KML Moving Closer to a Standard

This is one area where we can definitely benefit from a standard representation.

The Open Geospatial Consortium has dubbed Google’s Keyhole Markup Language – the language used for developing Google Earth – a best practice and is working with Google and other OGC members including ESRI and Autodesk to make sure KML integrates well with such other standards as the Geographic Markup Language. 

An OGC official said the main advantages of making KML a standard are that it speeds development of Web-based mapping applications, encourages greater interoperability of products and ensures easier movement of data between applications.

OGC expects KML 3.0 to be released as a standard early next year.

via Cover Pages and GCN article. KML is an XML based markup language.