc
architecture.  Bento defines a container format that can be used in files,
network streams, clipboards, etc.  Bento also defines an API that reads and
writes the container format very efficiently.
 
The Bento API is implemented in a library that currently runs on Macintosh, MS
Windows, OS/2, and several Unix systems.  Several developers are shipping
products that use Bento, and many more products are under development.  We are
proposing Bento to relevant industry standards organizations as the basis for
consensus standards.
 
A Bento container allows applications to store and retrieve networks of
objects. The container format is neutral to:
    -which platform it's being used on
    -what kind of data content is stored in it
    -which application software reads or writes it
Thus Bento is an ideal format for interchange of compound content, or groups of
objects, between different platforms and applications.
 
Developers can easily retrofit existing I/O code to use Bento.  Existing
document formats can often be extended to become Bento containers.  In
addition, Bento meshes well with existing document and multimedia formats, such
as ODA, SGML, RIFF, and others, while providing considerably greater
flexibility and power than any one of these standards alone.
 
Bento helps developers:
    -store compound documents so that different applications can
     access the various pieces
    -publish complex multimedia "performances" which have real-time
     requirements for playback
    -represent references between objects in different files (documents)
    -accomodate diverse existing data format standards
    -support all this in a heterogeneous networked environment
 
Apple has created Bento with the help of other system vendors and ISVs. We are
planning to share Bento with IBM and the industry in general so that users will
be able to enjoy the benefits of data portability in their multi-vendor
environments.
 
The Bento specification and source code are available from Apple now.  Email
OPENDOC (Formerly AMBER.IDEAS) if you would like more information.  In order to obtain a specification or source code please submit the following information and a Bento Specification and Source Code Agreement will be sent to you:
 
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